Designmarked

Mark Bruce

We took a few minutes to talk to Mark Bruce, the founder of Designmarked.

When he’s not busy designing and meeting with clients he’s often found with his 3 teenage/adult boys at his lakeside bach in the Bay of Plenty or getting his hands dirty on his lifestyle block in the beautiful countryside of Te Miro, Cambridge. With over 30 national design awards won across his career Marks’ designs are far from “off the shelf”. His designs range from modern contemporary through to mid-century and classic.

You have won a lot of awards over the span of your career, do you feel pressure to always win awards?

I don’t start the design process with an award entry in mind, all my designs are client specific. Often it’s the client that has become so engaged in the process and impressed with the final result that they want to share that story through an awards entry. Not all kitchens are award winning kitchens, but all kitchens should be well designed and specific to the client. I enjoy taking on board each clients needs and aesthetic preferences to create a bespoke design that primarily functions well while being beautifully designed and built to last a long time.

You are a kitchen designer with a proven record

I’m one of the few designers in NZ with a Diploma in Kitchen Design, qualified cabinetmaker and hold a current Certified Kitchen Design qualification. I really value keeping educated and on top of design, technical, technology and interior trends. I am also a national tutor and assessor for the NZQA kitchen design qualification for the past 10 years.

Have you always worked in kitchen design?

Whilst I did train as a cabinetmaker, I also studied marketing and worked in the corporate world for a while. My marketing background is a great asset during the design process, as a key part of good design is understanding the client’s needs. My trade background gives me a unique and practical understanding of kitchen design and construction. This hands-on experience in kitchen and bathroom design means I’m aware of the possibilities of cabinetry, and I often push the boundaries of the very best cabinetmakers.

The real proof is in your consistent design awards, have you ever tallied them up?

I’ve won over 35 national design awards through either the National Kitchen and Bathroom Association or the Master Joiners Association so I’ve got a few under my belt. My philosophy is “it costs no more to build a well-designed kitchen than it does a poorly designed one”. I have won several design awards for moderately priced kitchens, competing against kitchens double the value.

As you can see, Mark is highly qualified. He is also currently:
A board member of National Kitchen and Bathroom Association (NKBA).
The NKBA provides leadership, direction and education for the kitchen and bathroom industry
A member of the Certified Designers Society (CDS)
New Zealand’s leading professional kitchen and bathroom designers’ association
Chairman for the National Advisory Group for kitchen design
National tutor for kitchen design through NZQA.

He has also been an awards judge for NKBA, Master Joiners, Kitchen Studio and KBDi (Australia)
Mark looks forward to meeting you and creating your kitchen story.

Jenny Holmes

We take 5 minutes to chat with Jenny at her home on a Cambridge lifestyle block, where she has a Bernese Mountain Dog, a British Blue, two Alpacas and two Llamas.

A married mother of four with two grandchildren, Jenny certainly understands the demands of a busy kitchen. She recognises the way in which a kitchen nowadays must function as a “creative workshop”, where people can cook, socialise, work and eat. She enjoys creating functional spaces that reflect the people who work in them.

Prior to your education as an Interior and Kitchen Designer you worked in the healthcare sector as a nurse and then a Practice Manager. How has that experience helped your approach to kitchen design?

Both of my life careers (nursing and design) have had the commonality of the joy of working with people and making a positive difference to how they live their lives.

Caring, seeing each client as unique and taking time to get to know the client, their families and how they live in their space is hugely important to me.

How do you think your interior design studies influence your kitchen design?

I have a particular interest in interior design in general and how space, colour, texture and light etc influence how we feel. Keeping them balanced is the key to creating an aesthetically pleasing interior. I also understand the importance of the kitchen connecting to the rest of the house to create a cohesive design.

What areas of kitchen design are particular interests of yours?

I have a huge interest in Spatial Design and Sustainability and like to ensure the resulting design and product selection consider these factors.

What study did you undertake in order to make this career move?

Initially, I studied interior design with the fabulous Nanette Cameron at her School of Design in Auckland which is where I discovered my love of kitchen design. From there I really wanted to formalise training specifically in kitchen design; both from the working/functional aspect and also the aesthetic component of kitchen design. I went on and completed kitchen design qualifications through NKBA.

I worked for four years for a manufacturing company in Cambridge designing kitchens, bathrooms and full house renovations which were hugely invaluable in gaining an understanding of the manufacturing side of the kitchen and bathroom design.

Jenny looks forward to meeting you and creating your kitchen story.

Step One

Initial Consultancy
An appointment will be made for you to meet one of our designers in our design studio in Victoria St, Cambridge. This is a free, no obligation opportunity to decide if we are the right kitchen designers for your project.

Step Two
Developing The Brief

Once you decide to proceed with Designmarked then a design contract will be emailed to you outlining what we can offer and our design fees. The design fee ranges from $1500 to $2000 depending on the size of the project and location. The design fee is payable prior to any design work commencing.

We then require a meeting with all parties involved in the project so we can develop a design brief that encapsulates everybody’s needs. This meeting can include all family members and even 3 rd parties that you may be seeking advice from. Its important that all those having input at any stage are involved at the initial briefing. Ideally, this meeting should take place in your current kitchen. It is not important if this is not the home the kitchen is being designed for, but the designer needs to view what you currently work with, how you cook and what you store. At this meeting, we will discuss function, ergonomics, spatial design, interior tastes, appliances, timeframes and importantly budget expectations. For renovations, basic measurements will be taken at this stage. If it is a new build, we will require a copy of your plans.

Step Three
Concepts & Planning

The designer will then start the design, this can take several weeks so please advise them of any time restraints. They may offer several different layouts for you to consider. It’s important at this early stage to ensure all possible design options are considered. Together, we will then choose the most suitable layout. The “mechanics” of the design is now established so we can get creative and focus on the overall look and style of the kitchen. It’s great to have all your inspiration magazine cut-outs, Pinterest and website links for this stage.

Products and materials for cabinetry, benchtops and accessories will be sourced and offered for discussion. This selection will be governed by your budget, established earlier in the design brief. Although product specifications will be provided, and within your budget, the plans will not include a colour consultation. We can work with your interior designer at this stage, otherwise, we can provide a colour consultation service for the kitchen.

Our final concept plan will give you a clear understanding of the kitchen, and includes a floor plan, elevations, and 3D Imagery.  These give you almost photo-realistic images of the proposed kitchen. A specification sheet detailing products and hardware will also be supplied. These plans are not working drawings, but there are overall measurements, and they are drawn to scale. A final site measure and working drawings will still be required by the cabinetmaker.

Step Four
Manufacturing

We can also provide a manufacturing quote for your kitchen. These quotes will come directly to you, from reputable manufacturers that have a proven record with us. We will ensure the quotes are comparable and offer the very best value for your investment. This service also includes our management of the manufacturing and installation process, to provide a seamless transition from concept design, to a working kitchen. If you would prefer to use an alternative cabinet making company then we can offer a co-ordination service.