All finalists for the kitchen and bathroom categories are now being showcased on Complete Home, where voters can choose their favourite project from a number of categories. The first 50 voters will be rewarded with a free issue of Grand Designs Kitchens & Bathrooms magazine.

In recent years, the KBDi has expanded the awards to not only include larger spaces such as Kitchens Plus, but also exciting new categories such as Master Suite, Design Space and Certified Designer of the Year.

Although the People’s Choice Winners will be announced in November, the peer-reviewed judging has already taken place for 2021 – view a showcase of winners here.

The post Celebrating the 2021 KBQ and KBDi People’s Choice Award appeared first on Completehome.

After an extended voting period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the winners of the KBDI & KBQ People’s Choice Awards for 2020 have finally been announced. With even more entrants and categories than previous years, there was no shortage of stunning design choices – including our winners in the three key categories of Kitchen, Bathroom and Design Space.

KBDi & KBQ People’s Choice: Kitchen of the Year 2020

The most popular kitchen of this year’s awards was this stylish design by Maria Cerne of Canberra-based Studio Black Interiors. Combining stylish gunmetal grey fixtures and fittings with recycled timber and dramatic vertical wall cladding, this kitchen is sleek, modern and highly functional.

KBDi & KBQ People’s Choice: Bathroom of the Year 2020

Taking home this year’s Bathroom of the Year award is Victorian-based designer Teresa Kleeman of Embracing Space. Inspired by a black-and-white theme, the clean lines and contemporary shape of the Meir tapware chosen by Teresa flowed through to the selection of a large-scale custom curved mirror and notes of matt black that echo around the space and contrast against the white basin and timber.

KBDi & KBQ People’s Choice: Design Space of the Year 2020

As a first this year, CompleteHome and Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly chose to award a third People’s Choice from the other KBDi categories on offer, including this year’s winner in the Design Space category; Tameka Moffat of Tameka Moffat Designs. The winning space was part of a high-end residential project in NSW with a brief to design a functional, elegant and timeless home to accommodate a family of five for many years. Incorporating luxury inclusions such as CDK limestone benchtops and Kit Kat tiles to create a textural element, this space is contemporary yet simplistic and supremely functional.

We would love to congratulate all the highly-talented designers who entered this year, as well as all of our Complete Home audience who have voted in the competition!

The post KBDi & KBQ People’s Choice Winners of 2020 Announced! appeared first on Completehome.

In step with the Scandi/industrial style of the home, the main kitchen and pantry zone exude affluent minimalism with a mix of birch ply framework and black traceless doors, drawer fronts and panels.

The kitchen’s love affair with plywood extends to the shadowline and framing details, adding an opulent finish to the refined kitchen. Saddle tan leather pulls with brass core and matching wrapped leather slimline handles mingle with a Star Mini pull out mixer PVD in brushed bronze, LED strip task lighting to the underside of overheads, and a black Smeg Pyrolitic double oven.

Open shelving and a concealed rangehood enhance spacious, unimpeded elegance. Concrete benchtops are robust and moody, while the sink is located at one end of the lengthy kitchen island, leaving abundant bench space for preparing and dining or working and studying, whatever the occasion requires.

Green and lean, the vertical tiled splashback disperses vibrancy to the colour palette and highlights the Smeg-endowed cooking space. Decorative designer timber work comes into play with the black overhead framework with exposed plywood edging. A custom-made kitchen deserves to be lit with precision, and the Long John 5 pendant from Fred’s International does a fine job assisting the LED lighting scheme. Industrial and homely, there’s so much to love about this SpaceCraft kitchen.

Designer Nathan Wundersitz for SpaceCraft Joinery.

WE LOVE the traceless black doors, drawer fronts and panels with birch ply shadowline highlights

For more information

Spacecraft Joinery

Originally featured in Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly Vol. 27, Issue 2.

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The team from Ultimate Kitchens & Bathrooms kept this in mind when renovating this room. While the original footprint was already nice and simple, visually and functionally it needed some alterations to make it practical as well as perfect — which is what has been achieved. The original design placed the hotplate next to the stove in a tight little cooking zone. While this sounded good in theory, practically it made the kitchen feel enclosed and cluttered. By moving the hotplate, the room opened up and felt even larger than it already was. Storage is essential to cater for all the appliances, chinaware and glassware that come with a family.

The Ultimate Kitchens & Bathrooms team took this one step further and replaced some of the old cabinet doors with drawers, ensuring the owner could get the absolute most out of the area. An abundance of bench space is perfect for spreading out homework and prepping multiple snacks, and the mirrored splashback makes the room feel even bigger than it already is.

The built-in bar fridge is accessible from the rear of the bench, making it easy for family and friends to grab drinks without having to dodge the cook in front of the stove.

Designer Stephanie Smith for Ultimate Kitchens and Bathrooms
Photographer Pete Marshall

We love the convenience of that bar fridge accessible from the reverse side of the counter.

