24 Jun 2026

2026 ARIDO Awards Gala

Gia Bantoc
ARIDO Awards 2026 graphic, dark blue background with sparkle effect

About | Buy Tickets | 2026 ARIDO Awards Judges | Partners and Sponsors | Sponsorship Opportunities | Finalists

Ontario’s Biggest Celebration of Interior Design

The ARIDO Awards celebrate the creativity, innovation, and impact of Registered Interior Designers across Ontario.

Join us on September 17, 2026, at Meridian Hall, Toronto for a reimagined Gala experience bringing together the interior design community for an evening of recognition, connection, and celebration.

About

The ARIDO Awards recognize outstanding interior design projects. From workplaces and hospitality spaces to homes, schools, healthcare environments, and community spaces, the Awards highlight the value and impact of interior design across Ontario.

Date: September 17, 2026 (5 PM)
Venue: Meridian Hall, 1 Front St E, Toronto ON M5E 1B2
Expected Attendance: 800 guests

Schedule:

5:00 PM VIP Reception
5:45 PM Check-in / Pre-Awards Reception
7:00 PM Awards Presentation
9:00 PM Post-Awards Reception / After Party

The 2026 Awards Gala will feature a fresh format designed to create more opportunities to connect, network, and celebrate the work of Registered Interior Designers.

Award Categories

WORK
EAT+STAY
LEARN
CARE
PRESERVE+RESTORE
DISTINCT
CRAFT
SHOP
GATHER+PLAY
LIVE
LIVE TOGETHER
IMPACT

2026 ARIDO Awards Finalists:

Category: GATHER + PLAY

Carrville Community Centre Library and District Park

Interior Designers: Tsvetelina Rabashki, ARIDO; Martha del Junco, ARIDO; Lana Shahin, ARIDO

Design Firm: Perkins&Will

PHOTOGRAPHER: Doublespace Photography, Lisa Logan Photography

Miskin Law Community Complex

Interior Designer:
Martha del Junco, ARIDO

DESIGN TEAM: Tsvetelina Rabashki, ARIDO

Design Firm: Perkins&Will

PHOTOGRAPHER:  Lisa Logan Photography, Scott Norsworthy

Rouge Valley Community Recreation and Child Care Center

Interior Designers:
Martha del Junco, ARIDO

Design Firm: Perkins&Will

PHOTOGRAPHER:  James Morley

Category: CARE

Grandview Kids Ajax – The Jerry Coughlan Building

Interior Designers: Rosalynn Carito, ARIDO

DESIGN TEAM: Lynne Wilson Orr, Retired Member, ARIDO

Design Firm: Parkin Architects Limited

PHOTOGRAPHER: Tom Arban

Category: IMPACT

Jones DesLauriers Corporate Workplace

Interior Designers: Stephanie Panyan, ARIDO

DESIGN TEAM: Sabrina Ash, ARIDO

Design Firm: B+H

PHOTOGRAPHER: A-Frame Photography

Limberlost Place

Interior Designers: Kayley Mullings, ARIDO

DESIGN TEAM: Natalia Alicja Zuchniak, Intern ARIDO; Miranda Del Plavignano, ARIDO

Design Firm: Moriyama Teshima Architects

PHOTOGRAPHER: Younes Bounhar/ Doublespace and Tom Arban

Prescott Group

Interior Designers: John Tanfield, ARIDO; Rebecca Van Gurp, ARIDO

Design Firm: SGH Design Partners

PHOTOGRAPHER: SGH Design Partners

Category: DISTINCT

801 Seventh Avenue

INTERIOR DESIGNER:  Sean Crawford, ARIDO

DESIGN FIRM: Zeidler Architecture Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHER:  Adrien Williams

Thank you to this year’s ARIDO Awards Judges!

This year, judges’ own studios could enter; judges recused fully from those subcategories.

Zinnia Bookwala, ARIDO

Zinnia Bookwala is an ARIDO certified Interior Designer and currently a Construction Manager at Allied Properties REIT. She brings over a decade of experience across interior design, construction management and project delivery in Canada, India and the GCC. Zinnia is also committed to advancing diversity and supporting internationally trained professionals within Canada’s design industry. Zinnia is the founder of CANDID (Canadian Association for Newcomers and Diversity in Interior Design) and also serves as Committee Leader, Grants & Funding at SPAN-EA, where she champions mentorship, inclusion and meaningful pathways for newcomer success.

Dyonne Fashina, ARIDO

Dyonne Fashina is Founder and Principal Designer at Denizens of Design; an Interior Design Studio specializing in public and commercial spaces centered around building community – including spaces for dining, gathering, working, relaxing, learning, and creating. The aspect of community in her work begins with the design process itself. Her practice was built on the strength of collaboration and partnerships, working with independent practitioners, small and large firms on projects of all scales. Evolving to its present-day form as a small but reliable permanent team; bolstering the continued goal of strategic partnerships and community by design.

