designEx was held in Sydney last month in Sydney and attracted a good crowd from the architectural and interior design industry.
The mood seemed upbeat this year after a fairly ‘steady as she goes’ 2009, so it was good to feel the positive vibe and enjoy viewing all the new goodies from our long standing companies as well as meeting some brave new faces who were launching some terrific new products across a broad range.
So here’s a rundown of just some of the products which caught my eye.
Look Who I bumped into at the fair … Gavin Atkins and Warren Sonin formed an interior design business, Designer Boys in 2003 (is it that long ago??) after appearing on the national television series, The Block.
Since then the boys have furnished and styled more than 750 properties.
Now based on a small form just outside Byron Bay, they say they are now surrounded by natural beauty every day from the rainforest hills down to the clear waters of the bay, which is a constant inspiration for them both.
More recently have Gavin and Warren have created their own art collections, travelling to find rare, unique and hand crafted pieces.
The pieces are very affordably priced and beautifully framed.
Some are textile based works while others are hand tinted prints. All are limited editions are beautifully framed. A selection are below.



For further information contact Gavin on 0407 007 057 or email info@designerboys.com.au
www.designerboyscollections.com
Being shown for the first time in Australia was the Marimekko range of wallpapers which is being represented here by Inhabit Walls.
Marimekko was conceived in grey post-war Finland with a vision to bring beauty, via art, back into the everyday.
Founder, Armi Ratia, Armi Ratia, drew on the talent of young artists who she commissioned to create prints that were new, one of a kind, sustainable and beautiful. The results were boldly coloured, non-figurative designs that revolutionised the tradition of textile printing.

From the company’s inception in 1951, the joyous designs celebrated the diversity of the individual whilst naturally inhabiting the day-to-day domain… the key being aesthetic functionality or beauty with purpose.
The Finnish design brand went global in 1960 when first lady Jackie Kennedy was photographed wearing a Marimekko cotton shift for the cover of Sports Illustrated. It was the photo that launched 1000 sundresses.


In 2009 the iconic company ventured into a new medium with the launch of its wallpaper range, produced with renowned wallpaper manufacturers Sirpi.
For the first collection, Marimekko have dipped into their treasure trove of print designs dating back over six decades. Included are some of their most iconic and coveted designs, as well as more current creations from their rising stars.

For stockists and enquiries contact Inhabit Wallcoverings on 02 9797 1111 or email effie@inhabitwalls.com
www.inhabitwalls.com
Eurowalls showed its Stone range of flexible imitation sandstone, slate, travertine and concrete at the fair.
Made with mineral fillers, each stone wall covering is handcrafted using a patented process.
Designed for the commercial market, Stone can be applied to various surfaces including brickwork, all kinds of plaster, concrete, fibrated concrete and plasterboard. It’s delivered in flexible rolls which harden on application. Stone is manufactured by Architect’s Paper.


Eurowalls also featured the new Iris Mascheck range of 14 murals which effectively turn any wall into a work of art. Here dramatic abstract designs are digitally printed on revolutionary non-woven wall coverings that are durable, washable and even flame-resistant.

Practical and elegant … I love them.
For further information and enquiries contact Fiona on 02 9310 230 or email info@eurowalls.com.au
www.eurowalls.com.au

Pictured above is the new Dancing Flames fireplace from Chazelles Fireplaces (St Peters, Sydney).
Dancing Flames is a European designed and manufactured gas model fireplace.
It’s available with a number of surrounds and has a remote control allowing variable flame heights so you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your rug on the lounge.
For further information and enquiries phone 02 9550 6290 or email Henri Courant curlines@bigpond.net.au
www.chazelles.com.au
Lump Sculpture Studio. Chris Vassallo has the incredible ability to manufacture the most amazing works in metal – water features, lights, screens, sculptures.
I particularly like Chris’ Tree of Life feature panels and the custom sized galvanised steel planters, hand painted in Lump’s aged copper effect, which was commissioned by Melbourne University (top row).



All the above were made at Lump’s sculpture studio in Fairfield (172 Christmas Street), Victoria.
For further information and enquiries contact Kate on 03 9489 4766 or email kate@lump.com.au
www.lump.com.au

Julie Paterson of cloth fabric was winner of the New Product Award – Fabrics and Prints at this year’s designEx.
The award was presented to Julie for her new collection of wallpapers which has been developed in collaboration with Porters Paints.
The wallpapers are available through either cloth or porters for RRP $206 per 10 metre roll. Six designs are available in two colourways each.
The wallpaper works across a subtle range of natural, tonal colours to compliment the strong bold colours and motifs in the fabric collection by cloth to sit in harmony in any room.