For more information

Ultimate Kitchens & Bathrooms

Originally featured in Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly vol. 27, issue, 2.

The post Practical and perfect appeared first on Completehome.

With an array of shower screens to choose from, finding the one best suited to you and your needs will be easy. The Manhattan shower screen is an industrial loft-style screen with a black frame and panel detailing. It is designed to be installed as an alcove screen, and a unique shower enclosure can be created by simply adding a side. The Fitzroy screen features a frameless door and is perfect for those after a minimalist-style bathroom.

The M-Series panels are available in clear or tinted glass with the choice of black or chrome fittings, allowing you to create a wet room that is on-trend and incorporates your unique style. Each Decina shower screen is made to Australian standards with tough safety glass, generous heights and drip-strip seals to prevent leaks and water escaping.

Forget standard shower taps! Decina’s collection of shower towers offers a unique all-in-one shower feature. The Sofia and Verso offer a sophisticated and luxurious wash complete with body massage jets, an overhead rainfall shower, waterfall outlet and a shampoo shelf. Each statement Decina shower tower comes in a concealed, streamlined unit and is designed to be combined with the company’s range of shower screens to create a lush and modern shower area.

For more information

Decina

Originally featured in Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly, Issue 27 Vol 1.

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The environment

From the timber products you use to the appliances you choose, your kitchen design can positively or negatively affect the environment. Designing a sustainable kitchen is beneficial for the environment in three main areas:

1. Kitchens are predominantly made of timber: 

Sustainable kitchen design asks where the timber has come from and if it was sustainably sourced. Choosing timbers stamped with either the FSC or PEFC Certification logo is a great way of ensuring your timber has been sourced responsibly and will continue to be a sustainable resource.

“The Chain of Custody Certification scheme means everyone who touched your timber, from the forest to the shelf, is certified and regularly audited to ensure they are compliant,” says Druce Davey, a design expert from Greener Kitchens. “It’s the only way of knowing your purchase protects forests, habitats, waterways, and the species that rely on them — preserving them for future generations.”

Recycled timber is built to last. Using recycled timber is a good way to ensure sustainable materials do not needlessly end up in landfill, but will benefit the environment and your kitchen for many years to come.

“Recycled timber has had a previous life, so it has all the character marks from a life well lived,” says Druce. “Recycled timber is responsible, robust and long-lasting. It tells a story, it breaks the ice at parties, stores carbon, and it saves the trees.”

2. Sustainability asks whether any aspect of your existing kitchen can be reused, renewed or recycled/upcycled: 

Even if you don’t want to keep any part of your existing kitchen, can any of it be sold to others for reuse? Throwing away good-quality materials only adds to landfill, which takes its toll on our natural environment.

“Sustainability can mean recycling elements of previous kitchens or making use of recycled elements,” explains Ellen Wundersitz, general manager of bespoke kitchen company Space Craft Joinery. “When considering sustainability in kitchen design, it’s all about the mantra of reduce, reuse, re/upcycle. If money is tight, on-selling parts of your kitchen can even fatten your budget.”

3. Thinking sustainably means being aware of the appliances and fixtures we place within kitchens:

Do your appliances have a high energy-efficiency rating? What are your taps rated on the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scale? Using appliances and fixtures that are energy or water efficient and guaranteed to last will reduce wastage of precious non-renewable resources.

“Appliances with a higher energy star rating, taps with a higher WELS rating, hardware with a lifetime warranty, LED lighting, reconstituted stone from recycled materials, such as Eco by Cosentino, will all benefit the environment,” says Ellen. “If your kitchen is part of a larger project, consider seeking the advice of an architect or builder to maximise passive solar design principles, whereby careful orientation of the build ensures northerly orientation of daytime living areas to capture sunlight in the cooler months.”

The Locals

When designing a kitchen, buying locally is always recommended as it benefits our businesses and economy, and means you are ensured a good-quality product that has met Australian standards. Additionally, shopping locally may mean that you are reducing the carbon footprint of your kitchen, because the materials you use are not being shipped over great distances and you may find manufacturers who are conscious about their carbon footprint within their production processes.

“Sustainable kitchens have a lower carbon footprint than a conventional kitchen. Often clients who have invested in a sustainable kitchen are also those who are part of a buy-local movement,” says Ellen. “At Space Craft Joinery, we are taking steps to lower our carbon footprint in the office and workshop. By installing solar panels on the roof of our workshop, the sun now provides 100 per cent of our energy needs, eliminating our carbon emissions and reliance on coal power.”

