Maison & Objet: Future Design Directions From the Digital Fair
Natural inspiration, sustainability and joyful decor with a touch of humour were big at the 2021 M&O digital edition
Twice a year, the Maison & Objet fair – normally held in Paris, France – is the essential destination for fans of lifestyle and decor. Due to the pandemic, the January 2021 fair was replaced by the Digital Talks, a series of online seminars spread over eight weeks in February and March. Houzz Editorial was there to check in on product highlights and the trends coming to our homes, indoors and out.
Molo’s Softseating lounger
More wellbeing
Moreover, Grégoire notes that the pandemic has introduced a lot of stress to our lives, impacting both our day-to-day lifestyles and our work. He advises reaching for humour in the form of fun objects like the Caomaru Fruits stress ball from H Concept. He also notes the importance of relaxation. Why not take a mini-siesta on the comfy Softseating lounger from Molo (pictured)?
More good humour
Ensuring that we no longer see the work space as a hostile environment is a priority. To do this, we can spoil ourselves with tailored and ergonomic furniture, such as the adjustable-height desk from Gautier or a Herman Miller chair.
We can also take pleasure in joyful decor, for example with a colourful accent with the Home Office collection from Cider, or by introducing wallpaper, or choosing tailored furniture. And we can bring our relaxation routines into the work sphere. Why not pamper plants like the ‘pet plants’ from Qualy design?
More fluidity
In the end, we need to find a little ease, a little fluidity, after having had to feel our way to new work spaces and processes. “The pandemic obliged us to change places and to be more flexible, and we ourselves are eager for new work spaces that adapt to our moods,” says Grégoire.
For example, it is time to turn back to new accessories that make our lives easier: stationary from Papier Tigre, the Flex notebook and organiser from Beblau Design or the Modular desk organiser from Beamalevich.
To conclude, let us remember that if the world of work has barged in on the home, the universe of the home will hold forcefully onto the world of work at the end of the crisis, as we search for more comfortable and personalised offices than before.
Find an interior designer near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
More wellbeing
Moreover, Grégoire notes that the pandemic has introduced a lot of stress to our lives, impacting both our day-to-day lifestyles and our work. He advises reaching for humour in the form of fun objects like the Caomaru Fruits stress ball from H Concept. He also notes the importance of relaxation. Why not take a mini-siesta on the comfy Softseating lounger from Molo (pictured)?
More good humour
Ensuring that we no longer see the work space as a hostile environment is a priority. To do this, we can spoil ourselves with tailored and ergonomic furniture, such as the adjustable-height desk from Gautier or a Herman Miller chair.
We can also take pleasure in joyful decor, for example with a colourful accent with the Home Office collection from Cider, or by introducing wallpaper, or choosing tailored furniture. And we can bring our relaxation routines into the work sphere. Why not pamper plants like the ‘pet plants’ from Qualy design?
More fluidity
In the end, we need to find a little ease, a little fluidity, after having had to feel our way to new work spaces and processes. “The pandemic obliged us to change places and to be more flexible, and we ourselves are eager for new work spaces that adapt to our moods,” says Grégoire.
For example, it is time to turn back to new accessories that make our lives easier: stationary from Papier Tigre, the Flex notebook and organiser from Beblau Design or the Modular desk organiser from Beamalevich.
To conclude, let us remember that if the world of work has barged in on the home, the universe of the home will hold forcefully onto the world of work at the end of the crisis, as we search for more comfortable and personalised offices than before.
Find an interior designer near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
Treku sideboard
New trends in furniture
In a seminar entitled ‘Premium Design,’ Elizabeth Leriche, director of the eponymous style agency, highlighted the four main themes running through furniture design this year. This is always one of the most anticipated events at Maison & Objet.
Organic luxury
Leriche observes a current penchant for organic style “with rounded forms inspired by nature and effects mimicking nature”. From curly wool seats like clouds from InsideherLand to Zen-inspired clothes pegs shaped like pebbles from Maomi, nature is more than ever a source of inspiration.
Urban graphic
Drawing on Bauhaus, the Vienna Secession and 20th-century modernist architecture, the second trend Leriche identified presents, on the other hand, clean, rectilineal forms with contrasts and graphic effects. One example is furniture by Treku, pictured here. It is, as Leriche puts it, “a contemporary inspiration for urban interiors, with a timeless elegance”.
’70s Remix
A third trend is rooted in the heart of the ’70s, bringing together furniture that is not unrelated to Op Art in its patterns and colours. The attraction of vintage items and years of freedom – the triumphant return of the Togo sofa from Ligne Roset (1973) is emblematic of this trend – responds to our current need for comfort and letting go. “We are currently searching for a lifestyle that is less formal, more relaxed and convivial,” says Leriche.
