Fair has local designer buzzing with ideas
DEB TAPP
Vanessa Webb is buzzing after returning home from an international interior design trade show and design fair.
The interior design guru, who owns Wellington interior design business Dress My Nest, took time out from her busy schedule to attend Denfair, Australia’s top furniture and design fair.
She travelled to the Melbourne event with nine other interior designers from throughout the country, all hosted by electrical supplier PDL New Zealand after winning an Instagram competition.
“I absolutely love to travel, I get so inspired going to new places, different cities… but to go to an event like this with a group of people who talk the same language as me was just amazing.
``Working in this creative industry I believe taking time out to travel is a must, I definitely find that stepping out of my comfort zone and away from the everyday trappings of busy life is when I get the most inspiration.”
Known as Australia’s leading destination for contemporary design, Denfair brings together the best design brands in Australia and internationally all under the one roof.
With exhibits ranging from furniture, lighting, textiles, rugs, wall coverings, hardware, accessories, objects, flooring and tapware, it attracts more than 8000 interior designers, architects and design lovers.
Vanessa noticed very dominant colour trends coming through, in the form of rust, terracotta, vermillion, ochre and mustard with splashes of blue and green.
“We have been seeing the inspiration of nature in design for a while now, as people are craving interiors that are grounded and nurturing.
“The colours we are seeing reflect this with the sandy colours of the desert in particular coming through.
“It’s so nice to see some deep, rich colours on display - the colours we are seeing have a softness to them, natural, washed-out hues that are easier to live with than bright reflective colours, and they also pair perfectly with the more neutral colours that New Zealanders love.”
From her observations, Vanessa is keen to incorporate those colours into the homes she designs.
“If you want to be a little bit safer and update your decor without too much commitment you can do it smaller doses with your accessories.
“I saw a lot of terracotta as well as ceramics and pottery, from accessories to lighting, this is another way to bring colour and texture into your home.
“Updating your soft furnishings is simple way to freshen up your space, rather than the investment of furniture, just adding some colour into throws or cushions is a great way to add some ontrend impact.”
Lighting also caught Vanessa’s eye at Denfair.
“We have been seeing the return of wall lights for a while now and the range that is available is getting bigger all the time as suppliers are adding more and more options as they grow in popularity.
“I love incorporating different types of lighting into a home to create more atmosphere and wall lights are an excellent way to do this, so it’s great to have more on offer.
“I noticed a lot of brushed brass, lots of opaque glass, touches of mid-century and art deco as well.
“There were also a lot of beautiful pendants as well, they really do personalise a space so much more than having down lights everywhere.”
Vanessa says New Zealanders have embraced what has become the standard three pendants over the kitchen island.
“When I’m designing lighting I love to rethink this and use pendants in other areas as well as making sure there is adequate task lighting.
“We are seeing a resurgence in artisan suppliers - there was certainly a lot of inspiration in this area from handmade clay pendants to hand blown glass - the level of craftsmanship and creativity we are seeing in lighting is just beautiful.”
Something else Vanessa noticed was the amount of curves in everything on display.
“Curves really are a key trend at the moment.
“Everything is curved - sofas, chairs, coffee tables - we are seeing so many ovals which is such a lovely shape to introduce to a room.
“Dare I say it but even the arch is back!”
Interior designers have always known that curves have their place, says Vanessa.
“It’s essential when aiming to create a harmonious, comfortable space to soften the sharp edges so it’s fantastic to have more options to do this with.”
In New Zealand Vanessa says it’s not difficult to find curves in furniture.
“There are curved mirrors, round side tables, oval coffee tables, there are lots of oval dining tables, even just in the shape of dining chairs there are lots of curved backs on chairs as well as sofas with curved arms.
Having seen the best the world has to offer, Vanessa believes New Zealand is “right up there” in terms of design.
“Denfair also featured a beautiful installation showcasing New Zealand design, Palisades was a celebration of contemporary New Zealand design and
‘To go to an event like this with a group of people who talk the same language as me was just amazing’.
Wellington interior designer Vanessa Webb.
was one of the most stunning areas of the trade show.
Another standout was Nightworks Studio.
A finalist in the best design awards, this New Zealand design house is one to watch, says Vanessa.
Vanessa’s host PDL Schneider launched its own new range of electrical accessories to the market at Denfair.
The new iconic faceplates are designed so that light switches and other electrical outputs fit in with the entire interior design of the home, she says.
“Beautiful curved switches in matt white with timber detail are my favourite and I can’t wait to see these in New Zealand homes – they are inspired by the iconic long board and will absolutely fit in with our coastal decor.”
Overall, Vanessa says almost everything she saw at Denfair was functional and liveable rather than too “out there”.
“Sometimes you go to these things and you see a lot of crazy out there stuff, and you think `nobody’s ever going to have that in their house, that would be really hard to live with.
“But everything was really liveable, really suited to our market, which was really good to see.
“I can’t wait to adapt some of what I’ve seen into my interior design work.”