FAQs

7th Annual GRAY Awards

If I entered last year do I need to create a new login?

Nope! The good news is that your login info is saved via Submittable (entry portal). If you don’t remember your login info, retrieve it via the recovery process inside of Submittable.

How do I know what the entry form will ask?

By clicking the ENTER button on this site’s ENTER page, you will be taken to the submission portal, powered by Submittable. Once there, click on a category. After creating a free account, you will be taken to the entry form where you'll be able to see the questions. The entry fee won’t be collected until you’ve completed the entry form.

If I entered last year and didn’t win, can I enter the same project again?

Yes! As long as it is still less than two years old (four if a landscape entry).

If I enter a project for the awards, can I also send it to GRAY for regular editorial consideration?

Yes, but it isn't necessary. If you pitch a project to GRAY editors and enter it in GRAY Awards, be sure to let the editors know -- they will hold off until they know the results of GRAY Awards. That said, editors carefully review all entries post-awards ceremony for editorial consideration and will reach out to you if they find there is a good fit for an upcoming issue or online story.

Is a product collection counted as one entry?

If the collection is a group of products that are variations of the same design (i.e. chair design in multiple finishes, or the same design is also available as an extended bench) it can count as one entry. If a wallpaper design, for example, comes in multiple colors, you may include images of all the different color ways, and that is still counted as one entry. Collections that have multiple types of products, such as a rug and a chair and a table, or are the same product but not of the same design (such as all rugs with different patterns) do not count as one entry.

Where will I receive communication about the GRAY Awards?

You will receive key updates from awards@graymag.com

What if I realize after entering that I’ve made a mistake on the entry form? We have activated “Request to Edit” in Submittable, so please send us a request and we will grant it up to one week in advance of the final entry deadline.

How do I name photographs or renderings in my entry if there’s not a photographer to name or attribution needed? If your entry images do not have or require attribution, name this image file :

“Project Name_No Photographer_Image Number”

This ensures that attribution wasn’t left out inadvertently.

How do I know if my image will work? See image requirements. We prefer that you include a mix of vertical and horizontal images. They need to be RGB, .jpeg image files. Images may not contain watermarks, logos, or text overlays. A good rule of thumb is when in doubt about image size, bigger is better. It is important to follow these specs to ensure good quality reproduction in GRAY magazine should your project be selected, an to ensure anonymity with the judges.

Video files are accepted, just be sure to also include a selection of still images as winners are published in GRAY magazine.

Got any more image tips? You may wish to include floor plans or schematics for clarity during the judging process, note that these are less likely to be published if the project wins. We recommend utilizing your 15 uploads for professional photography of the project. Imagine that your project has won—GRAY selects only from what was included in your entry to be published in the magazine, so make sure the photography is high-quality and editorial-ready.

My project or product was designed more than two years ago, but we’ve made an addition, or my old design now comes in a new color. Does this count as being under two years old? We require that projects/products be less than two years old (from June 2021 or 2019 if a landscape entry). If a project has phases over many years (for example, it was started more than two years ago and is only now completed), it meets our requirements. For new additions to old projects, only the new part will be considered for the award. If you have an old design that now comes in a new color or finish, that does not meet the requirement. Ask yourself: does this truly update the existing project/product in a way that it can be considered a new design?

My product uses eco-friendly materials. Can I skip the entry fee for Product Design and enter into Design For Good? We consider eco-friendly design a basic consideration for any new design, and therefore merely being eco-friendly will not get you a Design For Good award. If you have created an entirely new eco-friendly material that’s never been seen or utilized before but has the potential for becoming widely used in the design/building industry, that would qualify. The most successful submission will likely have many layers to the concept of “design for good,” such as a charitable cause or providing help to an underserved community.

What do I do if I think one of the finalists misrepresented their entry? It is up to the submitter, and the submitter alone, to verify that all the information detailed in their entry is correct and truthful. It is up to the submitter, and the submitter alone, to include co-designers, collaborators, team members, etc. The entry process asks for this information, and GRAY is not responsible for doing further research into entries, and will only work with the information that is provided by the submitter. If you have definitive proof of misrepresentation, reach out to us at awards@graymag.com and we will determine the course of action.

Will tickets to the GRAY Awards Party be available at the door? No. We strongly suggest buying tickets as soon as they are available, capacity is limited.