2026 IDS Kitchen Designer of the Year: Tanna Edler

Tanna Edler is Celebrating the 2026 Interior Design Society Designer of the Year Honor & Planning What’s Next

What happens when thoughtful design is recognized on a national stage? For TANNA BY DESIGN®, it’s a moment worth celebrating … and a reminder that the most meaningful interiors begin with an even bigger idea: how we want to live.

We are deeply honored to announce that TANNA BY DESIGN® has been named the 2026 Interior Design Society (IDS) Designer of the Year Award 1st Runner-Up in the Kitchen 350 Square Feet category, the largest judged category to date.

This national recognition is an extraordinary milestone for our studio and one that fills our hearts with immense gratitude. Being recognized by our industry peers and mentors is more than an award; it represents the creativity, craftsmanship, collaboration, and unwavering commitment that go into every project we undertake.

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Since founding TANNA BY DESIGN® in 2011, my mission has remained steadfast: to elevate everyday living through thoughtful, intentional design. I believe exceptional interior design should do more than look beautiful. It should tell a story, solve problems, reflect the people who live there, and create spaces that feel as good as they function.

The 2026 IDS Designer of the Year honor adds another meaningful chapter to that journey. With this recognition, TANNA BY DESIGN® proudly celebrates twenty IDS Designer of the Year awards since 2012, alongside the prestigious National IDS Impact Award.

Twenty Designer of the Year honors represent far more than a number. They reflect years of trusting relationships, inspired ideas, meticulous details, talented trade partners, skilled craftsmen, and clients who invite us into the most personal spaces of their lives. Every award is ultimately connected to the people and partnerships that make great design possible.

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Project Spotlight: A Modern Rustic Cottage Kitchen

To celebrate this national recognition, we are excited to take you behind the scenes of this standout project: a Modern Rustic Cottage Kitchen in Tri-Cities, WA that perfectly captures how form, feeling, daily function, and architectural secret moments harmoniously meet.

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A Kitchen Designed for More Than Beautiful Moments

The award-winning kitchen represents our belief that even a relatively compact footprint can offer extraordinary possibilities when every square foot is considered intentionally.

This winning category presented an exciting design challenge: how to create a kitchen that feels expansive, highly functional, visually compelling, and deeply connected to the way the homeowners live.

For us, the answer was never simply about adding more. It was about designing better - balancing function and beauty, maximizing every opportunity, and creating a cohesive environment where architecture, materials, cabinetry, lighting, furnishings, and personal details work together as one.

That philosophy is at the heart of TANNA BY DESIGN®.

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Client Needs & Design Vision

Our clients envisioned a kitchen that felt warm, inviting, and highly functional for both everyday routines and entertaining family and friends. They wanted a space that could transition effortlessly from quiet morning coffee routines to bustling evening gatherings. Above all, smart storage, organization, and integrated solutions were required to maintain a clean, uncluttered visual landscape.

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Design Goals & Material Palette

To achieve a Modern Rustic Cottage aesthetic, we layered natural, tactile textures with tailored architectural detailing, a combination of textured stone, warm wood open shelving, and aged brass hardware complemented by warm metallic lighting accents.

Architectural Focal Point

A stone feature wall and soft neutral cabinetry frame allows for a balanced, symmetrical range wall composition.

El Dorado Stone - Loire Valkey

Color Palette

An intentionally calming blend of creamy whites, subtle taupes, and warm natural oak that lets craftsmanship take center stage.

Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige Paint

Recessed Outlets

These outlets provide a smart, streamlined solution that doesn’t compete with the design. Their compact profile and color-matched finish blend beautifully.

Prado Outlet

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Functionality, Smart Layout & The Secret Door

Designed for both efficiency and experience, the layout centers on a large island that anchors the room for seating, prep, and social connection.

• Concealed Coffee Station: A custom hidden appliance garage allows daily-use items to remain immediately accessible yet completely concealed out of sight.
• Styled Open Shelving: Warm wood shelving breaks up the cabinetry, providing styled moments that give the room a collected, lived-in feel.
• The Architectural Secret Door (Hidden Staircase): One of the project's most creative highlights was integrating discreet access to a secondary level directly from the kitchen without disrupting cabinetry flow or diminishing the warm, refined atmosphere. We seamlessly concealed the staircase within what appears to be floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, crafting faux cabinet doors that perfectly match the surrounding profiles, finishes, and hardware. This preserves symmetry, maintains clean sightlines, and creates an enchanting sense of discovery while eliminating visual clutter.

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What We’re Most Proud Of

We are most proud of the seamless balance achieved between high function, innovation, and timeless beauty. The hidden staircase and concealed coffee station stand out as subtle yet powerful expressions of thoughtful planning...where function is fully concealed within beauty to elevate the entire living experience.

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