Jamie-Lee Monaghan

I love being creative and designing spaces, so I knew I wanted to turn my passion for design into a career. When I was young, I used to draw house plans for fun. I had my heart set on architecture and after being accepted at AUT, I decided to study design more generally rather than a specific strand. I ultimately ended up in kitchen design after seeing a friend post on behalf of another friend that they were wanting a junior designer for their kitchen showroom. I’ve also branched off into bathrooms and interiors. I love that I get to be creative everyday and it’s never lost on me that clients trust you with their investment.

It was a laundry in Dannemora with Shaker-style doors, a stone benchtop and an extremely high ceiling. I remember being very nervous to hit the ‘go’ button on production. I think I went over the details and specifications about 10 times before submitting! It came out beautifully and the clients were really happy.

My role models tend to be peers in the industry – many of them I am lucky to call friends. I’m also part of two amazing designer groups that meet regularly, so I am really fortunate to be surrounded by incredibly talented designers and really supportive and knowledgeable suppliers. We really do have phenomenal talent here in New Zealand.

I’ve always loved both the Hamptons and Cape Cod styles. For me, they feel timeless and bring both warmth and comfort. I like that they can also lean toward either a modern or traditional look, depending on which way you take the design. I also love a more modern approach using clean lines, simple yet functional design and utilising both natural and composite materials. Sometimes less is more.

I don’t feel that I have a particular style as every project, every home and every client is different. But I have a very practical approach and an emphasis on functionality. Something can’t just look pretty, it needs to function, serve its purpose and it needs to last. I do have particular elements that I like or recommend that tend to become features of my designs, like taking the benchtop up the wall as a splashback surface.

I love greens, especially muted greens. I have been so excited to see green come back and be readily available in various products and applications. I also love natural, organic and earthy colours.

This beautiful new build in Whitford, designed by Fowler Homes, overlooks a tranquil stretch of native bushland. For this project, I specified Silestone, Calacatta Gold for its gorgeous colour and outstanding durability. The surface was used as both the benchtop and splashback in the kitchen and scullery, featuring 50mm mitred benchtops and 20mm solid splashbacks in a polished finish. To keep the look refined and let the stone take centre stage, the island was designed without a sink or cooktop, while LED lighting under the overhead cabinetry washes softly down onto the Calacatta Gold splashbacks, enhancing their warmth and veining.

I feel like we are spending a lot more time in our homes. Home offices have become even more important since Covid, and working from home is now a key part of everyday life. With that being said, I have definitely noticed a focus on my clients wanting every space in their home to feel really enjoyable to be in. I have also noticed that clients are now more focused on designing their home for themselves, rather than focusing on resale or what might appeal to the next buyer. Unless someone is specifically selling, I always recommend clients go for what they love and enjoy it themselves.

I think we are definitely heading toward sustainable, long-term design and designing for the future rather than for now. We are already seeing a trend toward embracing natural palettes, but I think we will see more organic soft lines, more and more texture and more personalisation and customisation of spaces. I think technology will play a big part in the future. I also hope that clients continue to engage with designers and utilise the skills and relationships that we have. AI is a world of information, but it can’t replace people and relationships.

For most of my projects, clients are focused on longevity, so sustainability is really important. For some clients, it’s not a priority, but it’s a conversation to be had. It’s also important that as a profession we make an effort to focus on sustainability not only for what we are designing and adding to the space, but for what we are taking away from it. I always recommend to my clients that they sell or give away their old kitchen and appliances, not necessarily as a money-making exercise but so that they can be reused elsewhere and therefore saving them from landfill. When designing a new space, I recommend long-lasting, hard-wearing materials, hardware and appliances to increase the life cycle of a kitchen. I also like to support companies that are investing in sustainability and making a difference.

I think neutral, organic palettes are here to stay for the foreseeable future. I think composite materials will only get better, more realistic looking and harder-wearing. Natural stone is becoming more durable with newer technology. This is important as the individuality and variation of natural stone is really appealing. I also think in some respects we will start to see softer, organic materials too.

My biggest challenge has definitely been having my own business while raising two young boys. I’ve learnt to juggle, prioritise, make sacrifices and juggle some more.