Feature

Classic Chic - The Little Black Dress of Interior Design

Suzanne Trocmé has certainly lived her life by her own philosophy - "Always talk to interesting people. There is a reason they are successful and it is often charisma and brains." The esteemed author, furniture designer, mother-of-four and lauded authority on architecture and design has shared intimate encounters with industry icons including King Karl (Lagerfeld), Andrée Putman, Tom Ford, American academic and political scientist Henry Kissinger, and Luciano Benetton, the latter whom she worked closely with at Benetton in its early days and who she notes as being the 'man who shaped my career'.

Throughout her highly successful career, Trocmé has travelled from New York to Paris writing about art, fashion, music, interiors and architecture for The New York Times Magazine, Architectural Digest, House & Garden, The Telegraph, Interior Design (European Editor) and Wallpaper where she was appointed Editor-at-Large. Adding to her significant line-up of achievements, Trocmé has also written several books including 'Attention to Detail' (Designed to be informative as well as visually stimulating, this book offers the best and latest solutions to both old and new interior design problems and queries) and crafted the "little black dress" line of furniture for Bernhardt Design, a family-owned furniture manufacturer out of North Carolina. Her Alee chair now takes pride of place at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre where the Queen, along with Prince Philip, sat for the Theatre's inaugural luncheon.

How does she keep it all together? With a musical flair actually, Trocmé explains "My writing life is a little like a drum kit. The high hat cymbals are the blogs, the snare and tom toms are the print journalism and that big bass drum under foot is the continuous beat of the books. Always there and holding it all together in a calm and placid way."

Furniture Fair Online sat down with the prestigious talent on the eve of her Australian presentation at the International Industry Seminar Series titled 'The Little Black Dress of Interior Design' during Decoration + Design next month, to discuss her interest in the Futurists, Symbolists and love of Russian poetry; bringing together industry idols for New York Times magazine's Living Legends series; and how her seminar will take you on 'a journey through shape, through classical proportion to contemporary proponents of the Golden Ratio'.

You kicked off your career in architecture and design after working in store development for Benetton, how did this role shape your career now? why?

The period with Benetton - the fledgling years for the firm - began with me dressing the windows in Knightsbridge, London, when at University studying Russian, and my passion for Russian was partly an interest in the Futurists, the Symbolists, Russian poetry and art, the collections of a man named George Costakis. I suppose my interest in architecture and design came from a fascination for form, for shape. Education was invented by concrete and linear thinkers and most creative people are abstract thinkers which is why we tend not to work out what we really want to do until formal education finishes.

My work with Benetton over five years was a blessed time, since it was the early years and I learned from Luciano Benetton himself, as later I learned from Paul Smith himself, sitting in his garrett office in Covent Garden (with Luciano it was the Villa Minelli in Treviso). Great people make great mentors. Luciano was, and is, an original. He thinks differently, is an innovator. He had the first robotic factories and used the Scarpas as architects and Toscano as photographer for the ad campaign. The man shaped my career, as have other mentors since, most recently John Pawson, whom I have engaged in certain projects including for the London Design Festival this year where he produced a piece for Sir Christopher Wren's St. Paul's Cathedral. It was my idea to invite John to design a piece and it as very successful, but my joy is in watching other people, seeing how they tick.

Andrée Putman was a very good influence in Paris. I knew her really well and we would see each other all over the world. She too has come from stores (Printemps in Paris) through journalism into design and encouraged me to do the same. She taught me how to edit, John Paswon taught me about light and I guess Luciano taught me about space in the early days. Or lack of! Paul Smith taught me whimsy.

You have enjoyed many years working across the world from New York to Paris for various publications from The New York Times Magazine to Editor-at-Large for Wallpaper, what have been some of your more memorable moments?

A very memorable moment was when I was writing and producing a piece for the New York Times magazine's Living Legends issue and interviewing Andrée Putman, as it happens. I knew she and Karl Lagerfeld had known each other for years so suggested to Andrée that he should take the portrait. She asked "does he want to" to which I responded "of course". Then approaching Karl Lagerfeld's office said that we wanted him to photograph Andrée to which came the response "Does Andrée want this" - to which I responded "of course" having no idea they had fallen out and not spoken for two years.The shoot happened on a busy Saturday during Paris Fashion week and it secured their relationship going forward.

As Wallpaper's Architecture and Design Editor, another role I held for over five years, I was given twenty pages for the celebratory story for the magazine's tenth anniversary in 2006. I decided to ask fashion designers who were their favourite architects and then had each pair photographed by a brilliant art photographer. But where to start? I began again with Karl Lagerfeld and phoned his people who informed me he was in New York at the Mercer Hotel. I phoned the hotel. He said that Zaha Hadid was his architect of choice although had not met her. I phoned Zaha to tell her the news, "where are you?" I asked - "At the Mercer in New York about to open at the Guggenheim" - "Wait" I said. Within less than an hour I had persuaded Roe Ethridge, who was showing at the Gagosian, to jump in a cab, go to the Mercer and snap the two of them together (once hair and make-up had arrived of course). It was a good photograph and then opened up the doors for the others. Tom Ford was next and once he and Karl Lagerfeld were photographed and interviewed it was easy persuading the other eight protagonists. It can sometimes be all about serendipity.

Apart from your print journalism contributions, you have also written several books, how did you make that step from journalist to author? Do you have a preference for one over the other? Do you have another book in the works?

I have just contributed to a book which shows Arik Levy's art, as opposed to design, work. I worked on his recent "Osmosis" book and co wrote a fashion book last year called "Three Quarters" with Clair Watson, a couture specialist in New York. I work on books all the time but it is true that many are my sole works, Classic Chic, Fabric, Retro Home, Hot Homes, Attention to Detail and others.

Journalism for me is really about the people I interview or the buildings I witness. Books have a very different time frame and I approach them completely differently from print journalism. Even when working with a photographer on books about houses, there is no point photographing all rooms in a house, as you would for a magazine. You photograph elements in order to be able to make a point.

The books really are about my own opinion and my own preferences are prescriptive as well as descriptive. My writing life is a little like a drum kit. The high hat cymbals are the blogs, the snare and tom toms are the print journalism and that big bass drum under foot is the continuous beat of the books. Always there and holding it all together in a calm and placid way.

What advice do you have for people just starting out in the industry? Or hoping to be a successful author in the interiors industry?

Cold call people you want to work with. Just pick up the phone to editors, publishers, introduce yourself, sell yourself and a few minor ideas, and do not write more than a synopsis as a presentation. No one even wants a first chapter. It is all about ideas, energy and an ability to empathise.

Where do you source your inspiration? What stimulates your creativity?

People, always people stimulate me. I have had a bit of a "Forest Gump" existence, finding myself next to interesting people. I have found myself at dinner at times seated next to the most extraordinary people, not just the Marc Newsons and Ron Arads of the world but Vidal Sasson last year, for example and once Henry Kissinger!

Always talk to interesting people. There is a reason they are successful and it is often charisma and brains. And good work. I go to museums all over the world most recently seeing the Californian Design exhibition at LACMA in Los Angeles. It was incredible to see work by designers and architects I have not heard of and to see the visual representation of the City of LA between the 20s and the 50s, to really understand Modernism.

Not all inspiration has to be visual. The written word has great power. Just reading the colour theorist Josef Albers gives a great insight into design and our feelings surrounding design.

What do you think it takes to be a success in the furnishings, interior and architectural industries? Why?

It is vital to be able to edit, in writing to throw away bad work, in interiors and architecture to start again if it is going belly up. It is important to recognise good work, whether it is your own or someone else's, and to try to be original. The greatest challenge I find as a furniture designer is creating pieces that do not look as if they pertain to a period or a place. A chair can look retro with the wrong curve, or Ming with the wrong straight line. Originality is hard to achieve, especially when not dealing with extraneous detail. Clarity is the watchword for success.

Adding to your monumental list of achievements, you are also an award winning furniture designer, even winning a Gold award at Neocon for your debut collection, two Good Design Awards and a Guggenheim Award - how does it feel to have your furniture so widely applauded?

It feels fantastic to have my furniture widely SOLD (I have four sons to feed) and to stumble across various designs in art galleries, hotels and in restaurants around the world, from plush surroundings in Dubai to Wolfgang Puck eateries in California. My bar stools also grace three American stadiums, the Mets, the Yankees (different designs I might add) and the 49ers. This was such a surprise! They have taken root in the VIP boxes at the bars. I had designed them with beauty and jewellery counters in mind. So I suppose my main thrill is that my designs have reached the masses and the awards are lovely, because I measure true success to be defined as respect from peers.

Your 2009 Allee chair now sits at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, this must be a true honour.

The interior designer Russell Sage, a former fashion designer, tends to use my furniture quite a lot for his schemes. But the true honour was that the first visitor to the refurbished theatre in April last year was the Queen, who along with Prince Philip, sat in my chairs for the Theatre's inaugural luncheon. I do hope they found them comfortable!

Are you planning a new collection? Can you tell us about it?

I constantly add to the collection and the initial designs are still current. The collection is meant to be like a wardrobe of clothes, that can be added to. The pieces have a particular DNA that might not be discernible to others but there is a thread that links the pieces. Mathematics come into my designs. Something else Andrée Putman taught me.

You are about to head to Australia to speak at Decoration + Design titled, The Little Black Dress - can you talk us through this seminar and what people can expect from the presentation?

My interest in design comes from as far back as Palladio, in fact before, Roman and Greek precision. The seminar is really a journey through shape, through classical proportion to contemporary proponents of the Golden Ratio. The seminar is about precision and logical design which becomes emotional because of its beauty of form.

What are you looking forward to most from your time in Australia? Do you have plans to visit Melbourne and other design studios etc while here?

I am afraid I am on the ground for three days and in the air for three. I am unable to go to Melbourne but look forward to judging the Edge and seeing what Australia has to offer. It is my first time in Sydney so I imagine you know where I am heading first, being an architecture aficionado, apparently.

For more information and booking details on the Suzanne Trocmé (UK) seminar visit, www.decorationdesign.com.au

Moderated Panel Discussion

JUST ANNOUNCED!

We welcome international guest Martyn Lawrence Bullard to this exclusive panel alongside Australian design talent; Thomas Hamel, Greg Natale and Marco Meneguzzi.

This moderated discussion will see 4 design experts talk about HOW DESIGN WILL PLAY ON THE INTERNATIONAL LANDSCAPE OF 2012.

Moderated by Robyn Holt (judge on The Renovators and editor of Vogue Living for over a decade) this intimate panel discussion is not-to-be-missed for anyone in the design industry.

Date Friday 3 February 2012

Time 8.45am light morning tea & refreshments followed by 9.15am - 10.15am panel discussion

Venue Sydney Exhibition Centre, Convention Parkside Ballroom, Level 1

Tickets $49.50 inc gst each - seats are strictly limited

For more information or to book, visit www.decorationdesign.com.au

Lighting - The Cornerstone of Interior Design

Petra Kleegraefe originally studied interior architecture in Germany before moving to London in 1998 and working for two international lighting design firms on a number of major hospitality, commercial and urban landscape projects.

After moving to Australia and working for two Sydney based lighting consultancies, Petra founded Architectural Lighting Design Pty Ltd, with the objective to maximise the potential of each project through a well designed lighting scheme.

Petra has qualifications in lighting technology from London's Southbank University; she is a Professional Member of the Professional Lighting Designers' Association; an Associate Member of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD); a Member of the International Dark Sky Association; and she has lectured in Lighting Technology at the University of New South Wales.

Petra will present her seminar `Lighting - The Cornerstone of Interior Design' on Friday 3 February from 12.30pm - 1.30pm at Decoration + Design co-located at Australian International Furniture Fair at the Sydney Exhibition Centre.

The seminar will discuss lighting as the cornerstone of interior design, creating the ambience and distinction within the four walls. Petra Kleegraefe takes us on a journey of how lighting shapes our interiors and the impact lighting can have on us. Hear practical tips and information to plan for clever lighting designs to create the perfect interiors.

Book for this not-to-be-missed seminar now. Seats are strictly limited. Visit www.decorationdesign.com.au

Telling your story online: it's not just about advertising

Online may be a whole new world for many people, but it is a very effective way of promoting your business to a vast amount of potential customers. When you think about promotion, you make think advertising - which is important - but it is also about sharing your business stories. One way to share stories is through using publicity tactics such as media releases, articles and online industry sites.

Kylie Tabrett is the Account Manager for GoHospitality.com.au, an online business directory servicing the Australian hospitality industry. With degrees in Hospitality, Events Management, Sales and Marketing, Kylie began her career in events management and online media sales. She has worked on national online advertising campaigns, created proposals and promotion ideas for major Australian hotels and has worked with major sponsors at industry trade shows. Kylie quickly rose through the ranks in her career and now works as Account Manager for GoHospitality.com.au.

What are your stories?

Every business has a story! It could be a new product you have released, what systems you put in place to manage increased demand, how to deal with the issues of the GFC, how you support local charities. If you think about it, you will find you have many stories. But how do you share them with the public?

Write a Media release

Media releases are a great way of distributing relevant and topical information to a group of potential clients and your peers. You can send them to targeted media including publications and upload them to online industry sites like GoHospitality.com.au. A media release can contain information such as the work your business is doing, a new product release, the signing of a new contract or commenting on industry issues and trends.

The release must be newsworthy and cover the "who, what, where, why and when". The main rule is that all releases have to be newsworthy. What makes items newsworthy differs greatly from one publication to the next or even from one section to the next. News is something new, up-to-the minute and of interest to the readers.

Write an article

Publishing articles is a fast and effective way to gain online exposure and are a great way to position you as an industry expert by providing topical, helpful information. If you upload them to online sites they increase the chance of your company appearing in the first few search results on search engines such as Google.

Articles don't have to be hard to write! Articles need be written in an objective, informative and entertaining manner. Try to avoid 'sales' style language, so write them impartially - i.e. from a neutral and/or 3rd person standpoint, without superlatives ('best', 'fastest', 'cheapest'), or exaggerated statements ('the largest tool range ever launched!').

If you are planning on uploading them to take advantage of online exposure consider the keywords about your products and services. What do your customers type into search engines to find a business like yours? You should include these in the article, and the greater the density or repetition of a keyword, the greater its chance of ranking highly. Although the article does still need to make sense!

Top places to promote your stories

Once you have written your media release or article you can send them to your local paper or industry publication. Finding the right journalists to send your media release to can be as simple as looking through the publications you want it to be published in. You should also think about the type of people you want reading about you and think about which media outlets your target audience get their information from.

Don't forget that uploading them online gets your message to thousands of people and increases the traffic to your website. Upload them to online directory sites which increase the chance of your company appearing in the first few search results on search engines such as Google.

New Year Home Resolutions

New Year resolutions are usually filled with hopes of getting fit, eating healthier, quitting smoking or cutting back on your alcohol consumption, but let's be honest, many of these personal declarations usually run out of steam a few months in. So why not think about resolutions that will stick? Such as clearing the clutter in your personal space instead and doing a bit of house keeping at home. This is definitely a great way to set the tone for the new year and design a truly inspiring space to motivate you in your career ambitions to achieve your short and long term goals, as well as invite new energy into your home for a happy, fun-filled year.

Furniture Fair Online scoured the web and came across some tips and tricks to update your room, office or home, and clearing the clutter to simplify your life.

1. Organise your bedroom in the new year with these 5 easy tips - Considering this is the place where you reportedly spend up to a third of your life in sleeping, it makes sense that you should prioritise this space in order to be super charged and at the ready for a busy 2012. While some of them may seem a little obvious to most, such as moving your computer station or laptop to another room, it is probably one that is the most overlooked. For more on this, visit www.casasugar.com

2. 10 ways to lose the clutter and keep the cozy - After you've organised your bedroom, time to clean up the rest of your home. This article gives you 10 simple instructions on how to edit each room down to a few stand out features giving it a cozy, inviting and charming appeal. To read more visit; www.houzz.com

3. Decorating on a Budget: 10 Repurposing Ideas - One of the biggest trends in 2011, as a consequence of the GFC, was refashioning your old worn out junk into modern and inspiring pieces that can be put to use again around the home. This DIY crafty decorating trend is still strong going into 2012 and this article offers some great ideas without being wasteful or spending money. Just like this adorable retro dog bed crafted from an old Samsonite suitcase. For instructions on how to create this bed and others, visit www.houzz.com

Creating harmonious, life-enhancing interiors

I have always been inspired by beautiful residential architecture and interiors, and their influence on how it feels to live inside them. Since 1998, when I started my own practice, my focus has always been on creating harmonious, life-‐ enhancing interiors. Each client and the architecture of their home are a unique combination, so the designs we produce are also individual, rather than reflecting one particular style.

