10 pieces of pet furniture that are actually stylish

Cat condos and dog beds can be awkward, cumbersome eyesores. Covered in matted beige carpet or crocheted gingham blankets, they tend to disrupt a room, no matter how stylish the rest of your furnishings are. What options are there for the more discerning decor and...

The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture.

For lovers of all things design, this exhibition is for you. In celebration of the seventieth anniversary of the House of Dior, one of the world’s most prestigious couture houses, the National Gallery of Victoria presents The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute...

Concessional contributions caps to be slashed from July 2017

A reminder to all AFA Members, the Government has scrapped the over-50s concessional (before-tax) contributions cap of $35,000 from July 2017, and replaced it with a $25,000 cap. The government has also cut the general concessional contributions cap (for under-50s) to...

Transferring your family business

Are you planning to pass your family business to the next generation? Check out these tips to ensure a smooth transition. Did you know family run businesses account for 70% of all businesses in Australia! However, many people don’t know how to successfully hand over...

Productive Palette: How colour can influence workplace behaviour

For many offices, a lot of thought goes into design elements like desk and cubicle layout and lighting. But when it comes to colour, many companies default to white. Studies show colour can significantly influence our mood. Certain colours can excite, depress,...

2017 Victorian Premiers Design Awards open for entry

The search is on for the best in Victorian design and creativity. The annual Victorian Premier’s Design Awards celebrate Victorian designers and businesses that use design to create better products, services, businesses and ultimately a better state of Victoria. The...

Alice Springs Furniture designer wins Award

  Elliat Rich has won $20,000 for her piece “Place” in the new biennial awards presented by Stylecraft and Jam Factory. It is an awards program, open to Australian designers globally and to designers residing in Australia. “Place” will be...

Myer Melbourne – Australia Lives here Exhibition

  This year Myer has gathered numerous pieces of Australia’s past and displaying items from Myer’s extensive archives. The items will be displayed in Myer’s Melbourne City store from 8 August until 15 September. There’ll be fashion and beloved toys and...

Offcuts + Resin Combined to Form New Furniture

The seat of the stool is made up of offcuts from the white oak legs that are then set within resin until it cures. The translucent resin fills the splintered gaps, becoming a one-of-a-kind work of art in the process. HATTERN is a South Korean design studio that...

Couriers and Product Safety – a seller’s obligations

Damage caused in transit can render a product unsafe, create new hazards or increase existing ones. Suppliers must ensure their packaging is fit for purpose, and designed to minimise all risks of damage to maintain the integrity of the product. With the increase of...

Running a small business can be mind boggling

As many AFA Members are small business owners they often don’t have the time or resources to be on top of all of the latest information in regards to legislation, it can be mind boggling! That is where Industry Associations can help. By becoming a Member you...

Understand Fair Work’s leave changes and avoid $63,000 fines

Did you know that from the 29 July 2016, annual leave changes apply to any employee on one of the 112 updated awards or for those who are award/agreement free. Annual leave forms part of the National Employment Standards (NES) which applies to all employees covered by...

Proposed Hobart skyscraper soars to 180 metres in updated designs

Updated designs for a proposed skyscraper near Hobart’s waterfront have been submitted to the local council as part of the development application process. The new design calls for a 179.6-metre-tall tower with an angled roof occupying a smaller footprint than the...

Australia Post finalises sale of Sydney’s General Post Office

Australia Post has announced that it has finalised the details of the sale of the Sydney General Post Office (GPO). At the same time, it said it would seek National Heritage listing for the GPO, “in recognition of its historical importance and to reinforce existing...

Do you know where your wood products come from?

  Does your furniture have PEFC’s Chain of Custody certification? This certification is a mechanism for tracking certified material from the forest to the final product to ensure that the wood, wood fibre or non-wood forest produce contained in the product or...

Pallet Made Vertical Herb Garden

Here’s a  unique take on the vertical garden, from AFA Member CrativeAustralia –  all natural and upcycled. Absolutely perfect for small spaces and empty walls. Fill with fragrant herbs or colourful plants for a beautiful, rusticwallscape. The Crative Vertical...

Safety in Design Course

Consult Australia’s Safety in Design course is an intensive two-day seminar which addresses safety issues relating to design and provides practical tools on how to eliminate hazards at the design stage. Examples from practitioners will be provided and the...