SOPHI Awards 2025

Sophisticated Living St. Louis is honored to announce the Second Annual SOPHI Awards, recognizing the city's finest design, architecture, and building achievements. Building on the resounding success of our sold-out inaugural year in 2024, we look forward to record-setting submissions and attendance.  The finalists and winners will be revealed at the Awards Gala on Wednesday, November 5th at the 21c Museum Hotel and subsequently featured in the November/December publication. To become a sponsor contact Craig Kaminer at 314-363-3333 or craig@slmag.net  For sponsorship details, click HERE

Click HERE to learn more about the Gala.

·    The competition is open to all interior designers, architects, furniture designers, builders, and landscape architects regardless of professional society affiliation.

·    Eligibility requires that entrants are either based in the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area, or if based elsewhere, their project must be located within the area. Entrants can submit in one or more of 21 categories.

·    Projects may be submitted that have been published previously. Submitted projects must have been completed between January 2022 to present. You may enter the same project in multiple categories.

How to Enter

To enter, click 'Register' and create your account. After signing in, register and pay for your desired categories. Payments are required at registration.  You'll be directed to your entry list, where you can complete forms and upload project details. You may modify or add entries until the final deadline of July 31, 2025.

Project Images and Naming

Each entry requires 1-8 high-resolution images (.jpeg/.png, 300dpi minimum, 10MB max per image). Professional photography is highly recommended. Secure royalty-free usage rights before submission, as images may be published in Sophisticated Living's November/December issue. Label each image with the name of your project.

Project Description and Judging Criteria

Evaluation by the judges will be based on the following criteria, which include a concise project synopsis (up to 450 words) addressing

1. Design Goals of the Project - Initial requests of the client.

2. Creativity - Creative use of space to achieve design goals.

3. Space Planning - Effective use of space to achieve design goals.  

4. Lighting (with the exception of Best in Furniture Design) – Effective use of lighting to achieve design goals.

5. Design Execution - Effective use of color composition, scale, etc. to achieve design goals.

6.  Met the needs of the client - highlight its effectiveness in fulfilling the client’s specific requirements, preferences, and lifestyle

To ensure impartial judging, please provide a description without identifying your company, architect, builder, or designer

Registration Fees

 Payment is required at registration. Submit as many entries as you wish. Fees are non-refundable or transferable.

April 15 – May 15, 2025 Early Registration

• $140 for first entry; $120 for each additional

May 16 – July 31, 2025

·     $175 for first entry; $150 for each additional

Judging

An out-of-state, independent panel of leading design and architecture professionals will judge the entries. This panel, comprising media and industry leaders, brings expertise across architecture, building, remodeling, interior, and landscape design.