From furniture design to fine art, the biggest trends from Denfair 2017

Just when you thought our obsession with home design couldn’t get any more bigger, Denfair happens.

Attended by over 8000 people, the three-day event featured carefully curated spaces from over 350 local and international brands and designers. From furniture design to fine art, the fair highlighted the latest trends and innovation we can expect to see this year and beyond.

Here are the biggest trends emerging from Denfair 2017.

Goodbye grey, hello colour

For the last five years the design world has been inundated with shades of grey and muted pastels, but this Scandi-inspired palette was noticeably missing from this year’s fair.

“The warmer tones [are] coming through a little more, the colder greys seem to be on the way out,” says Natalie Culina, head of commercial at King Living.

The resurgence of colour for home furnishings comes as a response to the latest architectural trends, in particular, the return of natural and industrial material choices.

The Molmic furniture booth. Photo: Denfair

“When you’re using industrial finishes like concrete and marble, steel, you can’t continue with a grey palette, that’s where colour comes alive and it works,” says Anna McRae, creative director at Molmic. “People are becoming a lot more courageous with investing in pieces with colour.”

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We’re livin’ in the ’70s

Just like the fashion world, furniture design is harking back to the 1970s for inspiration. Velvet, jewel colours and indoor plants were often the piece de resistance for many of the booths at Denfair.

For McRae, the return and popularity of the 1970s in the design world is about nostalgia. The comfort of velvet and the calming nature of indoor plants transport us back to a simpler time and help to provide a sanctuary from the hectic world we’re living in.

“For lounge and living room furniture it’s about down time, it’s about taking moments … to be in the moment. Interiors are reflecting that,” she says. “It’s about creating little nooks in the home [where] you can just slip away. It doesn’t need to be a big room, it can be a little corner in your bedroom.”

The Zuster furniture booth. Photo: Denfair

Fresh from a partnership with award-winning hotel Jackalope, Zuster revealed the impact of the fashion world on their creative process and how they make their pieces stand out from the rest.

“We’re really influenced by fashion and the way fashion moves forward,” says Sara Eski, design and sales consultant at Zuster. “Studs and embellishments and those little accessories make the pieces.”

Indoors going outdoors

The rise of beautiful and practical outdoor furniture was one of the most exciting elements, with many brands showcasing a range that could just as easily be in the living room as the outdoor room.

“I think we’re beginning to understand the aesthetics on the outside,” says John Kangas, sales consultant at Domo. “Fabrics are the ‘in’ thing, they have to be tactile and practical, they actually have to be durable [and] mould-resistant; they have to cover all of the bases.”

Melbourne-based design house Tait has been leading the trend in innovative and attractive outdoor furniture for many years now, so it came as no surprise that their latest collection, Trace by Adam Goodrum, won Denfair’s prestigious Best Product Award.

The Tait furniture booth. Photo: Denfair

“You used to just hang your washing out and cook on the barbie and bring it inside. Now [consumers] have realised you can create a beautiful place to entertain people or just relax. People are investing quite a lot in it,” says Susan Tait, creative director of Tait.

Exhibiting their furniture in a colour palette of terracotta, navy, black and off-white, Susan and managing director Gordon Tait explain that the latest look for outdoor furniture is chunky, robust and soft, in shapes that encourage conversation and relaxation. To complement their furniture, Tait have also introduced a range of outdoor bar carts for those wanting something a little special.

“People are wanting to have that luxurious outdoor set up,” Susan says. “If you need it in your lounge room or kitchen you need it outside.”

Bathrooms of the future

Easily one of the most popular rooms when it comes to renovation and design, the bathroom has morphed from purely functional to personal retreat.

The three biggest design trends we can expect to see this year and next are Nordic minimalism, neo-traditional and hotel-inspired.

“People are really taking their cues from experiences in hotels, both from a local level and international,” says Daniela Santilli, bathroom marketing leader at Reece.

The bathroom has morphed from purely functional to personal retreat. Photo: Reece

If you’re wanting to update the look of your bathroom, look no further than the shower or your fixtures.

“Organic and round designs are what’s coming through for tapware,” says Santilli. “People tend to be a bit more adventurous … We’re seeing metallics and blacks starting to come through.”

But it’s not just design trends that we have to look forward to, technology in the bathroom is rapidly developing. So much so, we may not recognise our future toilets.

The three biggest design trends we can expect to see this year and next are Nordic minimalism, neo-traditional and hotel-inspired. Photo: Reece

“Dual flush was the most recent technology in the last couple of decades, but now rimless technology is important,” says Santilli. “Rimless will become the new standard toilet suite. It’s more hygienic and easier to clean.”

Santilli reveals that we’ll soon see the introduction of a smart toilet, complete with bidet functionality, temperature control, heated seats and an in-built fan.

How’s that for luxury?