Every year, the world’s design industry descends on Milan for Salone del Mobile, the largest and most influential furniture and interior design exhibition in the world.
Walking through the exhibition halls, it would be easy to become distracted by the latest colours, furniture launches and emerging trends. But that is not why I go.
I travel to Milan to observe how great designers think. I want to understand how they solve problems, how they refine everyday details and how their spaces make people feel. Trends will always come and go, but thoughtful design principles endure.
This year, I returned home with something far more valuable than a list of new products. I came home reminded that the world’s best interiors are often the quietest, simplest and most carefully resolved.
Here are the lessons I believe Australian homeowners can take from Milan, and how I adapt those ideas for our unique tropical lifestyle in Darwin.
Restraint Creates Luxury
One of the first things I noticed was how calm the most memorable spaces felt. Their impact did not come from adding more. It came from knowing what to leave out.
Many Australian homes still rely on several feature materials, contrasting colours and multiple statement pieces within the one space. In Milan, confidence was expressed through restraint: fewer materials, cleaner detailing and a greater emphasis on proportion and craftsmanship.
Luxury was not loud. It was quietly resolved.
How this translates to Australian homes
Choose fewer finishes and invest in better-quality materials, joinery and detailing. In tropical homes, this approach is particularly effective because natural light and the surrounding landscape already provide so much visual richness.
Jan-Marie’s design tip
Texture can be more powerful than colour
Materials I saw repeatedly
Stone
Timber
Linen
Ribbed glass
Textured plaster
Brushed metals
Jan-Marie’s design tip
Joinery Is Architecture
This was perhaps the most significant lesson I brought home. In Milan, joinery was not treated as furniture placed into a room. It was part of the architecture itself.
Walls became storage. Storage became sculpture. Handles disappeared. Lighting was integrated. Kitchens and living spaces flowed together rather than feeling like separate zones.
When joinery is considered early in the design process, it can improve circulation, conceal clutter and create a sense of calm that freestanding furniture rarely achieves.
How this translates to Australian homes
Plan storage and joinery at the same time as the architecture, rather than treating them as additions once the floor plan is complete.
Jan-Marie’s design tip
Kitchens are Becoming Living Spaces
At EuroCucina, the emphasis was not simply on appliances. It was on the experience of using the kitchen and the way it contributes to the wider home.
I saw beautifully integrated coffee stations, concealed preparation zones, intuitive appliances, considered dining areas and storage that felt more like furniture than conventional cabinetry.
The kitchen did not dominate the living space. It contributed to its atmosphere.
The Australian adaptation
Our open-plan homes benefit enormously from this approach. A kitchen should support everyday life while still feeling visually connected to the surrounding living and dining areas.
Jan-Marie’s design tip
Bathrooms Should Feel Like Retreats
The bathrooms I saw were not trying too hard to impress. They were calm, tactile and beautifully composed.
Large uninterrupted surfaces, soft lighting, minimal visual clutter and natural materials created a retreat-like feeling. The focus shifted away from individual luxury fittings and towards the overall experience of the room.
How this translates to Australian homes
A bathroom can feel luxurious without becoming overly decorative. Careful planning, fewer visual interruptions and materials that feel good to touch often make the greatest difference.
Jan-Marie’s design tip
Lighting Is Part of the Architecture
Lighting was not treated as something added after the design was complete. It shaped the design from the beginning.
Concealed lighting, integrated shelving, soft wall washing and gentle ceiling details created warmth without relying on a single decorative fitting.
This layered approach makes a space feel comfortable at different times of day and allows architectural details and materials to be appreciated properly.
How this translates to Australian homes
A strong lighting plan should include ambient, task and accent lighting. In tropical homes, it should also respond to the dramatic shift between bright daylight and evening conditions.
Jan-Marie’s design tip
Sustainability Through Longevity
Interestingly, sustainability was not always communicated through large statements. It was demonstrated through the quality and longevity of the design.
I saw timeless materials, replaceable components, adaptable systems and a renewed respect for craftsmanship. These were pieces and spaces intended to age gracefully rather than be replaced when the next trend arrived.
That is one of the most meaningful forms of sustainable design.
How this translates to Australian homes
Choose materials and layouts that can support your life for many years. Good design should remain functional, beautiful and relevant well beyond the first photographs.
Jan-Marie’s design tip
What About Tropical Australia?
Not everything I saw in Milan belongs in Darwin. Heavy textiles, dark finishes and enclosed spaces may be beautiful in a European setting, but they do not always suit our climate or lifestyle.
My role is not to copy the products. It is to understand the principles behind them and reinterpret those ideas for the Australian tropics.
Natural ventilation
Light, tactile materials
Warm neutral palettes
Durable finishes suited to humidity
Simplicity that allows the landscape to become part of the design
The goal is not to recreate Milan. It is to apply world-class design thinking in a way that feels authentic to our climate, architecture and way of living.
What Surprised Me Most
After travelling internationally for design inspiration over many years, I am often asked whether Australian homes are behind what is happening overseas.
The truth is, they are not.
We already have many of the ingredients designers around the world envy: beautiful natural light, generous indoor-outdoor living and an extraordinary connection to the landscape.
The opportunity is not to copy Europe. It is to combine world-class design thinking with the Australian lifestyle.
Thoughtful Design Always Outlasts Fashionable Design
The most valuable thing I brought home from Milan was not a trend. It was confirmation that exceptional homes are created through hundreds of thoughtful decisions that quietly improve the way people live every day.
Whether I am designing a boutique salon, a luxury bathroom, a kitchen or a family home here in Darwin, the philosophy remains the same.
The goal has never been to recreate what I see overseas. It is to bring home the best ideas, reinterpret them for our tropical climate and create spaces that feel timeless, personal and effortless for the people who live in them.