The Family

When building a sustainable kitchen, you are guaranteed to maintain a healthy home for you and your family. Some conventional kitchens can use cheap synthetic materials, varnishes, paints and glues that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde. These chemicals degrade the air quality in your home and can cause sickness or irritation in high concentrations. Kitchen cabinet carcasses account for 50 per cent of the timber products used in your design and are commonly made up of medium-density fibreboard (MDF). MDF contains timber particles that are bonded together with resins and glue. Depending on where the MDF is sourced, some products do not comply with Australian E0 or E1 (low VOC) emissions standards and may off-gas at dangerous levels. When thinking sustainably, you also need to think about health by choosing low-VOC paints and finishes, laminates that meet emissions standards, MDF alternatives, and E0 or Super E0 board materials.

“Hoop pine plywood is a great alternative to MDF because it contains minimal formaldehyde. Other MDF alternatives include Novofibre pressed straw board,” says Ellen. She also recommends using Polytec
or Laminex E0 laminates.

“The Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) recently released a report* showing how imported timber panels used in kitchen construction had emission levels two to three times that considered safe,” says Druce. “To me, sustainable kitchens are low emission and made using environmentally responsible materials. This makes for a kitchen that is a joy to be in.”

The Budget

Sustainable kitchens are usually well planned and built for longevity, efficiency and functionality — which will ultimately save you money.

1. Longevity:

Sustainable kitchens use quality and hardy materials such as reclaimed timber and, unlike MDF, will stand the test of time — which means you won’t need to demolish your kitchen again.

2. Efficiency:

If you have utilised a sustainable mindset when fitting out your kitchen, you probably would have chosen high energy- and water-efficient appliances and fixtures. By reducing the amount of power and water you consume, your hip pocket benefits by reducing your bills.

3. Functionality: 

Sustainable kitchens generally need more planning than conventional kitchens, which means they are also going to be highly functional. Practical design and appliance choices for food storage and waste, using timers for appliances that don’t need to be on all the time, and harnessing natural light so that artificial lights aren’t needed during the day all contribute to a highly functional and cost-effective kitchen.

“A timber kitchen has much greater longevity and can be renovated, repaired or rejuvenated in time instead of being replaced and consigned to landfill,” says Druce. “The key here is also in the design: to ensure the kitchen is incredibly functional and aesthetically time resistant so functional frustrations or on-trend components that date the kitchen do not encourage its replacement. Good design and sensitive functional planning will never go out of style.”

The Potential

Sometimes the words “sustainable” or “organic” conjure up very limiting ideas of what can be done with your kitchen if you are not familiar with any sustainable kitchen designers and their work. But take heart — sustainable kitchens don’t need to look any different than a conventional kitchen and, just like a conventional kitchen, there are endless design possibilities awaiting you. So even if you already have your dream kitchen in mind, remember that your ideas can also
be sustainable, too.

“You can be as creative with a sustainable kitchen design as with any kitchen,” says Ellen. “Sustainable kitchens are, in most cases, better looking because they are often quite unique creations developed especially for the homeowners. There is
a real sense of connection to the family that it was built for, their lifestyle and their sense of style.”

Druce agrees, adding, “A sustainable kitchen can be modern or traditional, beautiful, functional, respectful to the environment and the health of your home without any creative compromise.”

Written by Carla May

Photography courtesy of Space Craft Joinery

Originally from Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly magazine, Volume 22 Issue 3

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Designer: Kai M Rohmert for Bathroom Concepts

Built by: Rob Duncan for Bathroom Concepts

For more information

Bathroom Concepts

The post Classical modern: a timeless project appeared first on Completehome.

Neolith is suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, alfresco, BBQ areas, floors, walls and exterior facades.

The surface has near-zero porosity, making it stain resistant, hygienic, easy to clean and impervious to chemicals. It is also scratch, wear, heat resistant and recyclable. Its colours, being a natural base, do not vary when exposed to UV rays. Additionally, Neolith comes in a wide range of textures and finishes, is lightweight and easy to install, making it suitable for the most demanding domestic and commercial applications both indoors and out.

For more information

CDK Stone

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“The bank of glass-paned cabinets really ups the country charm, while also allowing the clients to reveal their own style with selected kitchenware on display. Internal drawers make for super-easy access to all areas of the cabinetry, coupled with Kesseböhmer corner units for optimal functionality. The result is a design that beautifully marries modern style with a little bit of country in a practical family space.”

Designer: Julian King for No Fuss Kitchens

For more information

No Fuss Kitchens

Originally in Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly Volume 24 Issue 1

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As the adults and children of the family needed their own space, an ensuite has been added by utilising previously unused cupboard space. The bathroom is both practical and stylish, featuring a separate shower and bathtub. The custom vanity top is made from Australian hardwood and contrasts beautifully with the matte black tapware. The timber and matte black accents continue throughout, creating a stylish flow to the space. Adding a lively pop of pattern against the industrial design are the handmade ceramic floor tiles, which contrast beautifully against the matte wall tiles. The expert placement and design of the laundry allow for a dual-function space without interfering with the bathroom’s functionality.

The balanced design allows for a synchronised look that brings together the entire room.

Designer: Designline Kitchens & Bathrooms

Originally from Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly Volume 23 Issue 4

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