From Showrooms to the Furniture Fair
Introduction
In the middle of July, our marketing team packed a bag and flew south to Melbourne, the design capital of Australia.
Two connected events, one packed schedule, and a lot to take in over a short window. A full research day working through showrooms, followed by an industry day at the Decor+Design Show, held alongside the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF).
Trips like this take time out of the business, and it would be easy to come back with little more than a stack of business cards and a few nice photos. That’s not how we approach it.
Every showroom we walk into and every stand we stop at is a chance to see where the industry is actually heading, not where it was a year ago. We did the market research, so you don’t have to.
Why Staying Connected Matters
Furniture hire and property styling sit downstream of design. If we’re only ever looking at what’s already in our own warehouse, we’re always twelve months behind the people actually setting the direction. The designers, the manufacturers, and the brands are deciding what gets made next.
Getting into rooms like Fenton & Fenton, Elme Living, Tallira by the Rug Collection, Ellison Studios, Collective, and CLU Living, and then walking the aisles at AIFF, is how we stay ahead of that curve, instead of reacting to it. Previewing collections and building relationships early, not just in our local area, but across Australia, allows us to identify deeper patterns and geographical differences in what’s trending.
It’s also, frankly, how we stay interesting, to our stylist partners and to the buyers ultimately walking through the properties we help dress.
What We’re Noticing Across the Market
A few things were impossible to miss, and they were consistent across every showroom and every stand at the fair.
Wood is getting darker. Walnut and mahogany are doing the work that light oak has done for the best part of a decade. There’s a warmth and a weight to these tones that light timber simply doesn’t carry. They read as considered, rather than default. If your inventory is still leaning heavily on blonde oak, it’s worth asking whether that’s a deliberate choice or just inertia.
Curves aren’t just a moment, they’re a correction. Organic shapes (rounded coffee tables, sculptural chairs, arched joinery) showed up everywhere, from Elme Living’s furniture, through to the statement pieces on the AIFF floor. This isn’t a trend that’s about to snap back to hard edges. It’s a genuine response to a decade of rigid minimalism, and we think it has legs well beyond this season.
Colour is back, and it’s warm. Terracotta, burgundy, amber. Sofa & Soul’s burgundy room at the fair was one of the more talked-about spaces for good reason. It’s confident in a way that neutral schemes simply aren’t. Bonnie & Neil’s textiles and Kalu’s pieces were leaning the same direction: colour used with intent, not as an accent thrown in as an afterthought.
Beige (without contrast) is dead. The era of neutrals, specifically without any contrast or point of difference, is over. Ellison Studios installation, The Lobby, proved that neutrals no longer have to be boring, and when mixed with deep earthy tones, the variations in colour feel richer, more lived in and comforting, than beige ever did.
Curated is replacing Minimal. The “everything white, everything empty” aesthetic that defined the last several years of styling is being replaced by something with more personality. Character is developed through considered layering, mixed materials, pieces that look chosen, rather than default. Urban Road’s collaboration with Darren Palmer captured this well: still restrained, but with real point of view.
What Buyer Behaviour is Telling Us
Here’s the part that should matter most to anyone styling for sale.
The feedback we kept hearing, from industry professionals walking the fair, was consistent: everything looks the same. Another shade of beige. More grey. Too flat, not enough texture.
And it’s the premium end of the market where this fatigue is sharpest.
If a listing photo can’t capture attention in the first second and a half online, it’s not doing its job, no matter how “on trend” it is.
How this Shapes What we Do
First, it validates the direction we’ve already been leaning, deeper tones, more considered pieces. This means less reliance on the safe neutral default.
Second, it allows us to support our clients to a higher standard in furniture hire. Whilst we don’t have any in-house stylists, it’s imperative we remain at the forefront of the industry, so we can educate stylists, agents and Airbnb operators alike.
Do you think these emerging trends indicate a turning point in property styling?
Ready to Style this Peak Season?
If you’re new to SOLV’D, join us for Winter Warm-Up! Start your relationship with us from July 27th to August 14th and receive 15% off your first hire (min. spend $2500).
If you’re a stylist, agent or Airbnb operator and haven’t secured your furniture hire partner for peak season…
This is your sign!
Frequently Asked Questions About Commercial Furniture Hire
Who typically uses furniture hire services?
Furniture hire is commonly used by property stylists, real estate agents, developers, photographers, production companies, event organisers and property investors.
Is furniture hire only for home staging?
No. While home staging is one of the most common uses, furniture hire is also used for film production, marketing shoots, rental properties and events.
Is hiring furniture cheaper than buying it?
For short-term use, hiring furniture is usually far more cost-effective than purchasing it, especially when transport, storage and styling changes are considered.
Where is furniture hire most common in Queensland?
Furniture hire is widely used across Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba, particularly in property marketing and creative industries.
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