Julie Paterson also launched a new brand at the show, Katsu Art Glass, featured above.
Designs are printed, carved, etched and painted onto toughened glass for kitchen splashbacks, glass cladding in bathrooms and feature walls.
Katsu ArtGlass features an exclusive collection of work designed by Julie Paterson.
For further information and enquiries contact Katrina Adami katrina@katsuglass.com.au
The Rug Collection launched its Garden Room indoor rug collection at the fair.
The collection has been designed in collaboration with gardening guru, Jamie Durie following the successful launch of the company’s outdoor rugs.
Six distinct rug designs; Blossom, Flannel Flowers, Leaf Canopy, Orchid, Dew Web and Summer Beauty are included in the range, each combining a sense of the outdoors and the colours of nature.
Each rug is hand-tufted in New Zealand Wool blend.
Two sizes are available; 160cm x 230cm ($1095) and 200cm x 290cm ($1695). Custom sizing and colours are available on request.
Garden Room by Jamie Durie Signature for The Rug Collections is available nationally.

For further stockist information contact The Rug Collection on 03 8555 0169.
www.therugcollection.com.au.
ferm LIVING Australia introduced some new wall sticker and wallpaper designs and gave us a sneak previous of these gorgeous squishy poufs (above right) arriving in the next week or so. Available in small (33cm), medium (37cm) and large (40cm) they add a cheerful spot of colour to any room. Price is available in application.

The Birch sticker (top row left) sells for RRP $146 and includes six stems of 1 metre lengths to make either 2 x 3 metre birch trunks or one very big 6 metre trunk. The Cassette wall sticker (top right) is RRP $140 and measures 100cm wide x 50cm high, so it’s big enough to make a real impact in a room.
ferm LIVING Wall stickers are designed in Denmark and made in Poland and can be shipped anywhere in Australia.

The Retro Leaves Wallpaper (above centre) is from ferm LIVING’s Very Special Collection. RRP is $180 for a 10 metre roll. Width is 53cm. The design is surface printed onto WallSmart wallpaper, a new type of easy application wallpaper which can be hung directly onto the wall after applying paste to the wall with a roller.
Voila! Wallpaper (above left) is also from the Very Special Collection and is RRP $180 per 10 metre roll. It is also surface printed onto WallSmart wallpaper.
For enquiries contact Meredith on 0425 327 107 or 02 9817 0457 or email meredith@fermliving.com.au
www.fermliving.com.au

Created by Multi award winning designer extraordinaire, Karim Rashid, this liquid acrylic resin bathtub has a unique seamless finish. Beautifully designed the Skape Tub is also stain resistant, has dimensional stability with a base growing out from the main surface and is anti bacterial.
It’s available in white but can also be custom designed to match any colour and measures 2,352mm x 1305mm x 530mm.
At $12,500 it’s not for everyone but couldn’t you feel sensational in this?
For enquiries phone 1300 795 708 or email michael on michael@xflo.com.au
www.xflo.com.au
www.hanex.com.au
Coast New Zealand has added to its Marine Bean collection with the Isla range including the single seater chair seen here, an ottoman and a lounger.
The Isla combines the comfort of a beanbag with the flexibility of modular furniture.
It’s perfect as an individual seat, or combine multiple units to form a luxurious sofa or lounger.
The Isla utilises a unique ‘reticulated’ liner, which comprises multiple interconnected chambers.


When filled, this internal structure allows the sofa to maintain its pre-formed shape, yet remain soft and comfortable.
The Isla features Sunbrella brand fabrics, which offers unparalleled outdoor performance and durability.
For further information or enquiries call 1800 197 172 or email info@coastnewzealand.com
www.coastnewzealand.com.au



Hip Home Luxury Rugs showed its range of 2010 custom textured rugs.
The company has been experimenting with unique textured designs for some time and have launched a custom ranged of interesting hand woven rugs using the finest New Zealand wool.
Many of the style shave been felted and then hand woven with neutral tones to crate a natural presence. All these featured rugs are exclusive to the design industry and samples are available on request.
For further information and enquiries contact Ross Page on 07 5450 6230 or ross@hiphome.com.au
www.hiphome.com.au
Tokens of Living (Mona Vale, Sydney) featured its Altimago vintage flooring made with Aubrey oak.
Developed in Europe the new product is a multilayer floor, designed to be used with underfloor heating.

