Saturday Indesign (SID), now in its 20^th year, really encapsulates that spirit of connectivity that makes the design community so unique and, well, fun. It’s an event that brings people together, invites them into the ‘homes’ of Australia’s leading purveyors of design, to experience showrooms as activated brand environments. Through interactive installations, dynamic design discussions, product launches and sublime hospitality, 34 exhibitors across 26 locations brought Saturday Indesign to vibrant life, this year in Melbourne.

Defined by three major design precincts of the city CBD, Richmond and Collingwood, the 2023 edition of Saturday Indesign enticed 2000 architects, designers and design lovers out from behind the desk to grab a classic ‘SID’ tote (this year created with bag partners Living Edge), and catch jaunty SID-branded buses (made possible thanks to transport partner Neolith), to sleuth out the best products and meet with friends and future contacts in some of Melbourne’s finest design showrooms.

Here we’ll take you on a whirlwind tour through each precinct, calling out the highlights along the way.

Welcome to Richmond

This year Richmond was flagged as Saturday Indesign’s largest Melbourne precinct, offering event-goers a dense and appealing group of exhibitors to visit – all within an easy walk.

Filling visitors with excitement was the official launch of Australia’s Molteni & C flagship store, unveiling creative director Vincent Van Duysen’s ‘Living Concept – A Warm and Fluid Home’.

Across the road, Jardan revealed its latest collection, seamlessly integrating this into its pop-up Café Jardan. Close by was Mobilia, which toured its visitors through its flagship store, and rewarded one lucky person with a trip to the Milan Furniture Fair – what an excellent door prize!

Reece and Neolith invited guests into Reece’s Richmond headquarters, known as The Works, staged The Project with Fraser and Partners, inviting guests to step into a mesmerising VR adventure where they could be whisked away to a breathtaking utopian bathroom scape.

Didier was a major product highlight, presenting two new furniture collections, entitled TanGuor and Etiquette, as well as an expanded selection of pieces for its established Gunzel Range. At Design Precinct could take part in special workshops and fuel themselves on tasty morsels from Supercheese and Olinda Specialist Cellars Gin and Wine Tasting.

Attracting a block-buster crowd for its Darren Palmer talk was Camerich, while Cosh Living and Cantilever hosted an ‘Australian Designed and Made’ discussion with collaborators Travis Dean and Katie Forbs (Cantilever Interiors) and Justin Hutchinson (Kett) on the panel.

Living Edge never disappoints and this year was no exception, with its carpark transformed into a live garden party. People grouped around the Extremis-designed Panigiri table and live musicians entertaining people with Greek tunes. Tucked next door was Thinking Works which rewarded one lucky visitor with a trip to Clerkenwell Design Week in London. And Winnings programmed a day of delicious cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and a barbecue feast.

Can’t get enough of Collingwood

Teaming up with Santa & Cole, AJAR staged The Project with a series of land and air scapes sculpted by the warm light of Santa & Cole’s Tekiò pendant lamp. Also filling their showroom with creative inspiration was AXOR with Plus Architecture who staged an ‘fluid’ water-projecting experience that immersed visitors in a multi-sensory wonderland.

ecf HFA put the focus on product innovation, presenting latest offerings from renowned brands Jonas Ihreborn, Luxxbox, Framery, Sedus and +Halle.

In an expansive warehouse space above its usual quarters, Great Dane brought its unique style with long, blue snaking modular sofas, where visitors photographed themselves to go in the running for a delicately designed Verpan lamp.

Across the road at HAY, a colourful cubby house – indeed the Colour Crate House – constructed by the team from numerous multi-hued crates (constructed from recycled content) created quite the buzz among visitors.

The ultimate hosts, K5 Furniture was home to multiple in-depth conversations – including Masanao Hamaguchi speaking with K5’s Suzette Jackson on the values and design thinking of craft furniture from the Hida Takayama region in the Gifu prefecture of Japan.

