Features and benefits of solid surfaces

Features and benefits of solid surfaces

by | Jun 19, 2020 | Bathroom Design, Kitchen Design, Knowledge and Know How, Laundry Design

As we look for ways to impress and service our clients, it’s essential to be informed about the features, benefits and design considerations of a wide range of products. With an in-depth knowledge of surfaces and materials, you’ll be better placed to extend your design potential in kitchen and bathroom design. In our new Design Bulletins, we’re helping you build a bank of references to start your material investigations. In this month’s product highlight bulletin, we’ve partnered with Austaron Surfaces to outline the features and benefits of Staron® Solid Surfaces.

The Bulletin summarises how solid surfaces can be used in all kinds of kitchen and bathroom applications. It outlines the key considerations you need to make when designing with solid surfaces, including support and structural requirements, designing with pattern and selecting colours. Most importantly, this handy cheat-sheet sets out the compliance and warranties associated with the product, making it an invaluable resource for all good designers.

Members can access this Design Bulletin (along with our full suite of Technical and Business Bulletins) in our exclusive Members Portal. Simply click on the Members Portal tab at the top of your screen and log in to your account. (If you’ve not yet registered for an account, this process is straightforward: simply complete the details where prompted and we’ll set you up.)

Not yet a KBDi Member but keen to learn more? Complete the form below and we’ll be in touch.

KBDi Video Conference | Producing A+ Plans

KBDi Video Conference | Producing A+ Plans

by | Apr 30, 2020 | Bathroom Design, Business, Design Software, Kitchen Design, Video Conferences

Thursday | 11 June 2020 | 4pm AEST

Having worked in cabinetmaking, design and drafting for over a decade, Aaron Meyer (Meyer Vision) has experience at both ends of the concept to construction journey. Aaron knows how clear and concise technical drawings can eliminate design fails and avoid on-site hassles, and he’s eager to share his top tips for producing plan sets that meet and exceed Australian Standards.

You’ll also hear from KBDi Corporate Partners, PYTHA 3D CAD, during this session. Pytha’s tech team will be on hand to answer any queries you have about the software, and you’ll learn what they’re doing to support their existing customers during this challenging time.

Pytha

About the Presenter

Aaron Meyer entered the industry as a cabinetmaking apprentice in 2009. He loved his time on the tools, but was soon drawn to the technology used by his Adelaide employers, Workspace. He became proficient in PYTHA 3D CAD, and developed a great appreciation for the practical attributes of this concept-to-completion software. 

A move to Brisbane in 2016 allowed Aaron some new opportunities in a high-end design studio, and it was in this workplace that Aaron’s proficiency in producing high quality plans and outstanding 3D renders was taken to a whole new level. With a keen interest in design and an excellent eye for detail, Aaron is keen to share his knowledge with KBDi Members.

Watch the recording


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Jolie handles are the details that make the design

Jolie handles are the details that make the design

by | Apr 23, 2020 | Bathroom Design, Kitchen Design, New Bathroom Products, New Kitchen Products

‘The details are not the details. They make the design’.
Charles Eames

This quotation sits front and centre in the office of Two Tease director, Kevin Tuersley, and is a perfect reflection of the quality hardware on display in his adjoining showroom. The Crows Nest studio is home to a stunning range of cabinet and architectural hardware, and designers with a great appreciation for ‘the details’ will be awed when they step inside.

The ‘Jolie’ range of cabinet handles will catch the attention of kitchen, bathroom and furniture designers.

The brand was developed by two design-savvy visionaries who saw a gaping hole in the handle market for unique, high-end hardware.

Belgian, Ben Evens and Dutchman, Ferry van Herwijnen, combined their industry experience and passion for design to bring an exceptional solid brass range to the market. Their commitment to quality is evident at every stage of production: each piece is created using traditional sand-casting methods with the highest standard of precision machinery, at the hands of world-class artisans. Products are cast and forged, milled and drilled, pitted and lacquered under the watchful eye of the Jolie team, and identified with the ‘J’ insignia.

