ALIGN GALLERY: KBDI AWARDS FINALIST
We are thrilled to announce the newly designed Align Gallery has been nominated as a finalist in the prestigious Kitchen and Bathroom Design Institute (KBDi) Awards. This recognition is a testament to the Align team of designers and installers and their commitment to excellence. We want to share their journey leading up to this achievement and express our gratitude to our clients, team, and the industry for their support.
The KBDi Awards: A Showcase of Design Excellence
The KBDi Awards are an annual highlight within the kitchen and bathroom design industry. To make it through a rigorous judging process and to be nominated by the esteemed panel of industry experts brings to design professionals a recognition we all aspire to.
Our Submission: Showcasing Our Design Space
The process of selecting which project to submit to the awards was not an easy one as we were honored to work on the varied designs over the last year. The unique features of the gallery such as the bold black and gold tiles, the challenges overcome such as bringing life to an unused/beneath-the-building space, and the innovative solutions that went into transforming this into a high-class multi-purpose venue, made the gallery a stand-out choice in the end. The craftsmanship and dedication to detail are better seen in person, but can also be appreciated here in the images below.
Design Statement
The design objective was to create an exclusive gallery and events space in an urban laneway, below a heritage-listed building. The vision was to provide a hidden gem that offers a ‘wow factor’ in the every day, with an enchanting ambiance. The space needed to present as a gallery, be functional for different food services and furniture layouts, enhance the existing industrial aspects, and feel playful and luxurious.
Central to the design was the need for a bar area where patrons enjoy food and beverages while feeling a part of the surrounding artworks. To define this section, a bulkhead was installed, in a luxurious green to create a center point of flowing colors of the changing artworks.
At ground level, two tiled framed boxes were designed to provide a visual beginning and end, and function as a lean-to bar and hidden storage. The first box was tiled in a black and gold reflective texture to play with shadow and light, while the second was hand-painted by the exhibiting artist to have patrons immersed in the surrounding artworks.
Annexed to the bar area is a raised scullery, a working area that keeps within the artistic theme, with an Italian mosaic tile splashback and brushed brass sink and tapware for added luxury and sophistication.
To preserve and enhance the industrial aspects, the design incorporates painted exposed pipework and a polished concrete floor. The concrete surfaces of the besser blocks were enhanced by utilizing a monochromatic theme, painted half in caviar black and the other half in lexicon 1/4 white, providing an ideal backdrop for interesting artworks. Translucent suspension mechanisms were installed to allow the artwork to stand out. The industrial theme allows for different furniture layouts, catering to each event.
The luxury bathroom and powder room were designed to subdue the senses, utilizing warm-white lighting and soft-white textured tiles with a statement tile to continue the theme of ‘built-in’ artwork. The challenge to keep it minimalist required building a raised room within the room to conceal pipework.
The overall ambiance of the design is elegant, sophisticated, and enchanting, with the playfulness of the industrial backdrop. Whilst the space is bold in its material choices and colours, it is also an adaptable backdrop that can carry various artwork materials and differing palettes.
The Future Ahead
Being nominated as finalists in the KBDi Awards inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of design excellence. We are committed to delivering exceptional work, constant evolvement, and embracing new trends and technologies. We’d like to invite you to stay tuned for future projects and developments by subscribing to our mailing list.
Being recognized as a finalist in the KBDi Awards is an incredible honor for Align Kitchens. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our clients, team members, and industry partners for their support and collaboration. We are excited about the future and the opportunity to continue creating beautiful, functional spaces that inspire and delight.
If you’d like to hire the gallery as your own private event space in Brisbane, call us to discuss booking options that can be customised for you.