At ownworld crowds arrived early for the packed-out Publish Me! Panel discussion, and finished the day with music and dancing with DJ Dowel Jones on the decks. Just around the corner, Tait turned on its outdoor hospitality, staging a ‘how to create a natural Australian garden’ workshop with Phillip Withers.

With plenty to touch and look at, Surface Gallery and Style Timber Floors teamed up with design studio Hot Black delving into dreams and fears to present a Utopia x Dystopia installation.

At the centre of Melbourne’s CBD design scene

At Winya Indigenous Furniture presented the Woolee Woolee Keetwanta – An Indigenous Art Projection, and dazzled guests with a performance by Meriam drag artist and reigning champion of Miss First Nation, Cerulean.

Always a popular CBD destination, SZW with Omvivo and e&s hosted a champagne and oyster hour with David Hicks and showed off pop-y pink bathroom concepts, as well as the latest kitchen and bathroom concepts.

At Signature Floors, guests observed artists wielding tufting guns to highly creative effect. Meanwhile, at Aspect Furniture, the company teamed up with Dunlop Foam, Camira Fabrics, Autex, Wise Wool, and Critical to put the focus on sustainable products and manufacturing processes.

HOW. teamed up with Autex Acoustics for this edition of Saturday Indesign, working with RMIT to stage The Project and in-depth discussions for attentive audiences.

At Brickworks, an exhibition of work by architectural photographer Derek Swalwell was on show, and a rich conversation around Growing Graduates Into Leaders proved to be highly relevant and engaging.

This year’s Saturday Indesign is a wrap – but the journey continues!

Did you love all the installations you saw at Saturday Indesign? Vote for your favourite Project for your chance to win.

Explore the Saturday Indesign Afterparty – an event to remember!

Get ready for next year’s Saturday Indesign, returning to Sydney for 2024.

We love seeing all your photos. Share your experience using #saturdayindesign, and see more highlights @saturdayindesign.

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From design talks to VIP parties, product demonstrations to creative collaborations, this year’s event is shaping up to be a showstopper. With registrations now open, all that’s left is for you to do is start planning your day and mapping out the showrooms that are top of your hit list.

If you haven’t already, get your excitement building with our very first exhibitor drop, or read on to see the rest of the brands that will be opening their doors come Saturday September 2. From bathrooms, to kitchens, lighting to office furniture, we’ve got the very best of Melbourne’s design scene on board.

Dive into the line-up and register for free now to confirm your Saturday Indesign attendance. Now is your chance to lock in your place at the must-visit event of 2023!

Saturday Indesign 2023 Exhibitor Line-Up Second Drop

Arthur G – Richmond Precinct

Arthur G is a furniture company dedicated to the creation and production of classic design in Australia. Arthur G is known for quality upholstery, solid hardwood construction and a creative freedom afforded to all its clients.

All Arthur G pieces are designed by Founder Arthur Georgopoulos and Leonard Georgopoulos and built by an expert team of craftspeople in Huntingdale, Victoria. The brand maintains showrooms in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, and is represented by Transforma Furniture in Adelaide.

arthurg.com.au

Axor – Collingwood/Fitzroy Precinct

AXOR conceives and manufactures iconic objects for luxurious bathrooms and kitchens. Launched in 1993, with a mission is to develop taps, showers and accessories crafted with unparalleled design, technology, and manufacturing quality. From the very beginning, the brand has been guided by three core values – avantgarde, personalisation and perfection – and is now synonymous with innovative, sophisticated, custom-made bathroom design.

axor-design.com/au

Design Precinct – Richmond Precinct

Design Precinct was created as the (love child) of Mia and Justin van Nierop in order to express their passion for high-quality interior products from bath ware to tiles to wallpapers and lighting, designed and produced with respect for their principles. 