The vintage flooring can be weathered according to personal choice. Clients may also select the colour, the width of the planks (160, 190, 220 mm), the aura and the intensity of the ageing and weathering process; cracks, open knots, scratched V-grooves and the roughness.
The floors are laid finished, so there’s no need to sand or stain. Exclusive metal inlays in various patterns are also available.
Pricing is from $195 to $235 per square metre excluding metal inlay, laying and delivery.

Also featured on the Tokens of Living stand was the new Tobias Grau lighting range, Falling.
Tobias Grau is a German designer and manufacturer of modern quality lighting for the residential and the commercial industry.
“Falling” the lamp symbolises the descent of raindrops from above. Thanks to the optical lenses, light is optimally dispersed and doesn’t dazzle.
The pendent lamp, made from polished aluminium, is fitted out with new LED-technology. You’ll never have to change a light bulb again because instead of having an illuminate, LED contains a plate with light emitting diodes, which have a lifespan of around 30 years.
For further information and enquiries call 02 9979 3056, or email info@tokens.com.au www.tokens.com.au
Exhibiting for the first time at designEx was Dearwood. Owner and designer Vicki Meintjes says her inspiration is drawn from from her industry counterparts, as much as from her environment, travels, and good architecture and design.

Vicki’s travels as a designer took an unexpected turn into wallpaper, after a restaurateur had commissioned her to design wallpaper for his tapas bar. Up until that point, Vicki had seen success in gift boxes and gift bags stocked nationally in David Jones and other retailers, as ‘Mamoko’.
But it was the process of designing for the restaurateur’s wall that captured Vicki’s imagination, and Dearwood was born.


Dearwood has total commitment to supporting local industry and utilising technologies that have a low impact on the environment.
For this reason, its designs are printed locally by hand, drawing on the strengths of local industry counterparts.
Dearwood’s approach for long-term sustainability includes the use of water-based pigment inks, 100% recyclable non-woven bases, and the decision to screenprint rather than digital means the elimination of printer wastage by-products and chemicals used in the printing process.
For design project teams who value the consideration applied to each stage of the design and production process from beginning to end, Dearwood’s approach has an attractive appeal.
For further information and enquiries contact Vicki on Vicki Meintjes on 0438 028 019 vicki.m@dearwood.com.au
www.dearwood.com.au

For impact, you just couldn’t walk past these striking wall coverings by Mr Perswall. The two designs above attracted most attention at the fair.
Left is Graffiti City designed by D. Prospero and right is Evergreen Highway also by D. Prospero.
Apparently Mr Perswall stands for “Personal Wall Coverings”.
Mr Perswall is a Swedish wallpaper factory manufacturing an assortment of photowalls, murals and designed feature walls in which the client is part of the design process.
For further information and enquiries contact Ann-Louise (Lollo) Jansson on M 0434 923 363 or email lollo@wallpaperdecor.com.au
Designs can also be ordered online.
www.mrperswall.com.au
What Elvis wouldn’t have given for the guitar shaped barbecue above from Ferguson Corporation.
The barbecue attracted some intense interest from visitors to the fair, among them the crew from Better Homes and Gardens which featured the Barbie on its May 14 episode.
Every alfresco barbeque is designed and custom build at Ferguson Corporation’s family owned and operated business in O’Connor, WA which has been in operation for over 30 years.
At $30,000 it’s out of my reach but if Elvis was alive today, he would probably have ordered two.
The company produces a very impressive range of barbeque which can be viewed on its website.
For futher information and enquiries contact Daniel Ferguson on 0411 601 193 or email danielf@fergusoncorp.com.au.
www.fergusoncorp.com.au


Combining original Visual Resource artwork and toughened glass, VR Art Glass delivers a finish high in both form and function.
While the beauty and functionality of the finish immediately lends itself to Kitchen Splashbacks and Bathroom applications, the finish also provides a versatile high impact option for almost any interior environment.
For further information or enquiries contact Toni Collins at toni@visualresource.com.au
www.visualresource.com.au