by Rosie Schulz | Feb 11, 2019 | International VM, Shopping Centre, Trends, Visual Merchandising |
An Authentic Australian Autumn “I see the turning of a leaf dancing in an autumn sun, and brilliant shades of crimson glowing when the day is done”. As Autumn approaches in Australia, instead of visions of pumpkin lattes and maple leaves, we start getting excited about the prospect of pulling out a long sleeved shirt and start to panic slightly about the end of summer weather warnings. As summer swings into autumn, the tones of chocolate brown, mustard ochre and caramel latte tones get absorbed into our clothing and home wares. Bloom We’d like to introduce autumn to you this year with the soft feathery details of pampas grass, artisan rattan light shades and a delicate mix of textures. With an eye for composition and balance, mixing textures is the perfect way to subtly introduce the autumn season with harsh surfaces symbolizing winter and the delicate finishes representing summer. We have introduced the textures of mirrored disco balls to add contrast to the soft neutral foliage. Experimentation is key with this look and play is essential. The bloom trend embraces fallen foliage such as palms and fronds instead of the classic maple leaf. For the ultimate DIY – grab a can of spray paint and coat that frond in glossy gold. Farm House Getting into the more classical autumnal style, this look focuses on weekends spent in the country with cups of tea and homemade scones. Textures include jute rugs, leather ottomans and vintage suitcases. Like any country home, the farm house look is created through the art of layering (just as you would with your clothing during...
by Rosie Schulz | Jan 22, 2019 | Trends, Visual Merchandising |
2019 Trends “You’ve always got to push yourself forward; you’ve always got to keep up with the trends or make your own trends.” – Alexander McQueen Trends can be broken down into many categories; interior design, fashion, graphic and industrial design, technology and beauty. Thanks to the world of Pinterest and Instagram, trends are coming and going as fast as their legs can carry them. Trends can be a direct focus on colour (hello, yes we see you there Living Coral), inspired by a location (1950’s Palm Springs anyone?), and this isn’t the first time we have seen a retro movement cycle back again (will spots and stripes ever be not on trend), or even a lifestyle choice, as sustainability disrupts fast fashion. We’ve curated a select group of trends which have flowed through each category and we predict, will inch their way into your lives this year. Living Coral Phrased by Pantone as, “an animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge”, Living Coral is a colour that embodies play and expression. Social media platforms were a big influence for this colour trend, inspired by destinations that reflect the pink/red pigment, such as the Amalfi Coast. This tint is harmonious with a variety of other colours including muted merigold, burnt orange, cloudy grey or sea salt green. We want to see walls dedicated to this colour, furniture becoming enveloped in coral velvet and artwork lining your walls featuring the peachy tone. Living Coral strives to seek authenticity in a world dominated by technology; an authenticity that casts a hue...
by Rosie Schulz | Dec 21, 2018 | Children's Play Space, Christmas, Custom Design, Shopping Centre, Visual Merchandising |
“Lets do what we love, and do a lot of it” – Marc Jacobs As the year comes to a close, it’s the perfect opportunity to look back on 2018 and bring out the VM highlight reel. From Chinese New Year installations to Rainforest Play Spaces, an arcade extravaganza, Christmas decorations out of our ears and everything in-between. We’re excited to show you our favourite parts of 2018! One of our favourite play space activations for 2018 was Tree Top Play, a hinterland inspired sensory space for little ones to explore and experience. Including a tree house, distortion mirrors and hanging greenery rings hiding frogs and birds, the play space is the perfect location for interactive learning and fun. Read more on the blog, specifically about the incredible custom designed features of this space, here. It almost feels like a whole year ago we completed this job, but during February, VM+ installed a stunning installation of red and gold fans and lanterns to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Two chandeliers hung in the two Australia Fair Shopping Centre voids, dripping with cherry blossom detailed fans, 2018 disks and lanterns with eye catching tassels. A traditional CNY dragon was also setup in the centre as a photo opportunity for visitors to the Gold Coast. Our next memorable moment is the fun we had putting our visual merchandising hats on for B Lucky & Sons. We traveled to Melbourne and Brisbane to VM the incredible retro selection of prizes and memorabilia for the adult arcade bars. Shelves and cabinets within the arcade bars required visual merchandising so winners could choose their prizes,...
