creative nation

it's a busy weekend for the right-brains of the east coast… this saturday the city of brisbane will not only host one of the nations only full blue skies, it will also showcase the states best-known creatives at the Renegade Market.  Head to fortitude valley between the hours of 10 and 3 to pocket a piece of creative goodness.

further south, VIVID Sydney is in full swing.  you have until june 9 to admire the enormous (and free!) Good Design Showcase in martin place… a carefully curated selection of the the best in cutting-edge design and innovation from around the globe.

for those of us on the isle, the Design Centre Tas launches its Winter In Design program with it's usual belly and soul warming finesse.  Tapas, tunes and a tipple are on offer… as are a few 50x50 boxes in which you may submerse your noggin for full exploration of the senses.  hmm.. curious?  drinks will be poured from 6pm this friday.

So… what's happening in the west??

tasmania by hand

whilst tassie revels in it's rep for covetable goods forged by the hands of it's inhabitants, few people are aware of the enormous expense involved in transporting these precious wares across the bass and into loving homes on the mainland... and beyond.

next month, our little island incubator will deliver five gifted artists and makers, under the creative collective known as Tasmania By Hand, to melbournes exclusive Design:Made:Trade show. throw a little support (and some dosh) their way via their Pozible crowd funding site here.

finnish light carving

sculpting shadows in milano last month was multifaceted, nordic designer Mari Isopahkala and her de stijl inspired batons of waxed birch wood.  in possession of a skill set spanning product, furniture, textile, jewellery, light, exhibition and interior design, it would appear versatility is key for this prolific creator.  it's a sentiment reflected in her Sculpted Light collection which features primary hued, rotating rods with the cunning 'ability to direct light where most needed'.  needless to say, Mari's website houses a generous trove of inspiration - cast your eyes thisaway…

portrait sitting

merely one of the many brilliant creations to emerge from last months Salone Internazionale del Mobile (aka Milan Furniture Fair) was this ingenious range of baroque chairs by japanese design studio, YOY.  sure to tick boxes for both apartment dwellers and those with a penchant for Heston-esque dinner parties, YOY's 'Canvas' collection is actually just some cleverly inked elastic bound to a wood and aluminium frame.  now, whilst the comfort factor is questionable, you are most definitely assured of a good conversations starter.

ten days of cuir bouilli

with all the fuss made over tassies gourmet nosh, we thought we'd step into the kitchen and see if we could infuse our pendants with some of that culinary magic. intrigued? on the boil since 2012, our new lumières are set for their big reveal next month, at australias only state-wide international arts fest, Ten Days on the Island...

first, circle march 14 - 20.  DOTs interactive Objects in Place, at hobarts waterside pavilion, explores the design of public spaces and features new works from a shortlist of fifteen very fine jewellers, ceramicists, furniture makers, lighting designers (ahem!) and more.

next, head north to launcestons Design Centre Tasmania, for a behind-the-scenes peek at how technology shapes the process and informs the final product of some of tassies top designers.  Think.Make.Change.  runs from march 8 to may 26, but if you like your design with a side of food, wine and music (err… anyone who didn't put their hand up?), then make sure you're there on march 15 for their autumn launch party.

of course, our bitty selection's not all that's on offer (we're just a little biased) - so grab your festival planner here and go exploring!

live in melbourne!

Grand Designs Live is now underway in melbourne... the SEEDs are out, as are the celebs - Kevin McCloud, Peter Maddison, Shaynna Blaze (to name a few) - and more build experts than you can shake a spanner at.   whether you're sprucing up the guest bedroom, blueprinting your dream home or still grappling with the nice bank man, there's not a doubt you'll find someone here to help or inspire you. plus there's a wine bar.  all the action is happening from 10-6 'til sunday at the melbourne convention and exhibition centre.
photo: Grand Designs Live

discovered!

not one to do things by halves, we rustled up a little 'je ne sais quoi' in paris, and received the prestigious Maison et Objet 'Les Découvertes' award for our efforts!  hand picked by esteemed french interior designer, Florence Deau...  "as member of the jury for Le Prix Découvertes, I once more had the pleasure of been chosen by paris fair Maison & Objet to select the best design project from the interior decoration sector (Côté Déco Actuel).  Les Découvertes (i.e. the discoveries) rewards the most impressive new products created by newcomers to the scene.  I chose to award the distinction to the australian designer Loz Abberton for Grandeliers – an astonishing and beautiful collection of flat-pack pendant lights and lamps made of future-friendly materials."   the fluent can listen to Florence explain her choice on the video, the rest can just enjoy the lovely accent and then take a look at her gorgeous blog for a generous feature on our lumières.   vive le grandeliers!

grand, grander, grandelier

 

mere minutes now stand between us and world dom (or at least 85,000 design fans and a half dozen croissants). whilst we sweat in anticipation (and the glorious parisian sun), we thought we'd pencil in our next south hem event for you... fresh from their foray onto the world stage, the grandeliers will be stopping by melbourne for what's been touted as "the home show to end all home shows", Grand Designs Live, from 21-23 september.  the dashing Kevin McCloud, writer and presenter of british home design series Grand Designs, will be amongst the celebs offering their expert advice (practising my figure eight armlock in anticipation of photo ops).  see you there!

