Why ForestOne wants to foster new design studios

ForestOne, an innovative force in the timber and decorative solutions industries, thrives on the reciprocal energy of new design studios.

Sometimes the most exciting interior design studios are the ones you haven’t heard of yet. The Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) carves out space specifically to celebrate those burgeoning studios operating for five years or less, who are already doing great things.

As sponsor of the Emerging Designer of the Year category, ForestOne shares this enthusiasm for the new wave of talent.

“Many are agile, multidisciplinary and incredibly resourceful, pushing design boundaries while maintaining a conscious focus on the planet,” ForestOne group marketing manager Adam Jarski says. “We love being part of their journey, helping them discover materials that bring their visions to life.”

ForestOne’s new DesignerOne range offers a curated selection of 24 hard working colours made in Australia on recyclable particleboard.

The ForestOne story

ForestOne is itself a relative newcomer to the scene.

Although backed by a 140-year history, ForestOne was officially established in 2019 when four previously separate companies came together. The amalgamation brought Gunnersen, Australian Forest Products, Crown Timber and ForestOne International under ForestOne’s unified business ethos, providing the building industry with plywood, timber, laminate and decorative surface materials.

Mexicairns, designed by architects Myriad Design with joinery by CCJS, featuring EGGER and MEGANITE from ForestOne.

Committed to the tagline ‘Specify Responsibly’, ForestOne possesses a forward-thinking mindset and a strong focus on sustainability.

“Designers today face a complex landscape: tight project timelines, budget pressures and an ever-growing demand for sustainable, compliant materials. There’s also the challenge of staying ahead in a rapidly changing industry that values transparency and innovation,” Jarski says.

“ForestOne supports designers by providing reliable access to premium, sustainable materials, backed by strong environmental certifications and supply chain transparency.”

Gemini Café, designed by Urbani Design, featuring MEGANITE from ForestOne. Photo: Matt Biocich

Tangible support for emerging designers

ForestOne goes beyond this day-to-day technical and specification support for designers. By sponsoring the IDEA Emerging Designer of the Year category, ForestOne gives a platform to new studios – quite literally. In August, eight shortlisted studios vying for the top prize came to the ForestOne Melbourne showroom to pitch their case to an audience at the second annual Emerging Designer of the Year presentation event, which has become a crowd favourite on the IDEA calendar.

“There’s an energy and optimism that comes from new studios,” Jarski says. “They tend to question conventions, experiment with form and function, and embrace sustainability not as a trend but as a foundation.”

Jared Web presents at the IDEA 2025 Emerging Designer of the Year event. Photo: Scott Gick.

He describes the presentations as “incredibly inspiring”. “We saw a new generation of designers who are not only creative and conceptually strong but also deeply conscious of materiality, ethics and sustainability.”

Jarski says the presentations showed him a clear trajectory in Australian interior design towards holistic, purpose-led practice, where aesthetics, sustainability and social impact are equally valued.

“Designers are more collaborative than ever, seeking partnerships with suppliers who share their environmental and design values. For us, that’s exciting because it reflects exactly where ForestOne is heading as a business.”