laminex australia – The Interiors Addict

After the success of last year, Laminex Australia’s 2015 Project of the Year has doubled its prize money, offering $10,000 business grants to the best project in both the commercial and residential category.

F2 Architecture_Marais_POTY_lowres — Last year’s winner: Marais Fitout by f2 Architecture

Entries are open to all Australian fabrication, design and specification businesses who’ve completed a project using Formica, Laminex or EssaStone products in any residential or commercial setting. Projects completed from December 2014 are eligible for the awards program.

Project of the Year closes 27 October and is hosted on Laminex Australia’s Facebook page. Each month, the public will vote to determine a residential and commercial Project of the Month, both of which will be awarded a $500 eftpos card. The Project of the Year title will be determined by a panel of industry judges led by Laminex Australia Group design director, Neil Sookee.

Last year's runner-up: by Scott Weston — Last year’s runner-up: by Scott Weston

The Project of the Year will be announced in November, with the recipients receiving a $10,000 business grant.

Enter now.

By Neil Sookee

The 2015 Trends Forecast from Laminex Australia embraces global design trends and adds a hint of local flavour to inspire Australian homeowners and renovators. Three key themes – Essence, Impulse and Real – will influence interiors in 2015 and beyond. The three themes strip back to the bare essentials, encourage mixing colours, patterns and forms and embrace imperfections in natural materials.

Trend 1: Essence

Essence is about reduction and simplicity, stripping back to the bare essentials. With Essence, we look to the past for inspiration, but view retro colours and styling in a fresh, new way. After seasons of red and yellow-based greys, Essence introduces a movement towards neutral and cooler greys. To generate a natural palette of neutrals and grey, materials are pure with colours derived from the materials themselves. Deepest black and linen whites become the base for natural tones of wheat, stone and elemental greys. These tones become important alongside white.

Soft, feminine and poetic forms are key in this trend. In the absence of colour, texture and geometric forms are used as focal points in interiors.

Trend 2: Impulse

The opposite of Essence, Impulse is eclectic and maximal. Impulse celebrates the importance of spontaneity, encouraging us to be adventurous and creative. More is more when it comes to Impulse. Impulse evokes a sense of happiness. It’s a provocative mix, embracing items that don’t match. A wild fusion of styles, colour and patterns, geometric shapes and tantalising, energetic colours are central to the trend. There is a strong tendency for bold colour against a backdrop of white, light woodgrains, cool neutrals or fine greys. Also implied is the bleaching effect of strong sunlight that gives rise to faded colour, bringing a new take on nostalgia.

Impulse allows for the unexpected and unconventional and there is only one rule: there are no rules!

Trend 3: Real

Real looks to nature and the natural environment. The trend deals with authenticity and finding balance in a complex world, exploring a new mindfulness of natural elements. Natural materials like wood or stone are central to this trend. The colour palette is soft and harmonious, with vegetal colours showing an earthy and organic tendency. Greyed mid tones are important, as are copper, bronze and golds. Wood is the cherished material and wood tones turn light and natural – and less rustic. Imperfection is authentic and desirable.

Real reflects the lifestyle movement of Australians re-embracing ‘simple things’ such as farming, handmade products, home baking, gardening and craftsmanship. With the Real trend, high quality products with unsurpassed craftmanship and luxury are blended with vintage and handmade decorative items.

– Neil Sookee is the design director of Laminex Australia Group, a leading marketer, distributor and manufacturer of decorative surfaces throughout Australia and New Zealand.