Interior designer, TV star, homeware designer, author and brand ambassador – Darren Palmer is a household name among design-loving Australians. Of course, he wouldn’t be where he is today if he didn’t have a genuine eye for design and the ability to communicate and translate his concepts and ideas into spaces and objects. As part of our ongoing Designer Selects series, Australian Design Review asked Palmer to share the pieces of furniture that he covets the most. 

Blaze Coffee Table

I love the cast metal look of this coffee table and the addition of natural stone provides a softening contrast. The materials of nature are always my go-to, and having two materials combined in one piece is a no-brainer.

Roland Modular Sofa

I don’t exactly covet this piece, I just love it. I’ve used it in green for a Yourtown Christmas prize home and then had to have one for my own home. I love its versatility.  The fact that it is reconfigurable into different shapes and sizes, as well as being small enough in pieces to fit into lifts, staircases and doorways, makes it suitable for homes of all types and sizes.

Outdoor Trend Module Lounge and Footstool set

The Trend Lounge, designed by Peter Brown in 1970, is an iconic form that I was fortunate to have customised in a brand new Sunbrella outdoor fabric with matching powder-coated legs for my own home. This new product is an addition to their existing range of striking striped outdoor chair and ottoman combinations, and they have what I think is a sedate and timeless appeal.

Velluto Swivel chair

I love how simultaneously modern and retro this chair looks. The timber inlay, metal base and soft forms and fabrics appeal to all of my sensibilities. I think it’s chic and interesting and I’d happily have several of them in my home or projects. I think it’s a knockout.

Joshua Yeldham, Silver Owl

I definitely covet the owl sculptures by Joshua Yeldham, especially when they’re as intricate and beautiful as this gorgeous haloed silver owl. There’s something magical, whimsical, yet ultra-designed and refined about Yeldham’s sculptures. I have loved his paintings since 2013, but I am definitely keeping a space for one of his sculptures.

Senso Large Table Lamp

Bloomingdales is known for iconic lighting. Kelly Wearstler is an iconic designer. Visual Comfort is an iconic lighting brand, and this piece is, well, iconic. I love the striking form, the materials and the scale. It’s a cracker.

Darren Palmer Moorland Fig Rug 290 x 200 cm

Creating my second range of rugs with Unitex required an evolution of direction towards a modern farmhouse style. I love the feeling of heritage and tradition combined with a distinctly modern palette and tone. This rug collection will feel at home in modern homes, amongst contemporary designs and, of course, will sit perfectly in a modern farmhouse aesthetic. 

For more covetable pieces of art and design, check our Kate McCluskey Kyle’s Designer Selects.