6 Trends From Salone de Mobile: The Stories Behind the Designs
See how the design industry is moving forward with one foot in tradition and the other in experimentation and innovation
Every year at the Milan Furniture Fair we see trends and cycles that come and go, but some of them gradually end up sticking. This year’s trends seem to be here to stay, as they are the natural evolution of projects developed over the past few years that are now fully mature. This maturity is not only evident in the design ideas, which we explore below, but also in the success of the latest edition of Milan’s Salone del Mobile (held from 18 to 23 April 2023) itself, steadily growing year after year.
More than 300,000 visitors attended this 61st edition (15 percent more than in 2022), alongside more than 2,000 brands, 34 percent of which were international, and 28 design schools and universities from 18 countries. Of the buyers and professionals present, 65 percent were from overseas, led by China and closely followed by Germany, France, the US, Spain and Brazil.
More than 300,000 visitors attended this 61st edition (15 percent more than in 2022), alongside more than 2,000 brands, 34 percent of which were international, and 28 design schools and universities from 18 countries. Of the buyers and professionals present, 65 percent were from overseas, led by China and closely followed by Germany, France, the US, Spain and Brazil.
Many of them replicate textile patterns, materials, or techniques specific to a region, and then project them into an international context. One example is Japanese architect and designer Taiju Yamashita, whose brand Daft about Draft has an almost exclusively local production strategy. “In my mind, I have a young buyer who wants objects with a story, who likes to mix different styles and pieces from different origins, just like I do,” says Yamashita.
The question the designer asked himself was ‘where do young Japanese people live, or dream of living?’ The result was a hybrid style that straddles eastern and western cultures with a distinctly cosmopolitan flavour. A minimalism that says “Japanese Zen revisited, choosing materials that instil positive, pleasant feelings”.
The question the designer asked himself was ‘where do young Japanese people live, or dream of living?’ The result was a hybrid style that straddles eastern and western cultures with a distinctly cosmopolitan flavour. A minimalism that says “Japanese Zen revisited, choosing materials that instil positive, pleasant feelings”.
Bolet extruded clay stool or side table designed by Andreu Carulla for Calma. Both the production process and aesthetic are typical of the Empordà region in Catalonia, Spain.
Tempted to refresh your home? Find interior designers near you on Houzz, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
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Mangiafuoco glazed table by Giorgia Zanellato and Daniele Bortotto for Moroso.
Moroso’s new tables also draw inspiration from the design and craftsmanship of north-eastern Italy, which are inextricably linked to the region’s local traditions. The copper that forms the base of the Mangiafuoco table is coated with vitreous powder and fired at a high temperature, taking on a myriad of iridescent hues.
“Each piece is marked with a code so that we can keep track of the batches. Each table may have to be fired up to five times. For us and for Moroso, human sensibility and craftsmanship are incredibly important: the people behind the products,” says designer Daniele Bortotto.
Using a technique used extensively in the 1960s and 1970s by masters such as Paolo De Poli, which has been revised and updated for modern production by removing all traces of lead from the glaze, “our aim is to create iconic pieces, not fast design,” says Bortotto.
Moroso’s new tables also draw inspiration from the design and craftsmanship of north-eastern Italy, which are inextricably linked to the region’s local traditions. The copper that forms the base of the Mangiafuoco table is coated with vitreous powder and fired at a high temperature, taking on a myriad of iridescent hues.
“Each piece is marked with a code so that we can keep track of the batches. Each table may have to be fired up to five times. For us and for Moroso, human sensibility and craftsmanship are incredibly important: the people behind the products,” says designer Daniele Bortotto.
Using a technique used extensively in the 1960s and 1970s by masters such as Paolo De Poli, which has been revised and updated for modern production by removing all traces of lead from the glaze, “our aim is to create iconic pieces, not fast design,” says Bortotto.
Blok wooden sofa designed by Andrea Steidl for Woak.
The work of Serbian brand Woak, such as the sofa pictured, is inspired by the simple silhouettes and imposing volumes of blokovi, the urban neighbourhoods in Belgrade. It exhibits a brutalist style mixed with the softness of padding.
