Denfair
Hordern Pavilion
Sydney, Australia
August 16-18, 2018
Over the last three years, Denfair has established itself as a yearly curated design destination event in Melbourne for professionals in the realms of architecture, interior styling and art. Showcasing hundreds of design related brands is has become a hub not only for trade but a marketplace and incubator of new ideas.
The platform for all things design incarnated for the first time in Sydney this year and while the offerings and visitor numbers were lower than what usually materializes on a yearly basis in Melbourne, the Sydney Denfair event showed promise with its curated offerings covering a wide range of styles and approaching to all things design.
Love for design pervades the event and the breadth of what is on display not only instils the value and positive impact well thought through design can have apart from being visually and aesthetically pleasing, but also the positive contributions it can make to our lives in terms of sustainability.
With exhibitors being an eclectic mix of cutting edge tastemakers, considerate and engaging conversations are to be had in every nook and cranny of the exhibition hall once you enter no matter if you are an expert in furniture, homewares, materials and art pour l’art or if you randomly pop in out of sheer curiosity.
Brands we discovered during our visit were e.g. King Living. Them joining forces with local Australian designers, i.e. Tom Fereday, resulted in a minimalist aluminium framed table desk with timber finish that generates integrated power and offers both charging and lighting, making it one utilitarian, stylish and useful piece of design furniture. Honest design at its best.
Presented under the umbrella of Cult Design, Danish designer Peter J. Lassen’s layered Montana system is a thing of beauty: It can be customised to accommodate your personal preferences including all components being able to be modified, including shelves, lightning, trays, doors and materials used. Classic design that is simple yet functional.
Tait’s elegant Seam Collection is based on a design process that puts emphasis on using a seam not unlike in the tailoring of garments. The resulting collection of shaped and sculpted chairs, chaise lounges and tables designed by Adam Cornish is versatile as it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Lightspace is a fairly new brand in public and workspace furniture that is focused a creating an idiosyncratic melange of Eastern and Western Design that is fun, collaborative and playful.
The first Sydney incarnation of Denfair showed more than promise as it is more than a mere design exhibition: One cannot help but feel invigorated and inspired having delved into the creative community that Denfair manages to attract and nurture.
