After carefully considering each of their material choices, Brittany Afif of AJ Lawson Designs and Dana Tosolini of Concepts Interior Design have won ForestOne’s Specified Responsibly EuroCucina Trade Competition for the month of May. With their use of EGGER’s wood-based décor products, Brittany and Dana have joined the other entrants for a chance to win the 2024 Grand Prize of a trip for two to EuroCucina in Milan, Italy.
For their individual projects, Brittany and Dana employ materials that both uplift the interior space and consider the environment. As a passionate advocate for eco-friendly materials, Dana employs EGGER’s expanded black options for her project, Sue Le Residence, choosing the U999 TM28 Black. Likewise, Brittany also thoughtfully considers the materials she employs in her Two Bays Road project, trustingly using EGGER’s Brown Tossini Elm to instil a genuine connection to the Australian landscape.
Nestled in the lush greenery of the Mount Eliza landscape is Brittany’s Two Bays Road project. Looking to source natural products that replicate the Australian environment, Brittany employs “a stunning colour palette of neutral tones, with hues of deep reds and variations of greens,” she explains. Alongside strong textures, Brittany also sought to use natural light to create a warm and inviting home for her clients. Influencing Brittany’s choice to use EGGER’s Brown Tossini Elm for all custom-made cabinetry within the home was the sustainable nature of all EGGER products, which aligned with her own methods of design. “Our strategy is to help reduce environmental toxins and improve the conditions with the home as well as the health of its future residents,” says Brittany, “all while helping to protect the climate and conserve natural resources, which is vital movement into the future.”
As the demand for ecological design grows, Brittany acknowledges that we all need to start looking at the way our daily lives impact the natural environment. “At AJ Lawson Designs, it is our strategy to specify responsibly at every opportunity we can and promote our clients to live responsibly,” explains Brittany. “We want to create seamless living and try to help people create homes that are functional and specific to that client and their style of living,” she continues, “and also live seamlessly with the environment.” Choosing to work with ForestOne and specification representative Ben Holod – who introduced Brittany to EGGER’s range of products – was due to the brand’s knowledge and commitment to protecting the environment. Additionally, “Ben’s passion for the products and specifying responsibly is contagious,” praises Brittany.
“Our strategy is to help reduce environmental toxins and improve the conditions with the home as well as the health of its future residents,” says Brittany, “all while helping to protect the climate and conserve natural resources, which is vital movement into the future.”
Located in Canberra is interior designer and director Dana from Concepts Interior Design, who chose to use EGGER’s U999 TM28 Black for design elements in her winning project as well as her other three projects. “It is our go-to for [a] black-textured wood finish in a fingerprint-proof option,” says Dana. “What we find is that most black décors leave fingerprints behind, but when we heard about the TM28, we were so excited about it that we went back and re-specified the finish.” With one project based in the Sovereign Islands, Queensland – which Concepts Interior Design was the interior specialist for – EGGER’s U999 TM28 Black was used for the larger joinery sections of the downstairs wine cellar, providing both a fingerprint-proof and textural finish that suited the home’s high-end design.
The second project, located in Canberra, consisted of thoughtful renovations, with the U999 TM28 Black employed for elements in the living room and cellar, whilst the third project saw the U999 TM28 Black used for the majority of joinery aspects within the apartment. “It adds a real luxurious texture to the wall – which I think is quite nice – and gives it a little more warmth to the end result in a more economical way,” says Dana.
Through ForestOne’s specification representative Annette Fanna, Dana and her team at Concepts Interior Design, Alyssa and Isobel, were able to specify a material that not only emphasised ecological choices but also provided a sophisticated look. With their dedication to balancing aesthetics with ecological materials, Dana and her team have previously specified a range of materials, but they often return to ForestOne. “If you [for example] are comparing another product and you have the option to pick something that is ForestOne, you are going to pick it,” says Dana. Alyssa agrees that “it is about having the choice and being able to show the clients that there are choices when it comes to products.”
Furthermore, working with Annette Fanna, who took the “time to explain how the grain worked,” says Dana, allowed Concepts Interior Design to understand how the product would work within their projects. “Also, having her present to us in our showroom really helped making a decision, as we got to see the product in person,” adds Alyssa. “When we asked for larger samples, Annette was very accommodating and sent us one straight away. It was a great help.”
“It adds a real luxurious texture to the wall – which I think is quite nice – and gives it a little more warmth to the end result in a more economical way,” says Dana.
As demonstrated by Brittany and Dana’s specification of EGGER materials, their passion for designing homes with more economically sound products is apparent. Moreover, thanks to the guidance of each ForestOne representative, both winners have ensured that their projects effectively reach their respective ecological goals.
Author: Brett Winchester
Photography: Tim Allen | https://www.timallenphoto.net/ and Jenny Wu | https://www.jennywuphotography.com/
AJ Lawson Designs | https://www.ajlawsondesigns.com.au/
Concept Interior Design | https://www.conceptsinteriordesign.com.au/
