Taranaki Inspiration Wins NKBA Best Kitchen Award

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New Plymouth designer Glen Johns’ winning design that won him the National Kitchen & Bathroom Association (NKBA) supreme award, presented at the annual awards dinner held at the Langham Hotel, Auckland last night

For Immediate Release

Friday 12th September, 2008

Taranaki Inspiration Wins NKBA Best Kitchen Award for 2008

An expansive view of a stony Taranaki river has inspired this year’s winning National Kitchen & Bathroom Association (NKBA) supreme award, presented at the annual gala dinner held at the Langham Hotel, Auckland last night (Thursday 11th September).

The kitchen was created by New Plymouth designer Glen Johns and made from materials specifically chosen to reflect the surrounding rural Taranaki countryside. It won praise from the judges, who described it as “a stunning and unbeatable transformation.”

“The crisp clear mountain water of the stony river is reflected in the white toned cabinet finish and the stone look of a Corian benchtop creates a ‘nestled in with nature’ feel,” said the judges comment. “Beautifully integrated appliances and hidden storage spaces continue the theme of clean strong lines, harmony, and tidiness, resulting in this stylish and practical kitchen that won the unanimous approval of the judges.”

Runner up in the Kitchen design category was from the other side of the country, the Hawkes Bay, and was also a regional winner. Designer Leanne Larking of Quattro Uno created a kitchen that “radiates refinement and restraint, and is evidence of great attention to detail, using light timber and the abstraction-like back wall cabinets combining to create a sense of a line drawing.”

Canterbury’s John Gaynor won the Bathroom category supreme award (also a regional winner) with a sleek and sophisticated design that meets its brief perfectly, reflecting an effective zonal use of the bathroom - cleverly under-lit lighting to create a lovely, subdued and calming space.

And Bathroom category runner up, Natalie DuBois of DuBois Design, Auckland created a “large, elegant and inviting bathroom with a light, airy, yet warm feel.” Judges loved the intelligent distinction of zones and playful use of symmetry creating a good organisation of space centred around the bath.

Student winner Amaneet Kaur produced a beautifully presented, functional and balanced solution that fulfilled the client brief, using elements that worked well with the proportions of the room and surrounding areas. She demonstrated “great use of colour, form and texture in an interesting, funky, but sophisticated kitchen design that captured the essence of the clients’desires - with a look and style that enhanced the home.”

For the first time ever, the winning student kitchen was actually created in full size and displayed on the NKBA stand at the Yellow™ Auckland Home Show.

Outgoing President of the NKBA Milvia Hannah was overjoyed with the quality of entries. “A kitchen or bathroom is so important to a home and the work shouldn’t be taken lightly by the designer nor the client,” says Hannah.

“It is so pleasing to see the constantly rising standard of design and professionalism shown in these entries and by the NKBA designers,” she said.

The NKBA Kitchen & Bathroom Awards is an annual celebration of the best examples of kitchen and bathroom design in New Zealand.

The NKBA champions the highest standards of design, workmanship and professionalism in the kitchen and bathroom industry. This year the association combined its awards and conference with the Yellow™ Auckland Home Show at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland on the 10th – 14th September.

All entries will be on show on the NKBA stand at the Yellow™ Auckland Home Show and winners’ rosettes will be placed on Friday morning after the gala awards dinner.

Also on display will be two superb show kitchens designed and built by NKBA members designed to show the public just how a good kitchen should look – and top designers will be on the stand over the duration of the Homeshow to meet with members of the public.

The full list of winners was:

• Overall Kitchen Winner / also Taranaki Region /CDS Category Winner / also Best Kitchen $50k and over – Glen Johns Ckdnz – Glen Johns Design, New Plymouth

• Overall Bathroom Winner / also Canterbury Region - John Gaynor of InDesign, Christchurch

• Runner Up Kitchen / also Hawkes Bay - Leanne Larking of Quattro Uno, Taradale

• Runner Up Bathroom - Natalie DuBois, DuBois Design, Auckland

• Best Renovation Kitchen - Davinia Sutton, InDesign, Christchurch

• Best Renovation Bathroom / also Wellington Region - Peter Young, Waikanae Kitchen and Joinery, Paraparaumu

• Best Kitchen $15K - $50k - Suzanne Allen, Suzanne Allen Kitchen Design, Auckland

• Best Kitchen Under $15K - Sheryl Stuart, Mastercraft, Tauranga

• Open Category - Davinia Sutton, InDesign, Christchurch

• Multi Unit - Damian Hannah, Greman Kitchens, Wellington

• Creative Excellence / also Waikato Region - Robyn Caudwell, Designer Cabinets

• Bay Of Plenty Region - Mark Bruce, Beaver Kitchens, Whakatane

• Innovative Use Of Lighting - Mal Corboy, Mal Corboy Design, Auckland

• Innovative Use Of Timber - Sheryl Stuart, Mastercraft, Tauranga

• Runner Up Cds - Mal Corboy, Mal Corboy Design, Auckland

• Student Design - Amaneet Kaur, Auckland

ENDS

About the NKBA and Awards

The winners of the 25th Annual Kitchen and Bathroom Awards® 2008 were announced at the Gala Dinner at the Langham Hotel Thursday September 11th 2008.

These awards are the longest running kitchen and bathroom industry awards in NZ and are exclusive to NKBA and master joiner members. The NKBA Awards Competition recognizes brilliance in the field of design for kitchens and bathrooms. The winning designers will win a trip to Atlanta USA.