All of Design Precinct’s broad spectrum of products are originals, paying homage to the intellectual property and integrity of the creators and are produced in Italy or Spain by craftsmen who respect the need for sustainable beauty.

designprecinct.com.au

Didier – Richmond Precinct

Didier creates unique and beautiful furniture conceived with an authentic narrative and delivered by engineering brilliance. The brand celebrates the close connection between people and the objects they love and believes good design enhances lives. Didier encourages customers to make each piece their own – to be valued, used and admired every day.

didier.com.au

HOW. – CBD Precinct

HOW. is a distinguished provider of innovative, bespoke workspace solutions tailored to the commercial sector, specialising in creating inspiring and productive environments that enhance people’s well-being and performance. Driven by a genuine passion and commitment to shaping the future of workplace design, HOW prides itself on offering exceptional value through their curated range of best-in-class products and bespoke services.

howgroup.com.au

Jardan – Richmond Precinct

With a deep connection to the Australian way of life, a collaborative design and manufacturing approach and an ongoing commitment to sustainable production, Jardan creates inspiring and responsible furniture and lighting, with a curated collection of homewares.  Jardan is owned and managed by brothers, Nick and Michael Garnham. Nick, Managing Director, and Renee Garnham, Creative director, inspire the thought and direction in every detail of design, colour and aesthetic.

jardan.com.au

Mobilia – Richmond Precinct

Mobilia is a family-owned Australian company that offers high-end furniture, lighting and design objects. Founded with an ingrained passion for design and craftsmanship, they curate and represent the world’s most iconic and innovative brands, design masters and pieces.

mobilia.com.au

Omvivo – CBD Precinct

Omvivo has been a pioneer in contemporary bathroom product design and manufacturing for over 25 years. A subsidiary of the Schiavello Group, Omvivo remains at the forefront of the Australian and international bathroom market.

The Omvivo collection incorporates pieces that challenge and inspire. The dedicated design team places the company in a unique position. Products evolve from concept through to production and beyond, considering innovation, functionality and quality. Collaboration with external reputable designers to expand the collection and to create project specific pieces also adds to the diversity of the company.

omvivo.com

Sub-Zero Wolf – CBD Precinct

Sub-Zero, the food preservation specialist, pioneers technology that keeps food fresher longer. Wolf, the cooking specialist, delivers precise temperature control to ensure delicious results.

Designed for timeless appeal, these iconic brands bring substance to luxury with the powerful combination of performance, design and dependability.  Stunning on the surface, with exquisite finishes and refined styling. Beyond their beauty are the highest-quality materials, decades of engineering innovations, and an ongoing commitment, from a third generation family-owned company, to dependability and performance.

au.subzero-wolf.com

Tait – Collingwood/Fitzroy Precinct

Designed and handcrafted in Australia from sustainable materials, Tait products are reflective of their enviable outdoor lifestyle, built to withstand diverse climate conditions and informed by a distinctly Australian palette. Established in 1992 by Gordon and Susan Tait, their pieces have proudly become icons of contemporary Australian design, renowned for their high performance and longevity.

madebytait.com.au

Thinking Works – Richmond Precinct

The adventure began in 1984, when they quickly established themselves as the commercial furniture company who combined exceptional quality with ingenious creativity. Ever since, this inspired mix of eye-catching aesthetics (the ‘beauty’) and intelligent design (the ‘brains’) has formed the lifeblood of all they do. With a focus on beautiful, sustainable design; their in-house design team are always looking for new ways to offer solutions to the modern workplace.

thinkingw.com

Winning Appliances – Richmond Precinct

Winning Appliances is Australia’s leading appliance specialist and a fourth generation, century-old family business. With 17 showrooms across Australia, Winning Appliances offers Australia’s most immersive premium appliances shopping experience, with the world’s best and exclusive brands and on-hand product and culinary experts.

winnings.com.au

Winya – CBD Precinct

Winya Indigenous Furniture is a majority Indigenous owned business and the only company in Australia awarded by the United Nations for Leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). 

Winya maximises its procurement outreach programs with timbers from remote communities, fabrics From women’s art centres and has created programs in Prisons to train Indigenous inmates to reduce recidivism & build better communities.

winya.com.au

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Saturday Indesign will be held in Melbourne, Australia on Saturday 2nd September. Registrations are free and provide access to the full daytime event including all participating showrooms, hospitality, talks, activations and free event transport.

Register now to confirm your attendance or find out more about the event here. 

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