KBF Design Gallery Wins First Place in the 2026 Central Florida Parade of Homes

We’re thrilled to share that KBF Design Gallery has won First Place in the Single Room/Living Space Remodeling category of the 2026 Central Florida Parade of Homes. The award recognizes our DeLand, Florida kitchen remodel, “Where the Light Lands” — a project built around one big idea: reclaiming a wall that had quietly been working against the room and letting natural light do the rest.

A Layout That Was Quietly Working Against Itself

The original kitchen wasn’t poorly built — it was simply asking the room to do more than it could. The range sat between two undersized rear windows, and the sink had been tucked into the island, putting the cleanup zone on display rather than against the perimeter where it belonged. Between the appliances and the partial windows, the back wall had become dead space.

So we rebuilt the bones of the room. The range moved to a continuous run of cabinetry. The sink shifted to the back wall. And the island, freed from housing the sink, was repositioned to define the kitchen’s work zones without crowding them. Circulation widened, the flow into the adjoining family room loosened, and a once hemmed-in galley began to read as part of a larger living space.

The Window the Judges Singled Out

In place of the two small windows, we installed a single, generous one — centered above the new sink and scaled to the wall it lives on. Of every choice made in this kitchen, this is the one that changed everything else. The Parade of Homes judges named it the “Outstanding Feature” of the space, and it’s easy to see why.

A larger window in this position doesn’t just brighten the kitchen — it reframes it. The countertop reads cleaner under natural light, the cabinetry color is true rather than approximate, and the view becomes part of the daily experience of standing at the sink. The window is also the clearest expression of the project’s underlying idea: a wall that had been working against the kitchen now anchors it.

A Catalog of Considered Details

Step closer and the project rewards the attention. Behind the range, a graceful arched opening frames the cooking zone like a proscenium and gives the Wolf range a room of its own. A dramatic quartzite slab climbs the wall behind it, its sweeping veining reading like a quiet piece of art beneath the custom hood, with a brass pot filler tucked neatly into the composition. At the sink, the same quartzite returns as a sculpted apron beneath the farmhouse basin, paired with a polished brass bridge faucet and a slim brass gallery rail along open quartzite shelving. Each detail is modest on its own; together, they’re the project’s signature.

A Kitchen That Welcomes

Parade of Homes judges look at hundreds of rooms, and the ones they remember tend to feel like a place the homeowners would actually live, not perform. The judges called this kitchen welcoming — the highest compliment a designer can receive. Just as important to them was how seamlessly the new kitchen blended into the rest of our client’s existing home, reading as if it had always been part of the architecture. The transition into the family room, in particular, now feels intentional rather than incidental.

About the Central Florida Parade of Homes

Presented by the Greater Orlando Builders Association, the Central Florida Parade of Homes is an annual showcase of the region’s finest new construction, remodeling, and design work. The cost-free, self-guided tour is open to the public, draws thousands of attendees each year, and recognizes excellence across a range of categories — including the Single Room/Living Space Remodeling category in which our DeLand kitchen earned First Place in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won First Place for kitchen remodeling at the 2026 Central Florida Parade of Homes?

KBF Design Gallery, a design-to-build firm based in Maitland, Florida, won First Place in the Single Room/Living Space Remodeling category of the 2026 Central Florida Parade of Homes for its DeLand kitchen remodel, “Where the Light Lands.”

What did the judges name as the project’s outstanding feature?

The judges named the kitchen’s single, large window — centered above the new sink, where two small windows had been — as the project’s “Outstanding Feature,” praising how it fills the room with natural light.

Where is KBF Design Gallery located?

KBF Design Gallery’s showroom is at 1295 South Orlando Avenue in Maitland, Florida, serving Central Florida communities including Orlando, Winter Park, DeLand, and New Smyrna Beach. The showroom is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

How can I schedule a consultation with KBF Design Gallery?

Call 407-830-7703 or visit KBFDesignGallery.com to schedule a complimentary consultation with the KBF design team.