These two, vibrant precincts are proof that Sydney's design community is expanding and thriving in CBD fringe locations that are enjoying a steady gentrification. Nicky Lobo and Lorenzo Logi Report.

Chippendale is fast growing into Sydney’s newest creative precinct, with developments along Broadway attracting an influx of design-oriented residents and creatives. Catering to them is a number of brands and showrooms dotted around the suburb. From furniture to lighting and finishes, Chippendale offered the finest selection, all in a highly digestible circumference.

Abey 

Meanwhile Waterloo is establishing itself as an ever more sophisticated destination, complementing the bar and restaurant scene with suppliers of world class kitchen and lighting products.

Design Republic 

Corporate Culture has always been a draw card in the Chippendale area; and to coincide with Sydney Indesign the showroom has been reorganised into dedicated brand areas, demonstrating the breadth and versatility of the product range. The advantage of this shop-within-shop approach is its visual coherence – visitors can instantly relate to various brands.

Zaffero Lighting 

Also new was their formal partnering with BOLON by The Andrews Group, who will now be represented at the Corporate Culture showroom. Bringing the best of woven vinyl flooring technology to Australia, The Andrews Group had special guests, the highly engaging Annika and Marie Eklund of BOLON in town for the event.

Interstudio

Just a couple of doors down, Viabizzuno invited people in to their beautiful, light filled gallery. Featuring some beautiful lights – from bold forms to decorative details and textured finishes (a favourite being a sophisticated velvet shade with a cameo cutout), they had guests jostling for position and angling their phones to win the best photo in their instagram competition.

Corporate Culture / Cult 

Another international guest – Rasmus Hildebrand, Sales Director of Englebrechts Denmark – could be found a street away at Interstudio. Guests caught him during two high tea sessions as he discussed Danish design trends and the brand’s new releases. Another highlight of Interstudio’s portfolio is the focus on quality Asian brands such as Singapore-based Foundry, offering good design with an excellent price point.

Winning Appliances 

Around the corner and up the street, a new Dutch tile company introduced themselves to the creative community. Design Republic is responsible for bringing the Mosa brand to Australia, with a range of large format, mosaic and mural concepts to interest visitors. All in their new showroom, styled for the event by Bleux.

Inlite 

At Inlite, the inimitable Christopher Boots held court amongst his sizable creations. Accompanying the product was the new-look creative campaign, a titillating series of provocative photography inspired by ancient, mystical gods and goddesses. Beyond this exhibition, visitors stepped into an inflatable gold room to experience the Marset lighting collection, and upstairs the new Delta Light installation made an international appearance following its launch at Milan.

Viabizzuno 

Proximity to the city and a sense of discovery also make this area highly appealing, with more than the usual quota of cafes, pubs and galleries.

Over in Waterloo Abey and Winning Appliances made Danks Street the gastronomic heart of the event. Abey’s covetable range of Gessi and Barazza products animated the showroom, while a live kitchen demonstration on Saturday kept visitors well-fed as they perused the wares.

Winning Appliances provided stiff competition in the food and beverage sector, with a veritable smorgasbord of culinary delights scattered across their impressive showroom. They also went above and beyond in the prize department, with a bevy of fabulous kitchen products up for grabs at the Friday night event.

Winning Appliances

SID newcomers Zaffero Illumination were a welcome addition to the precinct, with a unique and intriguing offering of specialist lighting and live process design in their showroom over the course of the event.

Zaffero Team

Sydney Indesign

sydneyindesign.com.au

Images © John Doherty, Fiona Susanto, Rollo Hardy