de Fiddes are excited to introduce you to our new blog page! This is a place where we plan to share our thoughts and reviews on design, architecture, products and the latest cutting edge research.
Our team will be posting regularly on de Fiddes projects, review new and exciting innovations, pass on to you the latest education, share and promote notes of inspiration and show you some fabulous photos from our interior fit outs. Keep up to date on latest products in the market, articles of interest and research findings from our Managing Director, Debbie de Fiddes.
Our blog will not only be an example of what keeps the team at de Fiddes committed to being at the forefront of innovation but a fun place to collect and seek ideas, advice for all things design and even just to share whatever is on our minds.
To be the first to receive our latest posts sign up to our newsletter inKIND here.
Enjoy!
A busy street with car horns honking, a kettle whistling, TV up loud, radio on, microwave beeping, phone ringing. If this cacophony of sound seems like a recipe for a bad time you’re not alone. We enjoy out of the box thinking and smart design, so when we came across these acoustic lights by Acustico, we were intrigued.
Read MoreWelcome to the first inKIND of 2023! The year has started with a bang here at the de Fiddes office and we have been a very busy bunch indeed. The Xmas break certainly highlighted that we were all ready for some time off; too much stimulation and goings on can definitely lead to burnout! So when Pantone released their colour of year it got us thinking. Vivid Magenta: bold and beautiful, but how much is too much?
Read MoreWelcome to the first DEB Talk of the year!
Join Deb as she asks the question: to Stimulate or not to Stimulate? Deb takes a deep dive into the Pantone colour of the year: Vivid Magenta. Plus what role colour plays in aged care environments, colour science and how this relates to stimulation.
The world has changed and design is changing with it. Products that are designed with health and safety in mind are being seen more and more. We love innovations especially when they can be used in aged care. For this issue we have found two great designs that are more than what they seem. The first is the Lotte Chair by Sarah Hossil. The second is the Noise-Virus-Catcher by Bruag.
Read MoreSteve Jobs said “learn continually – there is always ‘one more thing’ to learn.” At de Fiddes learning and expanding our skillset is a prerequisite to creating great work. . We recently read through David Engwicht’s eBooks and found some great information and ways of thinking that is relevant to aged care and can help decision makers find the confidence to take action.
Read MoreWe all know there are nurse shortages in Aged Care, and so we were inspired by a government run initiative in Switzerland called ‘Time Banking’. Volunteers “deposit” hours worked looking after elderly people. In return they can use time saved up for their own care later in life. Read more here.
Read MoreWatch Part 1 of our video interview with David Engwicht. Join him and Deb as they talk about outdoor spaces with purpose, discuss what is placemaking and talk about his project in Brisbane. This includes a great initiative asking visitors to aged care facilities: ‘has your loved one had 15 minutes outside today?’
Read MoreNestled at the centre of multiple apartment buildings, this is a public Dementia Friendly Sensory Garden in Port Macquarie NSW. The garden is filled with high blooming flowers, sculptures, pick and sniff herbs, textures, pebbles, benches with sandpits and a bubbling brook.
Read MoreThis month we have been looking at stimulating activities and the spaces which facilitate them, and as a result combat boredom. We found this great digital book club for residents and those with Dementia. Hearthside Book Club. Read our review!
Read MoreStimulating activities come in all shapes and sizes. Virtual Reality is all the rage right now and it’s positives for aged care includes conversation starters, movement, memory and exploration. We have found a great headset with specialised content for aged care from an Australian company - NeuronsVR.
Read MoreThis month’s Deb Talk is on Stimulation. More precisely, how we can create environments that are stimulating, and from an interiors perspective how can the design of the environment facilitate engagement?
Read MoreFor good or for bad, Social Media is here to stay. As the number of elderly using social platforms continues to rise so too does our interest in its use within aged care. How can organisations use social media and how can we use it to spread a positive message about ageing?
Listen to find out as Deb explores Social Media, Tiktok and its use in Aged Care in the latest Deb Talk.
This month on Deb Talks, Deb sits down with Julian Goddard, Honorary professor at the School of Art at RMIT, Melbourne where he was Dean until 2019. He is the founder and chair of the Australian Centre for Concrete Art. Join them as they talk all things art, dementia, aged care and art therapy.
Read MoreNo matter its shape, the family you were born with, or the friends who have become your family, the absence of them from your life can be incredibly hard.
We found a design that helps share photos with loved ones from across the world into their home.
Getting outdoors is one big win, but having activities to do outdoors is an absolute must! From nooks to sit and chat, to sensory delights such as lambs ears. What goes into your outdoor space should have as much thought to it as what goes inside.
Read MoreAt de Fiddes we are committed to staying at the forefront of innovative design. We have been creating enabling environments for residential, retirement, dementia and disability care for over 28 years; we know a thing or two (or three or four) about what works and what doesn’t! Our experience has informed our list of findings for the ‘2022 de Fiddes Design Trends for Aged Care.’
Read MoreWhat is the day again? Things are starting to take a turn for the hilarious with the de Fiddes quaranteam. After weeks working from home, it's time to put some measures in places to keep our routines fresh.
From cooking a new recipe each night, jigsaw puzzles and morning meditation, we have rounded up ways to keep sane and positive during this strange time!
Often a decision is made to refurbish or to improve one part of an aged care facility at a time – such as a house or a wing. This can involve structural works to remove walls, add walls, reconfigure bathrooms or kitchens or it can simply be replacement of furnishings such as flooring and chairs.
Our considerable combined years of expertise in this area ensures we have good tips to share before you embark on your project!
Maintaining connections with others is so important in aged care facilities; with isolation being one of the biggest challenges facing the industry today.
French designer Eva Rielland has come up with a unique way to help people stay up to date with new technologies and in contact with loved ones, which has really got us intrigued!
Designed to relieve the anxiety around learning a new system, Objects of Another Age incorporate minimalism and function.
We’re thrilled to be unveiling our refreshed brand identity.
Going from ‘de Fiddes Design’ to de Fiddes heralds a turning point for us as we offer a range of services that go far beyond interior design.
Our rebrand will be rolling out over the next month, so keep your eyes peeled for the magic as it happens.
