|
U.K. Industry Awards
It was a grand event held at Grosvenor house in London. Eight hundred formally attired bath and kitchen industry members had come to honour their best. Our U.K. counterpart, Bathrooms and Kitchens magazine, hosted the international design competition that drew entries from Europe, the U.S., Canada and across the United Kingdom. Along with many awards for talented designers, awards were given for such categories as Master Retailer (Robinson Interiors of Belfast) for their image, presentation style and for their 50,000 square foot showroom which is the cutting edge of kitchen retailing. The showroom is dedicated to providing quality products and a high degree of customer service. Similarly, Elegant John Bathrooms of Dublin won for Master Retailer, Bathrooms. Recognition is given for marketing, showroom design, and for the Young Designer of the year (Tristan de-la-Haye of Avantgarde Interiors in Esher, Surrey).
National winners were Steve Kinon of Ulrich Inc. in Ridgewood New Jersey (U.S.), Anthony Binns, CKD, CBD of Binns Designer Kitchens, Pickering Ontario (Canada), Bert Van Vlijmen of KCD Keuken in Boxtel (Holland) and Wendy Gossage of Hatt Kitchens in Kidderminster, Worcs (U.K.). Of the four very talented designers, the team of international judges picked Steve Kinon from the United States. The scene in the ballroom was of stardom… Great live video feed to giant screens, well synchronized music, a very gracious and charming master of ceremonies, Eamon Holmes a breakfast television presenter in London and very well regarded. In fact, there were constant autograph seekers at Eamon’s table throughout the elaborate evening.
The star system is alive and well in the U.K. Public recognition is granted to talented designers who have demonstrated their creative genius through their careers. There’s nothing like hearty round of applause to stimulate a good designer to do even better next year. The awards are the brainchild of Richard Moss, consulting editor to the magazine and now the head of the Bathroom Academy, an organization recently formed by the Ideal Standard/ Armitage Shanks group to bring qualifications to the bathroom and kitchen industries. Richard chaired all the judging events in Canada, the U.S. and in Europe and deserves much credit in making the event an unqualified success. Canadian designers wishing more information on next year’s competition, please contact us at Kitchen & Bath Forum for details. Watch for upcoming announcements on our website and in print.
The details of Tony Binns’ winning kitchen feature SieMatic cabinetry and a built in Miele espresso & cappuccino maker. Judges were impressed with a simple and elegant use of materials and colour within the sumptuous room that also contained a pinball machine for family entertainment.
Eamon Holmes, master of ceremonies with Anthony Binns, winner for Canada and Kitchen & Bath Forum editor, Richard Saxe, who presented the award to Tony on behalf of Kindred Industries, a major sponsor of the event.
 |
|
|
