Seeking inspiration and food, Outset Design Principal Kevin Nicolle and Project Manager Jed set off for DENFAIR 2016 in Melbourne.

Here are Jed’s musings on the weekend that was… 

Where do I start?

The tagline for DENFAIR 2016 was-

”created for the design forward thinkers to connect, work and inspire…”

Well Kev and I were certainly inspired by what we saw and made some fantastic connections- I’m not sure if that classifies us as ‘forward thinkers’ but regardless we walked away from Melbourne DENFAIR 2016 motivated and in awe of the brilliant pieces of design that are on offer here in Australia, many produced right in our backyard by some of Australia’s best designers!  

DENFAIR is a fantastic three-day event that showcases the best of the best in contemporary furniture, lighting, soft furnishings and homewares- featuring both local emerging brands and established brands. DENFAIR also incorporates international original designers to spice things up. The showcase is pieced together by a specialist team of design industry stars and enthusiasts, led by Claudio Oyarce, Thibaud Cau-Cecile, Ariana Callejas, Damian Gentle and Alexi Robinson.

Key influencers that we were totally inspired by were Zuster, Cult, MIMDesign, Tait, Mama Green, Ducks Nest and Great Dane.

What we took away from it-

To say we were inspired would be an understatement. The way that DENFAIR is set-up is such that you can truly take practical elements away from the weekend and be confident that these ideas can be incorporated into your own designs.

Danish and Scandinavian mid-century trends continue to be highly influential but they have now been expanded and refined to offer a much more modern aesthetic. The simplicity and clean lines of mid-century design is always beautiful and is firmly entrenched as a design trend for the years to come (which certainly suits us, as we love this style!).

Some recent developments in lighting styles are reinvigorating the lighting industry and providing for some very unique opportunities to make lighting a feature of the home. Using light fittings has always been central in our work at Outset, but DENFAIR opened our eyes to even more new and intuitive ways that light fittings can truly be pieces of art that define a home.

Increasing our awareness of brilliant Australian designers is essential to our work and building connections with these manufacturers enables us to deliver even greater variety when working on new projects.

At Outset originality is part of what we do – no two projects are the same, because no two clients are the same. One key aspect that we always try to include in our projects is key design elements that makes heads turn and will be a talking point for years to come. Working out exactly what this will be requires consistent discussions between designers and clients so that the client is proud and inspired every time they enter the room.

No matter what the budget, incorporating elements of originality provides the bespoke finish that is inherent in our designs at Outset. Taking stock of the outstanding products available at DENFAIR enables us to have a greater bank of options for our designs and ensures that our clients have the opportunity to incorporate something truly unique into their home.

DENFAIR- WE WILL BE BACK!

On a side note- One of our other great passions at Outset Design is food, so Kev and I made the most of Melbourne and shared some delicious cocktails at Go Go Bar and a great dinner at Movida. 

Is city living the way of the future for Adelaide? Outset Design Project Manager, Jed Nicolle, ponders this query.

Ever since I was a young child, I have always been interested in city living.

There is something I find fascinating about hundreds of people calling the same building home. Potentially I was watching too many episodes of ‘Friends’ and ‘Seinfeld’ in the late 1990’s or maybe it was the release of this classic track that influenced my psyche? – I’ll never know.

Whatever the case may be, city living is a growing trend in Adelaide – the question is, can a town like Adelaide sustain it?

Whenever I think of city living, New York, London and Paris automatically hit my mind. These places exemplify city living, with fast paced cultures and 24/7 mentalities. Millions of people sharing the same space and making it work. One word can describe these places well – energy.

There are a lot of big city ideals I can subscribe to. As a foodie, I have always loved the idea of going out to eat at 10 pm midweek and restaurants not being closed. Knowing that if you’re up at 11 pm you aren’t the only person awake in your neighbourhood. Having a somewhat efficient public transport system. The idea that you could walk to work in the hustle and bustle, and stop off at your local diner (maybe that’s the ‘Seinfeld’ influence again).

Adelaide may be a long way off a few of those dreams mentioned above (especially the public transport), however more and more young professionals are choosing city living over living in the suburbs of Adelaide and it is starting to force changes in our culture, with a growing number of businesses embracing longer trading opportunities (beyond the common yiros).

As you drive through the CBD in Adelaide now (public transport is still not a viable option in 2016), there are a large number of new apartment buildings popping up on all corners of the city and the 5 squares. Brand new apartments, in idyllic locations for under $350k. As the price of small homes in the inner burbs of Adelaide continues to rise, city living will become more and more popular and why shouldn’t it? Not everyone has the time, nor money, to look after a blossoming rose garden in Toorak.

There are other added benefits to living in the city. The idea of being able to lock up your property knowing it will lie untouched until your return from holiday and with only your bonsai to prune is a wonderful thought. Having to clean the windows would be a thing of the past, as would forgetting to put the bins out each week.

Will Adelaide ever become a metropolis? Not likely, nor would many want it to be, however with a constantly increasing population, a focus on becoming more environmentally friendly and a responsive service industry culture, city living will definitely become more popular – and with good reason.

By Jed Nicolle, Project Manager, Outset Design