Steffen Koury Design Manager, Proteus

Milan, Italy in March can be rainy, and this year was no exception. But that didn't keep some 270,000 visitors from jamming into myriad forms of public transportation and making their way to the annual Milan Furniture Fair. The fair is actually held in Fiera, a 40-minute train ride from Milan. This year the Fair was focused on kitchen and bath.

Launched 50 years ago, the Milan Furniture Fair is one of the most influential home design trade shows in the world, a portent of the future of home design. Once again it was my good fortune to serve as the eyes and ears of Proteus and our clients during the weeklong gathering. Here are my personal impressions of the show and some current and emerging design trends.


The Venue:

The whole city is engaged in this design week. The visual beauty that takes over the city is entrancing to both professionals and ordinary citizens alike. Milan and its people exude style. No Gap jeans and Reeboks here; instead, the norm is designer shoes and designer jeans.

In a climate of recession, credit crunches, a weakened housing market and low consumer confidence, there is still no lack of interest in beautiful design. Emerging economies like China, India and the Gulf region are still going strong as the make-up of the audience at the fair attests.

This year about 380 events are taking place during Milan Design Week. The events are everything from official openings and design presentations to some very over-the-top cocktail parties. One event of special note is sponsored by Interni and GreenEnergyDesign and includes installations, sculptures and light shows created from the latest eco-friendly materials.

In addition to the Salone Internationale del Mobile (i.e. the Furniture Fair at the Fiera Milano in Rho-Pero), there is considerable activity in Zona Tortona in Milan itself. Situated in a former industrial section south of the city center, it reminds me of the open artist studios here in Boston - showrooms and exhibitions in old industrial buildings and warehouses. The settings create a dramatic experience that contrasts raw, weathered buildings with sleek, shiny furniture.




The Trends:

The long-standing trend in contemporary kitchens has been severe rectilinear forms. The new and emerging trend is a move to softer, curved forms. Countertops are curving and bending, creating work surfaces that envelope the user. Sinks and cook tops are also trending with shapes that echo the curve of the countertops.

The use of automation is also a recurring theme in the kitchens of Milan. In a highly competitive (dare I say cut-throat) market, many manufactures are looking for the next "wow" factor. I observed cabinet doors that open and close with the push of a button, range hoods that descend from a closed position and countertops retracting to unveil a concealed sink and faucet. These products and features are meant to integrate the kitchen into a multi-purpose, multi-use living environment by disguising their key elements when not in use.

Warmer metallic finishes are also becoming more prevalent in contemporary kitchens. As the forms and lines have softened, so too have the materials and finishes. Brushed bronze, copper and titanium are fresh updates to the now fatigued stainless steel finish.

General color palettes are gravitating to darker tones. Perhaps the threat of recession, terrorist attacks and natural disasters are pushing color trends to the dark and sinister?

Graphic patterns are being added to many products to introduce visual interest to what had become in my mind sterile contemporary designs. The applications vary from colorful prints to subtle surface texture shifts.




Some of the new and recurring design trends include:

Facets
Still trending strongly. This curve-a-linear geometry is found in the bath category in sinks and faucets. They're so sleek; they looked as if they could avoid radar detection.




Exoskeletal
This trend is prevalent throughout the show. Inspired by architecture these designs pay homage to negative space. The open space creates visual interest. (Positive space refers to the objects themselves and negative space is the area in between those objects.)




Organic
The organic trend is fast emerging into kitchen designs. The style has evolved to include crisp lines and edges. In other words, it has progressed from softer forms to forms with far more definition and tension.




Chindia
The influence of Asian and Indian prints patterns and colors were far more prevalent at this year's show. These prints vary from traditional prints to more stylized versions.




Nature
The use of natural materials - wood, cork and bamboo - is prevalent everywhere. Also forms that mimic nature like trees, coral and animals. Some chairs even resemble the human form.




I hope you found this brief article enjoyable and informative. An in-depth album of the show, including over 400 images, is available upon request. Proteus can also customize a trend report specific to your business. Our designers use this research to enrich our design solutions, helping create products and communications that will more likely create positive connections with the consumer.

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