Specifying Responsibly — ForestOne Announces EuroCucina Round 8 A&D

Specifying responsible material choices, Gavin Hepper of Concepts by Gavin Hepper and, for the second time this year, Annie Brereton of Authentic Spaces have been recognised as ForestOne’s Specified Responsibly EuroCucina Trade Competition winners for November. For their use of EGGER’s wood-based decor products and dedication to specifying responsibly, Gavin and Annie have gone in the draw for a chance to win the 2024 Grand Prize of a trip for two to EuroCucina in Milan, Italy.

Engaging with EGGER’s wood decor products, Gavin and Annie have created projects that cater beautifully to the needs of their clients. Additionally, the two winners – with help from their ForestOne representatives – have exemplified conscientious specification. For a terrace house renovation in The Rocks, Sydney, Gavin used Black U999 TM28 panels, while Annie used Cashmere Grey U702 PT panels to bring a cool and calming aesthetic to a new kitchen in a truck being overhauled into a motorhome.

“Annette is always on hand to answer any queries we have regarding the performance of the product and how best it will fit into our projects.”

For The Rocks project, Gavin was engaged for a full interior renovation of a terrace in this historic area of Sydney. After meeting with the client, Gavin says he opted to “retain the architectural bones and heritage feel of the property but modernise the interiors to deliver a contemporary space for city dwelling, with a masculine edge and dark and moody vibe.”

Gavin worked with ForestOne’s Annette Fanna to help with the specification process, and chose PerfectSense Feelwood panels for both the kitchen and dining space. “The technical advancements of the product – including its textured timber grain and anti-fingerprint properties – delivered the textural surface for the dark and moody vibe [we wanted] while also being serviceable for our clients and their young children,” Gavin explains. Moreover, it provided the perfect base for the metallic highlights throughout the home which, in turn, drew together “the colour palette and textures of the joinery and natural stone”.

Gavin embraces a sustainable ethos in all his work and is a firm believer in educating his clients about the importance of specifying correctly. “Our preference is to support suppliers and manufacturers that offer sustainable options that are fit for purpose and have a lesser environmental impact,” he explains. Working with ForestOne allowed Gavin to back up his conversations with clients about sustainable design with proven data. “Annette always ensures we have the most up-to-date samples and data on hand,” he says. “And she is always on hand to answer any queries we have regarding the performance of the product and how best it will fit into our projects.”

“We want the motorhome to look just as pristine in five years as it does on the day it is installed, and we know PerfectSense will achieve this.”

For a slightly unusual project, Annie and her husband Shane at Authentic Spaces designed a kitchen for a Scania Truck with Box Body that is being converted into a motorhome. The space accommodates a spacious living and kitchen area, bedroom and full bathroom, totalling about 28 square metres. “Our client travels around Australia as a judge at equestrian events,” Annie explains. “He wanted a vehicle that was very comfortable to travel in and that is a complete home away from home when he is on the road. He also intends to travel extensively for leisure in the coming years, so it was important to design a space that would accommodate extended periods on the road while maintaining all the creature comforts of home.”

In response, Annie and Shane designed a full kitchen, pull-out bar, wardrobe and bedside table using products specified by ForestOne. The kitchen is finished in a two-tone combination: PerfectSense Graphite Grey U961 PT on the lower cabinets and PerfectSense Cashmere Grey on the upper cabinets and pantry. “As we weren’t hindered by weight restrictions, we were able to specify standard cabinetry materials,” Annie explains.

Though this is Annie’s second win in ForestOne’s Specified Responsibly EuroCucina Trade Competition, she says she always returns to working with ForestOne due to its larger sheet sizes “as we find it gives us more flexibility when designing.” Moreover, “we often reverse-engineer our designs to ensure as little wastage as possible on every sheet. If we do have leftover material, we endeavour to incorporate it into the design or another part of the project.”

By always consulting with their specification representative, Kelly Turner, Annie and Shane are able to discover the most appropriate materials for the job. “In this case, we specified PerfectSense knowing that the motorhome will be travelling right around the country. We want it to look just as pristine in five years as it does on the day it is installed, and we know that PerfectSense will achieve this.”

With each of their projects, Gavin and Annie have chosen EGGER materials to bring longevity and tactility to their projects. Moreover, with the help of their ForestOne representatives, both winners have been given invaluable insights into the company’s sustainability practices, information they can then pass on to their own clients and like-minded architects and designers.