Interior Design Insights; Sleepless in Milan

In part one of Lynn Malone's insights into the world of interior design, she heads to Milan to get the exclusive first look at new trends and designs for Luxaflex.

Described as a city where design never sleeps, Milan is host to the Salone del Mobile, the largest global design exhibition held annually each April.  In 1961, Salone del Mobile was founded by a handful of Italian furniture manufacturers to promote exports and to recognise Italy for its design finesse and manufacturing prowess.  Today over 160 countries are represented exhibiting furniture, fabrics, finishes, flooring, window coverings, lighting, kitchens and bathrooms; everything imaginable for home interiors.  Further boosting the regional economy during the six-day official event term, Milan inner city hotels are sold out 12 months prior; restaurants and nightlife hot spots are a buzz; and airline tickets are at a premium.

Situated in the outskirts of Milan, the Salone del Mobile 200,000 square metre fair grounds are a 40-minute train commute from the CBD.  There are 20 pavilions housing thousands upon thousands of temporary showrooms complimented by countless pop-restaurants, cafes and gelato stands.

Setting an all-time attendance record, this year over 350,000 paid visitors graced the fairgrounds.  Predominately a trade-only event, Salone del Mobile is attended by Italian and international architects; product and interior designers; manufacturers and suppliers; students and the media – all questing for a greater knowledge of the trends in design.

Biennially there are satellite specialty exhibitions – even-numbered years it is EuroCucina, kitchen and bathrooms; and odd-numbered years it is Euroluce focused on light technology.  This year was EuroCucina with six of the 20 pavilions devoted to kitchen and bathroom exhibitors and one pavilion solely focused on new technologies; and kitchen-related appliances and fixtures.  Viewing EuroCucina in its entirety takes two to three days circumnavigating the pavilions – arriving daily as the gates open at 9:30am and leaving at 6:00pm; not accounting for missed turns and retraced steps despite the explicitly informative guide books provided.

Salone del Mobile purposely showcases innovative and cutting-edge design.  That said, not all products exhibited come to fruition as manufacturers use the exhibition as a test market:  the more popular a product, the more likely it is realised.

As humongous as Salone del Mobile is in its geographical footprint and its number of exhibitors, it is the tip of the proverbial design iceberg. For every Salone del Mobile showroom there are two showrooms located in the city that participate under the umbrella of Milan Design Week.  As if 20 pavilions were not enough – top-tier brands fit out palatial inner-city villas to showcase their products in a compelling residential setting to host gala-events, cocktail parties and product launches.  For many a novice visitor to Salon del Mobile and Milan Design Week, the private showrooms are serendipitously discovered to the delight and dismay of the visitor toward the week’s end.

If trending designs tickles your interest, please tune into our next story covering emerging trends gleaned from Salone del Mobile and its world-class brands, manufacturers and top-notch designers.

Selling Houses Australia – 180 degree views

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia Episode 12 aired last night!

The Story: Saying goodbye to your home of 50 years is always going to be tough. But when it has 180 degree views of Sydney harbour and the water is at the bottom of the garden, its downright gut wrenching. But Sally Cahill-McQuinn has little choice; she can’t afford the upkeep on the old weatherboard and needs the cash to fund her retirement.

The Problem: Sally is hoping to sell the home for 4.5 million, but views or no views this house is run down and needs a more high end feel if it’s going to meet Sally’s price expectations.

The Solution: Luxaflex Pirouette Shadings in Satin fabric in colour Magnolia gave the home the high end feeling it needed. Pirouette Shadings have soft horizontal veins that give a contemporary and sophisticated look that allows you to enjoy the view, whilst not compromising on privacy. The team decided to use the Ultraglide operation system as it provides effortless operation with a retractable cord for enhanced child safety.

Luxaflex Roller Blinds in Sunseeker translucent fabric in colour Ice were installed in the living room, dining room and kitchen area to reduce the glare but not block out the magnificent water views.

Living Room, Dining Room & Kitchen - After

All Luxaflex Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery, Master Quality Shades in Mosman, New South Wales.


Selling Houses Australia airs every Wednesday, 8:30pm on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel.

Selling Houses Australia – Renovation transformation

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia Episode 11 aired last night, watch as the team transformed the home in Monterey.

The Story: Anna Nikolis is in a lot of debt, and her only way out is to sell her beloved home. She originally bought the home with her mother, and they had big plans to renovate and turn it into the perfect house for Anna, her husband, their children and of course her Mum. But things didn’t turn out as planned. Anna’s marriage broke up, her mother passed away and Anna was left struggling to raise 3 children on her own.

The Problem: Anna continued making renovations to the home, borrowing more and more money against the house to complete the work. Now she’s out of cash, has debts to amounting to $900,000 and the work is nowhere near finished!

The Solution: Luxaflex Duette Shades were installed by the Selling Houses Australia team to give extra privacy to the home, as it’s located on a busy road. The Duette Shades give the house a modern look, whilst also providing the ultimate in versatile light control, privacy and style.

All Luxaflex Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery, Illawarra Blinds & Awnings in Bexley, New South Wales.

Selling Houses Australia airs every Wednesday, 8:30pm on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel.

Selling Houses Australia – Half built home

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia Episode 10 aired last night, see how the team transformed the half built home in Grays Point!

The Story: Building your own home is quite a challenge… and finishing it is another! Gerry and Ruth built their home on the river at Grays Point in Sydney. It was a labor of love, and after spending 12 months living in a caravan, they moved in when the project was incomplete. That was 27 years ago and the house still isn’t finished! There’s no proper bathroom, no stairs to the front door, no balustrade on the balcony and the list goes on. Gerry has a passion for flying and it’s his dream to sell the house, move to the country and have his own airstrip.

The Problem: No one wants to pay 1.4 million for their waterfront wreck, which to top it all off, they’ve been trying to sell themselves without an agent!

The Solution: Luxaflex Silhouette Shadings were used as they worked well with the modern styling of the home. Daylight efficiency is maximised by Silhouette Shadings by diffusing and dispersing sunlight throughout the dark bedrooms in the home. Luxaflex Roller Blinds with EDGE technology were installed in the bathrooms as Luxaflex fabrics are treated with DURAGUARD® Fabric Protector, which effectively resists water stains from moisture and condensation on windows.

All Luxaflex Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery, A’besco in Caringbah, New South Wales.

Selling Houses Australia airs every Wednesday, 8:30pm on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel.