DESIGN BY THEM is an Australian design company for furniture, lighting and accessories, founded in 2007 by industrial designers Sarah Gibson and Nicholas Karlovasitis in Sydney. The company is run entirely by designers who develop the complete product programme in-house — under the joint design label Gibson Karlo, complemented by collaboration with selected external Australian designers. All products are developed from an Australian design perspective and produced worldwide. DESIGN BY THEM understands itself as a platform for contemporary Australian design that finds a distinctive voice in playfulness, accessibility and functionality. Nicholas Karlovasitis is NSW Chair of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) and is active in national design strategy. Sarah Gibson is a regular speaker on design and creative business, and a judge of the Good Design Awards.
Reference projects: Facebook, Google, Dropbox, Sydney Opera House, Auckland Airport, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. — a range extending from digital tech campuses to luxury goods retailers that underlines the versatility of the range. Awards (selection): Good Design Gold Award Australia 2020 (Sundae Lounge, Jason Ju), Good Design Gold Award 2022 (Butter Collection, Gibson Karlo), Archiproducts Design Award 2021 (Olio Armchair, Christina Bricknell & Gibson Karlo), Archiproducts Design Award 2022 (Twill Chair, Gibson Karlo), Designers Australia Award 2021 (DL Range, Dion Lee & Gibson Karlo), Dezeen Awards 2021 Longlist (August Lounges, Gibson Karlo). Location: Sydney (Alexandra studio + Yennora warehouse); US subsidiary: Delaware. Production partners: multinational manufacturing network. On Archiproducts: furniture, lighting, accessories.
For architects and interior designers seeking an Australian design label for office, hospitality and public projects that is specifiable by global tech corporations and luxury fashion houses alike, develops all products in-house, represents a distinctive Australian point of view and is backed by consistent design awards, DESIGN BY THEM is the most precise Sydney address — a designer-led studio that understands quality and playfulness as entirely compatible.