Rex G. Hirst CKD AU.RBP - l
Registered Building Practitioner
Managing Director of let’s talk interiors pty., ltd. which trades as let’s talk kitchens & interiorsA professional designer since 1972, Rex studied advanced kitchen design in America. Upon returning to Australia in 1982, he personally founded, and served as the first President of the original governing body of the Australian Kitchen & Bathroom renovation industry.
It was absorbed by the Housing Industry Association, (HIA), and became known as “HIA Kitchens & Bathrooms”. Rex was a committee member of HIA Kitchens & Bathrooms, for many years and is an outspoken advocate for the proper training, registration & certification of designers in this field.
In 2005, he worked to set up a new National body, the Kitchen & Bath Designer’s Institute, (KBDI). KBDi was formed with huge sponsorship & support from the whole industry to better represent the Australian Design community. KBDi is now very well established with chapters in all states. Rex is a past President of the KBDI.
He has been an active design lecturer within the industry for most of his career and has had many articles published on kitchen design. For more than 10 years, heconsulted to the Victorian Department of Human Services, in the area of kitchen & bathroom design for the disabled.
As a highly experienced and creative designer, Rexspent 12 years as a judge of the Annual Kitchen & Bathroom awards in both Victoria for HIA and nationally for the KBDi.
Since retiring as a judge, some of his own more recent design awards include:
- Winner 2015 HIA Designer of the Year.
- Winner 2015 HIA Best kitchen over $50,000
- Winner 2017 HIA Best Kitchen over $50,000
- Winner ACFA Best fitted furniture, (library), 2017.
- Finalist ACFA best bathroom design, 2019.
- HIA 2021 Winner New Kitchen Design
- HIA 2021 Winner Kitchen of the Year over $80,000.
He says, “I don’t design actively anymore; I just vet my staff’s work and annoy them”. 😊
Rex Hirst
OWNER & Managing Director
Certified Kitchen Designer
Rex is a ‘Certified Designer Member’ of the Kitchen & Bathroom Designers Institute (KBDi)
A professional designer since 1972, Rex studied advanced kitchen design in America. Upon returning to Australia in 1982, he personally founded, and served as the first President of the original governing body of the Australian Kitchen & Bathroom renovation industry.
In 1992, it was merged into the Housing Industry Association, (HIA), and was known as “HIA Kitchens & Bathrooms”. From 2002 to 2011 he served as a committee member of HIA Kitchens & Bathrooms, and was an outspoken advocate for the proper training, registration & certification of designers in this field.
Through 2004-2006, Rex was an integral part of the setting up of a new National body, the Kitchen & Bathroom Designer’s Institute, (KBDi). KBDi was formed with sponsorship & support from HIA, government, industry, and the cabinetmaking community to identify, teach & accredit qualified designers. KBDi is now well established with chapters in all states. Rex was KBDi President from 2011 until 2016.
Rex has had many articles published on kitchen & bathroom design and is an active design lecturer within the industry. He consulted to the Victorian Department of Human Services for over 10 years, in the area of kitchen & bathroom design for the disabled.
As a highly experienced and creative designer, he was also a judge of the HIA Annual Kitchen & Bathroom awards in Victoria until he retired in 2013. Since retiring he has won many awards himself.
These days Rex doesn’t take on design work, but is actively involved in all of LTKI’s projects and loves chatting with potential clients in the showroom when they are on their fact finding missions. He is a wealth of information, and most clients are pleased they came in to visit.
When he’s not in the office you’ll find him on the golf course or trying to get fit at the local gym across the road.
