top3 by design



Italian Progetti random clocks.
Mondrian vase from Denmark.






Argentinean Poggio keyrings and rings made from anodised aluminium.
"Ringstack" ring collection by Australian George Plionis.








Terri: the "editor" of Top3 By Design.




Choice. Yep, it's getting harder to make decisions about what to buy, where to shop, when to stop... Well, that's how I feel. So the idea behind Top3 By Design is great: someone has done all the hard work for us. And that someone is Terri Winter. She has narrowed down those endless choices to three of the best in each category, such as book shelves, cushions and storage jars, among many, many other items. Here's how it all started:



How and why did you start Top3 By Design? We started in 2001 in response to lack of an extensive, innovative, design-focused accessories and object collection in Australia. Top3 is an edited selection: we stock up to three products per category, deemed the best in the world by merit of design.
What has been the response? Top3 gets a lot of international attention because of its edited collection. The individual products are ALL available somewhere around the world, it is the edited selection of them in one place that sets us apart. Getting access to the ideas is not as difficult these days as it was in the past (with the use of the internet). Absorbing, assessing and ultimately refining options is what I do. Curating or editing the selection of products is really the new holy grail. There is a lot of great design out there. There are plenty of people who want to buy great-quality, innovative products, but have not been offered the environment to do so. Top3 takes out the guesswork and ensures the research into quality and functionality is done so buying can become far more emotive. This completely changes the customer’s experience when buying at Top3 and we have enjoyed some great feedback from that.
What five words best describe the store? Design, innovation, quality, style, edited.
What product can’t customers get enough of? Right now some of the more coveted items are
- Argentinean Poggio keyrings and rings made from anodised aluminium.
- Italian Progetti random clocks
- San Francisco design Josh Jakus felt collection of bags and wine totes.
- The Australian "bowlboard"
- The gorgeous Helen lampshades were a hit over Christmas.
- Eva solo bathroom and kitchen soap dispenser has a struck a chord!
- "Ringstack" ring collection by Australian George Plionis
- Mondrian vase from Denmark
Where do you look to for inspiration? I have just returned from a “designer buying tour” covering two trade fairs in Paris and Frankfurt as well as visiting Helsinki, Copenhagen and New York to meet with designers and find new exciting products and innovations. I am also an internet addict, spending hours and hours on design award websites and design blogsites. A lot of designers or brands from around the world approach us with their designs at an early stage now, so we really have a lot upfront knowledge of what is due on market.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I was blessed to meet Vivianna Torun prior to her death so would have to say Arne Jacobsen, the indisputable design genius of the last century.
What are you reading? At the moment I am reading One hundred & One Beautiful Towns in Italy – a food & wine guide one of my favourite places on earth!
What’s next? Top3 has several opportunities at the moment, we are exploring a couple of them very closely. We are certainly due to expand into Melbourne fairly soon… Also, the website is always undergoing updates and growth, so there will be a lot more information coming online in 2008 and more benefits to Top3 subscribers – they are the supporters who are helping us grow, and we want to be able to thank them more in the future.



Images courtesy of Top3 By Design.