Feature article

Four ovens, multiple fridges and a 13-metre wall: Inside NZ’s best new kitchen

Explore NZ’s award-winning Te Arai kitchen, with a sculptural island and 13m wall of oak joinery.

Colleen Hawkes
Last updated: 21 September 2026 | 3 min read
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Natalie Du Bois has won the NKBA Supreme Kitchen Design award for a stunning Te Arai home. The design balances daily functionality with the demands of large family gatherings.

Key features include a sculptural quartzite island inspired by the coastal landscape and a 13-metre oak wall concealing extensive appliances like four ovens and multiple fridges. Praised by judges as a "sculptural masterpiece," the kitchen uses natural materials to create a calm, uncluttered space connected to its environment.

With its faceted stone front, the island reflects the changing light throughout the day. Photo: Jackie Meiring

The kitchen was designed to cater to all the extended family that comes to stay at the owners’ Te Arai home. There is a small pivot window in the scullery. Photo: Jackie Meiring

Davinia Sutton NKBA Supreme Bathroom Design winner 2026. Photo: Stephen Goodenough

White vessel basins freshen the look. These are teamed with lever handle basin mixers. Photo: Stephen Goodenough

The border pattern on the tiled floor runs right around the bathroom.

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Colleen Hawkes Colleen Hawkes
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