96 | JOINERY Designmarked T T Kim Newth Transforming homes through good design The award-winning design is big on functionality with ample storage and easy care benchtops and prep zones. “The kitchen has always been central to life in our own family home and I find it incredibly rewarding to create spaces for clients that they love being in, that are beautiful and highly functional.” Waikato designer Jenny Holmes’ outstanding work is transforming homes, changing lives and winning accolades for her kitchen design studio, Designmarked. For two years in a row now, Designmarked has won the Waikato kitchen design recognition award at the National Kitchen and Bathroom Association (NKBA) Excellence in Design Awards. Last year, Designmarked also won the Character Kitchen Design Award, following it up this year with the Gold Kitchen Design Award. “It was a fantastic awards night at the Auckland Town Hall this year and I was once again blown away by the recognition,” says Jenny. “There’s something very special about having your work valued and acknowledged in this way.” Her 2024 gold-winning design was for an older couple embarking on a new build and seeking a functional kitchen for their future beach house. While the available footprint for kitchen/dining was small, the award winning design is big on functionality with ample storage and easy care benchtops and prep zones. Timber veneer cabinetry blends beautifully with the natural surroundings. An adjacent bar area makes good use of available space beside the living room gas fire. Textures like an old recycled European oak dining table add depth to the design that elegantly links adjoining spaces. As well as being an award winning NKBA-qualified kitchen designer, Jenny studied Interior Design at the influential Nanette Cameron School of Interior Design. As a creative yet detail-oriented person, who also loves cooking and entertaining, Jenny says her focus on kitchen design has been a natural progression. “The kitchen has always been central to life in our own family home and I find it incredibly rewarding to create spaces for clients that they love being in, that are beautiful and highly functional.” Jenny’s journey with Designmarked started five years ago, in partnership with studio founder Mark Bruce. He has since moved on to new opportunities, with Jenny taking up full ownership of the business last year. “It is very exciting for me as I’m now in a position to create and grow my own vision moving forward.” Rather than chasing trends, Jenny targets quality and timelessness in kitchen design, carefully considering volume, line, colour, light and texture. Central to her way of working is providing her clients with a very sound design process. “The whole experience of working with the client - from conception and planning right through to development of the final completed space - is incredibly satisfying. “I have my finger on the pulse all the way to achieve the quality I want for my clients, working very closely with MIL Joinery as well as leading appliance supplier Harvey Norman Commercial in Hamilton and other trusted suppliers, such as Blum. “Sustainability is something I think about a lot too. Quality design with quality products is going to provide that by creating a durable, hardwearing kitchen that looks beautiful and functions well behind the scenes.” As well as kitchens, Designmarked creates bespoke bathrooms, laundries , built-in cabinetry and wardrobes for medium- to high-end new homes and renovations. For Jenny, every project starts with getting to know the client, their way of life, their vision and their dream, before continuing to build a relationship of trust as the project progresses. She believes designers have a responsibility to challenge clients with a variety of spatial designs that they may not have considered. “Of course, good communication is absolutely vital so there is complete transparency throughout the entire process.” Many clients find Jenny through word of mouth recommendations. That process has led to one of her current projects working for a client in the Cayman Islands. In New Zealand, Designmarked is busy with quality projects from Matakana to the Bay of Plenty, Coromandel and Queenstown, as well as many local Cambridge and Waikato projects. ˁ˘˪ ˍ˘˔˟˔ˡ˗Ϡ˦ ˟˔˥˚˘˦˧ ˪˛ˢ˟˘˦˔˟˘˥ ˢ˙ ˦˧ˢˡ˘ ʴ˨˖˞˟˔ˡ˗ ʬ ˇ˨˥˜ˡ ˃˟˔˖˘ʟ ˂˧˔˥˔ʟ ʴ˨˖˞˟˔ˡ˗ ˇ˘˟ʭ ʣʬ ʥlsʧ lzlzʧʩ ʶ˛˥˜˦˧˖˛˨˥˖˛ ʥʤ ˊ˜˦˘ ˆ˧˥˘˘˧ʟ ʴ˗˗˜ˡ˚˧ˢˡʟ ʶ˛˥˜˦˧˖˛˨˥˖˛ ˇ˘˟ʭ ʣʬ ʥlsʧ lzlzʧʩ ˊ˘˟˟˜ˡ˚˧ˢˡ ʧʣʤ ʻ˨˧˧ ˅ˢ˔˗ʟ ʴ˟˜˖˘˧ˢ˪ˡʟ ʿˢ˪˘˥ ʻ˨˧˧ ˇ˘˟ʭ ʣʬ ʥlsʧ lzlzʧʩ ʺʸˇ ʼˁ ʶ˂ˁˇʴʶˇ ˁ˂ˊʔ ˦˔˟˘˦ʳ˨ˡ˜˩˘˥˦˔˟˚˥˔ˡ˜˧˘ʡ˖ˢʡˡ˭ ˆ˨ˣ˘˥ ˊ˛˜˧˘ ʠ ʷˢ˟ˢˠ˜˧˘
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