New trends in furniture
In a seminar entitled ‘Premium Design,’ Elizabeth Leriche, director of the eponymous style agency, highlighted the four main themes running through furniture design this year. This is always one of the most anticipated events at Maison & Objet.
Organic luxury
Leriche observes a current penchant for organic style “with rounded forms inspired by nature and effects mimicking nature”. From curly wool seats like clouds from InsideherLand to Zen-inspired clothes pegs shaped like pebbles from Maomi, nature is more than ever a source of inspiration.
Urban graphic
Drawing on Bauhaus, the Vienna Secession and 20th-century modernist architecture, the second trend Leriche identified presents, on the other hand, clean, rectilineal forms with contrasts and graphic effects. One example is furniture by Treku, pictured here. It is, as Leriche puts it, “a contemporary inspiration for urban interiors, with a timeless elegance”.
’70s Remix
A third trend is rooted in the heart of the ’70s, bringing together furniture that is not unrelated to Op Art in its patterns and colours. The attraction of vintage items and years of freedom – the triumphant return of the Togo sofa from Ligne Roset (1973) is emblematic of this trend – responds to our current need for comfort and letting go. “We are currently searching for a lifestyle that is less formal, more relaxed and convivial,” says Leriche.
Red Edition sofa
Essential craft
The last theme is simplicity and Zen. “It’s about rediscovering expertise and the essence of nature; it’s a soft, comfortable, warm, and authentic atmosphere that’s somewhere between the city and the country; it’s the influence of Scandinavian and Japanese lifestyle; a quest for wellbeing and disconnection that wholly fits the zeitgeist,” says Leriche. For example, Red Edition has returned to one of their iconic sofas with light wood and very calming colours.
Whether in form or materials, this new furniture draws its inspiration from nature, as discussed above. Its trends respond to a need for wellbeing and slowing down our daily rhythms, by looking backwards, consuming less, or simply taking time. Finally, this trend also emphasises craftsmanship, in opposition to industrial production.
Essential craft
The last theme is simplicity and Zen. “It’s about rediscovering expertise and the essence of nature; it’s a soft, comfortable, warm, and authentic atmosphere that’s somewhere between the city and the country; it’s the influence of Scandinavian and Japanese lifestyle; a quest for wellbeing and disconnection that wholly fits the zeitgeist,” says Leriche. For example, Red Edition has returned to one of their iconic sofas with light wood and very calming colours.
Whether in form or materials, this new furniture draws its inspiration from nature, as discussed above. Its trends respond to a need for wellbeing and slowing down our daily rhythms, by looking backwards, consuming less, or simply taking time. Finally, this trend also emphasises craftsmanship, in opposition to industrial production.
Indian Song
Trendy Decor Reinvents Itself
Maison & Objet has always made room for accessories and other decor objects. François Delclaux, director of the Un Nouvel Air agency, analysed the current appetite for ‘trendy decor’. “This is little, simple decor, beloved and, by definition, trendy, that fits under the slogan ‘that which changes everything when we can’t change anything’.”
Fantas-kitsch
To ward off ambient gloom, there’s nothing like giving in to objects that make us smile, such as the new animal candlesticks from &Klevering. “We allow ourselves to be seduced by little touches, by funny objects that are unconventional and unpretentious, even if they sometimes go against good taste because we are particularly in need of good humour and joie de vivre in this moment,” says Delclaux.
Trendy Decor Reinvents Itself
Maison & Objet has always made room for accessories and other decor objects. François Delclaux, director of the Un Nouvel Air agency, analysed the current appetite for ‘trendy decor’. “This is little, simple decor, beloved and, by definition, trendy, that fits under the slogan ‘that which changes everything when we can’t change anything’.”
Fantas-kitsch
To ward off ambient gloom, there’s nothing like giving in to objects that make us smile, such as the new animal candlesticks from &Klevering. “We allow ourselves to be seduced by little touches, by funny objects that are unconventional and unpretentious, even if they sometimes go against good taste because we are particularly in need of good humour and joie de vivre in this moment,” says Delclaux.
My Alpaca cushion
Organic cocoon
Have you been aware that homewares sales have exploded during lockdown? Among the most sought-after and appreciated items are soft, comfortable objects in enveloping organic forms, which reinforce our perception of the home as a protective cocoon, a refuge, a haven of tranquillity and security.
“It is likewise the big comeback of sustainable textiles, which reflect a resilient and engaged local craftsmanship,” says Delclaux.
