Forty-nine professional and student finalists vied for the honor of being named a category or best of show winner in the highly competitive International Society of Furniture Designers’ third annual INNOVATION + DESIGN home furnishings competition.

The winners were recognized at the “Meet the Designers” celebration Sept. 22. 

The furniture industry-sponsored juried competition and exhibition was open to professional designers who make their own products and the next generation of serious woodworking students who are anticipating a career in custom wood and related home furnishings industries. The finalists’ projects were also creatively photographed by 17 area photographers participating in the INNOVATION + DESIGN’s People’s Choice photographic competition and will be voted on by the exhibition visitors through Oct. 26. The photography winners will be announced at a celebration co-hosted with Theater Art Galleries from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 13 at 401 W. English St. in High Point.

“I want to thank the very talented designers for sharing their highly imaginative creations with us, the judges who were tasked with the challenging job of selecting the incredible winners and the photographers who stepped up to the challenge to shoot the projects in an extraordinary manner,” said John Conrad, executive director of ISFD. “It is so exciting to see how much this event has grown over the past three years. Our plan is to continue to expand INNOVATON + DESIGN each year and to continue to make it a highly coveted furniture award that recognizes High Point as the design capital in not only the industry and our community but also worldwide.”