Australian interior designer, Greg Natale is one such design talent who seems to have the Midas touch. From his interior styling and decoration work to his design collaborations with some of the industry’s top brands, everything he touches turns to design gold. His bold signature style has quickly earned him a reputation as one of Australia’s top designers.

Since 2001, Greg Natale Design has been pioneering the integration of design and decoration; focusing on residential, retail and commercial design. His work has won numerous awards, appeared in local and international press including Wallpaper, British Elle and has been published in many design books flanking renowned international designers.

Since opening, Greg Natale Design has expanded into residential architecture and in 2009 they collaborated with Designer Rugs to release a new range for both commercial and domestic use, realising the firm’s objective of diversifying into other design disciplines.

The integration of architecture, design and decoration is the firm’s primary motivation and design philosophy.

We took five with the mastermind behind Greg Natale Design to explore the influences behind his bold design approach; how he has transitioned from interior decorator to designer; and discover what future collaborations they have in the works.

Read our interview at Furniture Online, visit furniturefaironline.com.au

To find out more and secure your seat at the Greg Natale x Decoration + Design Industry Seminar, visit decorationdesign.com.au

The TRVM Lighting range mixes traditional forms with a pared down contemporary feeling. Timber is the primary material – in raw finishes that evoke a warm casual ambience.

This distinctive range of pendant lights, large feature chandeliers, and floor and table lamps are mainly handcrafted – using traditional wood working techniques such as the bentwood method, timber turning and hand carving.

TRVM are also acutely aware of their impact on the environment. Their product range is constructed using timber sourced from managed tree plantations. The timbers are FSC (Forest Stewardship Certified) or plantation species from various sources.

New designs are arriving next month. To view them, and the entire range, visit their website, trvm.com.au

These vivid images from Genty Marshall’s fourth installment of Design Futures, `Colour Visions’ at Decoration + Design just arrived and we had to share.

The popular feature area was a highlight of the Melbourne trade event as was Genty’s aural presentation for the International Industry Seminar Series in which she delved into the process and science behind why colour is such a powerful tool for the interior stylist, furniture and furnishings designer. WATCH our video chat with Genty HERE.

To see more images from the recent trade event, head to our Facebook pages for Furnitex and Decoration + Design.

Over a 100 of the best products in categories, student, concept and commercial along with a fourth award for the most sustainable product, were showcased at the recent trade event ensuring it was the biggest and most exciting drawcard of the fair, pulsing with creative energy and talent.

There was a definite ‘lightness of being’ theme among the VIVID finalist designs this year. Clean lines, airiness, a touch of playfulness, refined execution, all very fitting for celebrating 10 years.

A huge congratulations goes out to all the winners. Overall we had 53 designers with 62 products vying for the awards with a prestigious international judging panel that included;

• London Design Festival curator, furniture designer and author, Ms Suzanne Trocme
• International trend forecaster and stylist, Ms Milou Ket
• Style director at Australian House & Garden, Ms Janet James
• Melbourne furniture designer and also previous VIVID participant, Mr Justin Hutchinson of Justin Hutchinson Design

So it is with great pleasure we highlight the VIVID 2012 winning line-up;

Winner VIVID Student Award – Tryst Stool designed by Tate Anson, RMIT

Designer Profile: Tate Anson recently graduated from RMIT Industrial Design, receiving the 2012 Graduate of the Year Award. Tate exhibited in April 2012 at the Milan International Furniture Fair, showcasing his stretched timber products with Melbourne Movement.
Product Description: This stool capitalises on the elegance and strength of timber to achieve a delicate yet durable product – marrying modern machining and traditional wood craft. European beech.
Inspiration: Material exploration.

This category was particularly difficult to judge with a high number of contenders with products ready at commercial standard.
Short-listed for the award were also: Ash Allen with Arc Chair, Bradley Prestipino with Kite Table, Callum Campbell with Holiday Table and Dusko Lapcevic with Iris Lighting Range

Winner VIVID Concept Award – Unfold Desk designed by David Hardwick, Hardwick + Cesko

Designer Profile: Having graduated with a design degree from UNSW David has worked in the furniture industry for over 12 years before launching out on his own in 2010. David believes the best design challenges people’s perceptions and is made to last a lifetime.
Product Description: A laptop/tablet workstation with concealed desktop which opens to expanded workspace with built-in speakers, cable management and storage. Bamboo board, aluminium + mild steel.
Inspiration: A percieved gap in the market place.