In the same way that a good black suit remains in fashion, interiors can be timeless if they are well proportioned, employ good materials, and suit the people they are built for. Beauty, quality and functionality are my long -‐standing design principles. Strong, highly functional planning is always our starting point on any project. Well laid out, generous spaces and natural light are key to the overall quality of a space, given that a strong base will make everything within it function smoothly and look beautiful. Quality rather than quantity guides me in selecting materials, fittings, furniture and artwork .

Good quality materials and workmanship give longevity and aesthetic appeal, and save time, energy and cost in the long run. Beauty is always my prime goal... For its ability to ease the mind, lift the spirit, and for the pure, lasting pleasure it brings. I feel very fortunate to have found a career that I truly love in interior design. Working in close association with our clients, talented architects, tradesmen and craftspeople, we create successful, beautiful homes that bring harmony to your world.

‘Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.’ - William Plomer

Furniture Fair Online took five with interior designer, Sarah Davison on how she knew at the age of 16 she wanted to be an interior designer, why it peaked her interest so much, and some of the interesting clients she has worked with over the years.

When did you first start out as an interior designer? How did you get your break into the industry?

I decided very early, when I was 16, that I wanted to be an interior designer. My mother had taken me to an open day at Sydney College of the Arts to look at the fashion design faculty. (Like many 16 year olds, I was obsessed by fashion, and wanted to be a fashion designer!) However, it only took two minutes looking at the architectural drawings and colour boards in the interior design faculty, and I had changed my mind irrevocably... I took the 4 year degree in interior design straight from school, and began work experience half way through my degree with Pia Francesca, a highly respected Interior Designer working in Paddington at that time. This combination of a technically focussed degree, and quality hands on experience, gave me a wonderful entree into the interior design profession.

Why did interior styling and designing appeal to you? What do you love most about your job?

Since I was a child I have always been drawn to, and fascinated by, beautiful buildings, rooms and objects. To work with putting different combinations of finishes , furniture and accessories together is endlessly creative and rewarding for me. I also love the human aspect of interior design.... Working with clients, other designers and skilled tradespeople and craftspeople to create the design and final built form.

What are some of the more interesting jobs you’ve worked on? Interesting clients you’ve worked for?

Each project I've worked on is completely unique, so its a new challenge and experience every time... Designing peoples homes is quite an intimate process.... You really get to know people, what's important to them, and how they want to live. Many of my clients have been inspiring people with big lives in all ways. I learn a lot from them, which is another great thing about this profession. During my career, I've designed incredible beach houses, ski lodges, country houses and slick city apartments... Its been very varied.

What would be your dream job or home to style?

My dream jobs are working within beautiful architecture, be it a new build, or an old, period house. I love working in spaces with high ceilings, and great natural light. Nature is always an amazing inspiration, so to design houses on the coast, or in the bush or mountains is always incredible.

Who are your interior idols?

I do like Christian Liagre's sensitive use of materials and incredibly elegant lines. Frank Lloyd Wright's interiors are also one of my great inspirations with their warmth, human scale and timeless natural materials.

Who would you love most to work with and why?

(I would love most to work with Frank Lloyd Wright, but sadly that's not possible!) Generally to work on interiors in conjunction with great architects is always my ideal. We have some amazing residential architects practising in Australia at the moment: Kerry Hill, Peter Stutchbury, Glen Murcutt, Alex Tzannes, Popov Bass.... The list goes on!

What are the most popular interior design styles for residential in Australia? Or corporate?

I think residential design in Australia is becoming more layered and sophisticated. A decade ago, many interiors were quite stark white boxes, with recessed halogen ceiling lights and off the shelf new furniture. Now, many people want warmer, and more unique interiors that reflect their personality. There seems to be more eclectic mixes of new, vintage and antique furniture, more use of atmospheric lamps and feature lighting. There is a greater range of styles in interiors here now, which is very exciting.

You are about to participate in the panel discussion alongside Melinda Ashton Turner and Chelsea Hing at Decoration + Design International Industry Seminar Series from 1-3 February, how do you know these women and why did you choose to participate?

Melinda Ashton Turner approached me to be part of the panel... I didnt know Melinda or Chelsea previously, but greatly respect their work.

What are you looking forward to most about the panel and why do you think these events are important for the industry?

I'm looking forward to an inspiring cross pollination of ideas. I think the topic, defining what luxury is in residential interior design is very pertinent at the moment. We are in a time of huge change socially, environmentally and economically.... What gives us a sense of luxury and pleasure in our homes is also changing, and worth investigating!

The AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE FAIR & DECORATION + DESIGN have developed a reputation for delivering an outstanding line up of leading design thinkers from across the globe who present inspiring and thought-provoking seminars as part of the three day International Industry Seminar Series. These interesting forums provide the interiors industry with some valuable insights and worthy discussion points about topics and trends affecting the industry.

Sarah Davison will join Melinda Ashton-Turner and Chelsea Hing on a thought-provoking panel discussion about CREATING LUXURY IN INTERIORS. Melinda, Sarah and Chelsea will give their individual opinions on what luxury means to them, whilst giving tips and advice on how to create luxury in interiors by using beautiful objects and materials that are luxurious to the touch and the eye. Learn how to create luxury in interiors by understanding that luxury is relative to the individual and can be achieved in the same space on many different levels.

Held within the fair, each seminar runs for approximately one hour. Pre-booking is essential as seats are limited. `Creating Luxury in Interiors' - panel discussion will be held on Friday February 3, 2012 from 10.30am - 11.30am.

To reserve your seat at this event, be sure to book now at www.decorationdesign.com.au

Interior Design Architect

Taking their cue from architecture, Chelsea Hing's design philosophy is based on interiors that make sense with the surrounding environment. Mix that with clever planning and a practical understanding of how people use space to live and work. `That's how good design makes good sense'.

Chelsea Hing Design Consultants’ interior design philosophy is based on taking cues from the architecture, so that the interiors complement and respond to the surrounding environment. Combined with clever planning and a practical understanding of how people need to use space to live well, the result is interiors that mix great looks with good sense.Chelsea Hing MDIA began her career with Nexus Designs, one of Australia’s leading multidisciplinary design consultancies renowned for their contemporary Australian interiors. Chelsea went on to establish her own practice in early 2007 and has been building a reputation for well considered contemporary interiors ever since. The firm has been shortlisted for numerous awards including the Dulux Colour Awards, IDEA Awards, National Interior Design Awards and Chelsea was profiled in The Age Melbourne Magazine’s design issue as an up and coming designer to watch.

Chelsea will bring her design nouse to the panel discussion at Decoration + Design Sydney from February 1-3, 2012 for the International Industry Seminar Series. There she will join Sydney-based interior designer Sarah Davison and Interiors Stylist Melinda Ashton-Turner who will lead the discussion titled `Creating Luxury in Interiors'.

We took five with Chelsea to discuss her background as an interior designer, what she loves most about her job, her interior idols, and what the most popular interior design styles are in Australia right now.

When did you first start out as an interior designer? How did you get your break into the industry?

I started out in professional practice in 2000 with a shaved head and big does of enthusiasm. My first job was with Nexus Designs who are largely credited with educating a great many of our current practicing designers. Janne Faulkner started the business in 1967 (and incidentally has just won the IDEA Lifetime Achievement Award) and was still very involved during my time there.Nexus were my mentors whilst I was studying and I met with them after graduating to see how I should go about getting a job and they said "what about us?". So they took a punt on this tough looking girl, and it paid off.

Why did interior styling and designing appeal to you? What do you love most about your job?

Oh many things. I grew up dreaming of houses and at the age of fifteen I re-arranged my mothers furniture so we could use the formal rooms in our house. Such a simple thing changed how we used and enjoyed the house. In many ways I'm still doing that now. I get a lot of enjoyment from creating spaces that people love.

What are some of the more interesting jobs you've worked on? Interesting clients you've worked for?

Over the years I've worked on both large and small scale residential and commercial projects. I find the most interesting is always the private residential work as its really about the people we work with, what we learn about their lives, the things we need to know to design what is essentially their intimate private spaces.

What would be your dream job or home to style?

Ooh probably a villa perched on some Meditteranean clifftop. My partner (interiors photographer Nik Epifanidis) is Greek, so it just might happen...one day.

Who are your interior idols?

I love Ilse Crawford's work, Andree Puttman, Paola Navone, Achille Castiglioni, Vico Magistretti, Patricia Urquiola - a mix of interior designers, architects, furniture designers past and present.

Who would you love most to work with and why?

Paola Navone - I just love her take on everything, everything she does feels vaguely familiar, like it already existed before.

What are the most popular interior design styles for residential in Australia? Or corporate?

I'm more interested in what personal design perspectives I can bring to a project. As a creative you cant help but be influenced by popular culture and what's fashionable, the trick is to mix that in with your original editing process to produce work that is timeless and interesting at the same time.

You are about to participate in the panel discussion alongside Melinda Ashton Turner and Sarah Davison at Decoration + Design International Industry Seminar Series from 1-3 February, how do you know these women and why did you choose to participate?

Well I think the concept of having 3 designers speak on the same topic is much more interesting than a single point of view. I think the idea is to shine a light on the designer's process on how we work and approach the same sorts of things differently. Showcasing a difference of approach is vital for keeping our interest fresh with diverging ideas.

What are you looking forward to most about the panel and why do you think these events are important for the industry?

I'm looking forward to sharing ideas on the panel, seeing and hearing how others work, taking the best parts home and building them into my practice. Whatever we can do as professional designers to bolster each other, to share how we do things, can only be good for of our industry.

Chelsea Hing will join Melinda Ashton-Turner and Sarah Davison on a thought-provoking panel discussion about CREATING LUXURY IN INTERIORS. Melinda, Sarah and Chelsea will give their individual opinions on what luxury means to them, whilst giving tips and advice on how to create luxury in interiors by using beautiful objects and materials that are luxurious to the touch and the eye. Learn how to create luxury in interiors by understanding that luxury is relative to the individual and can be achieved in the same space on many different levels.

Held within the fair, each seminar runs for approximately one hour. Pre-booking is essential as seats are limited. 'Creating Luxury in Interiors' - panel discussion will be held on Friday February 3, 2012 from 10.30am - 11.30am.

To reserve your seat at this event, be sure to book now at www.decorationdesign.com.au

Creating a Super Star Interior

Designer to the stars Martyn Lawrence Bullard knows how to create a knock out, bold and individual space. The multiple award-winning interior designer is known for his glamorous and worldly interiors for high profile and celebrity clientele that ranges from Rock Stars to Royalty, including Cher, Sir Elton John and David Furnish, Christina Aguilera, Eva Mendes, Ellen Pompeo, Kid Rock, Sharon and Ozzie Osbourne and Tamara Mellon, founder and President of Jimmy Choo.

In addition to his many commercial projects, he is currently working internationally on a diversity of projects which include America’s first Green LEED certified estate in Malibu for the acclaimed actor/producer Keenen Ivory Wayans. In October of 2010, Bullard received the prestigious Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year Award and in May 2011 he was awarded to Elle Decors “A-List” of the top 25 designers in the world.

Although Martyn has been featured in over 20 design books his first personal book, Live, Love & Decorate will be available worldwide in October of 2011. Also, he is filming a new design and lifestyle show for Bravo, titled “Million Dollar Decorators”, the latest addition to his design television career which has included programs on CBS, The Discovery Channel, E! Entertainment, HGTV, TLC, Style Network, ITV and Channel 4 in the UK.

CREATING A SUPER STAR INTERIOR

Join Martyn on this special occasion during his first Australian visit as an exclusive guest of the Decoration + Design International Industry Seminar Series. Join the conversation as he takes us on a journey through his impressive portfolio of award-winning work and understand how he approaches each design project. In addition, Martyn will also share his key learnings on how he has been able to build his design and lifestyle brand.

Held within the fair, each seminar runs for approximately one hour. Pre-booking is essential as seats are limited. `Creating a Super Star Interior' will be held on Wed February 1, 2012 from 10.30am - 11.30am, and REPEATED Thursday February 2, 2012 from 12.30pm - 1.30pm.

Don't miss out on this special event. Purchase tickets today, HERE.

To see more of Martyn's work, head to the Decoration + Design blog, visit www.decorationdesignblog.com

Achieving Designer Style on a Budget

There's an art to staying on the cutting edge of design trends while keeping expenses low. Although name brand top-of-the-line designer products are often quite pricey, the options available to the budget conscious buyer of wholesale lighting and home furniture are certainly not lacking.

It's important to remember that the premise of a style or trend is not the brand name but rather the aspects of the style that are found on furniture and decoration items. For example, a currently popular equestrian-esque style of furniture features leather and tweed finishing that can be found from the bottom range items right up to the top of the market.

When you're in the market for wholesale lighting and furniture consider the market you are appealing to, or the use of your furniture. How important are brand names to you and your clientele?

If you're looking for a particular style rather than brand then it's worthwhile researching the various features of that style so you are well informed on your product choices. Establishing a set of criteria for your home furniture, lighting and decoration purchases will make it easier for you to narrow down the products you need. You'll then have the ability to select wholesale lighting and furniture that creates an atmosphere without the brand price tag.

To read the full article, visit www.cafelighting.com.au

Why a multichannel online strategy works

We now live in the age of the educated buyer - an internet savvy, well learned and extremely smart consumer who knows what they want, when they want it and how they are going to get it at a price they want it to be at. Today, each of your consumers will have different preferences, behavioural patterns and interests and you will have to tailor the way you communicate with them to suit these differences. Having just one communication platform is no longer an effective marketing strategy. In order to reach, communicate and engage with consumers effectively, you and your business should be starting to implement a multichannel online marketing strategy into your overall marketing approach.

What does a multichannel online strategy mean?
As implied by the name it means to use multiple channels of communication to engage with your consumers and get them to keep coming back to your business's website. There are many different platforms to combine and use in order to ensure you are targeting a wide range of your market. Only relying on one or two channels at most might lead your business to fall behind.

The trick is to get consumers to engage with you through different channels that will always lead back to your website. Here are a few channels you can use and combine to create your own multichannel online strategy and begin engaging with new and existing consumers.

It all starts with and ends with the website
It doesn't matter how many platforms you have - if they don't lead back to a solid foundation your marketing strategy may not work in the most effective way. Most businesses do need a website that reflects their image. Everything that you show through brand image in real life should be reflected through your website.

The same goes for your website content - whether you choose to include a blog or just have small amounts of writing here and there - make sure it reflects the key messages of the business.

Use keywords to your leverage your potential. Key words and regularly updated content is great for your website's SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). The more key words you place on your site and the more you update content the easier it will be for people to find you via search engines such as Google.

Socialising is key
Engaging in even one social media platform is a great idea for most businesses. It's not about being seen, it's about engaging with your target market in the environment they choose to be in.

You don't have to use them all, but creating business accounts or fan pages on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Foursquare or Google+, or creating and using a blog is a great way to interact with your consumers and find out their likes, dislikes, feedback or questions.

Social media is also a great way to promote your expertise in your industry. Getting involved in conversations with your target market, broadcasting the fact that you've posted a new blog or article on your website and answering people's questions is a great way to show that you care and that you know what you're talking about.

The idea with social media is to use the channels to drive consumers back to your website and get them interacting with you and buying your products or services.

Market online through directories
Online directories provide a list of businesses sorted by business type, with contact details including phone number, email and physical addresses and a link to your website. They are most useful to potential customers who are looking for a product or service, and are a more effective channel for your strategy than being listed in a generic directory.

The most effective way to use an online directory is by ensuring you link your listing to your website. Again, just like social media, use your online directory to drive people to your website to create more sales opportunities.

Your online marketing strategy shouldn't stay completely the same. Overtime you will begin to understand which channels work, which don't and which will ultimately lead you to more sales opportunities.

Today, things change constantly. The buying behaviours of consumers today will be completely different tomorrow - it is essential you stay flexible and open to change - such is the nature of the internet.

About GoHospitality.com.au
GoHospitality.com.au is an online business directory servicing the hospitality industry. Owned and operated by Catch, an online division of Reed Business Information Australia, GoHospitality.com.au provides a comprehensive central online source containing the latest product, company and industry news updates. www.gohospitality.com.au

The Collector, The Creator and The Connoisseur

The opportunity to see behind closed doors is incredibly seductive. As our satisfaction with generic styling wanes, more and more blogs, magazines, television shows and books are offering to take us into the real, lived-in spaces of interesting people. What we find once we are inside is often a striking reminder of how vast our similarities and differences can be.

In 2012, Decoration+Design will showcase three very different interior profiles in the third edition of the definitive trend forum, Design Futures. Resident trend forecaster, Genty Marshall, considers what it is that we reveal when we invite someone inside in this season’s central feature - The Collector, The Creator and The Connoisseur.

Genty Marshall specialises in the translation of international living and design directions for the commercial and residential interiors market. Genty will present the central feature `The Collector, The Creator and The Connoisseur' at the upcoming Decoration+Design, from 1-3 February 2012 at the Sydney Exhibition Centre.

Revealing ourselves through design Transparency is a term that has resonated through every business, social and political sphere in the past couple of years. We’re leaning towards more open modes of professional behaviour with an emphasis on communication. People want to know how we operate.

Apply this to our social behaviour and again we see a fascination with what others are doing, seeing, who they’re meeting and where the action is. While we understand that we rarely get full disclosure, we are also becoming fairly good at spotting the highly produced personal image and the different ways that we can shape what we share, with whom and the impression that it gives.

Where authentic, these glimpses of our private worlds can reveal something intimate and allow us to feel as though we know a person that little bit better. This connection may be through the discovery of a shared interest, the admiration of similar tastes, or a curious fascination with one of many differences.

Apply this curiosity to directions in design and we see innumerable blogs, books, magazines and programs dedicated to offering us a glimpse behind closed doors. The Selby, Design Sponge, Paul Barbera’s Where They Create and local design blog The Design Files are just a few sites that take us into the private spaces of interesting people.

The fascination is understandable. The way we create a sense of place and the way we relate to objects around us, reveals more than a list of material possessions. As one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, the way that we assign value to an object says as much about us as it does about the piece itself.

The next installation of Design Futures will present three distinctive ways of relating to design and through these personalities, demonstrate some of the trends we’ll be seeing in 2012. Check back in over the coming months as we reveal how personal tastes and individual obsessions are influencing emerging design in the The Collector, The Creator and The Connoisseur.

Images via The Selby and The Design Files

Interior Insights

Originally trained as an Interior Designer, Melinda Ashton Turner has been working as an interior stylist and art director since 1990. The talented décor specialist boasts an impressive portfolio that includes Style Editor at Australian Vogue Living, Decoration Editor of Homes & Gardens UK and Style Director of Inside Out UK. On a freelance basis she has worked for magazines such as Elle Decoration and Living Etc as well as being the weekly columnist for both The Sunday Times and The Guardian Weekend.

Melinda brings her expertise as a feature speaker to the upcoming Decoration+Design in Sydney 2012 from 1-3 February at the Sydney Exhibition Centre. We caught up with the busy atelier to delve behind the glossy pages of her career and find out what it’s really like working at the offices of Vogue and Elle.

You were trained originally as an Interior Designer, what made you become an interior stylist and art director instead? Or are they closely related? Explain for us.

I didn’t even know there was such a job as an ‘interior stylist’ when I started 20yrs ago! After studying I took a job at Ikea as a showroom decorator. I was only in the Melbourne store for 2 years when I was shipped off to design and implement the building of a new store in Sydney. After the store was opened I was then based in head office traveling between stores along the east coast implementing changes. It was around this time that Australia was about to produce the first IKEA catalogue outside of Sweden. I was told I would be working on it and would do so for the next three years. This is when I first learned Interior Styling existed, part of this involved working in the Swedish IKEA studios I then spent the following three years crossing between styling for photography then planning the new range into stores. It wasn’t until I started working in the UK 11 years ago that I progressed into art direction as well. As an Art Director you need to understand the bigger picture and how it works across different mediums. I’m expected to problem solve for clients. I started to find myself being given complete control over a project from production, to art direction to styling then finally art direction again.

You boast an impressive resume as the Style Editor of Australian Vogue Living, Decoration Editor of Homes & Gardens UK and Style Director of Inside Out UK, including freelance over the years for various glossy interior titles and newspapers, give us an insight into this world? What is it like to work on these titles, what’s involved behind the scenes?

It’s a world like no other and it’s not for everyone. Long days and back breaking work at times. My role on a magazine title generally involved managing a team of up to six people. I was responsible for all imagery and product content across the title working closely with the creative director or art director. Vogue Living was a small team of eight so it was quite something else to work a title in the UK where the team consisted of 18-20 people. The position as head of a style team on a magazine can be called anything from Style Editor to Decoration Editor or more commonly now, Style Director. Essentially they are all the same role. You would work on a four-week turnaround and three months in advance.

In the UK I would work on my own styled features as well as attending all other shoots. So this would involve me being mobile at least four days of the week. Styling is one of the cogs in the wheel. If we don’t deliver images on time it slows down the magazine deadline, which is everything in publishing. A very important part of a stylist’s job is to know the market; what to find where and what’s new. This involves product launches, nurturing relationships with shops and PR companies. One of my proudest moments as a freelancer was when I was first commissioned by Elle Decoration. As it’s quite a tight team and like Habitat, whom I’ve also worked for, they are seen as a benchmark for the creative industry. The main differences between being on-staff to freelance are you need to be aware of who the magazine is targeting and adapt accordingly.

How are those positions different to your current role working as consultant to Jo Malone and Wilton Carpets? What is involved in your consultancy role?

There are many ways you can consult for a company. For companies like Jo Malone and Portmeirion it was a case of being given a product, discussing what style imagery it required along with ideas on how it could be launched into the market. For Wilton Carpets, they wanted to launch a runner collection and I was asked to give direction on what the collection should be from number of design to colours etc. It’s calling on my styling knowledge but from a different prospective. You need to understand the market and who is the end user.

What is the best part about what you do? What do you love most? And how difficult is it to achieve the experience you have?

The best part of the job is also what I love the most. It’s thinking of concepts then working together with creative people to achieve them. This could be imagery or events. It’s the excitement of converting something on paper into reality. My experience is unique. Planning 7000sqm of a showroom and project-managing builders etc has given me the basis on which everything else has been founded. It’s allowed me to see the bigger picture and how each stage and person is as important as another and the same can be said of magazines. Over my career I’ve worked on almost everything, apart from two things, pure food and fashion styling. Experience is only achieved with time and broadening your horizons and for me it happened as a consequence of moving to London.

Why is it so vital for clients to bring in a specialist interior stylist or consultant like yourself? What can they add to the brand or project?

A client can utilise my experience having worked on-staff and freelance for monthly glossies, broadsheets, and weekend magazines. I am able to see how product imagery can be maximized for each usage with only slight changes and minimal cost. All mediums require different treatments and for someone like myself, and having worked in all of these areas, I can advise on how the product should or could be presented.

Would you ever consider compiling your own book of styling tips and interior ideas for the DIY decorator?

Absolutely! There is no point me taking everything I know to the grave. And as anyone who has worked with me would know I’m only too happy to explain the whys and there fore’s. There are a few things in the pipeline so you’ll have to watch this space. A heads up regarding one project I’m putting together, an interior styling master class, this will be happening early next year in Sydney and Melbourne. It a continuation of what College’s in the UK invited me to talk on.

Where do you source your inspiration from? How do you compile ideas for interiors?

Inspiration comes from everything at any time. Hence, I constantly have pen and paper close by. Compiling ideas comes in two forms; for commissioned work it’s at the time of being briefed and seeing the room or product that I envisage the direction that should be taken. I then start to scour for images to convey this. This could involve several images, one for lighting, another for colour, a piece of art but the full concept only takes shape with sketches. In other cases like editorial, it’s a theme or trend I see emerging, I then would compile a list of products but again it comes back to needing sketches.

Do you love to work with colour? What is your personal interior style?

For me colour is where it all starts. Never under-estimate how simply changing a colour of a wall or sofa can transform a space. I like seeing how colour can vary when light reflects on it. Colour evokes emotion and for me, I want people to connect emotionally to whatever I do. Love it or hate it, but the outcome is I’ve made you feel something. I’m about to launch a blog dedicated to demystifying how to use colour and all its combinations in an interior. I would have to sum up my personal style as Minimal European. Form, colour and comfort are my personal mantra.

With exposure to so many new products and evolutions in design, is your own home constantly evolving and changing with your new ideas and influences?

When you have two creatives in a house, the conversation of what chair we should buy can take months but step into my office and it’s a different story, it’s packed to the brim with objects. My husband is a purest but I like mixing it all up so our home as a whole doesn’t change but artwork and objects are constantly rotated every month or so just to keep it interesting. At the moment all the shelves in my office are colour blocked.

Anything you would like to add further?

What are you working on at the moment? Apart from launching the Colourfield blog, and the masterclasses, I am also working on new imagery and window concepts for Bison Australia. Throw in the school run and life is busy, but it’s exciting.

How to strengthen your online presence

So, you have your business website up and running, you have an understanding of what Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM), you have listed your business on an online directory and you are using social media – fantastic! Using all these online marketing techniques are a great way to get your business seen by your target audience. But, creating a website and making sure you are on social media and online directories are only the beginning.

Now the question is what are you going to do to ensure that all these channels are working together to maximise your online presence? Maintaining a strong online presence and ensuring you have good SEO is essential to maintaining growth and development online. The stronger your online presence, the easier it is for people to find you. Here are some tips all businesses can use to ensure that they are maximising their online presence.

Integrate your messages

If you have taken advantage of all the great online platforms that are available to businesses i.e. social media, blogs, websites and online directories etc. then also take advantage of the fact that these mediums can be integrated to form one strong online message. Not only will this help with SEO, as you can use the same key words to create better search results, but you can also use each medium to drive traffic to the other. Use your twitter to drive your audience to your blog, website, Facebook or YouTube Channel, use your online directories to link YouTube videos and drive customers to your website or use your blog to drive people to connect with you on Twitter or Facebook. All online mediums can be integrated in a way that will strengthen your online presence and drive traffic to your sites.

Create new content

A lot of businesses fall into the trap of creating an online presence and then abandoning it because they did not plan ahead. This can be detrimental to your business as customers can still find your old content and see that you didn’t make the effort to create more content and information for them to see. Creating new content is a great way to keep your target audiences up to date with what is going on with the business. It also shows key consumers that you are up to date with today’s new technology and you care about what your customers have to say.

Share your news

Businesses will always have great news to share. And if you have a strong social media presence you should have a community of followers who are excited and interested to hear about what’s new in the world of your business. Create a “news” page on your website and use that to upload news about your business for example: you can upload media releases about new products, services, employee promotions or changes in the business; you can upload snippets of media coverage your business has featured in or you can simply advertise an event your business may be hosting. Alternatively you can use your online directory to upload media releases about your business to keep your clients up to date with the latest changes and business news. Online directories are a great place to upload content to generate more sales leads and improve your SEO.

Update regularly

To maintain a strong online presence it’s crucial that you update the content on your website at least a couple of times a week. Websites don’t need to be updated every day (unless you would like to do so) but it is important to upload frequently. Search engines love websites that are constantly updating with new content. The more regular your updates the better your SEO. Not only will regular updates help with people finding you via search engines but it will also help increase traffic to your website and increase sales leads.

It is not enough to just create a website and hope that it will build itself. Although you do not have to spend all your time online the best way improve on SEO and create sales leads is by making sure you have a strong online presence. In today’s multichannel world engaging with customers through a strong online presence is a fantastic way to build and promote your business.

GoHospitality is an online business directory servicing the hospitality industry. Owned and operated by Catch, an online division of Reed Business Information Australia, GoHospitality provides a comprehensive central online source containing the latest product, company and industry news updates.

Inside the Maison et objet

It's the well-established favourite on the design afficianado calenders, and the principal place of worship for all things interior. It is of course the Maison et Objet, the most important European trade event for interior design. Design globetrotters from all over the world pound the Paris pavements for the event, including talented Australian design analyst and director of Melbourne-based consultancy, New Black Global Trends, Genty Marshall.

Genty Marshall specialises in the translation of international living and design directions for the commercial and residential interiors market. Genty will be a feature speaker at the upcoming Decoration + Design, from 1-3 February 2012 at the Sydney Exhibition Centre.

You recently flew to Paris for the Maison et Objet, why do you attend this show every year? What does it offer and what is unique about this trade fair above all others?

Maison et Objet is one of the standout European shows that makes my annual list. When you’re taking such a long journey, the content has to be worth it and this one is fairly reliable for a number of reasons. The primary reason for me is their biannual trend pavilion. The Inspirations trend area changes theme from show to show and demonstrates, in the most sophisticated way, how social trends relate to product development. It is also a great place to catch up with some of Europe’s most influential design teams and also catch newcomers as they enter the global market.

What are the most popular products / styles in Europe right now?

There are a lot of new directions coming through, some that we’ve seen before and others completely fresh. In terms of materials – stone, concrete, terracotta, toffee coloured hides and light stained or raw wood. In process, dip-glazes, and two-toned upholstery in harmonious colours. The latter emerged last year and we’re seeing it filter through in both contemporary and classic styles. In terms of products, elegant desks, vanity units and occasional 2-seater pieces have definitely been making there way into a lot of collections.

Who are the most inspiring designers / products / brands that sparked your interest?

Thomas Eyck is always a favourite of mine and their 2011 Oak Inside Collection by Christien Meindertsma is a lovely exploration of traditional techniques by these leading contemporary designers. The urban garden pieces by Authentics and the (re) collection by Art Terre offer a very chic way to bring the green inside, a practice quite close to my own heart, so they also make it into my top picks.

Did you discover any new interior design ides or new ways to change up your décor?

For residential I’d focus on the harmonious tones in upholstery. Colour blocking with a harmonious palette in high quality linen is the ideal. But this isn’t a direction for those keen on smooth lines and hospital corners. If you can’t keep it real and let the creases add character then this styling direction may drive you mad!

What did the trade show floor look like? What are some of the things we can learn from the Maison et Objet organisers to incorporate into our own trade shows here in Australia?

Maison et Objet is a great looking show. The areas are well curated and it can take exhibitors a lot of effort and a number of years before they make the cut for the more exclusive halls. The stand designs and content is strictly juried show-wide to ensure that visitors only get the highest quality showcases. As a visitor, you really warm to the exhibitors who demonstrate an understanding of design and beauty in how they display their products. These companies are all selling products for the interior so to be competitive they must be able to show that they value interior design and that their products belong in this arena. It’s not the venue that gives it the ambience – look up and you remember that you’re still just in a large shed near the airport. The organisers keep the energy up with elaborate and sophisticated features and nice facilities but at this fair it’s the exhibitors who make it glamorous.

Will you be bringing anything back for your own home?

Just a renewed interest in shibori techniques and over-dying. I’m pretty sure I still have some synthetic indigo and all the stinky ingredients that go with it so I may go and dig them out of the cupboard when I’ve caught up on the essentials. After my visit to Japan in August and then witnessing a very strong focus on Japanese design coming through in Europe, I’m feeling all inspired!

To register for Decoration + Design, visit www.decorationdesign.com.au

How to maximise your online business profile

When it comes to online marketing there are so many options and opinions about where you should be investing your money and there is always the risk of spreading yourself too thin. Wherever you decide to target your efforts, do your research and make the most of the resources available to you. If advertising in online directories is an option you’re considering for your business, here are some top tips to help you maximise your online business profile.

Paul Ryan is the Sales Manager for GoHospitality.com.au, an online business directory servicing the Australian hospitality sectors. With more than five years in the digital publishing industry working for Catch (the Online Division for Reed Business Information), Paul is an expert in helping hospitality businesses use online marketing techniques to reach customers and market their brand more effectively online.

How to choose the right online directory service?

There are many directories to choose from and not all of them offer the same breadth and depth of service or are going to generate the most effective leads for your business. Ultimately it comes down to increasing sales for you and raising your profile online. You want to select a directory that is widely used by a range of advertisers so that people searching for your products and services may already be familiar with the site.

By selecting an industry specific directory, your advertising can be much more targeted. If a directory only advertises businesses in your industry, there is more chance of you being found in Google searches. The reason is the directory selects keywords that are commonly searched for by people in the same field as your business, giving you more chance at being found. Customers know they can visit an industry specific directory and find many of the products and services they need, in the one place.

Expanding on this, you want your chosen website to actively use Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to ensure your business profile has the best chance possible of being seen at the top of Google and other search engines.

Keeping it fresh

Obviously you need to make sure your business information and contact details are up to date in your listing but think about other ways to make your online business profile interesting and inviting. Are you able to submit images of products you sell? Can you offer articles about your business, products, service or industry and include them on the directory?

Perhaps you can create different deals that tell your customers you are active on the site, available and providing them with the best prices possible. Not only does the fresh content help reassure potential customers of your credibility but it also gives you a helping hand with SEO as search engines love fresh content!