Dyonne’s starting point is always the identity and history of each space, foregrounding cultural sensitivity and partnering with local makers. Deep research and empathy in her design strategy bring quantifiable business value to every project. Dyonne thrives on finding meaningful connections to inspire everyone involved throughout the design process. She designs with compassion for the human experience, creating spaces that are not only thoughtful, but thought-provoking.

Tracy Ho, ARIDO

Tracy Ho has spent her career exploring how spaces shape human experience. After two decades as an interior designer in workplace, hospitality, and healthcare, she expanded into AudioVisual integration at Aligned Vision Group, where video, sound, and controls become another layer of the design itself. She works with interior designers and architects to bridge their creative vision with technical execution, shaping experience-driven environments and complex venues.

She’s an ARIDO award winner and advocate, Vice President of the Retail Design Institute Canada, and a recent judge for the RDI International Design Awards. She speaks for Women in Lighting and supports interior design programs as a guest speaker at schools.

Outside of work, Tracy performs and organizes live music events—a creative outlet that mirrors her professional one: to make people feel something when they enter a space, and remember it when they leave.

Alexandra Palmer, ARIDO

Alexandra Palmer is a Registered Interior Designer with dual degrees in Business and Interior Design, bringing a strategic, practical, and human-centred lens to the built environment. Registered with ARIDO and IDIBC, she brings broad project experience across local, national, and global contexts.

As an Associate and Interior Design Discipline Lead at O4 Architecture, Alexandra contributes through design leadership, project delivery, technical coordination, stakeholder engagement, and construction administration. Her work spans workplace, public sector, commercial, civic, hospitality, aviation, and community-focused interiors, with a particular interest in complex environments where design, operations, accessibility, wellness, and long-term functionality intersect.

Her portfolio includes government workplace transformations, courthouse and public-sector projects, aviation retail and hospitality environments, community spaces, and commercial interiors. With WELL AP and LEED Green Associate credentials, Alexandra approaches interiors as both a creative and strategic discipline, designing spaces that support people, communities, organizational performance, wellbeing, and operational success through thoughtful design decisions.

Stanley Sun, ARIDO

Stanley Sun’s vision is informed by a unique blend of formal studies in human sciences, fine arts and interior design. Approaching each challenge with a combined scientific and humanistic perspective, he first observes how people experience and react to the built environment to create a rational and intuitive design solution. Of particular interest to Stanley’s practice is the science of light and the physiological and psychological response people have to light. As an advocate for Canadian design, Stanley has been published widely and has participated as a keynote speaker at leading design conferences. He is also a sessional instructor at his alma mater, Toronto Metropolitan University.

2026 Award Gala Committee Members

Dayna Bradley, ARIDO Ambassador

Anthony Orasi, ARIDO

Isabelle Talbot, ARIDO

Thank you to our partners and sponsors!

Red Carpet Sponsor

Area Rug Sponsor

Velvet Lounge Sponsor

Finalists Reception Sponsor

East Lounge Sponsors

Category Award Sponsors

Wine Sponsor

Entertainment Sponsor

Gary Hewson Memorial Award Sponsor

Second Act Sponsor

Afterglow Sponsor

Photo Booth Sponsor

Starstruck Sweet Sponsor

Popcorn Sponsor

Supporting Sponsors

Sponsorship Opportunities

Be part of Ontario’s biggest celebration of interior design.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for companies looking to connect with Registered Interior Designers, industry leaders, emerging professionals, and the broader design community.

Contact Gia Bantoc, ARIDO Events and Marketing Coordinator, at [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

No. This year’s Gala features a new theatre-style format designed to create a more engaging awards experience while giving attendees more opportunities to connect and celebrate during an expanded reception.

Absolutely! Food and refreshments will be available throughout the evening. We’ve worked closely with the venue to ensure there is a substantial food offering for guests to enjoy.

No need. We’ve heard this question from many guests, and we want to reassure everyone that we’ve planned accordingly. Come ready to enjoy the evening, celebrate great design, and take advantage of the food and refreshments provided.

The new format allows us to put the spotlight on the awards program while creating more time for networking, celebration, and connection within the design community.

A dynamic awards presentation, opportunities to connect with colleagues and industry leaders, food and refreshments throughout the event, and a celebration of the outstanding work shaping interior design across Ontario.

Yes. While the format is different, the ARIDO Awards Gala remains the premier celebration of interior design excellence in Ontario. Expect an exciting, polished, and memorable evening.