The 2019 KBDi Designer Awards were held at the beginning of August as part of the KBDi Symposium weekend in Melbourne. At a glittering awards night, the chapter and national winners were announced. We’ll break down the state winners over the coming days but here are the major, national award winners for 2019.
Australian Certified Designer of the Year
Winner: Darren James CKD Au, CBD Au
Darren James Interiors
This light-filled and luxurious bathroom was a hands-down winner for the judging panel. The designer transformed a nineties-style bathroom into a nature-inspired sanctuary. Spanish marble-look tiles and walnut timber detailing add a sense of timelessness to the ensuite, and link seamlessly to the adjoining master bedroom.
Highly Commended: Darren Genner CKD Au
Minosa
The judging panel loved the designer’s thoughtful twist to a traditional design. This heritage-listed property is home to a professional couple with two young children, but the family weren’t so keen on a period-style kitchen. In a very clever nod to the home’s historical value, the designer took inspiration from a vintage sewer stack located directly outside.
Australian Bathroom Designer of the Year
Winner: Kyle McGregor
Lux Interiors
The judging panel unanimously and absolutely adored this curvaceous bathroom. They were awed by the designer’s approach to an otherwise ordinary space: with its curving divider, organically-shaped bulkhead, sumptuous finishes and spilling natural light, they deemed it to be the well-deserved winner in a fierce competition.
Australian Kitchen Designer of the Year
Winner: Darren James CKD Au, CBD Au
Darren James Interiors
This ‘small’ kitchen made a huge statement and was a ‘hands down’ winner for the judging panel. The designer worked wonders with the industrial elements inherited with this Woolstore conversion, weaving warmth and whimsy throughout the space.
Australian Design Space
Winner: Darren James CKD Au, CBD Au
Darren James Interiors
This striking outdoor kitchen is an entertainer’s dream! Panoramic island views and famously beautiful bayside weather are great incentives for outdoor entertaining, and the designer has created a robust yet elegant space for this family and their guests.
Australian Traditional Design
Winner: Haris Bahtiyarov CKD Au
Alby Turner & Son
This nineteenth-century colonial cottage had a dark and pokey baltic pine kitchen when the designer first paid a visit. With instructions to create a kitchen fit for a professional chef in a style complementary to the home’s architectural era, the designer set to work. The end result is a superbly detailed, thoughtful response to a complex brief, and the judging panel commended the designer on a well-executed project.
Highly Commended:
Sally Hart + Impala Kitchens & Bathrooms
In this tightly-contested category, the judges deemed this entry to be worthy of commendation. The designer’s reinvention of the existing space was impressive, and her response to the client brief ticked all the boxes. The simple architecture of this Balmain boathouse was described by the designer as ‘unpretentious’, and she cleverly incorporated the elements of Shaker style to complement the exterior.
First Time Entrant
Winner: Eliesha Paiano
The judging panel loved this emerging designer’s comprehensive response to a complicated brief. With one wall of the expansive kitchen nestled neatly beneath a grandiose staircase, a considerable amount of planning was required to provide ample storage in non-conventional spaces.
Stay tuned for the state winners coming soon!
For more information on all the winners click here.
