Milan Furniture fair Trend Watch 2016
Salone del Mobile.Milano 2016: creativity, innovation and technology The 55th edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano is the international benchmark showcase for furnishing and design. More than 300,000 professional attendees from over 160 countries are seizing the opportunity to come to Rho and cast their eyes over the latest products being showcased by more than 2,400 exhibitors this year. A range of goods that combines quality and technology, shaped by the creativity of the leading sectoral companies, practised at developing their businesses by investing each year in innovative products and home furnishing solutions: 67% of the companies taking part have said that they have ploughed major investments into innovative machinery, equipment, R&D and design. Zona Tortona, also called Tortona Design Week, is an integrated communications project promoting the events, installations and projects that are taking place in the Tortona district during the Fuorisalone event. Brera Design District is Italy s most important district for the promotion of design, an international point of reference and a centre of Milan s creative, commercial and cultural development. It is the area where all the showrooms of the most important design brands are placed. Ventura Lambrate in the last few years became an interesting place to visit during the design week, because it is reserved to the new generations of young designers. Ventura Projects are curated exhibition areas that present the latest developments at the forefront of contemporary design.
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Colours Milan this year was the new World of Colours fusion of colours in every tone available. More colours than earlier years and some of them were more prominent than others. Colours from earth, fire and sky =green, yellow and blue Shades of blue appeared in many accents alone or in combination of yellow and pink. Blue was the dominant colour, it was toned down with other colour combinations and with different tones. We saw a lot of yellow in different shades. Warm grey this year became an important tone. Warm grey is the new brown, beige and khaki. A neutral tone that allows only specific combinations to work. From permanent surfaces like floor and walls to upholstery and wood finishes. It is a base palette of tones that works for all other accents. Deep red used independently among other accent colours. Pastels were seen but less than last year. Multiple colours or a blend of colours appearing in most designs. However, warm grey, deep red, blue, yellow and green are pinpointed as the colour trends for the year.
Colours
Colours
Colours
Colours
Colours
Colours
Material trends Wood is still an important material. Oak, walnut, high gloss and matte, lights and darks and reds, all colours are now part of the trend. Real wood, laminate foils, printed textures in different colours and finishes. Metals and marble everywhere. on table tops of all kinds, small and large. High gloss metals are the cutting edge now. Marble has taken a centre stage, adding some glamour in an exciting range of colours including pink and black. Quartz British designer Tom Dixon collaborates with quartz manufacturer Caesarstone on The Restaurant, a presentation of four conceptual kitchens inspired by the four elements. The designer will also unveil a five-part collection of lighting and furniture inspired by raw materials. Glass: The colourful stained glasses or the rainbow spectrum glass in wide range of colours were also a trend in cabinets and coffee tables. Some of the design world's superstars are making their marks with the material. Iridescence is the phenomenon of certain surfaces that appear to change colour as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes.
Materials
Materials
Glass
Quarts
Marble
Wood and metal
Metal
Wood
. Iridescence
. Stained glass
Shapes and pattern Geometric motifs are back in a big way, but as a boxed pattern often alongside another pattern. These two-tone, high-contrast, simple patterns are finding their way onto all surfaces - fabric, metal, laminate and wood. Tones of colour are mixed and strong. This bold trend will stay for a while, enabling a transition to a new way. Geometric patterns in cabinets, coffee and centre tables. Diamond shape, stripes, triangle, rectangle, straight lines, circles, square all over the fabrics, accessories and designs making geometrical lines and shapes Printed surfaces, an anthropological influence we see flowing into the west from African and Oriental art. Traditional art deco motifs can also work with warm grey The stripes were visible last year, mainly in fabrics. This year stripes were onto product surfaces, carpets and of course upholstery. Various combinations were seen with yellows or blues dominating.
Pattern
. Stripes
Pattern
Compact Living As more and more city dwellers are escaping escalating house prices by living in smaller, more flexible spaces, we predict designers to continue responding with furniture that makes the most of every inch of the floors, walls, and even the ceiling. We saw a few examples at last year's event and we saw a number of space-saving products this year Multifunctional furniture is in, as rooms sizes get tighter or people want more. Sofas with flexible modules, extensible dining tables, coffee tables with storage and built-in lighting, adjustable shelving systems and small tables for your home office. Green plants Go green inside and out. Real plants, tall ones, short ones, and largely nonflowering, so that colour design isn't affected. Dropped from the ceiling where you least expect it, or across entire walls. Used as partitions or just everywhere. Fringles If you're not rocking fringles already, come Spring 2016 you will be. Fringles is in. Looking at what s coming down the runways at Fashion Weeks, choppy edges are still having a major moment. These stylishly slashed edges are lining skirts, dresses and jackets as well as bags, shoes and earrings.
Compact living
Green plants
. Fringles
Corporate marketing Milan has long been used by big brands from other sectors of the industry as a promotional platform, but their presence is ever-growing and becoming inescapable. Car companies including Toyota and Lexus, and sports brands like Nike are all using the event to garner attention through commissioned projects and installations, and of course parties. Nike was displaying works by 10 contemporary designers that explore the idea of Natural Motion using various mediums. The artists were invited to utilize materials unique to Nike like the Flyknit, which was launched four years ago resulting in works that are sometimes conceptual, sometimes practical. Dolce & Gabbana presents a special collaboration with retro appliance brand Smeg, "FRIGORIFERO D'ARTE". This artistic collection includes several Smeg refrigerators that have been expertly hand-painted with decorative pictorials inspired by the Sicilian cart. Each design has a unique composition with some featuring references from ancient transportation and Italian opera, to mythology and the natural landscape of Sicily.
. Corporate marketing
. Design for children was one of the hot trends at this year's Italian brand Kartell, launching an entire new range of products for younger users. "It is a huge market with very high potential, and many offers in terms of furnishings and toys," Kartell president and CEO Claudio Luti told us ahead of the event. "A kid that falls in love with a design product today will probably grow 'Kartellhearted' in the future,"
Upholstery
Upholstery
Retro
3D print and Crafts
Outside inside
Flexible furniture
Nesting
Nesting
Shapes
Flexible furniture
Sweden goes Milan
Storage
High quality leather work