Tom Mark Henry Collaboration

Laminex x Tom Mark Henry: Organic Expression and Enduring Design in the Heart of the Home

For over 90 years, Laminex has helped define the Australian design landscape, leading with innovation, material ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to enduring style. With a legacy of visionary collaborations with some of the country’s most respected design voices, Adam Goodrum, Kennedy Nolan, Studio Doherty, and YSG among them, Laminex continues to reshape how designers think about materials and surface application. Its latest creative partnership with acclaimed interior design studio Tom Mark Henry brings the Laminex True to Nature: Next Generation Woodgrains collection to life in a refined, family-oriented residential concept

Tom Mark Henry is a multidisciplinary studio with offices in Sydney and Brisbane, known for crafting expressive, tactile interiors that prioritise human experience. Their work is grounded in a thoughtful, layered approach, drawing on art, architecture, light and materiality to shape spaces that feel both intuitive and highly considered. Their concept for Laminex champions the brand’s latest evolution in surface design, True to Nature: Next Generation Woodgrains – a collection that redefines material authenticity by capturing the tonal depth, grain detail and natural tactility of real timber, without compromise.

Responding to a brief for a kitchen designed for an active Australian family, Tom Mark Henry conceived a space that is both sculptural and highly functional, one that reflects a lifestyle centred on community, creativity and ease of use. Laminex’s Victorian Ash

TrueScale and Blackbutt TrueScale feature prominently, used in alternating grain directions to create a rhythmic composition across drawers and doors within the kitchen. Laminates from the wider range have been used across the dual island bench, featuring a multilevel space that brings the kitchen together. These forms offer generous preparation and entertaining space while showcasing the refined, crafted possibilities of high- performance laminate. The result is a kitchen that anchors the home with intention, a place to live, work and gather, where material innovation and human-centred design come together.

Drawing cues from the expressive landscapes of Brett Whiteley, the colour palette embraces warm neutrals and deep, Earthy tones that speak to the Australian terrain, resonating beautifully with Laminex’s new True to Nature, Next Generation Woodgrains. Accents drawn from the broader Laminex Colour Collection, including the muted rust of Outback Clay and the cool, slatey depth of Bluestone, introduce a contemporary counterpoint, adding visual richness and further dimension to the space.

“Laminex True to Nature: Next Generation Woodgrains are a step forward in how we think about surface design,” says Rachel Oakley, Head of Marketing at Laminex.

“It captures the authenticity of timber in a way that’s both beautiful and incredibly durable. Collaborating with a practice like Tom Mark Henry, who brings such a rich, layered design lens, allows us to show the collection in a way that feels deeply Australian and deeply personal. Throughout the kitchen, the Next Generation Woodgrains are applied in varying orientations, enhancing textural interplay and drawing the eye to the authentic grain fidelity of the laminate. The alternating woodgrains are particularly striking across the kitchen drawers and cupboards, where sculptural joinery meets everyday function in a space designed to evolve with family life.

“Our studio always aims to create spaces that are both intuitive and highly experiential,” says Cushla McFadden, Co-Founder and Director at Tom Mark Henry.

“The Next Generation Woodgrains range gave us the freedom to explore timber in a contemporary way, one that supports functionality while still creating something sculptural and soulful.” At once bold and highly liveable, the kitchen reflects the shared values of Laminex and Tom Mark Henry: intuitive design, enduring materiality and spaces that celebrate the beauty of everyday rituals. With generous bench space, integrated storage and a dual-island layout, it’s a space where performance meets quiet luxury, crafted for how families live now.