paris by numéros

hours until Maison et Objet opens: 356
visitors expected: 85,000
other exhibitors: 3000
compatriots: 1 (hello mud australia!)
number of french words i can string together coherently: to be debated...

the circuit

this weekend we're donning our spectators badges and heading over the bass to soak up some coffee and inspiration at the bevy of trade shows melbourne has on offer.  first stop: decoration + design for an "unrivalled range of soft furnishings, outdoor decoration, artwork, homewares, objet d’arts, lighting, interior accessories and much more".  also crammed into the melbourne exhibition centre is furnitex - australias largest furniture and furnishings trade fair.  but of course we'll be spending most of our time lingering over the shoulders of our competition at d+d's lightsource - a showcase of cutting edge lighting solutions from around the globe.

last stop on the circuit is design:made:trade at the majestic royal exhibition building in carlton.  tasmania's design island posse is well rep'd with fifteen local makers amongst ninety odd of australias best furniture, fashion, textile, graphic and industrial design brands. 

we'll be peppering the blog with visuals from our design degustation so don't forget to 'like' us on facebook to get the goods (or at least some pretty pictures) from these exclusive trade only events.  oh and for our friends in adelaide - though we will be absent this time (sniff!), support a maker (or three) and get your gloves on covetable home and body wares at Bowerbird Bazaar from tomorrow 'til sunday.  happy shopping!
photo: tobias titz for design:made:trade

maison et objet

after 6 weeks of holding our breaths for a decision can somebody please pass the brown paper bags? the grandeliers are going to paris! beaming into maison et objet this 7-11 september.

bowerbird and beyond...

the months have flown since the ever successful design fest that is bowerbird bazaar and i must catch my breath to finally thank all of you for wielding wallets and smiles in support... yes, all 11,000 of you!  if you missed us and our fellow mega-star makers in adelaide, then here are some hot east coast dates to keep you luminous through winter...

those in hobart on july 8 (or looking for an excuse to be) should pop by and marvel at the handiwork of tassies best artists and designers at the market.   anywhere from july 19 - 22, you'll want to be in melbourne to see us rub bulbs with our peers at lightsource, the illuminated component of the impressive decoration + design trade fair.   rounding up our winter appearances is the big and beautiful life in style on its return to melbourne from 2 - 5 august.   phew!  so who's coming?

style forecast for february

well that was january (disbelief abounds), so pull out the sharpies and circle lucky numbers 23 to 26 on the fresh page of your calendars.  Life In Style Sydney will have hordern pavilion and royal hall of industries all gussied up in just three itty weeks.  excited (always) to present our new grandeliers range of layered shadow shifters in recyclable tyvek.  plus fetching veneer + polypropylene SLIP designs.  be sure to pop by and admire.  for the prior engaged - watch this space - many tantalizing pics to come...

back in style

 

allowing just enough time to recover from the yuletide hysteria, Life In Style is back and we will again be gracing the ceilings of sydneys hordern pavilion from the 23rd to the 26th of feb.  mosey over to their blog for an insight into the veritable feast of first class design on offer next year.  we'll see you there, oui?

shopped & styled

one of the single largest events of Sydney Design...opening nite of Workshopped 11...52 national designers. 52 covetable designs. a supersized Hoop Grandelier illuminates a tiny patch at the hill street design precinct, surry hills.  Tasmania is verily well represented. Go look...

melbourne's 'life in style' trade show at the royal exhibition building in carlton gardens. 4 days of immersion in homewares + lifestyle products...the grandeliers are positioned upstairs. near the bar. what are they saying?!

glow lightly

the new LOOP and LACE grandeliers are having their hero shots photographed after easter. pucci-esque chair, black tutu and the glow of a grandelier. sounds simple, is simple...just took a long time to surface in the snowstorm that is my brain. looking forward to frittering images here and the singular on my website.
photos : photobat

flock pack fold

please beam me to milan next month for salone del mobile. now in it's 50th year, wallpaper* said, "the world's most important design fair". where a flock of nearly 300,000 sparkled in 2010. could i just be happy that the grandeliers are appearing in italian style mag, Eco Design's first issue on sustainable design? published in april. during the fair. ah, yes.

life is style

12 hours later we exited Life In Style, Sydney...last minute faffing started our extended first day but well worthwhile for the grandeliers. great fun to be back in the hometown with just one blip, dropped my phone in the toilet. er, pre-toilet thanks. mac man confidently informed me to stick the drenched instrument in rice. be assured, fried iphone only thing on the menu. ok, the whistle just blew on the second day...onwards and upwards! come visit.

new year, new bulbs

happy new days for 2011. ok, did december 25 just blur into january 19? all that facebook poking had to lead to something ...and that's these cool, literally, bulbs from sinfin (aussie company) which will be poked into the new grandeliers launched next month at life in style, sydney. next month?! pinch me! i see the deadlines, but can't feel them. facebook? must update.

no strings attached

more gold stars to georgina freeman (dick from dick + dora) for organising the apron design market at seaport, launceston last friday and saturday. after a week of porridge the weather turned tropical and the third estate arrived. appreciating the parade of fluttering white marquees that revealed a perfectly balanced range of designer products and produce. thanks george.