Dulux Colour Awards' Grand Prix winner - green impact

Green has made a statement in more ways than one, with the Carr Design Group making a colourful impact at this year's Dulux Colour Awards.

Their submission, Deacon Law Tenancy in Sydney, was awarded the coveted Grand Prix title ahead of some of the highest-calibre finalists in the Awards' 22 year history.

Using myriad Dulux colours, it also received the prize for the most outstanding Environmentally Friendly project, a category making its inaugural debut into this year's programme.

Dulux's esteemed panel of judges, international guest interior designer Dr. Frederique Houssard-Andrieux, Cox Rayner's Michael Rayner and Jimmy Possum's Margot Spalding, commended the project for using colour to make a genuine impact.

"Deacon Law Tenancy is a striking example of how a considerably large palette can be applied to a relative small area without having an overbearing impact on the space. It is truly an exhilarating approach to colour," judges said.

Carr Design Group's success is rewarded with a business class return flight and accommodation to Milan for next month's highly-regarded Salone Internazionale del Mobile as part of a $15,000 prize pool, which includes $3,500 in cash.

Drawing some of the most acclaimed architects and interior designers from around the country, 2008 reaffirmed the Dulux Colour Awards as the most prestigious program of its kind in Australia, with a commitment to fostering and celebrating the industry's creative use of colour.

Held at Victoria Harbour's Dock 5, the venue was transformed exclusively for the evening from a raw space into a breath-taking display of colour. An installation of finalists illustrated the level of talent and prestige at this year's Dulux Colour Awards, which resulted in the following winners:

• Commercial Interior - National Gallery of Victoria for 'Juan Davila'
  Dulux colours: Black, Exploding Star, Great Star, Studio Cream and White
  Awarded for the daring role colour played to showcase art, rather than simply serving as a neutral background. This project used colour to create an experience as opposed to supporting the experience, and was deemed a sophisticated use of colour and design to form an entire space.
• Commercial Exterior - Terroir for 'Kiosks'
  Dulux colours: Orange Wood, Capsicum Red, Orangeade, Sunlounge
  Rather than competing with its significant Civic positioning, this project succeeded in concealing intense colours in a pocket of space, therefore creating an intelligent but enjoyable element of surprise.
• Residential Interior - Matt Gibson a + d for 'Albert Park residence'
  Dulux colours: Anitique White USA, Chalk USA, Vivid White, Hot Lips, Namadji, Sunshine Surprise
  A fresh, predominantly neutral palette helped to exaggerate this space. Subtle, clean application was accentuated by shots of Dulux Sunshine Surprise, appearing on the home's original features - such as the timber door - as well as more modern amenities, thus cleverly accentuating (but also connecting) old and new.
• Residential Exterior - McBride Charles Ryan for 'Klein Bottle House'
  Dulux colours: Elephant, Antique White, Pear Ash, Red Clown, Spanish Olive, Black
  Reflectivity allowed the same colour to be read in many ways through this design. A bright doorway cutting through the predominantly white and black palette, thus drawing the eye towards the entrance, was also admired.
• Environmentally Friendly - Carr Design Group for 'Deacons Law Tenancy' in Sydney
  Dulux colours: Mamba Green, Tree Frog Green, Grass Court, Green Paw Paw
  An enormous palette of 21 colours contributed to this project, yet it was the way in which three distinct palettes were then extracted from this combination that impressed. By using neutrals to run through these three palettes and create a seamless journey through the spectrum, the effect demonstrated how colours can at the same time work independently but also together.
• Students Years 1-6 - Kitinana Kietgumjorn of University of Melbourne
  Dulux colours: Capstan, Modal, Mizu, Vibrant Hue, Wizard Time, Purple People Eater, Gengiana
  This was an interesting means of playing with and applying colour and had the ability to shift its own perception in harmony with the constant change of natural light. Committed to encouraging the development and creating opportunities for student specifiers, Dulux was particularly thrilled to see a significant jump in entries from university students, with Kietgumjorn awarded $1,000 cash.

As part of their prize pool, all winners will now be exhibited at designEX.

Overall, judges noticed a marked increase in interiors adopting more subdued combinations, often applying Dulux Namadji and Dulux White Watsonia as supporting colours for neutral colour schemes as well as backdrop colours to accentuate flashes of brightness.

Feature colours tended to be applied with a fun new quirkiness that judges found particularly refreshing, but counselled against the occasional tendency to overpower with colour. Interestingly, the use of feature colours was a clear preference to overall 'whole-room' colours, with an abundance of red, orange and green in particular.

Another trend noted was the application of colour to enhance internal features, using it to accentuate or showcase shape, highlight architectural uniqueness or to tattoo a space with individual personality.

Please visit www.dulux.lookat.me.com.au for high-resolution imagery of winning entrants.