Vege-crazy
Since we are generally confined to cities and currently to our homes, we constantly miss nature. So much the better that vegetation is entering the home in force, exuberance and extravagance. “Oversized floral prints, a profusion of natural plant-based materials, variations of a palette of greens and a search for fruity scents: it is a veritable celebration of nature throughout accessories,” says Delclaux.
Organic cocoon
Have you been aware that homewares sales have exploded during lockdown? Among the most sought-after and appreciated items are soft, comfortable objects in enveloping organic forms, which reinforce our perception of the home as a protective cocoon, a refuge, a haven of tranquillity and security.
“It is likewise the big comeback of sustainable textiles, which reflect a resilient and engaged local craftsmanship,” says Delclaux.
Vege-crazy
Since we are generally confined to cities and currently to our homes, we constantly miss nature. So much the better that vegetation is entering the home in force, exuberance and extravagance. “Oversized floral prints, a profusion of natural plant-based materials, variations of a palette of greens and a search for fruity scents: it is a veritable celebration of nature throughout accessories,” says Delclaux.
10Deka Outdoor Furniture
Outdoor Living Takes the Spotlight
Maison & Objet also traces the evolution of outdoor decor. Jaye Anna Mize, director of the Home department of style bureau at Fashion Snoops, analysed the principal trends that will flow through gardens and outdoor terraces these next two years.
Essential
Mize says that as a consequence of the pandemic, “we’re going to be learning and pushing the reset button and reducing the amount of excess we’ve been accumulating for years … So we’re stripping down to the basics and relearning through self-reliability … what we’re really looking at design-wise here is the breakdown to the foundation … when it comes to things like actual furniture it gets back to the basics”. She pointed to the example of the 10Deka gazebo (pictured) with its simple, chic lines.
Rebirth
Another powerful outdoor trend is the desire for reconnection with nature, visible in products made from natural materials and where manufacturing methods tend towards the artisanal. Mize takes the example of the driftwood tables by Alain Zerbib. “I think that the majority of people are very well aware of how we got into this pandemic and it was because we were abusing our resources that Mother Nature has given us … we’re not working with the environment … to strengthen both of us,” says Mize.
Outdoor Living Takes the Spotlight
Maison & Objet also traces the evolution of outdoor decor. Jaye Anna Mize, director of the Home department of style bureau at Fashion Snoops, analysed the principal trends that will flow through gardens and outdoor terraces these next two years.
Essential
Mize says that as a consequence of the pandemic, “we’re going to be learning and pushing the reset button and reducing the amount of excess we’ve been accumulating for years … So we’re stripping down to the basics and relearning through self-reliability … what we’re really looking at design-wise here is the breakdown to the foundation … when it comes to things like actual furniture it gets back to the basics”. She pointed to the example of the 10Deka gazebo (pictured) with its simple, chic lines.
Rebirth
Another powerful outdoor trend is the desire for reconnection with nature, visible in products made from natural materials and where manufacturing methods tend towards the artisanal. Mize takes the example of the driftwood tables by Alain Zerbib. “I think that the majority of people are very well aware of how we got into this pandemic and it was because we were abusing our resources that Mother Nature has given us … we’re not working with the environment … to strengthen both of us,” says Mize.
Isimar
Nourish
The trend forecaster also sees the importance of objects, both in the home and in the garden, that rejuvenate us and invite us to meditate and practise what is good for the spirit, the body and the soul.
“One of our most innate and nurturing sensations, the tactile experience is also really important,” says Mize. She highlights plush cushions and soft materials such as the velvet from Bérengère Leroy, as well as curved forms of Isimar armchairs or the inflatable seating from Mojow.
Liberate
The garden is also the stage for the liberation of the individual confined for too long at home. All we need are more tailored objects to respond to our need to express our personalities.
“So we’re really going to be counting on brands to provide the tools that proactively empower us to contribute to social and creative issues worldwide,” says Mize. But also the tools that help us reproduce our indoor life outside, or to reassert ourselves with more originality. She mentions the cushions from Pôdevache, the fire pit from Studio Sterling, or the statue of a pear covered in graffiti from Bull & Stein.
Browse more beautifully designed outdoor spaces
Nourish
The trend forecaster also sees the importance of objects, both in the home and in the garden, that rejuvenate us and invite us to meditate and practise what is good for the spirit, the body and the soul.
“One of our most innate and nurturing sensations, the tactile experience is also really important,” says Mize. She highlights plush cushions and soft materials such as the velvet from Bérengère Leroy, as well as curved forms of Isimar armchairs or the inflatable seating from Mojow.
