Rainforest Retreat
2025 NKBA Excellence in Design Awards showcase
Photography: John Williams
Nestled into a lush rainforest, this kitchen renovation avoids the standard white and stainless steel and instead invites the outside in with a vivid peacock green. The island is intentionally appliance-free, serving as a sculptural centrepiece. It is generously proportioned and angular, its distinctive geometry embracing
the complex ceiling heights and angled walls and transforming them into defining architectural features that contribute to the kitchen’s bold personality.
Distinct cabinetry zones reflect a thoughtful design hierarchy: dark green defines the tall cabinetry and island, while lighter green adorns rear cabinetry, adding layered sophistication and visual intrigue. Strategic combinations of patterned porcelain and understated quartz demonstrate careful attention to detail.
Says designer Natalie Du Bois of Du Bois Design in Auckland: “This kitchen exemplifies purposeful, expressive design; beautifully embracing spatial constraints, enhancing daily functionality, and authentically reflecting its verdant rainforest context.”