When is it worth upgrading to a paid listing?

Many sites offer free business listings, which is fantastic - everyone loves something for nothing. Of course, by investing a bit of your marketing budget into paid advertising on a directory, your business has more chance of attracting attention away from competitors and giving you a better chance of conversion. Consider whether you are able to showcase more products and services or bring more attention to those you are already showcasing by paying for advertising.

Is there opportunity for more exposure to your logo and website on more pages? Does your ad rank higher on Google if you pay more? Do you have more options for creativity in your advertising, perhaps including video or other media by making a small investment? By asking these questions you can ascertain whether upgrading to a paid listing is right for you and whether this will really maximise your online business profile.

About Go Hospitality

GoHospitality is an online business directory servicing the hospitality industry. Owned and operated by Catch, an online division of Reed Business Information Australia, GoHospitality provides a comprehensive central online source containing the latest product, company and industry news updates. www.gohospitality.com.au

5 Furnishing Tips for True Renovation Success

Now is the time to renovated your space, break out of the winter shackles and emerge into the warmer weather and brighter light of the summer months ahead. Cafe Lighting have come up with 5 simple tips to truly bring your house or busines back to life, and we had to share them with you. If you have anything to add, please share them with us on the Furnitex and Decoration + Design Facebook pages.

1) Write down your priorities

Right through any renovation project, you’re forced to make decisions about what to include and what to leave. You’ll forever be asking yourself questions like will this table fit here? Is that colour too dark? Is the cost of this justified? If you write down a list of goals for your renovation, selecting furniture and lighting becomes a much clearer process. You will be able to assess individual pieces against an overall goal. For example, your goal could be to create an eco-friendly environment. This would lead you to wooden furniture over plastic furniture, and low-energy globes over their high-energy counterparts.

2) Stick to your budget

A budget is crucial to the success of any renovation project. It keeps the project under the planned price, and generally within the timeframe you’ve allowed. That said, this doesn’t mean you can’t buy those dream pieces you’ve been eyeing off for years. Smart purchasing is the secret of any experience renovator. Some easy ways to maximise your budget include purchasing large items, such as your bedroom furniture, wholesale. Wholesale bedroom furniture and lighting fixtures give you greater selection and serious value for money. Cafe Lighting is a renowned Australian supplier of bedroom furniture at wholesale rates, and can help you find the right item for your bedroom.

3) Plan your lighting scheme

If you plan your lighting before beginning your project you’ll be in the fast lane to renovation success. What and where you light affects how big your space can be and where your furniture will best sit. If you’re working in a commercial space, like a coffee shop, this becomes especially important. Coffee shop lighting is often left to the last minute, and leaves the space wanting. Draw up a coffee shop lighting scheme or other appropriate lighting plan before you start your project and you’ll be much happier with the end result.

4) Research different lighting styles

There’s such a wide range of lighting fixtures available today it’s worthwhile investigating what will best fit in your renovation plan. Often a combination of ceiling and floor base lighting can create warm, inviting rooms that make customers or guests want to stay. Floor base lights are a practical way to compliment the furniture in your room and are easy to set up anywhere. Unlike ceiling or wall lights, floor base lamps don’t need cabling run through the walls, and can be moved easily if needed.

5) Know your limits

It’s important to know what you can and can’t do in a small renovation project. From colour selection to construction, there are always experts willing to help you out. Depending on the nature of your renovation, using trained professionals for the hard parts ensures your renovation is safe, legal and good quality. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of completing a DIY project.

If you follow these 5 simple tips you’ll be on your way to some great renovation work. Cafe Lighting can help you with all of your furniture, decoration and lighting needs. Our impressive range has items perfect for projects of any style or scale.

Integrate and manage your online marketing system

‘How do I manage my online marketing system?’ is a question constantly asked by businesses. The internet has been an increasingly popular way to market to existing and potential customers for over a decade now. However, many still find online marketing ineffective because they don’t know how to integrate the different activities. Online marketing is an umbrella term that incorporates your business’ website, social media presence, visibility in search engine results, directory listings and more. The internet offers a huge range of potential marketing activities, with new sites emerging constantly. When it comes to the ever changing world of online marketing, it pays to have an organised strategy. Online marketing can be time-consuming and ineffective, or efficient and engaging – it all depends on your approach. The best way to market your business online is to have a clear idea of what you need to do, and when and how you will do them. Focus on an end goal – usually, this is to drive people to your website. Many online activities are interconnected and when you know how to integrate them, you will save time and see results.

Social media

Research the different types of social media including Facebook, Twitter, blogs and LinkedIn and decide which ones would be most relevant to your target audience. For example, LinkedIn is a waste of time for you if your product or service is aimed at teenagers, because LinkedIn is a network for professionals. But Facebook is perfect for a teenage audience. Blogging is one of the best ways to keep your website fresh and improve Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and engage customers by telling them about new products, services, staff or events. Blogging doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Create a strategy of how often you will blog (1-2 times per week is optimal), what you will write about and when you will write it. You can save time by writing the blog in a Word document ready to be published at a later date.

Online directories

Online directories are the same concept as a Yellow Pages directory. They provide a list of businesses sorted by business type, with contact details including phone number, email and physical addresses and a link to your website. The main difference between print and online directories is that most online directories are targeted to specific industries. For example, GoHospitality.com.au is targeted at the Australian hospitality industry. This means that they are most useful to potential customers who are looking for a product or service, and more effective in lead generation for your business than being listed in a generic directory. Integrate your online marketing activities by ensuring that you link your listing to your website, and posting press releases on GoHospitality.com.au to generate more sales leads and improve your SEO.

Press releases

There are two ways to use press releases. If you have something newsworthy to say, you can release it to journalists in the hope of being published in the news. If you have news about your business that is not relevant to the wider community, you can release your news online. Press releases keep you top of customers’ minds and are great for improving your search engine ranking. You could post the press release on your blog, include it in your e-newsletter or, if you are listed on an online business directory like GoHospitality.com.au, use their free press release distribution service. Integrate your activities by uploading press releases to your blog and online directory listing, and posting your news on Twitter and Facebook.

Who’s in charge?

Your business’ online marketing system will perform at its best if you delegate one person or team to be in charge of organising and running it. If your business is small and you don’t have a lot of time and money for online marketing, you should still do what you can, whether it means concentrating on one social media site, or getting listed in a directory like GoHospitality.com.au.

Monitor your efforts

The effectiveness of online marketing can be difficult to measure. The best indicators are an increase in sales leads through enquiries to your website, engagement and positive sentiment on social media, and website ranking in search engines when you type in your business name or product/service. Online marketing is generally cheaper and more targeted than print marketing, and once you have a strategic, integrated approach that takes into account a timeline, your actions and who will be doing them, you will find that your efforts will start to pay off.

About GoHospitality.com.au

GoHospitality.com.au is an online business directory servicing the hospitality industry. Owned and operated by Catch, an online division of Reed Business Information Australia, GoHospitality.com.au provides a comprehensive central online source containing the latest product, company and industry news updates.

Creative Lighting Design

Bluebottle Lighting Design expert John Ford discusses the multiple sources of inspiration and challenges for creative lighting design. Gain insight into the practical application and approaches architects, interior designers and clients can take to get the right lighting for their project.

Lighting design can involve either decisions about the aesthetics of light fittings and their arrangement in a space, or the distribution and quality of light itself. Lighting is perhaps the most subtle way of affecting how people experience a space, determining whether it feels like a functional space or generates a sense of intimacy. Light can be used to direct attention towards elements of a space, revealing and concealing features. Light can be used to create a narrative, connecting built form to human experience.

Both natural light and electric light create ambience; windows are light fittings in a building as much as downlights are- they contribute light to the space so they should be thought at about at the same time as the lighting is considered. In many buildings the windows are designed by the architect and the lighting by an electrical engineer or contractor. Unifying these aspects of lighting is the first step towards creating spaces that are habitable, as against the utilitarian lighting that is so prevalent. Materials are as much a part of the lighting design process as sources of light- reflected light from surface finishes has a huge impact on the feeling of a space.

Then consider the lights...Only once the distribution and the quality of light in a space has been determined should the fittings be selected. The interaction of functional fittings and decorative fittings is not as simple as it may appear. Many domestic spaces are arrayed with halogen downlights which appear correct on a plan, but then need to be supplemented with decorative lamps to create ambience and reduce the excessive amounts of light coming from the ceiling. The lamps should be considered in the design phase, eliminating the need for so many downlights in the ceiling and ensuring that the ambience is designed, not ignored. Consider directing light towards vertical surfaces or to an object such as an artwork or a vase. These become features of the space, as well as providing useful light.

And the environment...The use of light and lighting is changing dramatically with new environmental regulations arising from efforts to combat climate change, in the Building Code and elsewhere. Both the rise of new technologies such as LED lighting and the need to incorporate natural light effectively are raising challenges that call for integrated solutions to lighting, rather than simplistic approaches, such as unimaginative grids of downlights in every room. A holistic approach to light. One of the defining features of great architecture is the masterful use of light, whether it be religious buildings such as the churches by Le Corbusier and Ando, or domestic spaces such as those by Glenn Murcutt. These architects understand the use of natural and electric light to add an extra layer to their buildings. Their buildings are not so much revealed as transformed by light.

Whilst we can’t all live in such beautiful pieces of architecture, by placing more emphasis on the quality of light we can improve the quality of designed space and make spaces that are designed for human habitation.

Contact John Ford at Bluebottle Lighting Design: johnford@bb3.net.au

Images courtesy of John Ford at Bluebottle Lighting Design

The Selby is in Abigail Ahern's place...

We have featured the interior design style of the enigmatic UK stylist, Abigail Ahern many times. And there is a very simple reason for it. She lives and breathes, eats, drinks and sleeps interior design. Her recent inclusion on popular The Selby is in Your Place blog attests that. As you would expect, her house is filled with eclecticism, brimming with trinkets and her own trailblazing designs such as the popular dog lamps and penchant for colour with peacock blues interspersed with pops of fuchsia and inky blacks.

The Selby founder, Todd Selby followed Ahern through every room, from pouring a cup of tea in her equally eclectic kitchen to sparking up embers in her antique fireplace and `pea potting’ in her English courtyard. It's as though you are taking the walk-through with them, joining in a cup of tea or a quick drive round the block in her 1968 Mercedes-Benz.

Ahern was a recent guest at Decoration+Design, joining the International Industry Seminar Series experts panel to discuss `Creating feeling & emotion in an interior’. See our interview with Abigail on the Decoration + Design blog here.

Below are a few select images from the Selby post, but to view the entire collection visit www.theselby.com

Theming the future

Dutch interior stylist, Milou Ket returned to the Decoration + Design International Industry Seminar Series line-up by popular demand. Her sell-out seminar explored six themes she predicts will be the focus for 2012 - 2013. For those who missed it, we asked Milout to share a summary of her inspiring visions for the future.

Milou Ket is the force behind the highly successful styling company, founded in 1980, that takes her name. Her expertise in design and interiors is renowned in her home country, The Netherlands, and internationally, while Milou Ket interior trend books sell successfully at international fairs such as Heimtex, Surtex and Biennale. Milou Ket clients include some of the world's top retail and design brands.

The themes are:

Bare Essentials - Simplicity and honesty for a theme with neutral colours with a lot of tactility and texture.
Naïve & Romantic - a mainly floral and ornamental theme in bright pastels.
Living the Authentic - the emphasis is on ecological awareness and conscious living, in vegetal colours.
Bright Colorama - we see the return of colour especially for accessories, colour blocking and exotic ideas.
Ethnic & Botanic - global influences, from Africa to the Orient play a role.
Rich & Dark - opulent classical and avant-garde influences and dark mysterious colours play a role.

BARE ESSENTIALS - A contemporary styling direction based on honesty, quality, and sobriety. Reduction is a key word. Handmade products and textures are important. Natural materials such as untreated and recycled wood, rough wool, linen, leather, suede, bamboo and ceramics. Also felt, abaca and paper. We see a desire for pure and simple design. We see open and fragile materials. Irregular 3-D patterns and textures are important. The play of light and shadow gives an interesting effect, especially when it is combine with transparency, such as foam, paper and porcelain. We see origami patterns, iridescent, and tactile materials such as leather and suede. Sometimes the surfaces and shapes can be truly coarse and handcrafted, almost primitive. Materials with heavy textures, such as untreated wool, but also hides, furs, salmon skin, patchwork wood, and irregular ceramics. The colours are off- white, white, pale blue/green, light beige, kit, light taupe, leather, and dark brown. Gold and silver are also applied once in a while.

NAÏVE & ROMANTIC - It is based on a romantic attitude, innocent and naïve. The emphasis is on painterly flowers in different interpretations, water colour and handpainted flowers. But we see also more traditional flowers such as roses, (oriental) blossoms, botanical motifs and huge photoprints for instance for wallpaper. Shine, metallics and a touch of silver and gold are indispensable. We see natural motifs such as flowers, birds, butterflies, branches and botanical subjects like mushrooms, but also naïve polkadots and stripes. A homely atmosphere is evoked by recycling and patchwork effects for carpets. Handcrafted designs and old techniques such as knitting and crochet play an important role. The colours are fresh and romantic. We see yellow, pink, salmon, shrimp, light blue, light green, light lavender and sea green. Sometimes we even see some colours with a tendency towards fluorescence.

LIVING THE AUTHENTIC - The focus is on sustainability and consciousness of our environment. There is more appreciation for the local and the regional. Countrylife is idealized. The vegetable garden is a symbol, we have interest in vegetal colours and bio products. Natural materials such as soy, hemp, corn, bamboo and organic cotton are in demand, as well as linen and wool. Weathered and earthy, faded by time. There is an appreciation for our cultural heritage, that shows in interest in brocante and vintage. We see antique crystal, engravings, worn wood, poor man’s silver, decorated mirrors, and chandeliers, ikat and kelim’s, old leather suitcases, hatboxes and tailors dummies, all for a homely feeling. Imperfect and partly erased. Recycling is very important here. The colours also show this vegetal aspect: aubergine, raspberry, faded berry, old rose, soft yellow, pumpkin, leaf green, and faded blue.

BRIGHT COLORAMA - There are two different directions. One is kind of exotic and tropical, reminiscent of paradise or a tropical island. We see exotic flowers, fruits, orchids, huge leaves, but also a kind of blurred effects. We see handwoven blankets, handcrafted and colourful braided products from Africa and colourful ceramics and colourful walls. The other direction is more geometrical, modern and pixelated. Think of colour blocking, giant multicolour stripes, rainbow effects and transparent modern materials, such as shiny lacquer, glass, resin, plastic, and transparency with Led’s. The colours are vibrant, stimulating and optimistic. We see yellow, pink, orange, coral, faded green, ocean blue, emerald and purple. The colours seem to have an almost acid, fluorescent tendency especially when placed in a tropical context.

ETHNIC AND BOTANIC - a mix and match of different influences from all over the world. It is often about handmade traditional products from several sources such as Tribal Africa, Morocco, Turkmenistan and American Indians, India, Indonesia and Oriental influences. Luxury is in this direction essential. It is associated with gold and a warm yellow. We see Chinese inspired fabrics, embroideries, applications, paisley’s, but also huge patterns with tie and dye effects. We see handwoven blankets, feathers, old wood. Leather, fake leather and reptile remain important. Budha’s, Chinese antique chests, rich handcrafted fabrics and pillows are mixed. The colours are golden yellow, brick, mustard, reddish brown, warm brown, faded green, olive green, and deep olive. When metallic are used, they are often oxidized such as old gold, copper, bronze etc.

RICH AND DARK - used by the avant-garde in a minimalistic way for a very dark interior with hardly any furniture and sober products from the industrial era. Also these colours are used for a classical baroque style. Gold and yellow are definitely a trend colour and give a luxurious touch. We see it in tiles, in glazes on ceramics, in crinckled surfaces, in leather and also in wallpaper. Traditional jacquards and brocades look new again. Blue in all it’s facets will be important too: from Chinese blue porcelain to the blue glaze of oriental pots. Matte and shine make a nice contrast. We see materials with fine laser cuts like lace, fake fish skin, reptile and furs. 3-D textured walls and huge wallpaper prints add a dramatic effect. The colours are deep violet, peacock, indigo blue, deep red, gold, deep brown, dark grey and black.