The brand itself also has strong local origins, rooted in its passion for working with solid oak and walnut and its “immense respect for sustainable raw materials,” says Dalibor Petrović, founder of Woak, in a press release.
The work of Serbian brand Woak, such as the sofa pictured, is inspired by the simple silhouettes and imposing volumes of blokovi, the urban neighbourhoods in Belgrade. It exhibits a brutalist style mixed with the softness of padding.
The brand itself also has strong local origins, rooted in its passion for working with solid oak and walnut and its “immense respect for sustainable raw materials,” says Dalibor Petrović, founder of Woak, in a press release.
Cuina recycled plastic indoor or outdoor rug by Run Design Studio for Calma.
Another source of inspiration, this time from Catalan brand Calma in Spain, is ultra-local craftsmanship, transported to homes all across the world. Calma’s rugs replicate the classic adobe ceramic tiles used in farmhouses and rustic homes of Empordà throughout much of Catalonia. The result is an object suitable for both indoors and outdoors that combines local artisanal flavour with polypropylene made from 100 percent recycled bottles.
Another source of inspiration, this time from Catalan brand Calma in Spain, is ultra-local craftsmanship, transported to homes all across the world. Calma’s rugs replicate the classic adobe ceramic tiles used in farmhouses and rustic homes of Empordà throughout much of Catalonia. The result is an object suitable for both indoors and outdoors that combines local artisanal flavour with polypropylene made from 100 percent recycled bottles.
Doge Laguna table designed in 1968 by Carlo Scarpa, reproduced as part of a limited edition for the Cassina iMaestri Collection, featuring a sandblasted extra-clear glass top and steel frame. The rippled effect of the glass is reminiscent of the Venetian lagoon.
2. XXL Design
At this year’s edition of the Salone del Mobile trade fair, there were also many examples of oversize furniture: pieces created in XXL form from the outset, or newer, bigger versions of past designs. Primarily tables for commercial use or public spaces, but also several for the private sector, showcased oversize proportions in excess of three metres long. This reinforces the role of the dining table as the very essence of the home, and as an important focal point that requires a large central space.
2. XXL Design
At this year’s edition of the Salone del Mobile trade fair, there were also many examples of oversize furniture: pieces created in XXL form from the outset, or newer, bigger versions of past designs. Primarily tables for commercial use or public spaces, but also several for the private sector, showcased oversize proportions in excess of three metres long. This reinforces the role of the dining table as the very essence of the home, and as an important focal point that requires a large central space.
Fuoriscala by Piero Lissoni for Atlas Concorde.
With Fuoriscala, the table becomes a sculpture that combines contrasting functions. “We have taken the idea of large slabs used to cover walls and furniture to the extreme, creating iconic pieces that play with “out-of-scale” dimensions,” said Piero Lissoni during the press launch. It is “a somewhat conceptual exercise that brings the table into an architectural dimension,” reminiscent of a precious gem through the medium of Atlas Concorder’s huge panels, which can be manufactured to heights of more than four metres.
With Fuoriscala, the table becomes a sculpture that combines contrasting functions. “We have taken the idea of large slabs used to cover walls and furniture to the extreme, creating iconic pieces that play with “out-of-scale” dimensions,” said Piero Lissoni during the press launch. It is “a somewhat conceptual exercise that brings the table into an architectural dimension,” reminiscent of a precious gem through the medium of Atlas Concorder’s huge panels, which can be manufactured to heights of more than four metres.
Frank table by Robin Rizzini for Pedrali. Artistic direction by Studio FM, photo by Andrea Garuti, styling by Studio Salaris. The top is positioned on lightly curved die-cast aluminium legs.
In their expansion into oversize design, tables can also change shape, just like this example by Pedrali. Inspired by architectural shapes, it combines logical lines with curves, morphing the viewer’s perception depending on where they’re standing. This table is part of the BacktoNature project, which presents interior pieces that can also be used in the garden, and vice versa, in a continuous mingling of inside and outside.
