Behr Student Design Competition Winners Show Versatility of 2025 Commercial Color Palette

Grand Prize Winner – LeAnne Hlavka, Interior Designers Institute; $3,000 cash prize plus $1,000 for her design school

A full-time mother to a young child, Hlavka is working toward a second career in interior design by studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Interior Designers Institute in Newport Beach, Calif. Hlavka leverages a passion for commercial design, biophilic design, and historic preservation in her interior work.

Hlavka’s design—a multifunctional women’s work and play center titled “Boundless” —combines a mid-century modern sensibility with an openness and functional beauty intended to remove the boundaries between work, childcare, and social environments (shown at top). Open floorplans and sight lines between first and second floors allow occupants to feel assured that their children are safe and comfortable in the childcare areas, even as they remain productive or socially engaged in distinct spaces. Floor-to-ceiling and clerestory windows allow abundant natural light and views to the outdoors. Color blocking defines each area, with Rumors emphasized in the workspace that features pops of coordinating Wild Berry. Earthy shades of ginger, brown, and green are incorporated to transition from the first to second levels, while the cool neutral Audition adorns the walls of the nursing room (color palette included on Mattoboard).

First Prize Winner – Mary Dilanchian, Woodbury University; $1,500 cash prize

A creative thinker who enjoys exploring ways to merge functionality with artistic expression, Mary Dilanchian integrates narrative, history, and the lived experience into the projects she has encountered while studying interior architecture at Woodbury University, Burbank, Calif.

Dilanchian’s ‘“Aeternum” Echoes in Mauve’ concept enlivens the fashion pavilion in Rotterdam, transforming continuously and harmoniously in the changing light of the early evening. The central “heart” structure features the rich Rumors to create a warm mauve glow that invites visitors in as the sun begins to set. Shifting shadows and glints of light off metallic features continue to draw interest in the surrounding structural details, anchored by Baronial Brown flooring and Even Better Beige as a backdrop, from the Behr Renew-Trals Collection. Wild Ginger visually connects the vertical circulation area, with its transition to a sunset-inspired golden hue that complements the muted red tone of the central area. The thoughtful incorporation of the color palette with changing light effects drives this Schiaparelli-inspired design to a new level of beauty that harmonizes fashion, architecture, and landscape.

Second Prize Winner – Brittany Ott, East Carolina University; $500 cash prize

Brittany Ott, a senior at East Carolina University from Raleigh, N.C., is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in interior design. Ott strives to create impactful, functional designs that elevate human performance and transform ideas into lasting, memorable spaces.

Ott’s “Urban Sipology” combines a youthful energy and vibrant modern design for a wine tasting room in Chicago. It offers a trendy, inclusive space for memorable wine tasting experiences, featuring an extensive wine display, a small retail area, a casual tasting bar, private nooks, and a seasonal patio. The focal point—Behr’s Rumors—reflects the venue purpose with its delicious ruby hue, even as its physical layout draws from the form of a wine glass. A hallway leading to an intimate retail corridor mimics the narrow stem, while visitors are guided into the expansive tasting area beyond. A sophisticated and approachable color palette features oxidized steel, earthy leather, and bronzed metals, accentuated by ambient lighting that creates an immersive environment.