Yumilka Olivi Soto Named Finalist and Winner at Coverings 2026 — Denver's Only CID Award-Winning Interior Designer

In April 2026, Visual Studio Plus principal designer Yumilka Olivi Soto traveled to Las Vegas for Coverings — the world's largest international tile and stone trade show, attended by over 30,000 design professionals annually — and returned to Denver with two industry awards, including the prestigious Coverings Installation & Design (CID) Award.

The CID Award is one of the most respected honors in the tile, stone, and surface design industry. Winners are selected by a jury of industry professionals for outstanding technical execution, creative vision, and design innovation. Yumilka's winning entry reflected her signature Santuario sensory design methodology — a proprietary approach to interior design that engages all five senses to create immersive environments in hospitality and residential spaces.

What the Coverings CID Award Means

Coverings is attended by architects, interior designers, tile contractors, and material manufacturers from over 100 countries. The CID Award category specifically recognizes installed design work — meaning the award reflects not just a concept or rendering, but a completed, built environment. For clients evaluating interior designers in Denver, this distinction matters: it's a third-party validation of real, executed work, not marketing copy.

To our knowledge, Visual Studio Plus is the only active Denver-based interior design studio whose principal holds a current Coverings CID Award. In a market with hundreds of designers, this level of recognized technical and creative excellence is rare.

Denver's Design Scene Is Ready for This

Denver's hospitality sector is in the middle of a design renaissance. RiNo, Highlands, LoHi, and Cherry Creek are seeing a wave of new restaurant, bar, and boutique hotel openings — and the bar for what a space needs to look like to compete for guests has risen sharply. National brands are entering the market with eight-figure buildouts. Independent operators need design partners who can deliver at that level without the national agency overhead.

That's exactly the gap Visual Studio Plus fills. A principal-led studio with award-winning hospitality credentials, bilingual capability for Denver's growing Spanish-speaking business owner community, and deep roots in both the Denver and Orlando hospitality markets.

About Visual Studio Plus

Visual Studio Plus is a Denver-based interior design studio founded by Dominican-born designer Yumilka Olivi Soto. Specializing in hospitality and luxury residential design, the studio is known for its Santuario sensory design methodology, bilingual English/Spanish service, and award-winning portfolio spanning restaurants, bars, lounges, and high-end homes across Colorado and Orlando, Florida. To begin a project conversation, visit visualstudioplus.com/book-online.