An Emotive Response

When you pair one of the UK’s hottest ateliers with Australia's Largest Furniture and Furnishings Trade Fair there’s bound to be fireworks. This is what happened when Abigail Ahern flew especially from her London base to speak at the International Industry Seminar Series at Furnitex and Decoration+Design. Abigail spoke about `how to create an emotive interior', she believes; `colour is the most transformative thing you do can do to a space if you want to add some emotional content to your pad. It changes faceless rooms into spectacular rooms. It can turn the simplest abode into an edgy, sophisticated den in which to hunker down.'

The seminar was a huge success for Ahern who was personally `blown away’ at the turn out and post-feedback with a barrage of emails from retailers asking her to return and to consider opening her own store in Australia. Watch this space.

Designer, style maven and author Abigail Ahern is recognized among design aficionados and devotees alike for her enchanting take on interiors. Heralded as ‘style spotter-extraordinaire’ by The Times newspaper she has established her position at the front of the design trail with her original interpretation of trends, unique sense of style and individual approach to interiors. Her commissions include accessorising a 42,000 square foot Grand Spa for the Ritz Carlton in Palm Beach, Florida; re-styling and branding a chain of hotels in the Middle East as well as numerous residential and commercial projects. Abigail’s London store has been voted one of the coolest places to shop in the UK by Elle Decoration magazine.

You recently spoke at the D+D international industry seminar series with your topic `creating feeling & emotion in an interior' - how was the experience?

I loved the experience and was rather blown away at the turn out to my seminar and also the response afterwards. So many people subsequently emailed the store asking if I could return with more seminars and also consider opening a store over in Australia. It was overwhelming but also hugely exciting.

It must have been a great opportunity for you to connect with people in the industry here - who did you meet and what did you learn/discover?

I meet a whole host of people from editors, to designers to architects and retailers to producers! I discovered in the Australian market place as over here in Europe there has been a shift in our business – throwaway design is no longer, instead longevity rules! Whether that’s from an interior design perspective or a product perspective – showy superficiality has pretty much been banished. Design is headed in a fab new direction where environmental concerns and made with care are becoming the norm.

On top of your interior design work, you are also an author of your own book `A girl's guide to decorating' and designer/manufacturer of your own furnishings - did you make contact with Australian suppliers/importers?

I did make contact with some Australian stores who are interested in carrying our line as well as some online stores. In fact a few stores in Melbourne already carry our line so it was great having the opportunity of visiting and reconnecting with them.

Did you have a chance to look around the fair? What were some of your favourite features, anything that stood out?

I covered the fair pretty extensively – being an interiors obsessive I love visiting trade shows particularly ones that I haven’t seen before so this was a great opportunity for me. I saw a number of sleek sofas and chairs from Aus Furniture Imports, and some cool accessories from Craft Enterprises. Lisa Wright who owns African Trading Port particularly stood out, they represent a number of designers/makers in South Africa including Wonki Ware, Mud and Kraufthaus. I adored their stand and their fabulous selection of products from thick, beautiful coloured felt cushions and blankets to hand thrown tableware with the most beautiful glazes.

Did you notice a significant difference in Australian interior décor ideas to Britain? If so, what were they and were you inspired by anything? Is there anything you will incorporate into your own ideas?

I love Australian interior décor (I subscribe to all the interior design mags, from Inside Out , Vogue Living, Belle, to Real Living) so am very familiar with the vibe. I would say its more laid back than the British way of decorating but I’m guessing that’s because of your fabulous weather. So I’ve been very much inspired by this easy elegance – with interiors that feel relaxed, comforting and also protecting. I noticed a lot of handmade items with detailed craftsmanship so very keen to fill my store with some of these unique finds. Also the influence of Asia was particularly apparent and I got really inspired with the balance of Australian design intermingled with the quiet yet enduring aesthetic so synonymous with Asian design. I think it's one of the reasons I am such a fan of eclectic interiors – fill your home with things from different cultures and magic starts to happen!

What else did you get up to while in Melbourne? What was your most enjoyable and memorable experience?

The most enjoyable experience was pottering around – whether that was around the trade show, or around the city, poking my nose into lots of fabulous interior stores and stands and stopping off a zillion times for another fabulous coffee was heavenly. I loved the eclectic vibe of the stores, the teeny tiny little coffee houses and the arty yet quite industrial feel the city has to offer. I haven’t even gotten on to the food yet which was amazing!

What have you been up to since back in England? What's in store For the next 6 months?

We off next week to NY to launch our lighting collection followed by a launch in Paris the week after and then it's flat out sorting the store out for the holiday season, designing a new collection of products to be launched in January, as well as producing two applications on design. Pretty full on to say the least!

How to improve your online visibility

Businesses today are realising the importance of the internet to promote themselves and ultimately increase profits. However, it is not enough to simply be online. Your business actually needs to be found among the millions of businesses cluttering the online world.

Online visibility is what distinguishes successful internet ventures from failures and underachievers. Even businesses that invest thousands of dollars in sophisticated websites struggle to connect with their target audience because they are unaware they even exist. If you type your business name into the top three Australian search engines (Google, Bing and Yahoo!7) and your business website does not appear on the first page, you need to do some work on improving your online visibility to help your customers find you.

Here are some methods to help you increase your exposure online.

Include related keywords

Search engines look at the keywords included in your website copy to assess what your site is about. You need to determine what your key words are and what words people type into a search engine when looking for a business like yours and make sure these are incorporated throughout your website.

These keywords need to be included into the page title, meta tags, page description and then repeated two or three times in the copy on the page. It is a good idea to use a different key word or phrase in each page of your site. By using a range of keywords you should see an increase in traffic from search engines.

Update your website frequently

Search engines like websites that have fresh items, they do not like outdated websites. Each time you add content to your site you improve your ranking in the search engines. It is a good idea to add new content to your site each week. This can be articles, industry news, customer profiles, case studies or videos about your products or services. Adding a blog to your website can help make the updating process easier. A blog not only provides fresh information but provides your visitors with an opportunity to interact with your business.

Enlist the help of Search Engine Optimisation

Search Engine Optimisation – or SEO, is the strategic process of making a website more search engine friendly in order to achieve improved organic search rankings. The more information search engines have about your website, the better your search rankings will be. In approximately 50 percent of online searches, people select a business found on the first or second page. So if your business does not appear in the first 10 to 20 results, you have already lost about 50 percent of your potential customers.

Get your business listed

As almost 70 percent of Australians use the internet, it is important for your business to be present wherever people are looking for services and businesses online. About 10 years ago you just had to make sure your business was listed in the local print directory – today you have to think internet.

There are hundreds of ways to promote your business on the web but online listings are a great place to start. They can increase traffic and inbound links assist to optimise your website. They help your business appear in the first page of search engines and provide an important link directly to your website. It is a good idea to make sure you are included in your local and industry specific online directories, such as GoHospitality.com.au.

Website copy

Once you have managed to lure visitors to your website, you have just a few seconds to capture their attention. They will quickly scan the page and if they can’t find what they are looking for they will move on just as quickly as they arrived. To convince them to stay, make sure you make it easy for visitors by using attention grabbing headings, short paragraphs and bulleted lists, and images with captions.

Interior Motives

Her `obsession’ with design has seen Abigail Ahern labeled as one of the world’s most exciting ateliers out of the UK. With her Alice in Wonderland style, Abigail has carved a new niche of interior décor design blending unconventional colour combinations and oversized furnishings to create a larger than life space with character and flair. Her theory of creating `emotive interiors’ with drama, intrigue and quirky juxtapositions has been a hit with the international design scene.

Abigail is know for her curious yet confident eye, coupled with the ability to bring seemingly disparate objects together in which nothing matches but everything makes beautiful sense. Her trailblazing decoration ideas are so popular she recently packaged them into a book titled `A girls guide to Decorating' with easy tips and tricks to reinvent your space over a DIY weekend. Abigail will be the special guest of the International Industry Seminar Series during Decoration + Design from 21-24 July at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.

On the eve of her Australian visit, we asked Abigail how do you create an `emotive interior’?, how she’s breaking away from the traditional `stiff upper lip’ British style, and what the hottest colour trends are.

Your shop has been described as having an Alice in Wonderland quality - how would you describe your design style?

My design style is pretty eclectic its about creating something unexpected with visual trickery that startles, and surprises. You get that through pairing unusual blends of furnishings together, playing around with scale, introducing some scene stealing lighting and fusing texture and pattern with aplomb.

You are constantly rates as one of the world's most exciting decorators, does that reference put pressure on your or increase your performance to continue creating and pushing style boundaries?

I probably put more pressure on myself than I need to but then I choose projects that challenge me and elevate me - I'm obsessed with design and see my creative development as an evolution. I push boundaries because I always want to try something new not for newness sake but because I don't want to create anticipated, predictable interiors.

Your website states there isn't a `smidge of stiff British upper lip ness in sight', can you explain the difference for us in Australia? Why do you wish to break away from this tradition?

The Brits by nature are quite reserved when it comes to expressing emotion. My aim is to break that down with a retail store and interiors that quicken your pulse rate and make you heart beat a little bit faster. That are dramatic, intriguing and emotive. So I create interesting aesthetic juxtapositions that are either tongue in cheek or contradications. For example partnering our dog lights which are quite tough and straight laced with the finest taffetta granny esq shades for example. Frou frou coupled with masculine it creates a notable friction and thats what I am after.

Your design spaces feature loads of colour and texture, what are some of your favourite colourways to clash with?

I pretty much believe that colours can't clash if it works in mother nature it pretty much works in the home so I play around all the time with a tantalising combo of say blue and orange or purple and yellow. I should say that I set all these high voltage hues against inky sludgy backgrounds so it actually takes on a sophisicated vibe rather than a crazy one. Color is one of the easiest decorating tools around you just need a large dose of confidence. Start small introduce say some bright hues in soft furnishings (the 5 minute face lifts of the decorating world). Add a beautiful high octane dose of colour in the form of a rug to wooden floors and magic happens or some metallic purple leather cushions to a neutral sofa and decorative chemistry ensues. Nothing changes the personality of a space quite like colour - and when it comes to paint if you don't like it, you can paint back in half an afternoon. In terms of clashing artfully look to nature, visit florists pour over flower books - barbie esque pink and vermillion look fab when partnered as flowers, use it as inspiration and introduce it into your home.

What are some of the hottest colour trends right now?

Hottest colour trends - burnt orange partnered with a purpleish grey - the sort of colour often seen in the Brassica family of vegtables. Or heather (pale soft soft soft liac - partnered with deepest darkest black) and soft blueish grey (that evening mist sort of colour) couple with barbie esq pink. Heavenly!

What influences your design? Do you take reference from any particular eras, places or designers?

Travel, museums, interior mags and books, pottering around the streets, flea markets the world over all influence me. Favourite designers, Iise Crawford for timeless classic interiors, Kelly Wearstler and Jonathan Adler for pushing boundaries and making interiors fun again.

How do you draw up on the senses to create an emotive interior? What are some of the key pieces in a room that can evoke mood and passion?

In order to create an emotive interior you need to feel moved, to feel drama, intrigue and surprise. You want a room to challenge you to inspect touch and wonder so there's an aura of discovery about the space. You can only achieve this by playing around with colour, layering lighting and combining pattern and texture with aplomb. There is no single one thing its about combing a whole host of elements - an unusual mix of furnishings for example, playing around with scale, filling the air with a beautiful fragerance. It’s a bit like herbs and spices once you add all these elements together magic happens, a tension that is exciting and alive.

When designing a room, it can be like a painter to a blank canvas - is this a daunting experience? Where do you start?

For me it all starts with creating a sense of place (and it's never daunting, its challenging and exciting) so I look at the architecture, the landscape talk to the client and break it down from there. There doesn't have to be an agreeable relationship between a buildings exterior and interior but it has to be considered. Feel, flow and function are my guidelines - I pull together loose pictorial presentations, swatches, renderings and so forth and it all kicks off from there.

Your book ` A girls guide to Decorating' offers helpful tips and Ideas for people to decorate their home - what is your favourite DIY from the book?

My favourite piece of DIY perfect for a weekend afternoon is to spray paint flea market, junk shop finds - the brown furniture that no one wants that goes for a song and to transform them with some high voltage shots of colour. I've given consoles, mirrors and tables a rock n roll vibe girls guide makeover by spraying vermillion, pink and teal.

You can register for Abigail Ahern's seminar `Creating Feeling & Emotion in an Interior' at www.decorationdesign.com.au

Use Your Difference to Make a Profit

In today's crowded marketplace, standing out from the crowd and differentiating your business, products or services is the best way to keep your head above the rest. The first place to start is the Unique Selling Proposition. It can boost sales and drive business by positioning your business as the number one choice. It also sets your business apart from the competition and gives customers something easy to remember and positive to talk about.

Identify the Unique

Think about your product or service. What is unique about what is being offered? When you look at the other competitors in the marketplace, what can your business offer that is different? Like it or not, customers will compare your business to your competitors and you want to come out favourably.

Ask yourself why a customer should choose your business. It could be as simple as better delivery times, flexible payment terms, or a greater product range or quality. Or instead trade on the brand’s reputation, expertise or industry experience.

Do some research on competitors to find out what they are offering and how this compares to your business. Is there something they are not offering that your business could? This will make your brand more visible to customers who are looking for a reason to buy one identical product over another.

Don’t be fooled into thinking your Unique Selling Proposition has to be price – that’s not always top of a consumers list. Most people when looking for a product or service look for a business that is reliable, trustworthy and worth the money.

Research what customers are looking for

In order to fulfil customer’s needs, you need to know what customers want. Depending on the service or products your business is offering this will differ greatly. For example, in the hospitality industry, what are customers looking for? They are probably looking for efficient and friendly service. It can boost sales and drive business by positioning your business as the number one choice. It also sets your business apart from the competition and gives customers something easy to remember and positive to talk about. What is the Unique Selling Proposition that means your business can guarantee to meet customers’ expectations?

Alternatively, try another tactic: finding a gap in the market. For example, if there is lack of family restaurants in your suburb, meet customers’ needs by opening one.

Selling your competitive advantage

After identifying what your business does well, make a list and consider whether it's realistic. If you try to makes sales off a false promise you will soon be caught out by customers. Make a list of three to five points your business can always deliver on, and focus on those that competitors may not be able to match.

A Unique Selling Proposition needs to be compelling and sellable: something important to customers. Think for example of Gloria Jean’s Coffees. Among the extensive selection of coffee shops available in any given area, there always seems to be a Gloria Jean’s store. Gloria Jean’s have a vision of becoming ‘the most loved and respected coffee company in the world’ and have built a reputation of high quality coffee and environmentally sound practices. Therefore their Unique Selling Proposition is great coffee that customers feel good about drinking.

Proposition customers

Now that you have a list, you need to let customers know why they should pick your business by getting your brand name in the relevant places. Don’t think this has to be a big, expensive campaign. Simple and effective methods include printing your business logo on the back of business cards, on business signage, displaying it on websites, reception counters and letterheads and promoting it through social media networks. List your business on an industry online directory such as GoHospitality.com.au so that customers can easily find you.

The key is to understand customers, know where they are looking and which tools they use to find your products or services. This will ensure your business spends its marketing budget where it counts for maximum return on investment (ROI).

Your Unique Selling Proposition is a branding tool that helps your business both make sales and build a lasting reputation. Create a message customers instantly recognise in relation to the brand. Remember to keep it simple – it should be able to be summarised in a single line for maximum marketing potential.

Designing interior spaces to help you unplug

Technology has brought us to a point of constant connectivity. The advantages of being able to share, search and socialise regardless of time or location are clear.

However, the negative effect this is having on our psyche and behaviour is only recently becoming evident.

Discover your personal space as resident trend forecaster Genty Marshall brings together an installation of product, form, colour and style in Decoration+Design’s central trend event – Alone,Together. Tickets for the Alone,Together seminar are available through Decoration +Design.

Comforted by the constant background noise of our virtual lives, we are forgetting how to be alone. For designers, this is an opportunity to consider how to create private spaces that encourage us to switch off and cater to our need for solitude in what is becoming an increasingly shared environment.

Personal retreats can be created from something as simple as a well positioned screen all the way through to elaborate colour and sensory therapy rooms. The classic shed is a space that has always represented the importance and purpose of solitude and privacy. The shed is a place to regain focus and composure, be it through toying with small jobs or being completely engaged in a project. It is a space that encourages a mental state of flow, allowing new ideas to move freely and time to lose its hold.

We can see a number of products coming onto the Australian market that invoke the raw, industrial characteristics of the shed.
One piece on show at Decoration & Design will be the the Mold light by Michel Charlot. Designed in Switzerland, this fibre cement light embraces the aesthetics of process and production.

Visit Mosarte for more information

Other products to keep an eye out for include;

The Firwood Ladder from Perfect Pieces.

