LEHI, Utah – The International Surface Fabricators Association today opened the first annual Innovations In Design competition, with entries due near year's end, to showcase projects in a wide variety of decorative surfacing materials in multiple application environments.



The competition is open to all decorative-surfacing fabricators and may include any surfacing material – or combination of materials – in the final entry. Categories include, Residential Kitchen, Residential Bath, Commercial/Institutional, Freestyle/Art, Artisan and Green.



Best of Show will be selected from among the winners in each category. Only projects completed during the 2009 calendar year are eligible for the competition.



Winners of the competition will be announced at the International Countertop Expo (ICE) to be held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas next Feb. 8-10. Entries will be on display at ICE during normal show hours.



A related competition at ICE will be live fabrication of vanity countertops on the trade-show floor.



“Entrants are encouraged to use their creativity and imagination in the choice of materials and design elements,” said Sandy Milroy, ICE Show Manager. “The only parameters will be the dimensions of the vanities – everything else about the design is up to the skill and creativity of the fabricator. At the end of the competition all vanity tops will be donated to charity.”