Bespunk, a clever initiative from Alexander Lotersztain and his cross-disciplinary design brand DERLOT, will join The NEST next month at designEX!
Found objects and recycled furniture are reborn by the application of a specially developed finish that breathes new life into existing items, the result creating unique, bespoke and limited edition items. The finish can be applied to almost any surface, ranging garden and dining settings to a single lamp, now turning ‘trash to flash’ creates a new alternative to recycling.
The process is simple. Send your items to Dr Spunk to be bespunked – but note new items will not be treated. Wood, metal, vinyl, plastic and leather are some of the many surfaces the uniquely formulated all black finish can be applied to. The end result is a black (yes only black), finish that has a shimmering opalescent hue.
Bespunk launches in Sydney at designEX at the independent Australian design installation The NEST.
As designEX – Australia’s largest showcase of interior products, finishes and accessories – heads into it’s 24th year, the exhibition has unveiled not only a new look but an entirely new vision that will ensure the event continues as the key platform for design professionals to connect, inspire and explore the latest in their field.
Along with new ownership, the newly appointed management team share an innate passion for design, evident in the unveiling of the new look branding by LEUVER DESIGN, along with independently curated elements such as the NEST – a showcase of independent Australian designers / design makers / bespoke craftspeople.
“With several existing platforms that promote emerging design talent and product at prototype stage, we identified the opportunity for independent designers with market-ready product to present their work within a commercial context,” Sargeant explains.
Charles Wilson at work
An invited group of 20 independent Australian designers and design collectives will showcase new products, with exposure to 15,000 design industry professionals next month in Sydney.
The NEST 2012 will feature new work from Blakebrough+King, Charles Wilson, Alexander Lotersztain, DesignByThem, and Adam Cornish, among others, with all exhibitors aiming to connect with specifying architects and interior designers, and in some cases hoping to expand their sales distribution network.
NEST designer, Adam Cornish
Design duo Ben Blakebrough and Sarah King are Blakebrough+King. Working from their studio in the Southern Highlands, outside Sydney, the pair is currently consolidating 6 years of design practice into a strong collection destined for the Australian retail market.
Ben Blakebrough and Sarah King
“After launching prototype works several years consecutively at the Salone del Mobile in Milan, we are focusing on expanding our local presence as wholesalers through designEX,” says King. “We also hope to engage new collaborations with architects and interior designers.”
Almost two years after unveiling Hotel Missoni Edinburgh, the long-awaited Hotel Missoni Kuwaitopened the doors on February 29th, a second collaboration with Rezidor Hotel Group.
Boasting breathtaking views across the Gulf, the iconic Italian fabric house stretches playful geometry and bolts of contrasting color throughout the interior, with the Hotel featuring key pieces from the MISSONI HOME COLLECTION, expertly melded with individual pieces personally selected by Rosita Missoni– iconic designs including the Hans Wagner-designed Wishbone Chair and Superarchimoon lamps by Philippe Starck.
Bold, passionate and fashionable, the interior fit-out is relaxed, and to quote Rosita Missoni “every piece of furniture is something I would choose for my home,” the resulting scheme awash with a beach-inspired palette and the brand’s trademark exuberant patterns, with rooms orientated to capitalise on the Salmiya seafront location, and the endless views of the Arabian coast.
Other MISSONI hotel sites are currently under construction include Oman, Brazil and the recently announced Antalya in Turkey, set to open in 2013 – where a 18-hole golf course to be designed by Swedish golf pro Annika Sorensta, the jewel in the Missoni Hotel Country Club club, to come complete with it’s own olive grove!
In the lead-up to the arrival of Hotel Missoni Kuwait, one of the regions most highly anticipated hotel developments in the Middle East, Missoni commissioned a series of five short films on YouTube, with the debut video appearing on Nowness.com. The film follows the many adventures of Missoni’s founders as they travel through famous sites across Europe and the Middle East, crossing land and sea aboard their Missoni hot air balloon.
The 18-storey hotel features 169 rooms and 63 suites, decked out with the latest Bang & Olufson, with guests able to convert their ‘magic mirror’ into a television at the flick of a switch!
Stay tuned for exciting Missoni product launches at designEX, along with a special installation. MISSONI HOME is available in Australia exclusively from Spence & Lyda
After 24 yearsdesignEX remains Australia’s most significant trade event for interior design and architectural professionals – and now with a new team at the helm, designEX is about to enter a new era!
Over the coming weeks we will introduce you to the people behind the brands, exhibitors and designers; the big-name internationals set to headline the seminar series, along with the inside word on a range of HOT pop-up events scheduled on-site at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, May 14-16th2012.
I have been invited by Diversified Exhibitions, the management team who bring designEX to life, to undertake several projects that include – the BLOG, the NEST and the HIVES.
Join us here on the blog as we step behind-the-scenes to engage with the people behind the brands, and other originators who will inspire us to new directions in design.
In the coming weeks we will introduce you to the creative talent behind this year’s dynamic event program – so please sign up for our updates – we’d love to stay connected!!