BBQ lamp range from Vixen & Velvet

Woodblock linen mix jacquard by Laura Lienhard, available through Tigger Hall

London Calling

He's been hailed as one of the UK's hottest new designers with an impressive insight into the hospitality and retail design industry and now Lee Broom is set to head down under as a guest speaker at the Inernational Industry Seminar Series within the Decoration + Design and Furnitex Fair.

Two years after launching his first furniture collection, Lee Broom is already garnering the acclaim most designers spend many years attempting to achieve. His designs are sold in New York, Paris, London and the Middle East, have been exhibited by Boffi at the Milan Furniture Fair, featured in the best design publications across the globe and he rates Kanye West and Matthew Williams as fans. For his first foray into retail design, Broom just designed the first Topman Personal Shopping Suite in London. It’s also the first time Topman have ever used an external designer.

You are about to venture down under for the Decoration and Design Fair, where you will speak as at the international industry seminar series – how does it feel to be involved in this event?

I am really looking forward to it. As a designer, it is a great pleasure to be invited to another country to meet like-minded people and discuss the difference in design across the shores.

Have you ever ventured to Australia before? What are some of the key differences in trends from the UK to here?

It will be my first time visiting Australia and it is one of the places that I have always had on my wish list. I have heard that Australia has a really vibrant design scene which I’m looking forward to exploring.

You have been voted as UK’s hottest designer, how does this title sit with you personally?

It’s nice that people like and appreciate my work but it’s not something I think about much! I prefer to just create my products and interiors and stay focused on that.

This year you launched your first store within leading lifestyle destination, The Shop at Bluebird, how successful has this collaboration been?

It’s been great. The Shop at Bluebird was always one of my favourite stores so to have a space there was a great honour. I think it gave people the opportunity to see my work in a different retail environment, rather than gallery context.

This store is also where you stock the exclusive and covetable `Decanterlamp’, how did you come up with this unique design concept? What is the story behind its creation?

It was important for me to release a new product for the collaboration - The Shop at Bluebird particularly loved my Decanterlight, so it felt right to create a new product related to that.
The piece came about when I was in my studio playing with various decanters, piling them on top of each other to see if I could create some sort of lamp stand. I finally got the right combination and then put the piece into production. I particularly like the white version.

Where do you gain much of your inspiration when designing your products?

London is a very inspiring city so it’s easy to be inspired here; I like to visit art galleries and antique fairs. I also get inspiration by people and fashion – we have a great street style here.

Can you discuss any other of your exciting products coming out soon?

I have a new collection coming out in September as part of the London Design Festival which will be my first upholstery collection. There will be around six or seven pieces within the range – the collection is classic with a contemporary edge.

Your products range in scope, from the `One Light Only’ lights with modern geometric shape to the Carpetry sideboard that has a vintage aesthetic within a smooth modern framework. Do you like to keep a diversity within your brand? Are Lee Broom collections constantly evolving?

I hate to stand still and don’t like repeating myself. I like to embrace new techniques, materials or styles. I find it keeps things fresh and interesting for me, and for everyone else.

What are you looking forward to most about attending the D+D fair?

Seeing new designs I haven't seen before.

Editor of (inside) magazine, Domingo Robledo will be hosting a conversation with Lee Broom on Friday 21 July, 9.30am at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre as part of the Decoration + Design and Furnitex International Industry Seminar Series.

To purchase tickets visit the D+D website, or view the full seminar program here.

For more info on Lee Broom, visit www.leebroom.com

A 21st century wallpaper renaissance

There are more designers working today than ever before, in both the established companies with their extensive archives to draw upon, to individuals with new and often more innovative designs. This means that we have looked again at what it means to cover a wall. To cover a wall is now an expression of taste and modernity rather than a convention. As a young designer working today, I often ask myself how long will this last, is it just fashion? To answer this I look further at why we decorate walls.

Erica Wakerly is an award-winning UK designer based in London, who gained a Masters degree (MA Printed Textiles) from the Royal College of Art before establishing the design label in 2006. Previous awards include 'Elle Decoration Best Wallcovering 2007' for Homes and 'Young Designer of the Year 2007' at the Homes & Garden Classic Design Awards. Wakerly distributes her wallpapers and textiles internationally and also designs for bespoke projects.

Pattern can transform a space. It adds warmth and character, it can humanise and create ambiance. I use a lot of subtle metallic in my designs for the reason that it is sympathetic with its surroundings, reflecting colour and light so it becomes integrated with the interior more as a whole. It helps to link the space together and create atmosphere.

For commercial interiors, applying new wall decoration can be an effective way to refresh a space. For example, a retail brand may use a new wallpaper each season to display that seasons products in store. I work with retailers who use both my stocked papers and bespoke wallpapers and the patterns have become part of their instore brand.

Today the interiors industry has a fast turnaround, and has become more fashion led. The 'latest thing' is perpetually demanded, by the commercial market in particular. This pushes designers to increase output, invent more ideas, so continues to offer wider choice on the market.

Digital printing has also allowed anything to be printed fast, at any scale, with unlimited colours and in small runs. However, I will always love and prefer the quality and handle of traditionally printed papers. In some ways we are too saturated with design, maybe there is too much apparent choice.Under pressuure, designers are often dependent on referential starting points, and can easily and securely fall back on ideas of nostalgia.

An important challenge as a designer for any interior product is to design something with longevity. We see designs from the mid 20th century e.g. an Eames chair, which still remain relevant and widely used (you could say overly used) today, or the Cole and Son 'Woods' wallpaper print designed in 1959, but the challenge now is to create something which both feels 'new' and that will still be selected in fifty years. Today, wallpaper is no longer part of one trend, as it is so adaptable visually. In this respect, I believe we are not likely to see a decline in its popularity, just changes in how it is used.

The 'feature wall' has been prevalent. It has provided a focal point in a room to display our taste, it's role similar to that of a large artwork, but in a more accessible and affordable way. Recently the feature wall, often associated with very bold or statement prints, is being superceded by the use of wallpaper in the whole room - we are returning to a more traditional usage. Surrounding ourselves by one design on all four walls, helps to contain a space, draws less attention to the design itself but focus the look and feel of the room as a whole. The pattern around us can provide comfort and cosiness, a sense of home.

Erica Wakerly will discuss the topic of 'Creating modern interiors with the return of wallpaper' as a guest of the International Industry Seminar Series during the Decoration + Design and Furnitex fair from 21-24 July at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

For tickets head here. For the full program head here.

Stylus: The Aram Gallery: The THENNOW Show

Brought to Australian audiences through forecaster Ginger Trend Consulting, design authority Stylus casts its eye over an inspiring exhibit from London's Aram Gallery.

The THENNOW Show is an exhibition of 15 designers who were among the original graduates selected by Zeev Aram, founder of London's Aram Gallery, to take part in the annual Aram Designs Graduate Shows in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The exhibition revisits their career over the last 20 years, from their designs at graduation, THEN, alongside recent work, NOW. CREATE INTERIORS.

www.gingertc.com.au

Slimmed down style, tubular layers, 'inside out' and folksy charm...

The latest contemporary furniture trends play with silhouette, modular forms, construction and traditional craft, as Stylus reports.

Slim Profile
Fine, slim edges and profiles are making it big in upholstery, seating and tables. Paper Planes, designed by Doshi Levien for Moroso, is a range of seating made from cold cured foam, upholstered in a Swarovski crystal-studded fabric. The end result is a very thin profile upholstered chair.

Layered tubes
Tubes and more rectangular shapes are stacked on top of each other to create layers in sofas and seats. Karim Rashid's Hot Dog chair design for Domodinamica is a playful sausage-shaped take on the layered theme, while other like Moroso presents a more angular version.

Solid timber poles
Pole shaped furniture is emerging as a trend, which may be influenced by Table, Bench, Chair - Sam Hecht/Industrial Facility's design for Established & Sons, launched in 2009. Studio Juju has developed an organic chair with a table arm rest lacquered to contrast against the wood. Tom Dixon's new stacking chair, suitable for contract use, uses turned elements for all its legs and rails. Jarrod Lim Design has created a dining table, bench and stool using turned legs to create a minimal pedestal leg.

Construction detail
Turning a piece 'inside out' by showing construction details is a continuing trend. These range from simple joint details such as nails, as on a Nils Holder Moormann table, through to details of legs coming through the top of a piece, as in Poliform's yellow occasional table. Mass Production launched Harry, which has a beech wedge to secure the base to the top, while Arco's Nomad table, designed by Jorre Van Ast, has a clever flat pack solution, where a solid timber leg is threaded directly into the top. The thread is longer than is needed and therefore becomes a beautiful crafted detail on the legs.

Folk/Handmade
Another strong trend is towards folk, vernacular and hand made furniture. Irish studio Superfolk has launched a collection of tables and benches made of ash and oak with rope threaded to join the benches together, while Melissa French's collection of embroidered furniture continues the theme. Belts and rope are used to tie up upholstery in sections; Sack Red sofa by Skitsch has rope tied around its main body and around its moveable back rest. Kartell has also launched a plastic version of a spindleback chair designed by Patricia Urquiola.

Stylus offers a comprehensive, authoritative, and expertly crafted design resource for all consumer and creative industries, based on the ethos that the world of design is all-encompassing and cannot be viewed in silo industries. Stylus is represented in Australia by Ginger Trend Consulting.

www.gingertc.com.au

Stylus- Plywood: Material, Process, Form

Back in 1999, Time magazine named the Eames' moulded plywood chair, created in 1946, as the Design of the Century. A new exhibition, titled ‘Plywood: Material, Process, Form', which opened at New York's MoMA this month, reminds us exactly why the chair deserves its iconic status. Stylus reports.

Although furniture today is readily available in a wide range of materials, from plastics to solids woods, few so perfectly meld nature with technology - a result apparent in the classic plywood designs on display at this small exhibition.

Layers of wood veneer are combined with synthetic adhesives and hot-plate pressure to form modern plywood. It's a combination of many advances in industrialised processes - and yet a testament to the fact that innovation need not be complicated to be revolutionary.

Besides a range of familiar chairs, the exhibition also takes an interesting look at an experimental glider nose designed by Charles and Ray Eames during World War II, created to replace metal planes at a time when conventional materials were limited.

Regardless of size or overall shape, what's striking is that each piece on display looks organic, the layers of wood bent into sinuous curves, at once natural yet calculated to be ergonomic, strong and light.

Spanning aeronautics, prefab architecture and everyday furnishings, this showcase captures how such a modest material has been an exception medium for cutting-edge design.

Plywood: Material, Process, Form will run from 2 February 2011 to 1 January 2012 at The Museum of Modern Art - MoMA, New York.

www.moma.org

www.gingertc.com.au

Exhibitor Profile: The Spirit of Stone

Sydney based importer Stone of Shona is bringing a unique offer to the world of décor, thanks to its links with the master craftsmen of Zimbabwe.

Specialising in world class, contemporary stone sculptures from Zimbabwe, the company places unique works of art with designers, decorators and individuals seeking the distinctive quality of stone combined with the spirit of Africa, says director Trevor McGuire. He adds that the brand's price structure reflects its attainable positioning.

"We guarantee that our Shona stone sculptures offer the best value for money and quality in the world for collector quality Shona sculptural works of art."

Complementing most modern décor and suitable for indoor or outdoor use, each sculpture is an original, authentic work of art. Every piece is hand carved from a single piece of stone in the Shona tradition, sometimes over many months. The individual pieces are carved from hard stone including Springstone, Cobalt, and Fruit Serpentine, with styles varying widely across depictions of animals, the human form, still lives or abstract pieces.

With a long tradition of sculpting dating back 2000 years, the traditions and rituals of the Shona masters of Zimbabwe have experienced a renaissance over the last half century. Each artist works with the stone from the time it is quarried to interpret or reveal its spiritual nature. Only then can the artistic journey begin, with the master chiselling the stone by hand to a point where the piece can be sanded, heated by fire and coated in bees wax to bring out the natural colour and texture of the stone.

"Our passion is stone and we have been collecting Shona stone art for over 20 years. Our experience from living and working in Southern Africa has given us a unique understanding and appreciation of the Shona culture."

Stone of Shona will be a key exhibitor at Decoration + Design, from 2 - 4 February at Sydney Exhibition Centre.

www.stoneofshona.com.au

Design Futures: a sneak preview

Resident trend forecaster Genty Marshall provides a foretaste of next month's launch of the Design Futures feature at Decoration + Design.

Design analyst and director of Melbourne based consultancy New Black Global Trends, Genty Marshall specialises in the translation of international living and design directions for the commercial and residential interiors market. Genty will be launching Design Futures, the new platform for inspiration and innovation at Decoration + Design, February 2011.

As the launch of Design Futures is just a short while away and the festive season not long gone, it seems the perfect time to offer a sneak preview of what will be laid out in the Sydney exhibition of A Shared Table.

Festive occasions act as a great reminder of the role of the table. Often described as the heart of the family, the kitchen table can be used as a metaphor for coming together, celebration, open discussion, mutual respect and intimate conversation. The table is uniquely flexible and can be a formal space of manners and etiquette as easily as a casual workstation with no customisation, flipping, folding, or remodelling required.

In the debut exhibition for Decoration + Design's new trend destination, Design Futures, we will use the table as a metaphor to look at the changes in living and work that will be seen over the coming years.

One table, four themes.

The installation will comprise of four identical tables, each focusing on a different desire that is moving both designers and consumers alike.

Connect looks at how we are acknowledging of moments of personal or family significance in new ways as family structures become varied and culturally diverse and formal religious observance plays less of a role in our routines.

Create concentrates on the humanisation of the workplace, the rise is popularity of collaborative workspaces and the social and environmental needs tackled by these creative communes.

Savour explores the move towards authenticity and process in both contemporary gastronomy and design, as both our chefs and makers draw inspiration from original process and materials.

Seduce is an intimate portrait of the act of sharing food as a recognised manner of seduction and presents the prevailing theme of intimacy that is appearing in contemporary design.

Adjacent to the central installation, designer galleries will show two very different approaches to the idea of A Shared Table in installations by two recognised and influential Australian designers - George Harper of Tide and Toby Horrocks of Freefold Furniture.

See Genty Marshall at Design Futures & the industry seminar series at Decoration + Design, 2-4 February 2011, Sydney Exhibition Centre. For more information contact info@newblack.com.au.

BOOK SEMINAR

www.newblack.com.au

Images top to bottom: Tide, Freefold Furniture

Making colour work for you

The adjective "colourful" is not always a compliment, whereas colour itself is as essential and life-giving as oxygen, as Janice Lindsay explains.

With a column in Canada's The Globe and Mail newspaper and a newly-published book ‘All About Colour' Janice Lindsay is one of Canada's premier colour designers and the founder of Toronto-based consultancy PINK Color + Design. She will present her seminar on Wednesday 2 February 2011 from 10.30 to 11.30 am as part of a series at the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF).

There is no such thing as too much colour

I am a colour snob. I like to think I use colour in many different ways but I never want to be accused of the cardinal sin: a design that is too colourful. Bold colour where it does not belong looks juvenile and ridiculous. Good colour is logical and appropriate. It is not decoration so much as the foundation of what makes a place feel good and function well. Colour is not tiring; "colourful" can be.

So what makes colour "colourful"? Not too much colour but too many. One colour needs to set the tone, literally. In spaces where there are too many colours, the colour clutter of too many voices all clamouring to be heard - rather than try to orchestrate them it is easier and more effective to choose one to be the voice by making it the wall colour. This large field of background hue will act like a magnet, pulling itself forward out of the competing voices in the fabrics, carpets, art creating unity. Adding big colour to colours adds calm.

Colourful can be the result of not too much colour but too much contrast. How often have clients worked with me on gorgeous colour schemes for their walls and furnishings and then wanted to outline everything in white trim because it is ‘so clean and so fresh'. White trim is only one color option and not always the best. Do trim a tone darker not lighter. Do trim the same color as the walls. Try black.

Ditto ceilings. If the walls of a space are coloured, then don't leave the ceilings some one-size-fits all white that makes them look an undressed oversight! Choose the whites with the same care as the walls - light with light, deeper with deeper - and matching undertone so yellow walls have a yellow based white, will reduce the noise of high contrast and make the rooms main color sing. In small rooms make the ceiling the same color to make the room seem taller - trust me on this one.

Ironically white is the loudest, bossiest, most tiring colour of all unless it is handled with respect. It likes its own company so any other colour you bring into a white room will seem like a noisy interruption - like a loud voice in a quiet situation. Texture and good light and lighting, not other colors, are needed to animate white. Pairing it sparkling objects or natural materials elevate or ground it.

