DENFAIR is three days of discussions with industry leaders and an outstandingly beautiful showcase of design products and installations in Melbourne.
I like to go each year and wonder if it is possible to move in and live at a design convention space? If so, I think I may have found my dream home…pity this temporary dreamland only lasts for three days.
There were so many great products and brands on show which make it super hard to narrow down to a few favourites. But I found a few, so let’s dive in…
Presenting Peggie...my favourite product from Denfair
My favourite product was a peg wall called Peggie. At first glance, Peggie appears to be a simple and earnest system. Pegboard. Pegs. Panels. Shelves. But there’s more to Peggie than just her looks. The locking mechanism at the rear and the grooves in the pegs mean shelves, rails and mirrors can be added with ease.
She comes in white, oak, ply and black allowing the design to integrate, or stand out, in your home or workspace. I plan on having her in our home near the door to our garden. Peggie, in white with oak pegs, will take up a whole wall next to an exposed brick wall which is also right next to our black steel framed doors (don’t worry I will do a full post on the rear entry of our house soon…the steel doors actually arrive today which is super exciting!).
Sway floor lamp by Nick Rennie for Made by Pen
Next up is Sway. I worked with the Made by Pen team when they first launched with The Dog Room and love these guys. Susan and Michael have an amazing work ethic and collaborate with some incredible designers to showcase Australian design around the world…hence Sway by Nick Rennie.
Sway is a floor lamp with no cords or power cables. Oh yes, you read that right…no cords people! The lamp has a charging station which allows the lamp to be fully mobile. To be able to have a lamp in the middle of a living room (or any space really) that integrates into an open floorspace and works with a minimalist’s vision is a dream come true! And it’s not just me that loved it, Sway bagged the Best Australian Product at Denfair.
I think the Grenache Wine System by Jaron Dickson is simply stunning. Made in either Tasmanian Oak or black this is one classy cube. Actually, this little beauty can be extended by adding several together.
Jaron’s philosophy lies with the great designers of the 20th century that had little interest in decorative elements. His approach is pure and functional. Jaron was awarded an Emerging Designer Award at Denfair as part of Front | Centre.
To support and promote new Australian design, Front | Centre was created. providing a unique opportunity for designers at the early stages of their career to present their commercially viable work and access a powerful business platform while mapping out a new frontier in Australian design. I cannot wait to see what they do next.