DENFAIR is a unique platform for the commerce of design. Now in its third year, this is a carefully curated, high quality experience – a boutique trade event for contemporary design. Held over three days at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (June 8 – 10), DENFAIR really did deliver on its promise to provide a stimulating environment of discovery and inspiration- with a strong focus on emerging and established Australian brands, along with selected international design brands.

The event is targeted specifically at a concentrated audience of architects, interior designers, stylists, specifiers and retailers, and none were disappointed with the array of exhibitors nor the quality of designs on display. The atmosphere and layout of the event made for a positive experience for the interior and design industry to connect and do business.

For KWD, DENFAIR represents an opportunity to meet and mingle with some of Australia’s leading designers, importers and wholesalers of furniture and textiles, and to see first hand their latest design releases. Many of the products shown at DENFAIR aren’t featured in current 2017 catalogues as the ranges shown are effectively ahead of their time – so DENFAIR gives us a glimpse of the designs that will be trending in the seasons ahead.

“It was the ideal time for KWD to gather amazing ideas, products and design concepts for our clients so that they have access to the latest and the greatest of what is on offer, ” says James Buddle, our Business Development Manager for the CBD and surrounds. “It’s very important that the KWD team is aware of what is currently available on the market for those projects that require immediate delivery, and also to know what is coming to the market over the year ahead – for those projects with a completion date in 2018 and beyond. We love being able to present our clients with upcoming designs and trends that we have carefully selected to suit their briefs.”

KWD has traditionally been a source for hard finish solutions where we specify and supply tiles, carpets, stone, flooring and joinery and offer colour and design advice. We are very well respected for our work with hard finishes for interiors and exteriors, with an exemplary portfolio of residential, commercial and multi-density projects completed over the last three years. Explains James, “Our expertise is now expanding, in response to client demand. The valuable clients that we work with are increasingly engaging KWD to source furniture and furnishings that will complement the hard finishes, and create a design synergy throughout the property – from the front entrance, throughout the home and with the landscaping as well.”

“Our clients are recognising the value of working with KWD to provide a total package for their renovation or new build, so they can capitalise on our buying power and the amazing prices we can achieve, and because we are proficient at creating and managing the entire design aesthetic from concept to completion,” says James.

Spending time at industry events like DENFAIR is refreshing, rewarding and inspiring, and there were some real highlights in this year’s offering. We love that DENFAIR is based on the concept of the ‘den’ – a space in one’s home that is truly their own, a place that expresses a very personal curation. This ethos is so in line with the KWD vision, where our aim is always to provide a personal space that  reflects the owner’s way of life, their lifestyle goals and their innate style, so we provide functionality as well as form.

 

 

Some of the most memorable exhibitors were:

Interstudio (interstudio.com.au), Cosh Living (coshliving.com.au)  & Rhys Cooper (rhyscooper.com.au)

Zuster (zuster.com.au) & Mokum (jamesdunloptextiles.com)

Mortice and Tenon (morticeandtenon.com) & Nicholas Fuller (nicholasfuller.com.au)

Armadillo and Co (armadillo-co.com)

Artedomus (artedomus.com)

King Living (kingliving.com.au) & Great Dane (greatdanefurniture.com)

This year DENFAIR engaged some of Australia’s most accomplished designers to select the winning exhibitors across a variety of categories. The judges have portfolios of award winning multi-disciplinary designs across retail, hospitality, commercial and residential projects, combining an inventive use of space with an understanding of how people interact with that space. The judges were Fiona Lynch, Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie of Hecker Guthrie and Rachel Luchetti of Luchetti Krelle.

fionalynch.com.au

heckerguthrie.com.au

luchettikrelle.com

Best Large Stand:  Great Dane

Most Innovative Textile:  Shibori

Best Australia Gallery:  Agneta Ekholm – Flinders Lane Gallery

Emerging Design:  Nicholas Fuller – Le Cantilever

Best in Product:  Trace Collection – Adam Goodrum for Tait

Best Australian Designer:  Adam Goodrum

If you would like to have a chat with KWD about our key finds at DENFAIR, or if you would like to talk through your renovation or new build and discuss how the KWD team can manage the complete design process for you, contact James Buddle or Claire Williams at katewalkerdesign.com.au.

Featured Cover Image:  Mokum Textiles

@ryconbuildinggroup

@brentlukeyphotographer