Salone del Mobile 2017

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Nynke Koster’s Elements of Time collection examines architectural ornamentation through the ages.

Nynke Koster’s Elements of Time collection examines architectural ornamentation through the ages.

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Ombré glass chair is by Germans Ermićs.

Ombré glass chair is by Germans Ermićs.

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Editions' collection added 'Miscredenza’ by Patricia Urquiola and Federico Pepe, featuring screen-printed glass.

Editions’ collection added ‘Miscredenza’ by Patricia Urquiola and Federico Pepe, featuring screen-printed glass.

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Raw organic forms were popular, including these lumpy creations by emerging Norwegian designer Sigve Knutson.

Raw organic forms were popular, including these lumpy creations by emerging Norwegian designer Sigve Knutson.

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Pétillon's installation called ‘Connexions’.

Pétillon’s installation called ‘Connexions’.

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Interactive wall display by UM Project and Flavor Paper.

Interactive wall display by UM Project and Flavor Paper.

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Laetitia de Allegri and Matteo Fogalee’s geometric marble maze in marble and mirrored surfaces.

Laetitia de Allegri and Matteo Fogalee’s geometric marble maze in marble and mirrored surfaces.

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The Magnum bar seat by EstudiHac’s José Manuel Ferrero is inspired by exclusive London members’ clubs.

The Magnum bar seat by EstudiHac’s José Manuel Ferrero is inspired by exclusive London members’ clubs.

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Danish homeware brand owners Carl Hansen & Søn built a mock apartment called Milan Home, designed by Despina Curtis, which featured rich colours and mid-century furniture.

Danish homeware brand owners Carl Hansen & Søn built a mock apartment called Milan Home, designed by Despina Curtis, which featured rich colours and mid-century furniture.

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Furniture collection by Slovenian designer Nika Zupanc for Scarlet Splendour.

Furniture collection by Slovenian designer Nika Zupanc for Scarlet Splendour.

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London-based Shiro Studio reveals ‘particles’ as a handmade rug for Nodus.

London-based Shiro Studio reveals ‘particles’ as a handmade rug for Nodus.

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Fernando and Humberto Campana x Bisazza tile collection.

Fernando and Humberto Campana x Bisazza tile collection.

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Serie tables by Garth Roberts for Mabeo.

Serie tables by Garth Roberts for Mabeo.

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La Isla seating by Swedish design studio Note for Sancal, seen here in seductive ‘Millennial Pink’.

La Isla seating by Swedish design studio Note for Sancal, seen here in seductive ‘Millennial Pink’.

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BISTRO chair, by Konstantin Grcic, is inspired by Thonet’s no.14, the world’s most popular café chair.

BISTRO chair, by Konstantin Grcic, is inspired by Thonet’s no.14, the world’s most popular café chair.

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Danish homeware brand owners Carl Hansen & Søn built a mock apartment called Milan Home, designed by Despina Curtis, which featured rich colours and mid-century furniture.

Held in Milan each year, Salone del Mobile international design fair is the most important date on the world’s furniture calendar. Held in April, the 54th edition of the fair took place in the Massimiliano Fuksas-designed Rho Fairgrounds exhibition venue just outside the city.

Covering more than 230,000m², the Salone featured exhibitions, installations, product launches, showroom openings and parties created by many of the hottest designers and brands in the industry.

As in recent years, an eclectic array of trends and ideas were featured, reflecting the diverse needs and desires of an expanding design-savvy audience. But there are still common threads and themes to observe.

We noted that geometric patterns and raw, rugged forms are strong, often in natural materials like stone, wood and metal. Rich colours, especially jewel-like emerald green, sapphire blue and ruby red are prevalent, along with the palest and blushiest of pinks, often referred to as ‘Millennial Pink’.

Serie tables by Garth Roberts for Mabeo.

Luxe sexy patterns and adornments, harking back to nostalgic periods like the ’20s and ’30s, were captured in modern materials and shapes. Glamorous and dramatic designs were often softened by insertion within easy, comfortable forms. Meanwhile, technology was incorporated into furniture and furnishings in clever ways, becoming intrinsic to a design, rather than ‘showboating’. 

Here is a selection of Houses‘ magazine favourite pieces and installations:

African Spirit

Botswana brand Mabeo launched three new collections of furniture made by local craftspeople using local wood and waste metal from the construction industry. Serie tables were designed by Canadian designer Garth Roberts and feature visible hammer marks. 

Pétillon’s installation called ‘Connexions’.

Balloon Bundle 

A bundle of balloons perched over four metres high above visitors’ heads in Milan’s Superstudio space. French photographer and artist Charles Pétillon scaled up his inflatable artworks for textile manufacturer Sunbrella, creating an artistic installation called ‘Connexions’. Ten huge interconnecting balloons were presented alongside a photographic series in which Pétillon placed balloon bundles in unexpected exterior and interior spaces.

Interactive wall display by UM Project and Flavor Paper.

Electric Walls

Conduct contains lines of a new electrically-conductive ink, threaded between the protruding speakers and light boxes that form an interactive wall display. Designed by UM Project and Flavor Paper. Other techie highlights at this year’s fair included Singaporean designer Olivia Lee’s vanity table optimised for selfies and a tactile rug that helps you avoid walking into walls while virtual-reality gaming.

Furniture collection by Slovenian designer Nika Zupanc for Scarlet Splendour.

Powdered

The 88 Secrets’ bar as well as a Stella coffee table and chair are part of a furniture and rug collection by Slovenian designer Nika Zupanc, for Scarlet Splendour, inspired by the 88 constellations in the universe – described as ‘a journey of love to the stars’.

salonemilano.it/en


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