In their expansion into oversize design, tables can also change shape, just like this example by Pedrali. Inspired by architectural shapes, it combines logical lines with curves, morphing the viewer’s perception depending on where they’re standing. This table is part of the BacktoNature project, which presents interior pieces that can also be used in the garden, and vice versa, in a continuous mingling of inside and outside.
Melty mirror made from overlapping glass by Lago.
But it’s not just tables that are transformed by this idea of ‘gigantification’: a series of mirrors also venture into larger dimensions to become mirrored walls, creating unique optical effects.
Browse stunning hallways by contemporary Australian designers
But it’s not just tables that are transformed by this idea of ‘gigantification’: a series of mirrors also venture into larger dimensions to become mirrored walls, creating unique optical effects.
Browse stunning hallways by contemporary Australian designers
Roopa coffee table and Shaal sofa designed by Doshi Levien for Arper. The sofa is available in warm grey, midnight blue, forest green or Jaipur pink, Roopa can be completely disassembled, making it easy to reuse and recycle, made from European FSC-certified MDF without the use of glue.
3. Atmosphere and poetry
The past few years have seen a shift towards playful styles and fun designs. This year, design has evolved towards a very clear goal: to bring atmosphere and poetry into the home. So it’s not about precise lines and materials, but about the feeling that’s created, which can even be rooted in the manufacturing process or sustainability considerations.
“We believe that everything you can’t see in a product, together with its overall aesthetics, its details, its feel, is crucial: it helps create the atmosphere of the object. There are new expectations when it comes to design, such as whether it makes the consumer feel good and its impact on the environment in general,” says Nipa Doshi of Doshi Levien.
But it is reflected in aesthetics, too. There were many examples of ‘soft design,’ designed not only for utility but also for pleasure, with lines stretched and modified to replicate the imprecise, rounded shapes of nature, mainly in the form of sofas.
3. Atmosphere and poetry
The past few years have seen a shift towards playful styles and fun designs. This year, design has evolved towards a very clear goal: to bring atmosphere and poetry into the home. So it’s not about precise lines and materials, but about the feeling that’s created, which can even be rooted in the manufacturing process or sustainability considerations.
“We believe that everything you can’t see in a product, together with its overall aesthetics, its details, its feel, is crucial: it helps create the atmosphere of the object. There are new expectations when it comes to design, such as whether it makes the consumer feel good and its impact on the environment in general,” says Nipa Doshi of Doshi Levien.
But it is reflected in aesthetics, too. There were many examples of ‘soft design,’ designed not only for utility but also for pleasure, with lines stretched and modified to replicate the imprecise, rounded shapes of nature, mainly in the form of sofas.
BomBom Collection by Joana Vasconcelos for Roche Bobois. The range features both inside and outside versions.
One example is the BomBom collection, created for Roche Bobois in collaboration with the artist Joana Vasconcelos, which exudes optimism with its soft, sinuous lines: think sofas, rugs, cushions and side tables in pastel shades. As with the aforementioned trend, local inspiration comes into play here, with the artist drawing on the colours of old houses in Lisbon, Portugal, to create cheerful furnishings.
One example is the BomBom collection, created for Roche Bobois in collaboration with the artist Joana Vasconcelos, which exudes optimism with its soft, sinuous lines: think sofas, rugs, cushions and side tables in pastel shades. As with the aforementioned trend, local inspiration comes into play here, with the artist drawing on the colours of old houses in Lisbon, Portugal, to create cheerful furnishings.
Fregio ceramic lamp by Andrea Anastasio for Foscarini. This project was developed in collaboration with artistic workshop Gatti di Faenza, whose archives inspired the designer when creating the lamp’s floral bas-relief design.
Setting the mood has been one of the main focuses for lighting brands this year. This is something we see in the Lago Glee lamp, specially developed with the goal of creating a cosy, theatrical ambience, and in the Foscarini Fregio project too: a contemporary-style suspended light infused with ancient artisanal appeal to inject poetic energy in the room with its ceramic bas-relief frieze design.