With finishes like Old Silver, Aged Bronze, Secret Aged Gold and – of course – a timeless Black, and a comprehensive suite of architectural collections, you’re sure to find the perfect ‘jewels’ to crown your interior designs.

Most importantly, you’ll know that your stock will be immediately available from the well-stocked Sydney showroom, or airfreighted directly from Belgium within seven to ten days.

Kevin is eager to welcome KBDi designers to his Crows Nest studio. Contact Two Tease today to arrange your personal viewing.

Powder Room Clearances

Powder Room Clearances

by | Mar 6, 2020 | Bathroom Design, Knowledge and Know How

As the name would suggest, powder rooms traditionally had more to do with powdering than toileting. In eighteenth-century homes, the powder room or closet was the small space dedicated to refreshing one’s wig. When wigs fell out of fashion, the powder room became a convenient place for guests to ‘powder their noses’ and attend to their appearance. The powder chair was eventually replaced with a chamber pot and wash basin, bringing it closer to today’s definition of a powder room:

A small compartment housing a toilet and basin, generally located within close proximity to the main living areas of a home.

Powder rooms are becoming increasingly popular in Australian homes, and offer a nice opportunity for designers to have some fun with a space that is both functional and decorative. In this bulletin, we’re outlining the clearances recommended in this (often) small space, and highlighting NCC requirements associated with sanitary compartments.

Request for Technical Bulletin

Request for Technical Bulletin

Power outlets and switches in bathrooms

Power outlets and switches in bathrooms

by | Feb 7, 2020 | Bathroom Design, Knowledge and Know How, Laundry Design

Power and water can be a dangerous combination, and their relative proximity is a critical consideration to be made when designing bathrooms, laundries and kitchens. In this technical bulletin, we’ll break down the relevant legislation and outline where power outlets, switches and luminaires should be avoided in residential bathrooms. Request your copy by submitting the form below.

Request for Technical Bulletin

Request for Technical Bulletin

Boot room, mud room, what room?

Boot room, mud room, what room?

by | Jan 16, 2020 | Bathroom Design, Design Trends

Australia may be an island, but we’re far from isolated when it comes to interior design. We have a plethora of international design blogs streaming to our phones, tablets and PCs every day, and so do our clients.

And when American and European interiors are ‘pinned’ and filed by these clients, so too is the international terminology, adding a few more tweaks to our complicated vernacular and more opportunities for confusion.

In this feature, we’ll look at the subtle differences between three rooms increasingly popular in Australia today.

Powder Room
The term ‘powder room’ has been used by Australians for some time, most often for the small bathroom to be used by guests. The room essentially houses a toilet, sink and mirror, and often adjoins the living/entertaining areas of a home.

Boot Room
The term ‘boot room’ appears to have originated in the UK, defining the room that football teams broke to for their post-game cheers or commiserations. As home-owners looked for a similar space to facilitate muddy boots and wet sporting gear, along with the necessary ablutions, the boot room made its way on to the home design wish list.

Over the years it has evolved to a bathroom near an entranceway that houses a bench to sit on while you pull off your muddy boots, along with coat hooks and storage, a sink, toilet and shower or bath. For obvious reasons, the boot room is best finished with hard-wearing, easy to clean products, but by no means need it look like the ‘man cave’ some would imagine!

Mud Room
The mud room is virtually the American equivalent of the boot room (without the amenities) and until the last few years, has most often been found in snowy, damp northern American climates. The sensibility of such a room can be appreciated in any climate, however, and as a place to store outerwear, boots, sports gear and the like, could be considered a practical must-have. The location of the mud room will generally dictate its contents and finish: by the back door, it may contain storage bins and shelving, and have a floor finish well suited to muddy ingress and egress. By the front door, a more welcoming arrangement would be required, with decorative hardware and cabinetry.

We’d love to see examples of your home-grown versions of these internationally inspired rooms. Send us your best projects and we’ll add them to this feature.