The Interior Design Excellence Awards were announced last night (Thursday 13 November) in Sydney. Over 550 people attended the event at the Ivy Lounge in teh city CBD, congratulating 275 shortlisted entries and a selection of lucky winners.

Named as the Overall Winner was The Ivy, a collaborative project between Hecker Phelan & Guthrie, Woods Bagot and Cornwell Design.

Category winners are as follows:

Designer of the Year
Helen Kontouris

Emerging Designer
WSH Architects

Residential Single
Kensington Lighthouse, Tandem Design Studio
Highly Commended: Fig Tree Pocket House, Owen & Vokes; Brimar Court, Chris Connell Design

Residential Multi
Fjall, Hecker Phelan & Guthrie
Highly Commended: Ivy penthouse suites, Hecker Phelan & Guthrie in association with Woods Bagot and Cornwell Design

Retail
Aesop Doncaster, Ryan Russell
Highly Commended: Cascade Coil Stand – designEX 2009, HASSELL

Major Commercial
The Gauge – Bovis Lend Lease Melbourne Offices, Hecker Phelan & Guthrie in association with WHO Design and Lend Lease
Highly Commended: HASSELL Warry Street, HASSELL

Commercial under 1,000m²
Untitled, Jackson Interiors

Hospitality
The Ivy, Hecker Phelan & Guthrie in association with Woods Bagot and Cornwell Design
Highly Commended: Caffe Moda, Chris Connell Design

Product
Breathe Outdoor Lounge Collection, Helen Kontouris Design
Highly Commended: Heron Chair, Charles Wilson Design; Flint, Spaceleft for Tait

Sustainable Product
‘Freefold 02’, Freefold Furniture

Sustainable Project
HASSELL Warry Street Studio, HASSELL
Highly Commended: Green Building Council of Australia Head Office, BVN Architecture

Institutional
National Portrait Gallery, Johnson Pilton Walker
Highly Commended: Monash Architecture School, WSH Architects; Over the Front: The Great War in The Air, Freeman Ryan Design

An exhibition of shortlisted entries is on show until 22 November at Customs House, Sydney.