The Sonata Awards annual gala was born out of publisher Roger W. Smith’s tireless mission to introduce
and expose the abundance of design industry talent that exists in our region to the general Louisiana public.
As the driving force behind the sustained success of Louisiana Homes and Gardens magazine, Smith
envisioned a unique platform where designers, architects, builders, artisans, artists and other industry
leaders, both professional and amateur, could be honored for their contributions to the culture of our
unique state. The first annual awards ceremony, which took place just weeks after the destruction of
Hurricane Gustav in 2008, was an overwhelming success despite the less than ideal timing. Immediately
following, Smith prepared his plans to carry on the tradition annually. Since 2008, the demand for this
particular event has risen steadily each year and continues to grow exponentially in terms of participation
and public exposure, especially for recipients of the prestigious Sonata Award.

The Sonata Awards are open to interior designers, interior decorators, architects, builders, artisans,
landscape architects, and a variety of design trade professionals. Both professional and amateur entries
are accepted in the following categories: