INTERIOR designers can put their skills to the test in an award organised by the Johor Interior Designers’ Association (JIDA).

Its president Jasmine Lim said the JIDA Design Awards was in its third edition with eight categories for participants.

The categories are best residential design (high-rise), best residential design (landed), best workplace design, best retail design and best food, beverage and entertainment design.

Other categories are best hospitality design for services covering places such as hotels, spas, medical centre clubs and cinemas; best 3D conceptual design and best emerging designer which is open to students.

“The competition aims to recognise and showcase outstanding home-grown interior design talents to raise the professional standards of the industry.

“We also wish to create awareness of JIDA as an accessible platform for industry players to join.

“We want to position the award as a major industry networking event that connects partners,” she said in a press conference.

Lim added that the biennial event was first held in 2017 and then 2019.

It was supposed to be held last year but had to be postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“After the delay, I am sure many designers are eager to show off their skills and we are expecting 250 entries nationwide this time compared with the 227 entries we received in 2019.

“There will be gold, silver and bronze winners for each category.

“We look forward to seeing what the designers can come up with this time around,” she said.

The awards’ organising chairman Silver Chng Kar Hao added that participants could send in their online submissions until June 30.

“The winners will be announced during the awards gala night on Oct 21, starting at 5.30pm.

“Before that, from 10am to 3.30pm, an interior design sharing seminar will be held for all JIDA members and the public,” he said, adding that the location of the event was yet to be confirmed.

The entries will be judged by a panel of interior designers and architects from Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Belgium.

The competition is open to all Malaysians with the entry fee at RM300 for JIDA members and RM450 for non-members.

Students can enter the competition for free.

For submission and more information, call the JIDA secretariat at 019-7177 096 or visit www.jida.com.my