I’ve been a huge fan of the AERO Designs brand for a long time now, and own a few of their stylish and affordable pieces. So when I was afforded the opportunity to ask the the man behind the brand a few questions i jumped at the chance.
My Interview With Rob Whyte
1. The AERO brand is synonymous with words like – Accessible,Inspiring, Trend-setting and Classic how do you keep your designs and furniture stores consistently ahead and setting trends in furniture design?
We are uncompromising in our approach to our designs in that we look to solutions to problems which do not involve decoration or embellishment.
We create simple value for money furniture which we would be happy to have in our own homes, using mostly local Melbourne manufacturers.
We enjoy traveling; through which we gather ideas and keep an eye on what is happening in the world of furniture and design.
2. The new showroom launching in Melbourne in May how is it different from the present AERO furniture stores?
Our new shop is a warehouse. We believe retail has changed. For a start retail rents do not reflect customer numbers. The Internet has changed the way people shop, the web is now window shopping for most people. Therefore the idea of less traffic and onsite parking makes visiting us more attractive to our customer.
In our new showroom space you don’t walk through a front door you enter via a series of decks and trees, into a large open space – a warehouse.
This space does not try too hard. Old stained concrete floor, steel roof and brick walls.
3. People find you and the work you do Inspiring, who or what inspires you?
Me inspiring? I don’t think people think that at all!
We travel to Milan every year and every year we see things that make us want to push the boundaries more and more. We are inspired by many European companies which only makes us want to do things even better.
4. If you were giving some advice to the Rogue Homme gentleman on how to keep their living space looking both trendy and comfortable what would it be?
To keep any expensive purchase neutral. Use accessories to add colour and fun to your living space.
And if you are unsure of a piece of furniture don’t buy it, you should LOVE everything in your home.
Rob Whyte – AERO Designs
Interview & Post by By Arrnott Olssen
Editor Rogue Homme