Good colour is not always about decoration or "look-at-me" effects. It has a subtle beauty that balances a space and is felt even if it is not seen. One client told me that he knew I had used almost twenty colours in his mother's apartment but, try as he might, he could only see twelve. Her colours were working, not showing off. Lots of colour, was not "colourful".

www.janicelindsay.com

See Janice Lindsay's seminar on 2 February 2011 from 10.30 to 11.30 am as part of the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF), taking place at Sydney Exhibition Centre from 2-4 February 2011.

BOOK SEMINAR

Authenticity

Ahead of her upcoming presentation at Decoration + Design (D+D), D+D's resident trend forecaster Genty Marshall explores the evolution of and paradoxes behind the human factor in design.

As a result of constant exposure to new products, trends, fashions and seasonal fads, the labelling of a direction as the "next big thing" can sometimes feel like the kiss of death.
Though partial to the quirky and provocative, experience brings with it a radar for the truth; the directions that satisfy more than just the palette of the day and that tap into something deeper and more sustaining.

The emergence of the handcrafted started out a little kitsch, drawing upon nostalgia and resolving itself in the rediscovery and elevation of craft within a design world that was having great difficulty letting go of modernist aesthetics. The structure and texture of traditional textile techniques has been and remains a strong source of inspiration and we have since seen knit, weave and lace translated as pattern, texture and form from floor to ceiling.

The flipside of this is that as the handcrafted aesthetic turns into the mass manufactured ‘real-looking', it moves away from the human need that sought it in the first place. Fortunately, this search for the authentic runs deeper than seasonal trends and continues to inspire designers to tread new paths.

In a recent presentation in London, leading design consultant Ilse Crawford discussed the need to make design "more human". In practice, this is not about creating objects that merely have the aesthetics of the handmade. Putting the human being at the centre of design is about creating products that are responsive to the way we live and are tolerant of change, taste and our environmental challenges.

The creative process, sourcing of materials, manufacturing practices and afterlife of a product have grown in importance to our decision making process as consumers. Now that we are mindful of these things, the objects that will sustain us are considered, crafted and speak to us of time - not only in terms of conception and production, but also in terms of the times that they will witness in their life, within and beyond our own.

See Genty Marshall at Design Futures & the industry seminar series at Decoration + Design, 2-4 February 2011, Sydney Exhibition Centre. For more information contact info@newblack.com.au.

BOOK SEMINAR

www.newblack.com.au

Images top to bottom:-

Seating for eating - High back settle by Studioilse
Yves writing desk and Soren pendant light by Pinch
When objects work - pottery by Vincent Van Duysen
Coco pendant by Kate Stokes

All photography copyright New Black Global Trends.

Intimate moments in Paris

Design analyst Genty Marshall shares her thoughts on one of the prevailing trends coming from Europe following her recent trip to Paris for the interiors trade fair, Maison et Objet.

Genty Marshall is director of New Black Global Trends, a consultancy specialising in insightful, world class interpretation of the trends influencing current design thinking. Genty will be sharing her expertise via a special feature area at Decoration + Design from 2-4 February 2011 at Sydney Exhibition Centre.

In a city renowned for its romance, it seems apt to focus on how the more intimate moments of our lives are influencing the interiors market. Seen not only in Maison's chosen trend theme ‘Intime', but also throughout the show, designers are reacting to our growing need to savour the more private elements of what is becoming a very public lifestyle.

For some, the open fire is the symbol of intimacy - both indoors and out. The large Belgian editors, Flamant, captured this heart of the provincial home in their always impressive product showcase.

In a more contemporary translation, the enchanting Fire Kit lamp by 5.5 Designers, casts a sensual glow over the most modern setting.

These glasses by Generique (below) are intimate by design, enhancing the connection between two people as they

Intimacy is not only about romance. It is a place of secrets and desires, of contrast between the hidden and the exposed. It is an atmosphere created by shadow and light. The dreamlike illuminated illustrations in the wall art by iBride draw upon the mystery and sensuality of nature and seclusion.

In the trend installation by François Bernard, the Vertigo suspension light by Constance Guisset curves fluidly and envelops all below by the shadow lines cast.

The Phrena Collection from Artecnica has the sensual beauty of natural form. When coupled with tinted illumination as depicted, you get a more personal relationship between the product and its setting.

Maison et Objet is one of the world's most prestigious trade fairs with visitors coming from across the globe to access the finest and most unique design pieces from over 3,000 exhibitors of residential and commercial interior products.

All images copyright New Black Global Trends

www.newblack.com.au

Furniture fact - Shaker style

Ever wondered where the design inspiration for that memorable style of furniture came from? Furniture Fair Online has the answer. This issue looks at a category with roots dating back to early American history.

Although its origins date back to the 18th century, the simplicity and craftsmanship of Shaker furniture have earned it an enduring reputation. Regarded as a furnishing style that is as relevant today as it was when it was first used, Shaker furniture was created in the US by the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing (the Shakers), a religious sect founded by Jane and James Wardley who travelled to America from Manchester, England in 1774. Shakers made furniture for their own use, as well as for sale to the general public, and Shaker designs were inspired by the ascetic religious beliefs of the sect, resulting in furniture that is highly regarded for its simplicity, innovative joinery and quality. Many examples of Shaker furniture survive today, while numerous companies across the US and the globe also specialise in Shaker reproductions.

Furniture fact - The Barcelona Chair

Ever wondered where the design inspiration for that memorable piece of furniture came from? Furniture Fair Online has the answer. This issue looks at one of the world's best loved chairs.

Designed for the German Pavilion at the International Exposition of 1929 in Barcelona, Spain, the Barcelona chair was the result of the collaboration between the Bauhaus architect Ludwig Mies van de Rohe and his partner, architect and designer Lilly Reich, whose contributions have only recently been recognised.

Now considered an icon of modernism, the chair, whose original design was inspired by the campaign chairs of ancient times, has been reproduced, along with accompanying ottomans, too many times to count over the decades. Genuine hand-laboured versions are still produced however, with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's signature stamped into each chair.

IR tip - A guide to employee induction

No matter how big or small your business is, bringing a new employee on board involves much more than providing them with a chair and a desk, as Emma Watt of the Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA) explains.

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

When a new employee starts it is important to induct them properly because:

1. There's paperwork that needs to be completed at the start of the employment relationship;
This should cover a letter of appointment setting out terms and conditions of employment (including specifying which award applies), tax and superannuation forms and the Fair Work Information Statement that all employers must give to employees who started after 1 January 2010.

2. You need to ensure that you have evidence that the employee was told about your policies and procedures; and:-
Ensure you cover your policies such as OHS and equal opportunity, location of facilities such as first aid and the accident/incident reporting book and other matters such as notification and certification requirements when an employee will be absent from work. If you make a list of all the things an employee might need to know, and then ask him or her to sign it once you have covered all the information.

3. The employee needs to know what is expected of him or her.
This includes information about tasks that need to be performed, security routines, and customer service procedures. Essentially you need to be able to spell out for the employee what they need to do for you to think that they are doing a good job.
If you can clearly demonstrate that you have told an employee what is required of them then you have the basis of a performance management process should that become necessary during the employment relationship.
If you have any queries about induction processes, please contact Emma Watt on (03) 8822 3712 or 0411 708 073, or by email on emma@emmawatt.com.au.

If you have any queries about this or any other IR related issue please contact Emma Watt on (03) 8822 3712 or 0411 708 073, or email her on emma@emmawatt.com.au.

IR tip - The ins and outs of unfair dismissal

As unpleasant as having to 'let staff go' clearly is, worse still for all concerned is the potential for such a move to be regarded as unfair dismissal. Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA)'s Emma Watt provides some pointers.

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

Many people ask when an employee can access the unfair dismissal jurisdiction. The current situation is that an employee may not make an application alleging unfair dismissal if they:

• Worked for an employer with fewer than 15 full time equivalent employees for less than 12 months; or
• Worked for an employer with 15 full time equivalent employees or more for less than 6 months.
The qualifying period is counted in calendar months, and is not affected by whether or not the employee was still on probation under a contract of employment.

An application alleging unfair dismissal often occurs where the employee believes that the employer has terminated the employee where:
• There was not a valid reason for the termination;
• The employee was not notified of the reason;
• The employee was not given an opportunity to respond to allegations about capacity or conduct;
• The employer unreasonably refused to allow the employee to have a support person present to assist at discussions relating to the dismissal; and
• The employee hadn't been warned that their employment was at risk because of unsatisfactory performance.

If an employer is contemplating dismissing an employee it is important that they seek advice about the particular situation to protect themselves should the employee decide to challenge the dismissal.

If you have any queries about this or any other IR related issue please contact Emma Watt on (03) 8822 3712 or 0411 708 073, or email her on emma@emmawatt.com.au.

Incontext winner's change of heart

Trudy Allsopp, founder of Colour Confidence Interiors and winner of this year's Furnitex Incontext contest, alighted on her winning creation after a last minute artistic crisis. She confesses all to Furniture Fair Online.

"People tend to describe me as a ‘Toorak hippy'" says Allsopp. "So what I'd created initially for Incontext was a kind of symphony of terracottas, greens and earth tones. However, weeks out from the competition I looked at it and thought: ‘No, it's just not working.'"

"I realised that one of the key things I hadn't addressed in the brief was innovation, as well as the need to address current trends."

After a rapid reappraisal, Allsopp came up with a re-visioned chair featuring a black fabric interior, contrasting black and white exterior and charcoal grey seat cushion, set off with a bright scarlet accessory cushion.

She set her creation against a contemporary backdrop featuring metallic touches including a contemporary metallic lamp shade, multicultural influences embodied in Chinese and Moroccan stools, and a touch of on-trend chic in the form of a black and white calf skin rug. The back wall of her installation was covered with Porter's Dragonfly wallpaper, set off by three dimensional dragonflies, hanging mobile-style from a replica Issey Miyake ceiling lamp.

"A cosy corner to sit, read and fantasise, and drift away with the dragonflies," is Allsopp's poetic summation of her handiwork.

One of the things that attracted her to the brief - which saw six identical chairs interpreted by six interior decorating experts - was its simplicity, Allsopp said.

"It was great to have something that was manageable and wouldn't cost a fortune to put together."
"I was absolutely delighted to win the Incontext award. One of my points of difference is that I'm good at working out clients' personalities and working within that realm. However Incontext was an open brief without a client, so the fact that the public voted for it really showed that I'd tapped into something."

Other designers who took part in Incontext included: Amanda Richmond of Amanda Richmond Interior Design; Diane Bergeron of Diane Bergeron Interiors; Dominique Hunter of Hunter and Richards; Jacquie Pask of Moss Melbourne; Sally Anderson of Niche Interiors.

Speaker Profiles - International Industry Seminars

A wide range of topics, from recycling and sustainability to the importance of critical design decisions or new directions in lighting, are just some of the themes to be covered at the upcoming International Industry Seminar Series at Furnitex.

As Els Zijlstra of innovative Dutch company Materia (Materia brochure images pictured) will reveal, the concept of sustainable fabrics has come a long way in recent years, with environmentally friendly options offering increasing levels of quality, design aesthetics and style. Concrete made with elephant grass, super-insulating glass, nanogel, bio-resins, plastics from recycled chewing gum, flexible films with solar cells, houses from paper and concrete made with bacteria are just some examples of this new trend, she says, with further insights to be revealed at her upcoming presentation.

Good design decisions will be the subject of the day at the first ever panel discussion to feature as part of the International Industry Seminar Series. Hosted by Wendy Moore of Home Beautiful, a panel of leading Australian designers will share their insights around the theme ‘Five Best Design Decisions'.

Meanwhile, Nic Burnham, one half of the duo from NDYLIGHT (the other is Steve Brown) will be presenting ‘Lighting The Way Forward', with a view to showing how illumination is not what it used to be.

"LEDs are now becoming an actual lighting tool that can be used for more than decoration," Burnham explains, adding that environmental considerations are fundamental to any lighting installation to the extent that they are now mandated in the Building Code.

"Lighting is becoming more and more fundamental to the design and delivery of projects. In some cases the conversation with the lighting designer comes first and then the design follows as in many cases people don't know what they can do and how much it might cost them. Lighting design is a fundamental element in every project, and with new BCA requirements coming in, lighting design is going to become even more difficult to do well unless you know what you're doing."

Els Zijlstra's ‘Sustainable Materials to Inspire' presentation will take place on Friday 16 July from 9.30 - 10.30am. Wendy Moore's ‘Five Best Design Decisions' panel discussion will take place from 11.30am - 12.30pm and Nic Burnham and Steve Brown, from NDYLIGHT will present ‘Lighting The Way Forward' from 2.30pm - 3.30pm.

Speaker Profile - The harmonics of design

It's hard to imagine a more likely candidate to launch the Furnitex International Industry Series with a seminar titled ‘Design Thinking: The Good Word on Good Design Now' than Belgium based designer Axel Enthoven, whose ‘Opera' van has achieved instant iconic status since launching late last year.

One look at the Opera mobile home and its moniker is self explanatory; a nod to the iconic shell structure of Sydney Opera House - and the blend of wit and aesthetic sensibility conveyed immediately telegraphs that this is no ordinary mobile home.

Further inspection reveals a design masterpiece that literally leaves other models standing on their very prosaic stabiliser jacks. Once opened and levelled through electric power, a manoeuvre that takes inside of five minutes, the Opera morphs into a stunning residence measuring seven metres in length, more than three metres in width and 3.5 metres in height.

It also houses two luxurious, electrically adjustable beds that become one with a single simple movement, hot and cold water, a ceramic toilet, LED lighting and a mobile hob and barbecue. To cap off the aura of design excellence, the Opera features top grade materials such as hardwood, stainless steel and leather.

Axel, who has won numerous international awards for his design project, is the founder and chairman of Enthoven Associates Design Consultants, in Antwerp (Belgium), a study bureau specialising in product development and innovation. At his Furnitex seminar he plans to analyse the current design landscape in the context of current and future design challenges, with an emphasis on design thinking rather than design style.

Axel will present Design Thinking: The Good Word on Good Design Now on Thursday 15 July 9.30am - 10.30am during Furnitex. He will also host a breakfast seminar on Friday 16 July.

Speaker Profile - Colour in close-up

While most of us take colour for granted, a select few are highly attuned to its crucial influence on design and consumer trends. Ahead of her presentation at the Furnitex International Industry Seminar Series, Justine Fox of London colour consultancy Global Color Research (UK) reveals the many shades of her chosen calling.

What will be your key topic at the International Industry Seminar Series?
Global Color Research will focus on the colour trends from Mix Trends Spring Summer 2011, giving insights of what will drive the consumer colour choice next year. There are loads of beautiful visuals to inspire the audience as well as what to look out for in surfaces, forms and mood, along with the most important colours you need to make sound business decisions. Basically we're aiming to demystify the whole trend process.

Where do you get your insights?
As colour and trend specialists at Global Color Research, as well as publishers of Mix magazine, we're constantly looking at all sorts of design, art and technology on a daily basis. A key trend that is really interesting at the moment is the new optimistic approach in colour, which is fresher and lighter with darker undertones.

What are the hottest colour trends at the moment?
Each season we identify a number of main trends in colours that we publish in Mix Trends. For Spring Summer 2011 the main focus is the consumer reclaiming product and design for themselves, away from the big corporations. This is key to the colour choices they'll make. The result in design terms is a surge of new creativity, looking forward rather than back while incorporating multifunctionality and ingenious eco-credentials.

In your view, what's the future direction for colour?
Mix Publications and Mix Projects from Global Color Research work in such diverse areas from architecture paint to electronics to cosmetics, furniture and even paper napkins for example that we'd need a lot more space to pay the question its full credit. If we're talking about the importance of understanding and using colour well, then this is definitely a growth area as we learn more and more about the human response to this powerful tool.

How do specialists in your field identify and respond to market demand?
Within Mix Projects, we work on a one to one basis with clients, helping them to design the perfect colour range for their product and their client base, to increase sales or productivity. The biggest challenge for people using colour is to take their own preference out of the equation and focus on the local as well as the global nuances.

Who or what inspires you?
Pretty much everybody I come into contact within this colourful business, from colleagues to clients to seminar delegates. Local taxi drivers are also always a great fount of knowledge!

Justine Fox's seminar ‘Colour Trends Spring/Summer 2011' will take place on Thursday 15 July, 11.30am - 12.30pm, at Melbourne Exhibition Centre, as part of the Furnitex and Decoration + Design trade fairs.

