May 23rd, 2013

Customised Furnishing Trends

Busy lifestyles, growing environmental consciousness and limited decorating spaces are bringing customised interiors to the forefront of design trends according to Leanne Harivel, of bespoke furniture company, Chair Candy.

Many Australian manufacturers are now offering various levels of customised furniture through fabric, material, colour or finish options.

Australia’s design industry is still experiencing economic challenges resulting from the Global Financial Crisis, producing a market that desires high quality products and the opportunity to be part of the design process.

Compact spaces in urban areas and the new wave of virtual and home offices demand clever design solutions and custom pieces to suit. Together with specific design elements, comfort and function are also important to Australian clients, and design that reflects lifestyle is becoming an essential feature to their interiors.

Harivel says that she finds that many clients come with their own ideas but end up collaborating through a design process to deliver the final result.

“We have customers who start with the chair and model the room around the chairs. Others bring in bed linen and swatches to ensure they match with their existing interiors,” she said.

Harivel has summed up the last decade of interior trends as “beige.”

“I think of the childhood song by Malvina Reynolds ‘Little Boxes’ with the lyrics ‘Little boxes on the hillside and they’re all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same.

“Major furniture buyers attracted to the high margins of imports filled their stores adding to the lack of choice and sadly spelling the end for many a craftsman’s business as demand for their services decreased,” she said.

Source:
http://designbuildsource.com.au/interior-furnishing-trends