Designing winning kitchens with function and flair

What is the secret to designing a great kitchen? Many of us may think we have the answers, but reality can throw up plenty of challenges.  

With more open plan homes, these days,  when most people envisage a kitchen, they’ll imagine a kitchen against a wall and an island. But for Natalie Du Bois, when she was designing two award-winning Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland kitchens, she didn't have the luxury of that space. 

At the NKBA Excellence in Design Kitchen and Bathroom Awards last week, Du Bois won the DNKBA Elite Kitchen Design Award for her ‘Snakes and Ladders’ project, and the Character Kitchen Design Award for ‘Small but Mighty’. Both projects presented similar challenges: early 20th century homes with limited space and many existing features to contend with.

‘Snakes and Ladders’ had to be along one wall, with two staircases - one going up and another down, just a metre away. 

“You don’t want to be walking five metres down to the fridge when you’re needed by the sink,” says Du Bois. “So it was carefully trying to proportion the space so it was ergonomic as well.”

With the ‘Small but Mighty’ project, Du Bois had to work with a previously boxed-in style kitchen with one entrance, dark-stained wood and the oven, hob, sink and fridge all located on different walls.

“It was more spatial planning from the other rooms to create more flow and a better environment to use.”

Details that may appear to be hurdles can be opportunities if approached with a different perspective, Du Bois says.

When balancing art, design and functionality, Du Bois says her approach is “function first.”

“I feel you can always make something look good if it’s functional - not the other way around. In a kitchen space, especially, you’ve got to make sure it functions to start with.

"Then there are so many nice products out there and different details you can do, to make it a beautiful space.”

The designer, who has worked overseas, says New Zealanders are very drawn to creating different spaces, rather than using existing furniture ranges which can be common in the UK. 

“I find designing a one-off kitchen is art - but functional art.”

So, when it comes to Kiwi kitchens, what are the priorities?

“Nine times out of ten, they will always ask me for easy maintenance, easy cleaning, so the products they want are low maintenance.”

It’s a point of difference compared to overseas. Du Bois points to marble bench tops as an example, which are less popular here. 

“A New Zealander will be quite shy about having a marble benchtop - you can stain it, lemon juice eats away at the surface - but in Italy, they love it. They want the stains because it’s history to them.”

While New Zealanders prefer a more immaculate looking kitchen, Du Bois says that’s slowly changing and clients are getting used to a more lived-in look. 

A scullery or walk-in pantry is another popular feature.

While brands aren’t as important here, there are demands for specific appliances such as steam ovens instead of microwaves as a healthier way to prepare food. 

Personally Du Bois loves natural materials - timbers and stone. These also happen to be the current trend. 

“Stone is like art out of the earth. You have a piece of stone - none of them look the same. You have a subtle pattern but it’s something unique to each job.”

As for future trends, technology is changing the kitchen game. Hidden induction hobs, remote-controlled appliances, preset oven recipes - all with a focus on sustainability.

“There’s a lot more thought going into sustainability. The general public are way more aware than they were a few years ago.”

Natalie Du Bois spoke to Culture 101’s Perlina Lau.