Short-listed for the award was also: Barry Magazinovic with Obelia Light

Winner VIVID Commercial Award – Popper Pendents Light designed by André Hnatojko, RMIT

Designer Profile: André Hnatojko is fascinated with the way things work and how they are made. Studying design at RMIT university and business/entrepreneurship, his aim is to find new explorations within the world of design, eager to experiment and create with the unknown.
Product Description: POPPER PENDENTS’ are made from a single ‘convertible’ mould – this increases efficiency, reduces waste and allows for savings to be passed onto customers. Made from recycled aluminium (up to 40%) this conscious design is coated in paint which wont effect the re-recyclig & is designed to hide the ugly transformers of florescent bulbs. Recyled aluminium, bio power coat & lighting components.
Inspiration: Like a party popper, this light explodes where you point it.

Short-listed for the award were also: Edward Linacre with Weave Pendants and Damien Hipwell with Woodstock Table

Winner VIVID Green Award – Sticks and Stone Stool designed by Ash Allen, RMIT

Designer Profile: Ash Allen is a mechanical engineer studying furniture design at RMIT. Inspired by natural forces, eye-catching similicity and sustainability are fundamentals in his design philosophy.
Product Description: A contemporary stool for indoor / outdoor use, designed for disassembly + flat packing. No glue is used in the joinery. Salvaged Tasmanian Oak dowel + recycled rubber tire crumb.
Inspiration: A stone skipping on water.

Short-listed for the award were also: Dale Hardiman with Klag Chair, Edward Linacre with Weave Pendants and Mart Hughes with Syntax Clock

Australian trend forecaster, Genty Marshall of New Black Global Designs shows us the future in full colour. In her 4th Design Futures installation, Colour Visions, Genty shows how designers are embracing science, technology and nature in a renewed fascination with colour and perception.

Colour Visions takes us deep into the spectrum and reveals not only what we will be seeing, but how we will be seeing it.

If anyone is equipped to speak on the power of social media and PR, Jen Bishop is more than qualified. The editor of Interiors Addict has seen her blog grow exponentially in just 6 months under her motto `Style without snobbery’ documenting interior design and styling, homewares, furniture and the personalities behind them.

She took to the stage today with interior design icon, Darren Palmer to present `Harnessing the Power of PR Social Media to grow your business’ as part of the International Industry Seminar Series at Decoration + Design.

In this chat we discuss how social media and editorial can get your business or practice published and build your profile; how Interiors Addict all began; and why it’s so important to `be yourself’.

Watch our chat with interior decorator, Darren Palmer after his seminar with Jen Bishop of Interiors Addict at Decoration + Design.

Discover how social media and editorial can get your business or practice published and build your profile; the importance of having a clear direction, plan, and message about your business; and how he feels about his new `mood maker’ title.

We chat to Chris Lefteri of the UK on his research that explores innovations in new materials and why this has become such a big part of contemporary design, culture and business over the last ten years.

New technology is now looking at the `need’ with designers taking charge to become what Chris has coined `new materiologists’. We asked him how this will change the future of design; how they are looking into existing materials and discovering how to re-use them in a new way; and how waste is being re-purposed to replace the dwindling resources on the planet.

On her 6th trip to Australia, internationally acclaimed trend forecaster, Milou Ket returned to a packed design crowd at Decoration + Design eager to learn from her global travels and explore the emerging design themes for the 2013/14 home.

Milou shared her inspiring vision of future materials, structures and form in product development, including bedding, bath, ceramics and more.

We took five with the inspiring styling and design forecaster post-seminar to chat further on her latest book; scouring the globe from Paris to Shanghai to source new trends and design content; and her own home that sticks to a minimalist, clean aesthetic.

While his origins are in the US, Thomas Hamel has been working as an interior decorator from his Sydney base for over 20 years. It’s fair to say he has mastered the art of cross-cultural design.

So it’s fitting then that his seminar at Decoration + Design today was on the topic of global cross pollination.

It’s this unique cross over of cultures that has also awarded Hamel an inimitable design aesthetic, one that combines influences from both his Sydney base, American heritage and regular travels across the world, with commanding results. Hamel seamlessly finds ways of bringing various cultures together in a harmonious way.

To read more on Thomas Hamel and his cross-cultural design process read our Furniture Online interview, furniturefaironline.com.au