Calming the Senses at Salone
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MILAN — Leave the frenetic world at the doorstep and let the zen vibes in.
Among the 2,000 exhibitors at the 61st edition of Salone del Mobile were some of the world’s furnishings and fashion vanguard, and pared-down designs were paramount. They focused on essential, logical living, facilitating easy entertaining, conviviality and embracing nature.
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Tuesday, the six-day fair opened its doors at the Rho Fiera trade grounds and saw the return of buyers, interior decorators and architects from Italy’s top markets. Throngs of visitors from Europe, the U.S., China, as well as Saudi Arabia, India and the far East entered Salone del Mobile, which opened under the aegis of the slogan: “Take care of yourselves, of others and of the planet.”
Indeed, well-being and environmental responsibility were the two key themes that dominated the International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition, where brands highlighted the origins of materials, production methods, durability and reducing excess.
Here were the top trends:
Outdoor, Indoor Flow
“It seems like every furniture brand has an outdoor collection and there is no longer this distinction between indoor and outdoor with, for example, an indoor version of an outdoor chair,” said interior architect Frederik De Wachter, cofounder of DWA Design Studio.
For Molteni & C’s inaugural Outdoor Collection, creative director Vincent Van Duysen pursued an idea of softness and well-being, of organic playfulness within the architectural vision of the furniture.
“I was inspired by modernism to recall the idea of permeability and transparency between indoor and outdoor spaces, and that intimate connection with light and nature,” Van Duysen said.
Roda, an Italy-based brand designed by Rodolfo Dordoni, presented Norma, an outdoor kitchen that aims to extend the convivial Italian cooking experience to the outdoors. Its barbecue trolley was presented as an alternative to the classic hob.
“Cooking is one of life’s everyday pleasures. The Norma is meant to enrich the atmosphere Roda brings to outdoor living. As a satisfying addition to our wide range of open-air furniture, this is an all-Italian interpretation of our passion for cooking, combined with the practicality and quality of good design,” Dordoni said.
“The gap between indoor and outdoor is really diminishing,” said Wachter, whose DWA firm designed the Pedrali stand. “You actually can’t see anymore if a fabric is for outdoor and indoor and technology is making this possible.”
Narrative Objects and Earth Tones
Forms, materials and colors echoed the healing powers of the outdoors. In the same vein, the rediscovery of artisan traditions and quiet luxury were a testament to this phase of creativity in which the environment is an integral theme. The narrative value of objects, their storytelling ability and their capacity to convey emotions was also evidenced.
Cassina presented a series of scenographic accessories for the Cassina Details Collection in collaboration with renowned Italian chef Davide Oldani. Together with Oldani and designer Attila Veress, Cassina produced the Torrecotta collection comprised of four enameled pottery objects that can be stacked in different ways to create a highly scenic effect, available in earthy colors of Gesso (chalk), Grigio (gray) and Cobalto (cobalt).
This season, Maxalto, a B&B Italia Group brand, unveiled a range of furniture marked by sophisticated elegance and the “modern classic” spirit of its collections. Participating at Salone del Mobile for the first time in Milan, the brand presented two new sofas, Arbiter and Lilum, in soothing shades like white and terracotta.
Performance Fabric
Poliform’s Ketch collection, designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, was inspired by the nautical world. Like a sail stretched between two masts, the flexible backrests of these sofas and armchairs are supported by a solid structure made from Iroko: a resilient type of wood that has been treated with hydro oil meant to preserve the product over time. The cushions are crafted using materials and fabrics made specifically for outdoor use — just one example of outdoor furniture that can be left outside, rain or shine.
Paring Down
Cutting out excess isn’t a term usually associated with maximalist brands like Versace, Roberto Cavalli and Philipp Plein, but this season, these brands weren’t afraid to wipe the slate clean. Created with Luxury Living Group, Versace Home is designed under the creative direction of Donatella Versace and by contemporary architects Roberto Palomba and Ludovica Serafini from Ps+a studio. Its Zensational modular sofa is awash in pure white, but draws on classic Versace inspirations within Classicism and mythology, like the famous column armrest.
Roberto Cavalli Home Interiors unfurled an outdoor collection where white dominated, combined with contrasting black details. Simple and linear, its lounge chair, director chair and garden lounger were enriched with details and fabrics typical of the Cavalli world.
Philipp Plein Home in a campaign captured by German photographer Ellen von Unwerth.
Philipp Plein returned to Milan with his latest outing in furnishings: a luxury collection with premium materials and rich details, where sinuous furnishings were hyped by a jungle theme and accessories were amped up for his new lifestyle living concept.
Old and New Icons
“There were a lot of reeditions of Italian midcentury designers mixed in with some current contemporary pieces for living spaces,” said Eugene Ong, a designer for Los Angeles-based firm Studio Shamshiri.
At Poltrona Frau, the historic Dezza armchair designed by Gio Ponti in 1965 was given a new look, with the printed fabric upholstery called Redevance, with a graphic motif designed by Ponti himself.
Driade looked to Egyptian industrial designer Karim Rashid for its Kalmo chair, which was envisaged for everyday use and conveys the type of calm and serenity only nature can provide.
“I have always had great respect for Driade and am so happy to contribute a soulful object to the brand. I’m not known for my work with wood, but I was inspired by the story of Driade and the experiments of my mentors,” Rashid said. “Future innovation will depend on how we as designers embrace the novelty of form, while at the same time manufacturing capabilities that meet today’s needs.”
In and around Salone, spectators and exhibitors alike noted that the pandemic era was a time to concentrate on one’s living and personal working space. This renewed sense of pride in the home and office fueled substantial growth and consolidation for the design sector’s players across the globe last year, a trend that is expected to persist throughout 2023.
“Brands are pressed to interpret, not just connect, to the product more than ever, and this is evidenced by special projects in and around Milan, that take place in real homes,” said Claudio Spotti, owner of the Milanese shrine to interiors.
Looking ahead, a new set of consumer-driven values will continue to drive trends in the sector in the near term, explained Milan-based creative consultant and architect Simona Flacco, who also cofounded consulting agency Simple Flair, which aims establish a new standard in the design industry based on a simple, authentic and informal style.
“In design and in the home, brand values are being driven by individuals who make purchases based on their own beliefs, convinced that they are making conscious decisions,” she said.
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