Kitchen Designer of the Year 2026: Project cost up to 30k

Sponsored by Franke.

Putting projects forward for an award is always a brave thing to do. It pits your skills against your fellow designers and lets a judging panel decide who has hit the mark more than another for their brief.

Because of this, we take the entry and judging process really seriously and we believe it’s unique to this industry and is designed to make sure that those who win have truly earned their trophy.

The winner will be announced at the gala black tie event on Monday, March 2 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.

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Dominika Gross, Kutchenhaus Reading

Dominika designed a modern, family-focused kitchen for a returning client, combining clean lines with subtle industrial touches. Key features include a natural quartzite worktop, bespoke reeded oak peninsula with hidden storage, framed top-box units, and a Crittall-style fire-rated partition.

High ceilings and angled walls were addressed creatively, while Siemens and Falmec appliances, Blanco sink, and Nobilia cabinetry ensure functionality.

The kitchen is a stylish, practical family hub that meets the client’s brief and maximises storage and aesthetic appeal.

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Josh Magin, Meadows Kitchens

Joshua designed a bespoke kitchen for award-winning architects, creating a central family space in their cliffside home. The project features solid oak slim shaker doors, uniform fillers, and cabinetry planned to millimetre accuracy.

A customer-supplied granite cow trough sink presented a major challenge, resolved with bespoke engineering. Custom panels, hidden fixings, and carefully proportioned elements ensure cohesion and functionality.

Durable materials and finishes highlight the oak’s character, delivering a timeless, functional, and aesthetically harmonious kitchen that exceeds the client’s brief.

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Murray Penroe and George King, Penroe and King

Working through the architects Sicolo Webb, Murray and George refined the concept for a compact Bristol flat, delivering a design that makes the most of a small footprint.

The project features a self-contained kitchen pod constructed from on-site studwork and clad in birch plywood, with a Fenix finish providing a refined matt texture that contrasts with the surrounding timber. Every element of the pod was designed with purpose, accommodating appliances and bespoke storage, while a mezzanine study area was introduced above, accessed by a custom ladder.

Alongside this, a bench seating and cabinetry system houses a full-height fridge-freezer and a concealed boiler cupboard, providing generous storage and a cohesive material narrative. The project demonstrates thoughtful spatial planning, intelligent material selection, and meticulous craftsmanship, transforming a small space into a highly functional, flexible, and stylish home.

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Jasmine Powdrill, Kitchen & Home Design

The clients had renovated a property with a double-story extension and wanted interior spaces that combined style, functionality, and warmth. Jasmine focused on creating a kitchen that integrated multi-purpose areas while reflecting the family’s design vision.

Key features include two double-height glazed pantry units in Rotpunkt’s industrial glazing style, with custom oak drawers and LED lighting, and a Wingline breakfast unit to conceal small appliances. The kitchen also incorporates oak worktops in a custom oil finish, black bar handles for practicality in a light-filled space, and porcelain flooring with warm neutral tones.

Jasmine made smart design decisions to maximize aesthetics, value for money, and usability. The resulting kitchen accommodates two islands, provides excellent storage, and blends style with practicality, delivering a family-focused space that exceeds the clients’ expectations.

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If you want to be at the biggest industry party of the year then book your tickets now as there is a limited capacity. Tickets to the 2026 awards are available via the awards booking page.