Travelling the world is always a positive learning experience, no doubt! For those working or interested in Interiors, overseas trips to the various global design fairs are a great way to elevate one’s knowledge, to not only see architectural marvels in the first person but also to explore directly the new products and techniques created by other nations as proposed at international Industry Fairs. It’s a time to observe and take in the creativity as you walk through stands and stands of beautifully presented products, and discover at a glance the presence of new trends, assert established relationships and weave new ones. Like all of us, when I’m there I take thousands of photographs and collect brochures of anything I see that feels relevant to my knowledge and my clients needs.
James Treble at Milano Design Week
The Milano International Furniture Fair (Salone Del Mobile) is one of the largest design events in the world, and a trip I get very excited about, like many others from the world of Interiors. As you might have heard this year's dates have been suddenly postponed because of the tragic spreading of the Corona Virus in that region. To the many whom had their trip already organised for April (I booked flights and accommodation last October) this change of dates came as a shock, although of course an unavoidable one. The new June dates have been announced and hopefully the strength of this influential fair will not be diminished this year by this postponement; the Italians are pretty resilient!
Although travelling to overseas Interior Fairs comes with the added bonus of being able to also visit foreign cities, (which we all love and benefit from, seeing how others live and work) I of course love visiting Australian Fairs for many obvious and good reasons. First of all the items available on these stands, directly relate to how we live and our own individual market, already collated and considered, being easily available to suit our local requests; also, it is a great way to catching up with many other colleagues and peers in the industry. This important networking allows us to hear their opinions, and better understand our local market ebbs and flows, trends and consumer directions. DECOR+DESIGN is my favourite Australian Interiors Trades' Fair, which I have attended for many years, following its growing presence, and have presented seminars and talks on stage as well as hands-on workshops.
This year I am honoured to have been asked to be the Decor+Design Ambassador allowing me to be a more active part of its events, as well as sharing daily highlights from the exhibition to my contacts and social media followers. I strongly suggest anyone in the Interiors industry to visit this exciting and extensive Australian fair, as Decor+Design is a 'trade event', and open to designers, makers, importers, retailers and media of the Interiors' industry, it’s perfect to see what our local and Australian directed industries are creating. If you don’t belong to any of these categories, but are curious to know about the latest news in Australian Interiors, you still are able to have a sneak peak behind the doors of Decor+Design 2020 by simply following their Blog, Instagram and Facebook pages ... as well as my own.
Images by James Treble at Decor+Design 2019
Whilst we all trust that the effect of the COVID19 on the world's economy will soon ease, it is an important reminder for us to think locally and encourage and support our local economy by supporting local events, as purchasing Australian designed and/or made products whenever you can is necessary to support our creative industries and makers. And remember that by purchasing Australian quality items, you’re not only supporting the local Design industry, but you will ultimately be more satisfied with your purchases, allowing you to enjoy them for years to come.
Watch below a teaser for this year Decor+Design
Subscribe now to receive updates on Decor+Design 2020, Australia’s No.1 Interiors Trade Event, which will feature 500+ exhibitors across lighting, indoor and outdoor furniture, soft furnishings, textiles and art. It also hosts features such as VIVID and the Australian House & Garden International Seminar Series, with its speakers to be announced very soon.
James Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James has 3 decades of accumulated experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design and regularly shares his knowledge and experience in adding value to homes through clever design & styling. Watch his free videos on YouTube, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram for more free information.
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