by Shaynna Blaze-Vaughan - Blankcanvas interiors www.blankcanvasint.com
What is the inspiration for designers and how do they come up with their products and ideas?
Passion and drive for a cause or a need to make a difference can be a driving force to produce an idea. Inspirations can be as whimsical as a brief encounter with nature or discovering a unique material and sometimes spending years searching for the right application to do it justice.
Ideas can come at the click of a finger and scribbled on an envelope but it is the tenacity of the designer and sometimes sheer stubbornness to see through the process to the end product.
I have designed fabric and furniture and sometimes liken it to a pregnant pause in your life where the process can be all so consuming putting personal events and other work commitments fall by the wayside.
So to be able to walk among fellow designers and creators for an exhibition that spans over three days was an awe inspiring experience. Once a year designers for interiors, furniture and related industries come together for Designex, this year held in Melbourne, where new designs range from the embryonic stage to what will be the next big thing for the next twelve months.
Personal Influence
Sustainability and the responsibility on designers made a major impact in what was seen at Melbourne Exhibition Centre in May. Anthony Dann of Paper Tiger to his influence from wanting to make a contribution to the environment by producing beautiful, environmentally sustainable cardboard with a cardboard construction.
His first product, the Mitsy Chair, was used as general seating and proved to be a welcome relief to sit on after swollen feet throbbed from hours of walking around the exhibition.
Anthony said, “The idea was originally conceived using recycled boxes. It uses the compressive strength of corrugated cardboard when arranged in its triangular formation. The chair comes flat packed and needs no glue or fixings to assemble”.
Other influences on Anthony’s direction was the want of a better lifestyle, he took himself away from his Industrial Design background and started designing and building furniture in Byron Bay so he could be closer to year round surfing.
The simplicity of the Mitsy Chair is also a big part of its appeal:
“Designing with cardboard is like making structural origami.” It is lightweight, extremely strong and versatile it can be cut, folded, glued or simply slotted together, as in the case of the Mitsy stool.
We have used recycled mis-tint paints on these one-off editions, and will use water based or soy inks in production. The Mitsy stools are intended as a blank canvas for the integration of other designers' and artists' graphics.”
  
Intriguing Influences
In the New Generation area, named Latitude, stood many pieces from the think tank of Swinburne furniture design student’s designs sitting upon disused milk crates with the title of ‘Full Cream Talent’!
A standout design, apiece that extended and almost slithered on the floor like a Dinosaur’s spine, the Vertibral by Joseph Keenan.
A versatile piece showing it’s many uses as either a seat, a table or even a cube shelving system. Influence being the materials it is made from using Australian forest timber finished with Non-toxic wax finish with low-impact pivoting fasteners.
I didn’t have the chance to speak with the designer but I can only assume an interest of the skeletal form and how it supports the bodies that surround its shape had to have been bubbling away when at least throwing around ideas for its title.
A new twist to wearing your Mother’s curtains!
Daily fashion shows were held in the textile area, reminiscent of a Couture runway in Paris where gorgeous models were draped with furnishing fabrics of the coming seasons.
Luxurious silks and shimmering lurex juxtaposed beautifully with decadent velvets and heavy brocades while colours came in a full palette but focusing heavily on deep blue and black contrasted by warm neutrals. The designs were the creation of students and staff of the Whitehouse Institute of Design.
The Mitsy Chair is available from www.papertiger.com.au
Designer Anthony Dann 0416 803 236
Vertibral available from www.esogroup.com.au
Designer Joseph Keenan 03 9534 5593
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