It happened last year for the first time, and it has happened again – one National Kitchen & Bathroom Association (NKBA) designer has taken all three top prizes at the 2022 NKBA Excellence in Design national awards.

Natalie Du Bois of Du Bois Design Auckland was the clear winner this year, following in Davinia Sutton’s footsteps last year. Du Bois won the NKBA Excellence in Design Supreme Kitchen and Supreme Bathroom, and was named Designer of the Year.

Du Bois’s winning kitchen is a large, modern, industrial design for a family of five. It has a dedicated bar for entertaining and a butler’s pantry.

Judges called the kitchen “captivating, in the true meaning of the word”.

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“The mesmerising layering effect on the island cladding is exceptional, as is the super chic lighting and the soft veneer on the back wall. This space has impact; it is tactile, and it has been superbly executed.

“Features like the folded metal shelves, the island details, and the way the light plays across the layers are just delightful. It is incredibly difficult to be original in the kitchen space, but this designer has achieved this. Magnificent,” they said.

Du Bois selected a mix of materials to create the industrial look. Concrete is a forerunner, with plastered concrete featuring on the walls. The island has a rugged concrete Caesarstone island benchtop, and there are strips in various sizes wrapped around the back and sides of the island.

“This effect was designed to create a visually interesting central focus to the room,” Du Bois says.

Du Bois, an NKBA Elite Designer received many additional awards. Her winning kitchen not only won the Supreme award, but also won her Designer of the Year, the DNKBA Kitchen Design - Elite/Platinum Award and the Auckland Chapter Recognition Award.

There are two Supreme Kitchen Joint Runner-up winners, also from Auckland – Morgan Cronin of Cronin Kitchens, and Leonie Hamill of Cube Dentro.

Cronin also won the Kitchen Distinction Award for a project over $120,000, for this kitchen, which was part of a major renovation.

The family requested seating for up to eight and the incorporation of many large appliances. Natural stone benchtops were also a preference, along with the requirement for the new floor to be a light, natural oak.

Due to the size of the space, and to make the layout more practical, the kitchen has been segregated into three zones – a centrepiece, dedicated entertaining zone and scullery.

The judges described it as “a very well-balanced kitchen with a beautiful symmetry and asymmetry which is challenging to achieve”.

“Clever attention to detail is evident in the subtle changes to the levels of the kitchen island and a carefully considered approach to the tones of the flooring and cabinetry.

“Simplicity done well with a luxurious finish. The plans and documentation are very professional.”

Cronin also won another Kitchen Distinction Award for a kitchen between $90,000 and $120,000.

Designer Leonie Hamill’s own home project is the other Supreme Kitchen Runner-Up – the relocation and restoration of a large, beautiful villa from Clonbern Road, Remuera to a rural site on the Awhitu Peninsula.

This project also won the Outstanding Renovation Kitchen award.

The renovation required the designer to preserve the villa vibe, redefine an awkward layout and create an innovative entertaining space.

The original hardwood flooring was retained, while bespoke cabinetry aligns with the character of a bygone era and ties in with the new French door joinery. Veining in the marble connects with the ocean, providing a sense of movement and waves. And the elegant, curved, marble countertop and base break up the large island, providing visual impact and a sense of lightness.

The sink and wall-mounted tapware are discreet, but part of the design story and to keep the countertop linear and crisp. A marble splashback contrasts with the island countertop.

In announcing the award, the judges called it “a cracker of a kitchen”.

“A lot of thought has gone into this design, set within a challenging renovation. Before, it was small and closed-in; now it is an expansive entertainer’s space. The design incorporates interesting and quirky shapes, such as the sculptural island and its brilliant leg detail. This is a sophisticated kitchen, that has an artistic quality. A knock-out.”

The full list of 2022 NKBA Excellence Design Award winners (kitchens and bathrooms):

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