Junior Design Challenge Winners Add Fun to Functionality

A sleek-lined, neutral-toned bedroom with both warm and cool pops of color helped Atchison high school student Presley Busenbarrick land top honors at the Home Builders Association’s first-ever Home Show Junior Design Challenge.

The competition allowed students to play the role of interior designer by creating a room for a creative, book-loving teenage boy or girl who has a love for Kansas City. Semi-finalists in each age group were invited to the Home Show on March 23-25 to present their designs on stage. From there, two finalists in the high school and middle school divisions were chosen to compete in a live challenge, as home show visitors watched the young designers create their bedrooms on the show floor.

As the Grand Prize winner in the high school division, Busenbarrick, a senior at Maur Hill-Mount Academy, received a $500 gift card and $500 in cash. Olathe East High School Student Brooklyn Griffin was named Runner Up for her bedroom design that included a colorful tapestry and metal box shelving.

Liz Lahood, a Harmony Middle School 8th Grader took the Grand Prize in the Middle School division. LaHood’s brightly colored bedroom included teal walls, sherbet-colored bedding, and black and white accents. Runner up honors in the Middle School division went to Avery Ahlers, also of Harmony Middle School. Ahlers’ design included a bright floral rug and a daybed.

The final projects were judged by a panel of experts in the design field. The HBA would like to thank sponsors PPG Paints, Forner-LaVoy Builders, High Definition Drywall, Rew Materials, Sleep City, and Owen Lumber Company for helping make the Junior Design Challenge a big success!