NEW YORK—Interiors by Decorating Den recently kicked off the judging portion of its 24th Dream Room Design Contest at the Marriot Marquis in Times Square. Approximately 30 judges were in attendance, including FCNews’ own Sarah Zimmerman, for the initial ruling which named first, second and third place winners in 12 categories— bathroom, bedroom, children’s room, commercial, dining room, family room, home office, kitchen, living room, model home/show house, window treatment and miscellaneous— out of over 325 entries.

Any franchisee can enter as a contestant explained Sue Pelley, director of corporate communications for Interiors by Decorating Den. “This is a great opportunity for designers to have their work showcased and honored, but mostly contestants use these entries as the gut of their own personal portfolios,” she said.

An overall winner—Decorator of the Year—will be announced with the individual category winners on May 16 at the group’s 39th Annual Lifestyle Conference in Washington. The Decorator of the Year receives an all-expense paid trip to New York City including a trip to Tiffany’s and dinner and a show of their choice. “We try to make it a very special weekend for them,” Pelley noted.

Other judges included freelance design and magazine editors from such publications as Modern Bride, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Traditional Home and Window Fashions Magazine.

For more on Interiors by Decorating Den, call 800.332.3367 or visit www.decoratingden.com.