Last week I visited the Downtown Design for the first time. Aside of anything else, it was a welcome break from a looong week spent mostly housebound with two sick children. I mean, you could have sent me to the grocery store with a mile-long list and I’d have made a good time of it. But for those who don’t know, Downtown Design is substantially more exciting than that – it’s Dubai’s newest international design trade fair.

Whilst the event was somewhat smaller than I had expected, it’s blatantly obvious that the organizers are very selective about the calibre of exhibitors. I should also mention that 2013 was their inaugural year so it is still new and will no doubt grow exponentially from here on. Suffice to say that what it lacked in scale it certainly made up for in quality. And with it’s location right alongside the Burj Khalifa, aka the world’s tallest tower, this show boats a spectacular venue.

I was very impressed with the eclectic mix of companies that spanned all aspects of interior design and technology. I even got to see a 3D printer in action! The team behind Downtown Design is on a clear mission to turn this city into a vibrant hub for premium brands, designers, architects and their relevant audiences to meet, showcase, network and establish partnerships. It’s awesome to see Dubai’s design scene growing at such a rapid pace, attracting talented individuals and reputable organizations from around the globe. You really feel like you’re on the edge of emerging fabulocity.

With a whole bunch of new design brands to explore in one place, I was like a kid in candy store! Despite fighting Thursday afternoon traffic, it was an afternoon well spent and I promise to enlighten you on my favorite discoveries in the follow-up posts, but for now, allow me to introduce you to De Castelli, one of the standouts for me.

An Italian company, specializing in metal products, De Castelli offers a unique range of indoor and outdoor furniture, lighting and accessories in a variety of materials including iron, brass, copper, steel and aluminum.

I fell in love with these small TRIBÙ tables.

And I if I’d known about these beauties at the time, they would definitely have featured on my wire roundup…

De Castelli’s production blends design, art and craftsmanship with materials that offer a myriad of variations, producing unique pieces that epitomise clean and simple design.

There’s plenty more to explore, so take a look at the website too see it all for yourself. And if, like myself, you’re unlikely to make it to their flagship store in Milan anytime soon, you’ll be glad to know that De Castelli has a local supplier right here in Dubai.

More awesome discoveries to follow.