The American Society of Interior Designers – Illinois Chapter (ASID-IL) andi4designmagazine will host the seventh annual “Celebration of Design” Gala at the Chase Auditorium in Chicago on Thursday, Sept. 23.

The American Society of Interior Designers – Illinois Chapter (ASID-IL) andi4designmagazine will host the seventh annual “Celebration of Design” Gala at the Chase Auditorium in Chicago on Thursday, Sept. 23.

The winners of the “Design Excellence Awards” will be announced at the Gala. The awards competition is open to ASID Illinois members, International Interior Design Association Illinois members (IIDA-IL) and registered interior designers in the State of Illinois. Designers submitted entries in 22 residential, contract and product design categories, including green design, universal design, kitchen, bath, showcase room, special function room, corporate offices, retail, hospitality, healthcare, institutional, furnishings and fixtures.

The black-tie-optional Gala starts with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 5:45 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. and a champagne reception and dinner buffet at 8 p.m.

“Each year, design trade professionals look to the Design Excellence Awards to celebrate magnificent projects by their peers and also to find new inspiration,” said Joan Kaufman, ASID, LEED-AP, 2009-10 ASID-IL chapter president. “We’ve placed heavy emphasis on sustainability this year. The judges considered which green aspects – and to what degree – were incorporated in the submissions across all categories.”

A panel of distinguished interior design professionals from the New England Chapter of ASID judged and selected category winners. The presenting sponsor of the 2010 Design Excellence Awards competition is Cosentino, the manufacturer of natural quartz surfaces.

Tickets for the “Celebration of Design” Gala are $125 each or $1,000 for a discounted block of 10 tickets. Tickets can be purchased online atwww.asidillinois.comor by calling the ASID-IL office at (312) 467-5080.