April 21, 2023, 1:35 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Curves, marble, and teddy fleece: At the Salone del Mobile, the Milan design fair, this year’s trends are all about comfort.
For the 61st time, the Milan design fair, Salone del Mobile, has opened its doors (April 18-23, 2023). Nearly 2,000 brands from around the world are showcasing their latest furniture designs. In 2023, the focus of Salone del Mobile is on furniture that invites comfort—especially in uncertain times.
Furniture for Cuddling
Soft bouclé fabric is the big trend for seating furniture. It evokes the feeling of a well-loved teddy bear that may not be as fluffy as it once was but offers a sense of familiar closeness.
The plush textiles “satisfy our longing for security in these rather uncertain times,” explains trend analyst Gabriela Kaiser. “The cozy feel is also a counter-movement to all the clean, super-smooth surfaces that surround us daily through our technical equipment like smartphones and more.”
In addition to plush, bouclé, and similar fabrics, larger trends include loops, knots, and twists. Hardly any designer doesn’t offer such coverings, and almost every stand in Milan featured a corresponding display piece—whether Versace Home Collections, Porada, Minotti, or Kare, to name a few.
Color-wise, things remain gentle. Many sofas and armchairs are in eggshell white or very light beige, with occasional appearances of light brown—a classic teddy bear color. Chairs feature more mottled color structures, including bright tones.
Incidentally, the tactile feeling these pieces convey is often supported by their shape. Seating furniture is predominantly rounded. Armchairs often appear as if they are spreading their arms and body for a hug. “A simple form in which the body is warmly received,” says Naoto Fukasawa about his new Cinnamon armchair for Molteni&C.
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Furniture That Conveys Stability
Another observation with sofas and armchairs: Recently, manufacturers often placed them on thin legs—making them appear as if they were floating above the ground. Now, the legs are missing or so short that dust can get under the furniture, but not a vacuum cleaner. Even some sofa names seem to suggest a sense of security, such as Zanotta’s new model with the English name “Bumper.”
Tables also exude steadfastness: Their legs resemble elephant feet, bridge piers, or mountain ranges. So sturdy, so stable. This contrasts with the ideas from a few years ago, when furniture designers were eager to create large tables that could stand on very thin legs. Now, they increasingly opt for solid table legs that emphasize: This is where weight is supported. This is also a result of the current zeitgeist, according to trend researcher Gabriela Kaiser. “The thicker legs literally give us stable security.”
The furniture is also inspired by symbols and institutions that illustrate permanence. For example, the wide base of the Mateo table by Molteni&C represents the nearly 90-year history of the Italian traditional company, according to Creative Director Vincent Van Duysen. Like roots deeply anchored, supporting future development.
Notably, many new introductions from recent years are now being expanded into series. For instance, the German designer duo Kaschkasch is adding coffee tables with conical legs to the P.O.V. dining table for the furniture maker TON, and the Tadao table by Draenert is getting alternative stone legs.
Furniture with Marble
New dining and side tables, and often dressers, feature sturdy marble or other stone tops. Like many trends, this development took a few years. It started with small side and coffee tables, increasingly grouped from various materials.
Alongside wood, glass, and plastic, stone was included. It transitioned to dining tables and is now found in all furniture with surfaces for working and placing items. This is apparently so well-received that not only new introductions feature the often highly structured stone, but popular design classics like the Bell Table by Sebastian Herkner for ClassiCon are now released in marble versions.
With material from dpa