The Decor + Design & Australian International Furniture Fair has enjoyed another successful run this year at the Melbourne Convention Centre. A bustling scene of more than 10,000 design-savvy trade visitors from Australia and abroad eagerly unveiled their upcoming furniture collections. 2015’s event saw a rise in sales opportunities for exhibitors, guaranteeing a bigger and better return for the 2016 Fair. The exhibition stands at both shows raised the standards bar in a way not seen before in previous years. Decor + Design’s Best Exhibition Stand award was given to GlobeWest for their stunning avenue display, whilst the AIFF award was won by metal artworks firm Entanglements.
The exhibition included the works of the winners of the VIVID Design Competition which saw more than 90 aspiring designers showcase their best work:
Gabriella Audrey Aliwagra – ‘Wine Stool’
Richard Greenacre – ‘Agave Credenza’
Peter Milligan – ‘Counterpoint light’
Alexandrea Reid – ‘Reidling Pendaant’
Curator Caroline Ceneva says “The standards of design submitted for VIVID was exceptionally high, with entries ranging from playful and functional to innovative and experimental.” One of the biggest highlights for Decor + Design for 2015 was the highly successful international seminar series which saw record numbers in attendance. Allegra Hicks (UK) and Victoria Redshaw (UK) shared their knowledge on the importance of colour in addition to different textures and trends. Two panel discussions was also incorporated into the Decor + Design event format based on topics such as ‘Exporting Australian Design on the Global Stage’. The discussions were hosted by prestigious design figures such as Vogue Living Editor Robyn Holt and Editor at Large of Belle Magazine Anne-Maree Sargeant. The introduction of daily Trends Tours was another positive talking point at Decor + Design. Curator Victoria Redshow of Scarlet Opus utilised her trend forecasting expertise to guide fair patrons around the exhibition floor, highlighting key macro interior design trends along the way.
Decor + Design 2016 will take place at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre from 21-24 July. For more info visit AIFF and Decor + Design.