Speaker profile - A fresh look at modernity

In Linda O'Keeffe's view, the notion of modernity is long overdue for a revamp. Here, the former editor of Metropolitan Home New York provides a sneak preview of the insights she'll share at the upcoming Furnitex International Industry Seminar Series.

Broadly speaking, what will be the focus of your presentation at the International Industry Seminar Series?
I'll be redefining modern interior design which, for so long, in the US at any rate, has revolved around mid 20th century furnishings. I plan to suggest that houses outfitted exclusively with the classic and iconic Eames and Corbusier pieces (which we all love dearly) are really stuck in a time warp.

What are the most significant trends affecting your area of design at the moment?
We are all way more learned about design than ever before and the level of confidence and appreciation for mixing periods and provenances of furnishings is extremely high. I would perversely describe the current interior design phase we're experiencing as "tightly edited ‘anything goes'"! At its core is a renewed sense of individuality and self expression.

What currently feeds your design interest?
I'm currently very interested in the marriage between craft and technology. I don't think there's much space for glitz and bling in most of our lives these days. (Maybe because the price of gold is at an all time high - and I'm only being half facetious here!). I think it's more about a respect for back-to-basics.

I would like to say that sustainability is a huge trend in the worlds of architecture and interior design but I fear that the Green movement is more a creation of the media than the public. I think there's a steady interest in ecology but not as much as we all anticipated a decade ago. Maybe that makes me a cynical environmentalist?

Traditional values are definitely making a comeback whether in the guise of the 'back to the farm' and slow cooking movements or in the revival of crafts and celebration of design that shows the human hand.

Where do you see design heading in the next five to ten years?
I see design becoming more individualistic, as I say above; less about manufactured trends and more about quality of life. I also think that it feels appropriate to embrace seeming contradictions such as craft and technology for example, or as one trend forecaster put it, "we all want to be unplugged and wired at the same time".

What are the biggest design and commercial challenges currently faced by designers in your view?
The design community in the US was very badly affected by the faltering economy and is currently experiencing a period of re-evaluation, but is very intent on finding the upside in the downturn of events. There's more of a community spirit than ever and graphic displays of humility abound... always a good thing in my book!

Who or what inspires you?
I'm inspired by innovation; by thinking outside the box; by the marriage between form and function; by passion; by reinvention, in every sense of the word (from recycling to rethinking the status quo). One of my favourite expressions these days (apart from "name your price") is "I have enough".

Linda O'Keeffe's seminar ‘Redefining Modern' will take place on Thursday 15 July, 2.30pm - 3.30pm, at Melbourne Exhibition Centre, as part of the Furnitex and Decoration + Design trade fairs.

Retail Tip - Merchandise your way to fame!

In a highly competitive market with consumers watching their wallets, it pays to make your instore experience as enticing and engaging as possible. As Mark Davis reports, creative visual merchandising is the key to this. What's more, it needn't cost a lot of money, and if you're plugged in to online networking, it has the potential to turbo-charge your business.

An expert and trainer in all things retail, business coach Mark Davis divides his time between Australia and Europe, traversing the globe to share his retail, sales, business and Internet marketing insights.

Great displays are an art form. For many years they've been the domain of window dressers, merchandisers, company reps and strategic designers. But given the current move to cost cutting, retailers now have to improvise, using their imagination and the tools immediately available. For many this is less about having enough merchandise, or risers, or stands and racks... and more about creativity. In all likelihood it's also about leveraging the power of that little thing called social media.

A display that grabs customers' attention, be they old or new, and tempts them to take more interest in the rest of the store, is a powerful motivator to get them to stick around, hopefully for long enough to buy! Just as a good website encourages users to click and browse, the key merchandise displays in your store are there to grab attention and engage with customers.

In some cases, people will often make the journey to a destination just to see stand-out visual merchandising. Be it a mountain of teddy bears and tigers in the Disney Stores or an eye-catching seasonal display, a destination or feature merchandising ‘moment' can be the thing that makes your store a must-see in your town, city or suburb. Department stores' Christmas window displays are a good example of this, but there's no reason to limit creativity to Yuletide.

And take note; social media has given good visual merchandising an exponential power boost. People love to take photos and put themselves up on Facebook, whether it's next to a living Statue of Darth Vader on Hollywood Blvd, or beside the logo of the store they just shopped in. They hold up bags, they pose, and they promote your store for you. If someone poses with your stock items, in your store, with your staff, next to your renowned merchandising display, then posts the photo to Facebook, you get 100 to 1000 free advertising shots.

And it doesn't end there. Offer to be the photographer for them, take three or four snaps, from which they can create a mini-shopping album, and you get even more photos online. Ask them to add your business to Facebook, and you can tag your store as well!
Remember, people are going to take photos of things they like. Now you can let them promote you for free!

So, to re-cap:-

• Create a merchandise display people want to be photographed beside and tell their friends about.
• Encourage photos.
• Tag people in photos including your Facebook profile.
• Get creative. Have competitions, prizes and offers for all your Facebook friends.

Never forget that the fusion of visual merchandising and social media creates an unbeatable way of driving more business into your store. Good luck with designing that display!

www.coachmarkdavis.com

Images top to bottom: Ikea, Entanglements (Melbourne), Matter (New York).

IR tip - Wage increase from 1 July 2010

Perplexed by pay roll? Worried by wages? Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA)'s Emma Watt provides a quick snapshot of what to expect from 1 July 2010 onwards.

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

Fair Work Australia has handed down its first minimum wage decision, which will be operative from the first full pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2010.

All adult pay rates in modern awards will increase by $26.00 per week, or 69 cents per hour, and the minimum rate of pay for an adult will be $15.00 per hour. Junior, apprentice and supported wage rates will also increase by a proportionate amount, as those rates are normally set as a percentage of an adult wage rate.

Employees who are already being paid more than the new minimum rate are not entitled to the increase unless the employer has agreed to pass it on.

Many allowances in modern awards are set as a percentage of the standard rate in the award, and the standard rate is defined as a particular level (hourly or weekly) at the start of the award in the Definitions clause. This means that those allowances will increase automatically from the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2010.

A further complication for employers is that many employees are now in the transitional system, i.e. the wage rate or classification they were on prior to 1 January 2010 is different to the wage rate or classification under the relevant modern award. Over the next four years the gap between pre-and modern and modern award wages, industry allowances, loadings or penalties will close by 20% per annum.

The increase of $26,00 per week is comparatively quite high - the ACTU asked for $27.00 per week and employers generally lobbied for between $10.00 and $15.00 per week.

If you have any queries about wage rates or transitional arrangements please contact Emma Watt on (03) 8822 3712 or 0411 708 073, or email her on emma@emmawatt.com.au.

IR tip 6 - Dealing with chronic absenteeism

The occasional 'sickie' here and there is one thing, but when an employee persistently fails to turn up for work, your bottom line is thrown into jeopardy and action may be required. Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA)'s Emma Watt outlines some key points in coping with chronic absenteeism.

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

Imagine you have an employee who misses a lot of work - a day here, a few days there, weeks at a time - making it very difficult for you to plan your staffing needs. What do you need to consider before you take action?

First you must make sure that you have a clear policy on notification and substantiation of personal/carer's leave. This policy should set out when and how an employee must notify you that they will not be at work and must be clearly communicated to each employee. The National Employment Standards states that an employee has to notify their employer that they will be absent, and you may request evidence that would satisfy a reasonable person that the leave is taken for a reason that justifies payment of personal/carer's leave. This is not limited to a medical certificate.

Another key factor is that it is unlawful to terminate an employee's employment because they are temporarily absent due to illness or injury. If an employee complies with your notification and substantiation requirements, and is absent for less than 3 months in any twelve month period, then the absence is temporary. You must also take care not to ‘alter the employee's position to the employee's prejudice' for an unlawful reason.

Dismissing an employee because they are often absent, or are absent for a long period of time, is possible, but absolutely must be done correctly, with all steps taken in accordance with the law, and all interactions between the employer and the employee documented. Employers should ensure that they have all their ‘ducks in a row' before even considering taking this action.

Allegations of unlawful termination are particularly difficult to combat because the burden of proof is reversed - the employee doesn't have to prove that they were dismissed unlawfully, rather, the employer has to prove that they weren't dismissed for an unlawful reason.

Please note that this article only briefly touches on a complex topic, and further advice should be sought before any action is taken. If you have any queries about management of chronic absenteeism, please call me on
(03) 8822 3712 or 0411 708 073, or email me at emma@emmawatt.com.au.

Retail Tip 6 - Don't succumb to fear... or discounts

With commentators predicting a grim half year ahead for retailers, it's all too easy to throw in the towel and join the discounting frenzy. Here, Mark Davis explains why retailers should avoid such strategies at all costs... and what they could try instead.

Right now retail is in a danger zone; interest rates are going up, the mortgage is getting tighter, sales are dipping... and everyone seems set to enter panic zone. So if you're sitting at your computer attempting to fend off the jitters, I hope that this issue's double-edged tip helps.

You don't achieve anything by being the same as everybody else. And you really don't achieve anything by panic discounting.

The other day I found myself walking through Melbourne's Crown Casino. Brand new, six-figure fit-outs of designer labels lined the walkway; we're talking sleek chrome, gold, black and silver windows, cool lighting, music and opening hours with guaranteed traffic that the rest of us can only dream of. And what was emblazoned right in the middle of most windows? "10-70% off"!

Let's think about this for a second or two: Was this a discount factory outlet? No.
Was this an ageing strip mall having a closing down sale? No. Was this a brand nobody knew about that was launching with a teaser item to coax customers into the store? No.

This was desperate shock advertising that completely disregarded the surrounding target market. Most people visiting the casino sincerely believe they're in for a win, and will then be able to buy expensive clothes at full price tag that they can show off to their friends. Even those not in the mood for gambling are most likely lapping up the high-tone, luxurious atmosphere.

So when you put a discount as your lead marketing strategy, it's a downer. And in the end, it's all people see. What they don't see is your store.

Arguably it's different if you're in a discount shopping centre, but even there such strategies are questionable... When you watch shoppers in outlet stores, no discount is ever enough... most of them are just window shopping. It's a high traffic, low conversion method.

In tough economic times, what retailers need is to break free from the herd. And here's why: a hundred sales at $100 is $10,000; a hundred sales at 50% is $5000. That may cover your cost and overheads, but not your staff, and you can say goodbye to profit. Discounting 50% should only be ever used for those last 10 pieces on a rack by the door; never for a big promotion, never for attracting people into store, and never in your mind as a salesperson. If your staff focus on discounts, you'll be in serious trouble within three months.

Here's how we get those 100 sales and turn them into $20,000.

1. Teach your staff to cross-sell to other items. Not just suggesting, but walking customers and their initial purchases to the racks, matching the pieces, giving them four or five things to try on and encouraging them to get into the clothes.

2. Teach your staff the rule of three. The rule of three says that if you have three items, people will choose the middle one nine times out of ten. In terms of price, this means - budget option, good, and luxury. It helps to find out the shopping budget first, usually from assessing the customer in terms of their existing clothing, accessories, and attitude.

3. Talk to customers! Some women shop on days they feel great, and will spend a lot, others shop to get out of the house. If you take the time to build a relationship, they'll return, bring their friends, and buy more every time.

4. Remember to tell your staff that it's not their decision when to stop selling. It's the customers' decision when to stop buying. I've had sales of $30 turn into $200 using this method. I've seen stores where a woman just wanted a piece of jewellery, and ended up buying the dress, shoes and bag to match.

Now, more than ever, the professional sales person earns their money. At Christmas they are just order takers; tough times are when they show why they were hired in the first place. Talking of which, the $5000 you were going to lose on discounting, you can now invest in training your staff to double their existing sales targets. Pay them commissions and bonuses, and you'll still be way ahead.

And please, as a favour to me, rip up those discount signs.

www.coachmarkdavis.com

Two minutes with Citta Design

Furniture Fair Online caught up with Citta Design's Australian operations manager Maruska Green to get the low down on the company's showing at Decoration + Design this July.

Tell us about Citta Design
Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Citta Design is a design house specialising in exotic yet contemporary homewares and furniture. The brand has a strong design focus, enhanced by inspiration from all over the world. Our winter 2010 catalogue ‘An Indian Soirée' takes the colourful hues and textures of the sub-continent as its starting point.

Is this Citta's first time showing at D+D?
Yes, this is the first opportunity to be showing at Decoration & Design.

What kind of products will Citta be showcasing?
A mix of rustic dining and casual living furniture; rattan woven furniture pieces accessorised by our seasonal designer linen, throws and cushions.

What kind of presence does the brand currently have in Australia?
We currently have around 735 independent retailers, predominantly homewares focused; however in the last year the company has introduced furniture pieces into Australia.

How do you promote yourselves as a brand?
Primarily through our website and quarterly trade fairs. The first Citta showroom was also established in September 2009 and going forward we're planning to have more personal representation of the brand in the Australian market.

What sets Citta Design apart?
Citta is about globally inspired, in-house designed product. We also keep the brand offer fresh by producing seasonal ranges for winter and summer.

Citta Design will showcase its wares at Decoration + Design at Melbourne Exhibition Centre from 15-18 July.

www.cittadesign.com

IR tip 5 - Community service leave

Occasionally employees may face community duties that will take them away from their work for a spell. But how do their bosses differentiate between valid and not-so-valid claims? Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA)'s Emma Watt provides some pointers.

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

Under the National Employment Standards, Community Service Leave is defined as a mix of both paid and unpaid leave that any employee in Australia is entitled to take.

An employee is entitled to be absent from work if the employee is engaged in an eligible community service activity. This means jury service (which is partially paid) or voluntary emergency management activity (e.g. volunteer fire service, SES). A full time or part time employee on jury service leave must be paid their base rate of pay for the first ten days of the activity, although the employer can withhold an amount equivalent to any money the Court paid the employee for attending.

Employees on leave to attend to voluntary emergency management activities do not have to be paid unless there is an agreement in the workplace providing for paid leave of this type.

Employers may not prevent an employee from engaging in jury service, but in the case of leave to attend to voluntary emergency management activities, the absence must be ‘reasonable in all the circumstances'. In practical terms, this means that the employer has some control over how many employees are on this type of leave at any one time, how often an employee takes this type of leave, and the period of the leave.

The employee must provide notice of their intention to take leave as soon as possible, although this notice can be given after the leave has started. If the employer requires it, the employee must also provide evidence that would ‘satisfy a reasonable person' that the employee is genuinely engaged in an activity that justifies this type of leave.

Retail Tip 5 - Delegate!

One of the simplest yet most overlooked business secrets is that you can't do everything yourself. Here Mark Davis spills the beans on the art of sharing the load.

Being in business can be tough. Operating your own retail venture involves a multitude of skills: hiring staff, dealing with government compliance, keeping everybody safe and making sure you don't break one of the thousands of rules for your store, your franchise, your industry, your council, your state and your country.

So it's really important to consider this: the business doesn't run without you, so you need to replace yourself.

If you ever want to experience freedom in your business, you don't just need to delegate; you need to actively focus on replacing your activities with a skilled professional who can do the same things.

The funny thing is, when you do, you'll find that your replacement for say.... book keeping... does it faster and better than you - after all, it's their speciality.

As a business owner, you're probably a generalist - able to do everything. However if you can do everything OK, it makes sense to hire people who can do some things excellently.

Then you can take a holiday knowing that all the aspects of your business are taken care of. Some things require your physical presence, others don't. Book keeping can be done through elance.com or ymii.com with an outsourcer in India... Writing contracts, agreements, even your payroll can also be outsourced.

Other things, such as sales or merchandising, will require physical staff. For areas such as marketing, it might pay to outsource to an agency or a young graduate, whose fresh ideas will give your business a new lease on life.

Think about it!

IR tip 4 - Flexible working arrangements

National Employment Standards now allow employees who are parents enhanced flexibility. So what do their employers need to know? Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (FIAA)'s Emma Watt shares the low down.

Emma Watt is the Industrial Relations & Human Resources Manager for the FIAA (Vic/Tas). She is also an independent industrial relations consultant.

This is one of the National Employment Standards that now apply to any employee in Australia.
Any employee who is a parent, and who has at least 12 months service (including an eligible casual employee) may request a change in working arrangements to assist the employee to care for a child. The child must be under school age, or if the child is disabled, under 18 years old.

An ‘eligible casual employee' is one who is a long term casual employee and has a reasonable expectation of continuing employment on a regular and systematic basis.

The request must be in writing and set out the details of the changes sought, and the reasons for the change. The employer must respond in writing within 21 days of being given the request. The employer must grant the request unless there are reasonable business grounds for refusing the request. If the request is refused, the employer must give reasons for the refusal.

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IR tip 5 - Community service leave

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