| 33 JOINERY Elite Kitchens New Plymouth T T Aimee Wilson Redefined what’s possible with melamine Looking to the future, the team at Elite Kitchens New Plymouth remains focused on evolving, innovating and building on the strengths that have shaped the business. A retro style kitchen with a mid-century modern feel won elite kitchens New Plymouth a Master Joiners Excellence award at this year’s competition. Designed by Ruby Bowman, the award-winning kitchen redefined what is possible with melamine, and was a true testament to the skill, craftmanship and innovation of the elite kitchens’ team. The centrepiece is a custom-built melamine feature wall, precisely scribed to follow the raked ceiling line. Carefully considered spacing within the vertical slat detailing maintains structural integrity while emulating the warmth and rhythm of natural timber. Beyond its visual impact, it subtly conceals storage solutions, delivering both function and restraint. An intimate dining zone is thoughtfully integrated to accommodate the client’s existing table, creating a space that supports not only dining, but also conversation, reading, and device charging—enhancing the kitchen’s role as a social and functional hub. “The starting point very much came from the clients. They had a clear vision for a mid-century modern feel and wanted a kitchen with personality that reflected the style of their home. “Our role was to take that vision and bring it to life through the design, materials and detailing, while ensuring it remained highly functional for everyday living,” elite kitchens chief executive Fay Rice said. “That collaboration is something we really enjoy at elite kitchens – often the best results come when a client brings us an idea or feeling and then gives our designers the freedom to develop it,” she said. The team is particularly proud that this kitchen has such a strong individual identity without compromising functionality. “There is also a huge amount of precision and craftsmanship behind those details. Having that recognised by our peers within the joinery industry was extremely special for our whole team.” In 2018, elite kitchens New Plymouth took a significant step forward with the opening of a purpose-built joinery centre. This, coupled with its investment in the world’s latest manufacturing technology, has set the standard for superior finishes. In 2019, the company also won an Innovation Excellence Award at the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce Business awards. But since then, kitchens trends have been changing and becoming a lot more individual to each client. “We are seeing clients move away from simply following a particular trend and instead choosing finishes and details that reflect their own personality and home. “There is a lot more warmth coming through with timber, earthy colours, textured finishes, curves and softer forms. We are also seeing more combinations of materials – timber, stone, porcelain, painted cabinetry and metal detailing being layered together.” Functionality is becoming increasingly important too, with integrated dining, beverage areas, hidden appliance zones, sculleries, charging areas and highly considered internal storage. Looking to the future, the team at elite kitchens New Plymouth remains focused on evolving, innovating and building on the strengths that have shaped the business. “We will keep investing in technology, machinery, systems and, most importantly, our people. We want to continue pushing creatively, producing bespoke work and encouraging our team to challenge convention. Contact us for all your engineering needs Proud to be Stainless-Steel fabricator for Elite Kitchens Ash Cottam022 078 9863 | ash@sharpsheetmetal.co.nz Kelly O’Donnell 027 324 5558 Restoring timber worth keeping. Restore | Conserve | Spray Finishing Specialist restoration and conservation for furniture, cabinetry, and heritage timber. 06 755 0845 briwax@xtra.co.nz briwaxrestoration.com PROUD TOWORK ALONGSIDE ELITE KITCHENS FOR ALL THEIR NEEDS Get In Touch “At our heart, we remain proudly Taranaki — locally owned, locally manufactured, and committed to our region.” “Winning this award is a wonderful acknowledgement of where we are today, but it has also inspired us to keep raising the bar.”
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