Setting the mood has been one of the main focuses for lighting brands this year. This is something we see in the Lago Glee lamp, specially developed with the goal of creating a cosy, theatrical ambience, and in the Foscarini Fregio project too: a contemporary-style suspended light infused with ancient artisanal appeal to inject poetic energy in the room with its ceramic bas-relief frieze design.
Seating system from the Ralik range, designed by Ichiro Iwasaki for Arper. All pieces can be combined and the covers can all be removed. The legs are made from recycled polypropylene.
4. (Even more) sustainable
While sustainability has been a key focus over the past few years, this year’s exhibition took it even further, showcasing a clear awareness among manufacturers, companies and homeowners, who are now asking for clear certifications and a responsible approach.
“The word sustainability is often overused and misplaced. As designers, we have to work meticulously to produce objects and products that will truly stand the test of time,” says designer Piero Lissoni, explaining how durability and the creation of long-lasting valuable objects that can be handed down through generations is one of the main goals when it comes to sustainability.
Many companies began their transformation several years ago. One of these is Arper, adopting a pioneering approach by adjusting the manufacturing processes and creating a department entirely dedicated to sustainability.
“We choose to speak to our clients as transparently as possible, at the cost of being ‘anti-business’. What’s important to us is that people know not only that our products are made from recycled plastic, but the exact percentage of post-consumer plastic too. This way, our customers are more conscious of what they’re buying and our pieces acquire more substance and value. Above all, sustainability for us is about people’s entire wellbeing, including those who work in the production chain: a circular economy that considers the product from when it’s first born through to when it’s thrown away,” says Andrea Mulloni, head of sustainability at Arper.
4. (Even more) sustainable
While sustainability has been a key focus over the past few years, this year’s exhibition took it even further, showcasing a clear awareness among manufacturers, companies and homeowners, who are now asking for clear certifications and a responsible approach.
“The word sustainability is often overused and misplaced. As designers, we have to work meticulously to produce objects and products that will truly stand the test of time,” says designer Piero Lissoni, explaining how durability and the creation of long-lasting valuable objects that can be handed down through generations is one of the main goals when it comes to sustainability.
Many companies began their transformation several years ago. One of these is Arper, adopting a pioneering approach by adjusting the manufacturing processes and creating a department entirely dedicated to sustainability.
“We choose to speak to our clients as transparently as possible, at the cost of being ‘anti-business’. What’s important to us is that people know not only that our products are made from recycled plastic, but the exact percentage of post-consumer plastic too. This way, our customers are more conscious of what they’re buying and our pieces acquire more substance and value. Above all, sustainability for us is about people’s entire wellbeing, including those who work in the production chain: a circular economy that considers the product from when it’s first born through to when it’s thrown away,” says Andrea Mulloni, head of sustainability at Arper.
HOA Table by Bartoli Design for Lago. The top is available in XGlass, Wildwood or lacquered glass. The legs are made from pewter steel.
Italian company Lago has also made sustainability one of its core strengths, establishing the Lago Sustainability Circle that covers topics from supply chain to employee health and aims to promote a circular and inclusive culture.
Italian company Lago has also made sustainability one of its core strengths, establishing the Lago Sustainability Circle that covers topics from supply chain to employee health and aims to promote a circular and inclusive culture.
Nemo’s Cabanon Lamp, designed by Le Corbusier. Photo by Alberto Strada.
5. From past to present with fury
A sign of design maturity is its ability to calibrate past and present and, whilst inventing the new, bearing in mind what has already been done. It embodies a ‘sustainable’ approach that doesn’t strive to eliminate the past, but rather to recreate what has worked in years gone by. And so many artists have reinterpreted the past, producing new iterations of works by great historic designers.
One case in point is the Cabanon table lamp by Nemo, propelling an original design into modern reality. It’s a previously unreleased design, born from the mind of Le Corbusier in 1952 for his shed or ‘cabanon’ just a few steps from the beach: a refuge for the architect during the last few years of his life.
