Making the Beans List

You’d think heaping bowls of red chili would frighten interior designers. Tip one over and indelible stains everywhere, from the carpet to the sofa.

But members of the local chapter of the International Interior Design Assn. don’t scare easily.

They staged a chili cook-off Saturday at the Irvine Spectrum to raise money for their scholarship and education funds.

A few hundred people paid $8 for tastes at each of the 10 booths, which were decorated by designers, architects and manufacturers. The International Chili Society, which puts on the world chili championship in Las Vegas, judged the offerings, based on taste, texture and color.

The Kimball Office Group of

Newport Beach partnered with LPA in Irvine and Swinerton Walberg Co. in Newport Beach to create a beach-themed booth.

The Big Kahuna arena sported surfboards, sand and seashells. Volunteers poked their heads through an opening in a fake wave and allowed passersby to toss life preservers and beach balls at them. The payoff? Second place in the best booth category and third place for best chili.

First-place winners:

* Best chili--Fabric Wallcraft in San Juan Capistrano, Westfall Interior in Fountain Valley and Interior Architects of Costa Mesa.

* Best booth--Monterey Carpets of Santa Ana and H. Hendy & Associates of Irvine.

For more information on International Interior Design Assn., call (310) 657-0244.