New Zealanders love bespoke kitchen design, and getting the aesthetics right is as important as the practical aspects.

Say the word “kitchen” in a game of word association, and it will likely be followed by a chorus of “Ingrid Geldof”.

With more than 26 years’ experience and 34 awards under her belt, the Christchurch kitchen designer’s name has become synonymous with functionality and stand-out aesthetics in the room that is the hub of the household.

“It all comes down to efficiency,” says Ingrid, a daughter of Dutch immigrants who hates waste (“don’t get me started on packaging”). It’s a Dutch thing, she says. “With 15 million people in an area the size of Canterbury, it’s part of the national psyche not to squander time or space.”

So a surprising admission from the diminutive dynamo: ‘I’m naturally lazy.” Efficient people generally are, she explains. “Efficiency stems from a desire to get less pleasant tasks completed with minimum effort so you can spend time doing the things you enjoy.” Form and function are the ingredients for a successful kitchen design | Stuff.co.nz