Award Winners!
Three top winners of the prestigious KBDi Kitchen and Bathroom Designer awards off to Milan next April.
On August 3, 2013, the Kitchen and Bathroom Designers Institute of Australia hosted its annual Designer Awards Gala in Queensland’s beautiful Noosa. The ceremony was the culmination of an awards program that attracted a record number of entries this year, from kitchen and bathroom designers right across the nation.
KBDi is exceptionally proud of its growing membership of Australia’s Finest kitchen and bathroom professionals, and the incredibly high standard of entries submitted proved once again that when it comes to kitchen and bathroom design, the Institute fosters some major talent!
Royston Wilson CKD CBD AU of Royston Wilson Design (roystonwilson.com.au) took out the coveted title of Australian Certified Designer of the Year 2013. This win secured Royston a ticket to Italy in 2014, with a spot on the KBDi Designers International Tour to iSalone (including Eurocucina) in Milan, along with Brisbane designer Lee Hardcastle (Australian Kitchen Designer of the Year 2013) and Darren Genner of Sydney (Australian Bathroom Designer of the Year 2013).
To gain the title of Australian Certified Designer of the Year 2013, Royston was required to submit two recently completed projects for judging.
Royston’s first entry was a striking Roman bathroom, complete with Roman rooms, that was originally planned as a powder room for a gym. Dramatic curved ceilings set the scene, and a large sheet of glass allows the bather to view the gym area. For privacy, this glass can be obscured at the flick of a switch. The judges commended this designer on the plans submitted, adding that this was a very innovative design that demonstrated a well-executed use of mosaics.
The client brief for the second entry (in a custom-built French Chateau styled home) included words like ‘luxurious’, ‘grand’ ‘striking’, ‘quality’ and ‘wow factor’. Overall, the client wanted a woman’s sanctuary; somewhere to unwind. A distinct red and black mosaic provides a strong backdrop for the softer lines of sanitary and tapware and a stunning mirror and piece of natural stone combine for maximum impact as you walk into the space. The judges said that this was a very clever design and definitely one with the wow factor.
The Certified Designer of the Year award was sponsored by KBDi’s Diamond Sponsor, Lincoln Sentry, one of Australia’s leading suppliers and distributors of hardware and components to the cabinet and furniture making industry, the window, door and glazing industries and the niche industrial tape and insulation markets.
Lee Hardcastle of Enigma Interiors (enigmainteriors.com.au) claimed the title of Australian Kitchen Designer of the Year 2013, along with a ticket to Milan, with a stunning kitchen design that greatly impressed the judges.
The luxurious kitchen was the finishing touch to a magnificent home on the Gold Coast. The clients wanted a crisp, clean palette, sharp, ultra-sleek lines and the use of some natural elements as a feature. They also wanted better use made of the overall area, and the separation between the kitchen and small living room removed. Lee’s design gave them all this and more, and was an aesthetic masterpiece to boot. Appliances were fully integrated where possible and luxurious fittings and inclusions completed the picture. The judges said: ‘This is a great design, supported by excellently presented specifications, and dramatic "before and after" images that clearly show the changes to the kitchen. An intriguing "spin system" cabinet demonstrates an extremely smooth operation.’
The awards for kitchen designers were sponsored by KBDi’s Diamond Sponsor, Smeg—Italy’s largest privately owned domestic kitchen appliances manufacturer renowned worldwide for its innovation, architectural style and superb engineering. Smeg classic appliances elevate food preparation areas worldwide into architectural masterpieces. Smeg retains its leading edge in the worldwide market through a total dedication to the design and manufacturing of specialist appliances.
Darren Genner of Minosa (minosadesign.com) took home a swag of awards on the night, but it was an awe-inspiring bathroom design that secured Darren the big prize, along with the title of Australian Bathroom Designer of the Year 2013.
Darren was commissioned to create an ensuite that incorporated the natural beauty of a stunning cliff and fabulous views to the beach. To blend with the sharp style of this architect-designed home, cutting-edge design that defied convention was required, but the space needed to be private and a place for rejuvenation and relaxation. The clients required a large shower, free-standing bath, big wardrobe, double basins and quality fittings and fixtures throughout. The judges said, ‘The design cleverly interplays with the environment and has the ability to keep totally separate if the weather conditions do not allow this to be practical. Mirrors have been used very cleverly to bring the outside in.’
Awards for bathroom designers were sponsored by KBDi’s Diamond Sponsor, Designer Training, who specialise in providing training for the home improvement sector and building industry, and are well known as the industry leader in kitchen design and bathroom design training. Darren’s trip to Italy will be sponsored by Designer Training.
All winning entries for all categories can be viewed on the KBDi website kbdi.org.au
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