Janne Faulkner
Janne Faulkner has profoundly influenced many designers over five decades and ultimately the interiors experienced by Australians in everyday life. She founded Nexus Designs in 1967 as the business commenced a 20-year association working with Merchant Builders Interiors in conjunction with leading architects and designers. During this time Janne’s unique approach of using natural materials, and Australian contemporary art and craft and furniture came to the fore, as did forging a strong link between interior and exterior. While there was a ‘70s movement of Australia subscribing to international culture, Janne was driving a movement towards an Australian style.
In the commercial arena, the State Savings Bank of Victoria was the studio’s first of many key clients. Testament to Janne’s foresight was Nexus’ launch of a Product Consultancy Division in 1984 followed by a Graphic Design Division in 1985 to become a truly multi-disciplinary studio. Her company, Nexus, has been sought out by many of Australia’s product manufacturers – to develop product ranges, undertake colour and product audits, forecasts and to develop global trend analysis. Long-term consulting relationships have resulted with companies such as Bluescope Steel, Colorbond®, The Laminex Group and Boral.
A small sample of the diversity of projects undertaken by Nexus include: the refurbishment and new store rollout of 101 stores for Country Road (80s); Interior Design Consultants for the refurbishment of Government House, Canberra (1983); styling of the Commander telephone for Telecom; Interior Designers and art consultants for a New York apartment; modular kitchen system design for Radiant Steel Products; Interior Designers for The Presidents Cup 2011, Melbourne; Graphic Design consultancy to The Australian Ballet; and collaboration with Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) NEW010 exhibition.
Janne has several books to her credit – Inside Australian Interiors, Using Australian Colour,The Making of a House and Nexus Living.
She was appointed a member of the Order of Australia for Services to Design and the Arts in 1982 and was named IDEA11 Interior Design Excellence Awards Gold Medal Recipient. Projects by the Nexus team regularly appear on the winning or commended list of esteemed Australian design awards programs.
Forty-six years on, Nexus continues to draw inspiration from architecture, art, landscape, technology, music, literature and history – and Janne remains involved in all design disciplines offered at the practice.