5. From past to present with fury
A sign of design maturity is its ability to calibrate past and present and, whilst inventing the new, bearing in mind what has already been done. It embodies a ‘sustainable’ approach that doesn’t strive to eliminate the past, but rather to recreate what has worked in years gone by. And so many artists have reinterpreted the past, producing new iterations of works by great historic designers.
One case in point is the Cabanon table lamp by Nemo, propelling an original design into modern reality. It’s a previously unreleased design, born from the mind of Le Corbusier in 1952 for his shed or ‘cabanon’ just a few steps from the beach: a refuge for the architect during the last few years of his life.
Teatime tray by Philippe Starck for Kartell. Available in gold, bronze, chrome and pink.
The Teatime tray by Philippe Starck for Kartell also offers a playful nod to the past, made from recycled PMMA with exquisite detailing recalling delicate crochet patterns.
The Teatime tray by Philippe Starck for Kartell also offers a playful nod to the past, made from recycled PMMA with exquisite detailing recalling delicate crochet patterns.
Red Maralunga sofa by Vico Magistretti, re-edition by Cassina.
6. Seated, but never static
At Salone del Mobile, we saw it all, from adaptable and transformable backrests, to swivel chairs and armchairs. The future of the armchair and sofa is… flexible!
Similar to the previous trend, our next example takes a design from the past and revisits it within the context of modern-day living. Designed in 1973, the Maralunga sofa has since become an instantly recognisable icon on an international scale. The innovation is hidden in the headrest, which can be raised and lowered thanks to an internal mechanism.
6. Seated, but never static
At Salone del Mobile, we saw it all, from adaptable and transformable backrests, to swivel chairs and armchairs. The future of the armchair and sofa is… flexible!
Similar to the previous trend, our next example takes a design from the past and revisits it within the context of modern-day living. Designed in 1973, the Maralunga sofa has since become an instantly recognisable icon on an international scale. The innovation is hidden in the headrest, which can be raised and lowered thanks to an internal mechanism.
Forest Wandering textile collection with upholstery of Kvadrat Febrik, by Moroso in collaboration with Front Design. This installation shows the transformation of the classic sofa into a modular design with a clear nod to nature.
Moncloud sofa by Patricia Urquiola for Cassina. It features metal frame with elastic webbing, upholstered in fabric with removable inserts made from recycled PET fibres; seat cushion padded with recycled PET fibres with variable-density Circularrefoam inserts.
Big slouchy dimensions with soft lines and a welcoming embrace: that’s Moncloud, the new sofa system designed by Patricia Urquiola for Cassina. It consists of a metal skeleton, a wooden structure and contours carved into the recycled PET fibre padding made of Circularrefoam, which contains a minimum of 15 percent recycled raw materials. The idea behind these inserts is that they can be separated from the other materials, so they’re easily recycled and reused. For this same reason, all parts are also made without the use of glue. And the end configuration is entirely up to its owner, as the components can be combined to create endless original compositions.
Your turn
Which of these six design directions are you most excited to see here? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Want more on fabulous eco-conscious design? Catch up on the latest with Sustainable Design 2023: What’s New and Where’s it Heading Next?
Big slouchy dimensions with soft lines and a welcoming embrace: that’s Moncloud, the new sofa system designed by Patricia Urquiola for Cassina. It consists of a metal skeleton, a wooden structure and contours carved into the recycled PET fibre padding made of Circularrefoam, which contains a minimum of 15 percent recycled raw materials. The idea behind these inserts is that they can be separated from the other materials, so they’re easily recycled and reused. For this same reason, all parts are also made without the use of glue. And the end configuration is entirely up to its owner, as the components can be combined to create endless original compositions.
Your turn
Which of these six design directions are you most excited to see here? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Want more on fabulous eco-conscious design? Catch up on the latest with Sustainable Design 2023: What’s New and Where’s it Heading Next?
1. Local goes global
From Japan to the Venetian lagoon, many of this year’s designs nodded to micro-local cultures and amplified them for a global audience, drawing inspiration from traditional techniques with a link to a specific context or region. Countless small and medium-sized businesses chose to share the processes and artisans they’d worked with, out of a sense of pride, but also to differentiate themselves from other designers.