Every year, the KBDi Design Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in kitchen, bathroom and interior design. Behind every finalist announcement and category winner is a rigorous judging process led by some of the industry's most experienced design professionals.
The Open Awards are assessed by an independent panel of judges with expertise across kitchen design, interiors, colour, trends, materials, consumer behaviour and design excellence. Together, they bring decades of experience and an international perspective to the judging panel.
In the first stage of judging, each entry is independently assessed by two judges using a detailed scoring rubric. The scores are then combined to determine the highest-ranking projects in each category.
Finalists advance to a second round of judging, where the full panel convenes to review and discuss the leading entries. Through a collaborative process, judges evaluate design solutions, innovation, functionality, documentation, aesthetics and the designer's response to the project brief before selecting category winners and national honours.
Meet the experts tasked with identifying Australia's most outstanding design work in 2026.
Lucy Sutherland
Director of Insights & Trends, Temple & Webster
Lucy Sutherland is one of Australia's most respected voices in design forecasting, consumer insights and lifestyle trends.
With more than two decades of experience spanning colour strategy, design education, trend forecasting and commercial interiors, Lucy has built a career centred on understanding how Australians live in and use their homes.
Her professional journey has included senior roles at Porter’s Paints, Wattyl, Colourways, the International School of Colour & Design, and Temple & Webster, where she currently serves as Director of Insights & Trends.
Lucy regularly attends global design events, including Milan Design Week, to identify emerging trends in colour, materials and interior design.
As a returning KBDi judge, Lucy offers valuable insight into the evolving relationship between design, lifestyle and consumer expectations, helping identify projects that are both beautiful and deeply responsive to the way people live.
Damian Hannah
CEO & Design Lead, German Kitchens Limited
Returning for his second year as a KBDi Design Awards judge, Damian Hannah brings more than 35 years of kitchen design experience to the panel.
Based in Wellington, New Zealand, Damian is the CEO and Design Lead at German Kitchens Limited and holds both a National Diploma in Kitchen Design and Elite Designer status with the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA).
Since 1991, Damian and his team have amassed more than 60 national and international design awards. His extensive judging experience includes more than 20 design award programs across New Zealand and internationally.
Following his role as a KBDi judge in 2024, Damian has since judged both the 2025 NKBA Design Excellence Awards and the 2025 Gaggenau Kitchen Design Awards for Australasia.
With a strong technical background and a deep understanding of kitchen planning, Damian brings a wealth of expertise to the assessment process.
Andrea Lucena-Orr
Colour Specialist & Trend Forecaster
Joining the KBDi Design Awards judging panel for the first time in 2026, Andrea Lucena-Orr is one of Australia's most respected colour authorities.
Over a career spanning more than thirty years, Andrea served as Colour and Communications Manager at DuluxGroup, where she led colour training, trend forecasting and industry education programs that helped shape how Australians use colour in their homes.
A long-standing member of the international Colour Marketing Group (CMG), Andrea continues to travel internationally to research emerging colour and design trends and interpret their relevance for the Australian market.
Her expertise extends beyond colour selection to understanding the emotional, psychological and cultural impact of design decisions, bringing a unique perspective to the judging process.
As a first-time KBDi judge, Andrea offers fresh insight into the role that colour, materials and visual harmony play in creating exceptional design outcomes.
What Are the Judges Looking For?
While beautiful photography may capture attention, the KBDi Design Awards recognise far more than aesthetics.
Judges evaluate how effectively a designer has responded to the client's brief, resolved site constraints, delivered functional outcomes and documented their design intent. Strong entries demonstrate thoughtful planning, technical competence, creativity and a clear connection between the client's needs and the final design solution.
Ultimately, the most successful projects are those where great design improves the way people live, work and interact with their spaces.
We thank Damian, Lucy and Andrea for generously contributing their time, expertise and industry knowledge to the 2026 KBDi Design Awards program.
(Note: we'll introduce you to the KBDi Certified Designer Awards judging panel in the next edition of our eNews.)
Meet the judges in person at the 2026 ACFA × KBDi Conference & Gala in Sydney, where we'll celebrate the year's best design work and reveal the winners of the 2026 KBDi Design Awards.
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