MELBOURNE: UK Trend Futurists Scarlet Opus will once again be bringing their prescient eyes and canny trends forecast to Decor + Design 2017, as part of the Australian House & Garden International Seminar Series. The International Seminar Series will feature luminaries from the world of design and address the theme of Awakening: Conscious Design.

In recent years, the larger design world has woken up to the importance of sustainable design. ‘Conscious design’ has an holistic aesthetic; it’s a classic design approach which has longevity in the market and means eyes wide open in every sense: environmentally, socially and philosophically.

Scarlet Opus wowed over 10,000 trade visitors last year with the Trend Hub which was a tactile, sensory exhibition space laden with the beautiful textiles, tiles, floor-coverings and other materials they predicted would be on trend this year. This was allied with Design Trend Tours around the massive exhibition floor featuring over 250 exhibitors and Victoria Redshaw’s Macro Trend predictions. Their forecast has proved to be spot on. For instance, we’ve watched the creeping, wild naturalness of the Organic Matter trend begin to dominate global urban design, seeping into the current colour palettes from style leaders such as Pantone and Farrow & Ball.

Trend Hub 2016

Scarlet Opus Trend Hub at the 2016 Decor + Design Show

The Scarlet Opus Trend Hub and Tours will be back in 2017 and Victoria will once again be unveiling her full predictions at the show in her keynote presentation on Day 1, Thursday 20th July.

While the full trend forecast for 2018 will be under wraps until then, Scarlet Opus have hinted that sustainability will indeed be a hot topic on the international agenda. Victoria Redshaw comments:

“Sustainable approaches to all aspects of design and manufacture will play a key role in product design in 2018.  A wealth of exciting new carbon neutral materials set the tone for the seasons ahead.  Made from waste building materials, as well as waste from the textile, furniture and agricultural industries, they offer new aesthetic values and ecological values.  Through design we all have the opportunity to play a role in addressing environmental damage and inequality in society, and increasingly Designers are placing these concerns at the centre of their creative agenda. “

This will play into some of the incredible materials which visitors can experience at the Trend Hub, such as composites made from recycled peanut shells and rice husks, as well as gorgeous fish leathers made from by-products of the food industry, which can be used to upholster stunning small pieces of furniture. There will be some incredibly innovative recycled and natural materials on display for visitors to touch and experiment with.

Scarlet Opus Trend Hub

Visitors can immerse themselves in the sensory experience of the Trend Hub

Register now to attend the Decor + Design show in Melbourne, 20 – 23 July and arm yourself with the design forecast for next year. The full program for the International Seminar Series will be released in April, so watch out for updates on our headline speakers.