Bladez & Co. Shortlisted for 2024 Interior Design Excellence Awards

We’re honoured to share that Bladez & Co. has been shortlisted in the 2024 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). As the designers behind this project, this recognition is deeply meaningful—not just for our team, but for everyone involved in bringing this concept to life.

Bladez & Co. represents a new kind of space—where grooming and streetwear culture come together in an experience that’s equal parts functional and expressive. From the beginning, our intent was to reflect the bold identity of the brand while designing a space that invites curiosity, movement, and individuality.

A Space Rooted in Culture

The design draws from the rhythm of the street. We took inspiration from urban environments—raw textures, fast energy, and layered expression. Materials like concrete, steel, and mirror finishes sit alongside graffiti flourishes and curated streetwear, all carefully balanced to avoid overwhelming the experience.

The interior is framed by 2.5 kilometres of blue and orange neon, which snake through the ceiling, fixtures, and focal points of the shop. As complementary colours, they create a high-impact visual contrast that feels both dynamic and harmonious. Blue evokes the cool precision of the barber’s craft, while orange brings warmth, energy, and bold self-expression. Their interplay grounds the space’s dual identity—refined yet expressive, sharp yet full of attitude.

Design Details That Tell a Story

Among the shop’s most distinctive features are the double-height sneaker display towers, which rise like glowing totems through the retail zone. These vertical showcases blur the lines between product and sculpture—positioning sneakers not just as merchandise, but as emblems of identity and culture.

To one side, a striking vermillion-orange change room features bold racing stripes that guide you towards it like a finish line. It was designed to feel cinematic—transforming a simple act of trying on clothing into a confident, individual ritual.

Retail columns punctuate the space with rhythm and height, while neon light rings float above key areas, spotlighting product zones and creating moments of visual pause. Alongside them, the iridescent barber stations shimmer with light, changing colour as you move around them—subtle but playful touches that speak to the evolving nature of style and self-image.

Recognition from the Industry

The Interior Design Excellence Awards, hosted by Inside magazine, have been running for over two decades and remain one of Australia’s most respected design platforms. Being shortlisted places Bladez & Co. among an impressive lineup of national projects that are redefining how we live, work, and engage with space.

For us, this nomination validates the importance of designing for cultural identity, not just aesthetics. It’s about creating environments that resonate with community, creativity, and confidence.