by Rosie Schulz | Dec 6, 2018 | Christmas, Custom Design, International VM, Visual Merchandising, Window dressing |
“Meanwhile… I’m putting up more twinkle lights.” – Kathleen, You’ve Got Mail Hands up. Be honest. Who’s favourite holiday has rolled around for another year? Two hands up over here – we love Christmas! We could start listing all the things we love about the silly season; decorating the tree, dinner parties with friends, but of course, one of our favourite things is the unveiling of department store windows. We’ve searched through the cities and have found our favourite selection of dreamy, vibrant and comical Christmas displays. From Paris to New York, get ready to travel through the best festive windows of 2018. LONDON: Harrods When it comes to Christmas windows, we can’t go past the legendary Harrods. This year, the series of Harrods windows draws inspiration from our own visions of a traditional festive season; a fridge bursting with seasonal treats and parties filled with gold glitz and glamour. Designed off the concept of sensory storytelling, Harrods maintains its focus on luxury while relating to the themes that everyone loves and can relate to around the merry season. Harrods has mastered their designs by utilizing scale, repetition and colour… and also our love for roast potatoes. PARIS: Galeries Lafayette Christmas dreams became a reality this year as Galeries Lafayette Haussmann let the Parisian children bring the window characters to life from their imaginations. Children between 5 and 11 years old entered to draw their Christmas character and the winning drawings were chosen to be transformed into soft toys and displayed in the vibrant window display. The imaginative friends can be seen enjoying a Christmas party in a candy...
by Rosie Schulz | Dec 3, 2018 | Custom Design, International VM, Visual Merchandising |
Taking on a vision and brief from a client, forming a design and making it a reality is one of our favourite things to do here at VM+. For a 1-day event at the Brisbane International Airport, VM+ transformed ‘the green’ into an indoor cricket pitch. Following on from the competitive Australia vs India cricket match held at The Gabba, the BAC (Brisbane Airport Corporation) hosted a friendly rivalry with the two teams made up of representatives of the travel industry and captained by international superstars Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz. VM+ took on the task to install a 20 meter long pitch with a truss structure thoroughly covered in cricket netting, complete with sponsor signage and floor decals. The activation involved passengers before they departed on their long haul flights allowing them to sit and spectate on a tiered seating grandstand. The activation focused on tourism, Brisbane becoming a destination city and the relationship between two cultures. “Gert-Jan de Graaff BAC Chief Executive Officer said it is an exciting world-first event that not only highlights the great mateship and friendly rivalry between Australia and India, it provides a unique opportunity to strengthen and celebrate tourism between the two nations.” (BAC) See more images of this activation in our Facebook Gallery. VM+ often extends itself into creating custom builds and designing activations. We aim to create atmosphere, an escape or a visually dynamic reality. Check out what else we do here! Don’t forget to stay up to date on our social media pages – Facebook – Instagram –...
by Rosie Schulz | Oct 19, 2018 | Christmas, Corporate Christmas, Custom Design, International VM, Trends, Visual Merchandising |
“December… Saving the best till last.” One of our favourite parts of the festive season is getting to decorate our trees, adorn our homes and set the table in a different style every year. We’ve been busy venturing across the seas and travelling interstate this past year to collect ideas and bring you our favourite trends this coming Christmas. Let the magic of Christmas 2018 begin! Wabi Sabi Originating from the Japanese language, Wabi-Sabi means to accept imperfection. It is a belief and aesthetic based on recognizing that something incomplete can become beautiful. A design example we love is expanding on our connection to the earth through natural materials. This trend is taking over from the Hygge trend (the cosy contentment of simple living) and leads into a Scandinavian tone but with a focus on abandoning perfection. Focus on textures such as metal and driftwood to incorporate this beautifully flawed trend into your home this Christmas. Our go to colours: Gun-metal grey, silver, olive green and natural hues Traditional Green, red and gold. The combination of these colours has screamed Christmas for centuries. Add a few little berries to your wreath to enhance the festive ambience and decorate the tree in glitter, matte and reflective finishes for a contemporary twist. Make a statement with vibrant red velvet poinsettias or keep it familiar by dressing the house in colours reminiscent of a childhood spent waiting for Santa. From nutcracker soliders to reindeers, this iconic Christmas trend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and we can’t wait to see how it continues to change and adapt year after year. Our go to...
