Gorgeous Kitchens and Bathrooms Inspire the Industry at the 2009 NKBA Awards

The annual event that sets the benchmark of kitchen and bathroom design was attended by the who’s who of the kitchen and bathroom design industry in a glamorous black tie dinner held at the Hyatt Hotel, Auckland on Saturday night. The 26th NKBA (National Kitchen and Bathroom Association) Awards are the longest running kitchen and bathroom industry awards in NZ, recognising brilliance in the field of design for kitchens and bathrooms. Winners of the 23 categories were selected from entries sent in from throughout the country.

Robyn Labb from Kitchens by Design took out the top prize of a trip to Sydney’s 2010 DesignEX exhibition by winning 2009 Kitchen Design of the Year. The judges were unanimous that this was the 2009 winner, with “a stunning kitchen that demonstrated innovative and bold design with style”. Labb’s kitchen “played with proportion, balance and strength, setting dark marble against white pristine walls with a marble island and floating solid oak table for a focal point,” the judges said.

Davinia Sutton won the 2009 Bathroom Design of the Year award of a $2000 travel voucher with her creative use of elements in a bathroom with limited space. Sutton’s winning design was praised for the attention to detail, illusion of space, and cohesion with the surrounding home’s contemporary architecture.

2009 Kitchen Design of the Year Runner Up award was won by Morgan Cronin from Cronin Kitchen, and 2009 Bathroom Design of the Year Runner Up was Robyn Labb.

Judges this year included; Glen Johns (2008 Kitchen Design of the Year winner), John Gaynor (2008 Bathroom Design of the Year winner), architect Simon Novak and Good Morning’s celebrity chef Astar Young.

NKBA Awards Administrator Milvia Hannah commented on some strong themes coming through the entries this year, “We’re seeing a return to clean and simple lines, kitchens and bathrooms that are minimalist in style but with a bold feature or texture. Marble is making a real comeback this year as it adds elegance and sophistication to the kitchen space, as well as an increase in the desire for high gloss surfaces and highly polished stainless steel.”

Says Milvia, “Considering the economic climate this year, the amount and calibre of entries surprised us and we were delighted to see some very bold and clever designs. This reflects well on the fact that clients through out New Zealand are having an increased appreciation for kitchen and bathroom design that creates both a functional and elegant space.”

The categories in this year’s awards supported creative excellence with awards celebrating innovative uses of colour, lighting, timber as well as categories based purely on function.

2009 NKBA Awards full list of winners:

· Kitchen Design of the Year: Robyn Labb

· Bathroom Design of the year: Davinia Sutton

· Runner Up Kitchen Design of the Year: Morgan Cronin

· Runner Up Bathroom Design of the year: Robyn Labb

· Any Region Ktichen Design Winner: Natalie Du Bois

· Auckland Regional Kitchen Design Winner: Robyn Labb

· Auckland Regional Bathroom Design Winner: Robyn Labb

· Canterbury Regional Bathroom Design Winner: Davinia Sutton

· Taranaki Regional Kitchen Design Winner: Pete Baylis

· Bay of Plenty Regional Kitchen Design Winner: Mark Bruce

· Waikato Regional Design Winner: Robin Caudwell

· Central Regional Kitchen Design Winner: Robert Gale

· Hawkes Bay Regional kitchen Design Winner: Damian Hannah

· Wellington Regional Kitchen Design Winner: Damian Hannah

· Christchurch Regional Winner: Davinia Sutton

· Certified Designers Award:Heather Wood CKDNZ

· Creative Excellence: Bei Bei Yuan

· Best Use of Colour: Anthony Paulsen

· Best Multi Unit Award: Mark Bruce CKDNZ

· Renovation Kitchen Design Award: Damian Hannah

· Renovation Bathroom: Davinia Sutton

· Innovative Use of Timber: Davinia Sutton

· Highly Commended: Davina Sutton, Natalie Du Bois, Morgan Cronin, Toni Roberts CKDNZ, Jessica Valentine, Damian Hannah, and Morgan Cronin