Liberate
The garden is also the stage for the liberation of the individual confined for too long at home. All we need are more tailored objects to respond to our need to express our personalities.
“So we’re really going to be counting on brands to provide the tools that proactively empower us to contribute to social and creative issues worldwide,” says Mize. But also the tools that help us reproduce our indoor life outside, or to reassert ourselves with more originality. She mentions the cushions from Pôdevache, the fire pit from Studio Sterling, or the statue of a pear covered in graffiti from Bull & Stein.
Browse more beautifully designed outdoor spaces
Photo from Claire Fréchet
The Search for a Unique Object
The Craft space within Maison & Objet explores craftsmanship and artisanal objects. As consolation for our missing out on this delicious sight, trend forecaster Elizabeth Leriche presented her selection of new pieces for 2021, in which she saw several overarching trends.
“Artisans are bearers of unique objects and consumers are eager for them, because they are not uniform. Today we live in a society that is too dematerialised, so we have to re-anchor things in the material in order to rediscover the emotion in an object,” says Leriche.
Between sky and earth
This theme can be seen in pieces that delight in “games of shadow and light as well as very poetic landscapes. It is a very dream-like universe,” she says. Leriche brought up the examples of the light fixtures made of lace-like copper wire from La LanguOchat, or the lunar fixtures in shagreen print from GCDK Design.
The Search for a Unique Object
The Craft space within Maison & Objet explores craftsmanship and artisanal objects. As consolation for our missing out on this delicious sight, trend forecaster Elizabeth Leriche presented her selection of new pieces for 2021, in which she saw several overarching trends.
“Artisans are bearers of unique objects and consumers are eager for them, because they are not uniform. Today we live in a society that is too dematerialised, so we have to re-anchor things in the material in order to rediscover the emotion in an object,” says Leriche.
Between sky and earth
This theme can be seen in pieces that delight in “games of shadow and light as well as very poetic landscapes. It is a very dream-like universe,” she says. Leriche brought up the examples of the light fixtures made of lace-like copper wire from La LanguOchat, or the lunar fixtures in shagreen print from GCDK Design.
Pascal Oudet
Acquatic odyssey
Water was another source of inspiration for the artisans. “It appears in all shades, we play with its reflections and waves for other very poetic results,” says Leriche. She mentions the enamelled wall decor from ceramicist Anne de la Forge and the work of Nicola Tessari, who reproduces waves on wooden objects.
Natural symbiosis
Finally, Leriche emphasises inspiration from the plant world. “It has always greatly influenced the decorative arts, because of its daintiness. But this influence is even more important today. Due to our urban lives, we have a need to bring these pieces of nature back into our interiors,” she says. She mentions ceramicist Claire Fréchet, whose work in micro-patterns is inspired by foam and lichen. Or the astounding wooden lace work on the trunk-like vases by Pascal Oudet.
Acquatic odyssey
Water was another source of inspiration for the artisans. “It appears in all shades, we play with its reflections and waves for other very poetic results,” says Leriche. She mentions the enamelled wall decor from ceramicist Anne de la Forge and the work of Nicola Tessari, who reproduces waves on wooden objects.
Natural symbiosis
Finally, Leriche emphasises inspiration from the plant world. “It has always greatly influenced the decorative arts, because of its daintiness. But this influence is even more important today. Due to our urban lives, we have a need to bring these pieces of nature back into our interiors,” she says. She mentions ceramicist Claire Fréchet, whose work in micro-patterns is inspired by foam and lichen. Or the astounding wooden lace work on the trunk-like vases by Pascal Oudet.
Two-story tent by the Vous collective
Produce and Consume Sustainably
The fair also addressed the trend of sustainable production and consumption. At her seminar on the development of sustainable consumption, Patricia Beausoleil, home, environments and design director at creative strategy agency Peclers Paris, said “sustainable creation is part of a process of meaning and value. We want to celebrate the ancestral principles of simplicity and naturalness, we want to find an artisanal anchor but we also want innovation, in order to have comfort and flexibility”.
The search for meaning and value in production
This refers to a new motivation behind sustainable production, stemming from the need to reconnect with nature that can be seen in the popularity of glamping, for example. The quest for meaning also includes the desire for an improved quality of life, with the desire to live well and eat better.
We are equally searching for a re-humanisation of production. We see this in the popularity of DIY or young designers’ love of natural materials. Sustainability also suits a new tempo. “We create products so that they last longer through different lifecycles – by composing and recomposing them – or we make them last through a new understanding of ‘care’ around the product. We are learning to repair, recycle and renew products,” says Beausoleil.
