Interior stylist Emma Blomfield owns Nest Designs, a business that specialises in affordable decorating for everyone. Her innovative online service means she works with clients all over Australia. Here Emma shares her thoughts on the popularity of replica furniture.
“Replica furniture fits the bill for style and budget conscious home decorators. For these buyers, purchasing an original piece is not a practical option, whether that’s due to young children with sticky fingers, monetary constraints or simply the desire for more flexibility in their decorating style in years to come.
Australia is not known as an elitist society but rather one that embraces inclusiveness, so whether you be a first home buyer, a young person setting up your first rental, or a busy family with competing financial demands, everybody is entitled to the look and feel that inspires them and this ideal has been central to Nest’s philosophy.
Whilst replicas are largely produced in Asia, for the most part they are distributed by Australian companies therefore their purchase supports local businesses rather than large multi-national furniture retailers.
By law, retailers must use the original designer’s name along with the word ‘replica’ to avoid confusion. Additionally, if the patent has expired then replicas can legitimately be created, as in other industries.
Replicas allow a new generation of home decorators to discover and appreciate the innovative designers of the past. For practical reasons a replica might be the answer today, but this may lead to an aspiration to own an original piece in the future.”
