Designer of the Year
2026 NKBA Excellence in Design Awards showcase
Photography Jackie Meiring
Natalie Du Bois
Earth and Stone is just one of several projects by Natalie Du Bois of Du Bois Design in Auckland that scooped accolades in this year’s NKBA Excellence in Design awards – this one earning DNKBA Elite Bathroom Design and contributing to Natalie’s Designer of the Year award.
This bathroom is a renovation of an existing Auckland apartment master ensuite that the homeowner felt needed greater warmth, colour and personality. The design also needed to improve the original cramped feeling by maximising storage, improving circulation and creating a more luxurious experience.
The layout was completely reconfigured, elegantly incorporating an inconvenient services riser within the cabinetry, and introducing dramatic leathered Tempest Blue stone for movement and depth. The terracotta vessel basin, the focal point of the room, was the catalyst for the overall palette. Its textured exterior and glazed interior perfectly reflect the client’s appreciation of handcrafted earthenware and natural materials.