Transparency in the manufacturing of a product is also an essential point of this approach. In the end, sustainable manufacturing leans on innovation in terms of materials and ideas, in particular for creating alternatives to plastic.
Produce and Consume Sustainably
The fair also addressed the trend of sustainable production and consumption. At her seminar on the development of sustainable consumption, Patricia Beausoleil, home, environments and design director at creative strategy agency Peclers Paris, said “sustainable creation is part of a process of meaning and value. We want to celebrate the ancestral principles of simplicity and naturalness, we want to find an artisanal anchor but we also want innovation, in order to have comfort and flexibility”.
The search for meaning and value in production
This refers to a new motivation behind sustainable production, stemming from the need to reconnect with nature that can be seen in the popularity of glamping, for example. The quest for meaning also includes the desire for an improved quality of life, with the desire to live well and eat better.
We are equally searching for a re-humanisation of production. We see this in the popularity of DIY or young designers’ love of natural materials. Sustainability also suits a new tempo. “We create products so that they last longer through different lifecycles – by composing and recomposing them – or we make them last through a new understanding of ‘care’ around the product. We are learning to repair, recycle and renew products,” says Beausoleil.
Transparency in the manufacturing of a product is also an essential point of this approach. In the end, sustainable manufacturing leans on innovation in terms of materials and ideas, in particular for creating alternatives to plastic.
In this project, French interior designer Margaux Carnevali found the rattan armchair on a site for second-hand goods
Second-hand and vintage going strong
The digital days of Maison & Objet also looked at this trend, which appeared in 2020: the development of online second-hand marketplaces within the decor sector.
Selency, one such marketplace in France, recently surveyed its clients about their reasons for buying. Co-founder Charlotte Cadé says, “The first reason for buying on Selency is to find a unique object while adopting a sustainable approach”.
She notes that 2020 saw a rise in interest in the issues of sustainability. “There was a collective realisation, certainly exacerbated by the health crisis, and today this is clearly part of the aspirations of our clients and their motivations to buy. I don’t think that we can speak of a 2020 trend, but of a new way of consuming. Though it’s less than ten years old, the second-hand market will soon overtake that of new products.”
Second-hand and vintage going strong
The digital days of Maison & Objet also looked at this trend, which appeared in 2020: the development of online second-hand marketplaces within the decor sector.
Selency, one such marketplace in France, recently surveyed its clients about their reasons for buying. Co-founder Charlotte Cadé says, “The first reason for buying on Selency is to find a unique object while adopting a sustainable approach”.
She notes that 2020 saw a rise in interest in the issues of sustainability. “There was a collective realisation, certainly exacerbated by the health crisis, and today this is clearly part of the aspirations of our clients and their motivations to buy. I don’t think that we can speak of a 2020 trend, but of a new way of consuming. Though it’s less than ten years old, the second-hand market will soon overtake that of new products.”
To sum up this edition of Maison & Objet in few words, we could evoke the driving inspiration of nature, our need for comfort and reassurance, awareness of a more virtuous and sustainable form of consumption, and our irrepressible need for good humour. May these themes make 2021 a little brighter for us all.
Your turn
Which of these design directions excites you? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Brush up on the latest trade fair news with a look at last year’s trends and what they mean for 2021 and beyond, with Houzz’s Global Fair Roundup: Digging Into the 5 Biggest Trends of 2020
Your turn
Which of these design directions excites you? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Brush up on the latest trade fair news with a look at last year’s trends and what they mean for 2021 and beyond, with Houzz’s Global Fair Roundup: Digging Into the 5 Biggest Trends of 2020
Maison & Objet spotlights a central theme every year, interpreted through brands’ new offerings and expert trend predictions. In the absence of an in-person event, we were able to discover new products on its online platform, MOM.
This edition put a renewed focus on the theme of ‘WORK!’, which has appeared at the past few instalments of the fair. This year, there is the added impetus of the evolving world of work and its entry with a vengeance into our homes and interiors due to the pandemic.
In his seminar ‘Well at Work,’ trend forecaster Vincent Grégoire of the NellyRodi agency in France analysed the new norms of the world of work and the manner in which they are impacting people and our quality of life. “By making its incursion into the private sphere, the world of work will leave an enduring mark and provoke a hybrid lifestyle,” he says.
More connections
The new regime of remote work has highlighted how difficult it is to create a perfect bubble at home. Brands are responding to the situation by developing more effective solutions for isolating workspaces and reducing ambient noise. One example is the mobile workstation from La Fonction.
On the other hand, remote work has physically interrupted connections with others. Grégoire is also in favour of anything that could redraw connections in our new work spaces.