Judges

Daphna Tal (NSW) – Green Medallion Judge Click HERE for Criteria

Daphna is an in-house Sustainable Interiors Director and Consultant. She has been involved in designing residential interiors for over 10 years, and involved in the design industry for over 20 years. When designing interiors, Daphna focuses on obtaining environmentally friendly and sustainable products that suits client’s lifestyle and taste. Daphna is continuously researching companies that claim to be have environmental credentials to ensure those claims are transparent and are truly green and ethical. She is very conscious (focused) of increasing the awareness and use of products that benefit the client and the environment through educating the building and design industry. Daphna brings to our judging panel, knowledge, passion and a strong desire to create healthy environments and ethical spaces.

Alex Milne (QLD)

Alex is currently the president of the Kitchen and Bathroom Designers Institute of Australia (KBDi), having recently stepped down from the role of Executive Director which he held for eight years. Previously he and his wife owned and operated a successful domestic interior renovation company from 1985 until 1995 which provided a turnkey operation from design through to the final clean; including the company’s own cabinet/furnishing manufacture facility. Alex then transitioned to consultancy concentrating on design and project management, together with the development and delivery of vocational training.

Alex holds many trade and tertiary qualifications including: carpentry; joinery; building and construction; adult education; and management.

Industry accreditations include: CKD Au; CBD Au; MAICD.

Adam Fisher (VIC)

Adam is the 2015 recipient of the Industry Master Furniture Award. He is co-owner of Camatic, an international company specialising in stadium seating, based in Melbourne, Australia. Adam brings a wide skill set to the Judging panel, with an educated eye from many years’ experience in engineering, design and functionality.

Babette Hayes (NSW)

Born of French parents, Babette Hayes OAM completed her education in England specialising in interior and mural design. She started styling interiors for Ideal Home Magazine, Good House Keeping, English House & Garden as well as writing cookery columns for Queen Magazine and the Telegraph in London before coming to Australia in the mid ’60s. Babette found herself in the right place at the right time and became Australia’s first Design Stylist at a time when the magazine scene was changing. She soon became a household name in the world of design as Design Stylist for Australian Home Journal, then Design Consultant for Belle for a decade, at the same time Interior Design Editor for Womens Weekly.

She also ran a busy interior design studio and produced 14 books on design and interior decoration and cooking, another passion. She was Cookery Editor for Australian House & Garden for several years. She returned to London in the mid ’80s where she lectured and ran courses and seminars in personal development and creative expression. Babette came back to Sydney in 1990 continuing with her private design work, styling and writing freelance for Vogue Living, Belle, House & Garden, Domain Home in the Sydney Morning Herald, also lecturing and holding courses in New Zealand, USA, UK, The Netherlands and Australia. Her clients include Ikea, Platino Properties, Pilkington Glass, Mirvac, Parbury/Wilsonart, Formica, Boral Roofing, Ahava Development, Dulux, Kleenex, Wattyl, Jeldi, Huega, Berber Carpets, Feltex, Sheridan, Custom Credit, Rupert Murdoch, ACP, Weathertex, advertising agencies such as Foote Cone & Belding, Leo Burnett, Grey Advertising and Young and Rubican, overseas resorts Mana Island, Club Nataisi in Fiji and a long list of private clients.

She inspires others to find meaning through creative expression and sees the home as an opportunity to create beautiful living, inspiring and healing spaces, where living, cooking and enjoying meals and celebrations with friends and family is an opportunity to explore its many facets. Babette is a member of the Design Institute of Australia in Interior Design and is a committee member of the Colour Society of Australia. She was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in June 2014 in recognition of her service to interior design, Australia and writing.

Ian Burton (TAS)

For more than 10 years Ian has been the technical manager at Furntech-AFRDI, Australia’s only specialist furniture testing laboratory. His job principally involves directing the testing and designing new furniture testing equipment, but he’s also actively engaged in standards writing (AFRDI’s own internal standards as well as via membership of two Standards Australia furniture committees). He also regularly represents Australia at international ISO meetings.

Linda Nathan (QLD) – Timber Medallion Judge Click HERE for Criteria

Linda is print and online editor of Australian Wood Review, Australia’s foremost magazine for fine woodworkers. She has written literally hundreds of profiles of makers, as well as curating, reviewing and judging numerous exhibitions and competitions for woodworkers and designer/makers.

Prior to the magazine she co-founded and organised the Working With Wood Shows in Australia, the first three of which took place in the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne. As part of that Linda also curated and managed several exhibitions and awards schemes. Encouraging and showcasing new talent remains one of the most exciting parts of her job.

Judi Pitcher (WA) – Timber Medallion Judge Click HERE for Criteria

Judi has more than 20 years’ experience working in forestry and more specifically timber research. After many years of researching the wood properties and qualities of Western Australian timber species Judi’s focus moved to promoting and marketing their unique characteristics. She is heavily involved in the running of regular timber auctions to ensure furniture manufacturers and craftspeople have access to a diverse range of beautifully coloured and featured timbers.

Over the years Judi has developed a close relationship with Western Australia’s fine wood working and wood turning associations, and furniture designers and manufacturers. Through an extensive period of sponsorship by the Forest Products Commission Judi has had a long involvement with the Australian Furniture Awards. In her leisure time she likes to dabble in the workshop and has produced a number of admired furniture pieces.