Design: LEDG
Materials: wood, sealant, stain, brads, hinges, screws, staples, non-slip feet and strips

Pitch: "Shoes are too lovely to be kept hidden in a closet. After you go out on the town in those heels, let them continue looking good, while hanging out on LEDG. LEDG is the pretty, practical, piece of furniture that features several ledges for displaying and storing your heels and pumps."

Design: The Olivia Ottoman
Materials: Velvet, wooden frame and poly filling, wooden legs, metallic paint, casters

Pitch: "My Olivia Ottoman was imagined, designed and created for a client's living room. In a traditional setting it adds the pop and whimsey that is appealing and unexpected. Designed as an oversized square with a filling that keeps it firm and flat, it is upholstered in a cut velvet zebra print that is both traditional and not."

Design: Reverse Taco Pendant Lamp
Materials: Styrene plastic, stainless steel, galvanized steel

Pitch: "Cassie Hibbert Design pendant lamps from Seattle are custom, standout conversation pieces and a unique way to brighten your space during a long, dark, rainy winter, which we've got a lot of in the Northwest! The Reverse Taco lamp is my favorite in the product line; its bold, complex honeycomb shapes cast intricate lighting effects and never fail to capture attention. It's constructed of CNC-cut styrene plastic, assembled by hand, and is 15 inches in diameter and 21 inches tall. It's equally at home making a statement over a dining table or enlivening the corner of a small studio apartment."

Dear Readers,

This year we've structured our annual Design Showcase differently to remove unbridled competition and emphasize each exhibitors merits and support self promotion. I am so happy that we won't be dealing with regular contest voting this time around. However, I am pleased that we will be awarding our biggest prizes ever: $40,000 in advertising to those exhibitors who stand out in different ways. I also hope that this provides extra incentive for all you talented creatives out there to submit by Friday!

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Design: Sari throws and home accessories designed with vintage saris, burlap and fabric remnants
Materials: Saris, silk, burlap, fabric remnants

Pitch: "Divine NY & Co. is a design studio specializing in making something "old" look new by repurposing vintage saris, fabric and sari remnants with burlap and silk to create new one-of-a-kind home accessories such as sari throws, table runners, coasters and pillows. Our signature style combines rustic elements and modern elegance blended with East-meets-West ethnically inspired accents to bring soul, flair and personal style to a room. My designs are hand-crafted in small batches in New York City."

Design: Fold Furniture
Materials: Painted Steel

Pitch: "Inspired by origami paper design, we sought to bring the same elegance to steel. The concept for FOLD is quite simple. Pattern cut 1/8" sheet steel, hand fold and assemble. We follow this up with the application of a durable powder-coated finish."

It's almost time for Design Showcase 2012, so to get you excited, we're doing a series of posts highlighting winning designs from past years. Here, the best of 2011.

2011 Design Showcase Winner (Reader's Choice): Block Desk and Quartet Chair by Shawn Sowers. Shawn, who says 'good is never having to buy the same thing twice', set out to create a collection of furniture that is the perfect balance of simplicity, familiarity, and goodness.

Read on for the judges' choice winner: More

It's almost time for Design Showcase 2012, so to get you excited, we're doing a series of posts showcasing past winning designs. Here, the best of 2010.

2010 Design Showcase Winner (Reader's Choice): Bottles of Hope by Peter Sid. This design uses medical vials and 108 LED lights to create a unique and dramatic light fixture.

Read on for the judges' choice winner: More

We're proud to announce this year's 2012 Design Showcase judges, a distinguished panel of influential figures from the world of design, brought together to help determine the best of independent design and craft.

Alicia Rosauer and Robert Segal of Unison (left), specializing in offering environmentally conscious bedding, pillows, linens, and accessories for the home in a modern classic style; Fab.com founder, Bradford Shellhammer (upper right), is committed to bringing the best of home accessories, fashion, art, and everything inbetween for an addictively attainable price, and was also named one of the '100 Most Creative People in Business'; design bon vivant, Jaime Derringer (bottom right), founded Design Milk and Dog Milk to share her expertise on modern design trends for both humans and canines alike, and is recognized as an influential figure in the design blogging world. Together, these four have come together to choose their favorites from the multitudes of entries from this year's Design Showcase!
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In order to whet your appetite for this year's Apartment Therapy Design Showcase, we're doing a series of posts featuring past winners. Here, our readers' and judges' top picks for 2009.

2009 Apartment Therapy Design Showcase Winner: Soft-Maps by Emily Fischer. These beautiful hand-quilted blankets are based on maps of cities and neighborhoods.

And the second and third runners-up: More