All the Standouts from This Year’s Top Design Events

The finest objects, lighting, furniture, and textiles shown at design events around the world this year

Design studio OS & OOS’s Keystone Chair was a standout at Milan’s Salone del Mobile.

All photography courtesy the designers and manufacturers


Our annual round-up highlights the top designs from a year’s worth of trade shows, design weeks, and furniture fairs.

Maison & Objet
Ambiente
Salone del Mobile
NYCxDesign
Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair
London Design Festival

 


Maison & Objet
Next Edition: January 22–26, 2016


At the fair’s September edition in Paris, emerging French design companies like La Chance and Moustache were well represented in addition to a strong showing by Scandinavian brands and organizations such as Hay, &Tradition, Nomess, and the Danish Crafts Collection—and they all showcased the work of emerging designers. The fair, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, has become the place to see furniture, home accessories, and material surfaces from around the world. The next edition of the show will be held in Paris, its third Asian edition will be in Singapore march 8–11, and the second American edition will hit Miami May 10–13. Every year, the fair puts out an inspirations trend book in collaboration with style agencies, designers, and journalists. This year’s book highlighted the theme of “Precious”—the trend of using cut stones and raw materials, combined with gold, mirrors, and ornament, reflecting brilliance, luxury, and wealth. —Paul Makovsky and Estefanía Acosta de la Peña

Alessi Collo-Alto Cutlery

This set by Inga Sempé is a continuation of the designer’s original risotto spoon for Alessi. The Collo-Alto collection’s signature is a delicate handle with a long neck, which gives the set its Italian name.

Artek Aalto Wall Drawer 114B

Alvar Aalto designed this wall drawer for Artek in 1947 with the iconic features that distinguish the Finnish brand even today. This versatile piece is made in birch and offered in white and natural lacquer.

Ferm Living Outline Wall Deco 

The lines of this laser-cut wall piece by Ferm Living were inspired by the Bauhaus. The frame is available as a rectangle or an oval, with finishing options in smoked oak veneer or blue paint with a black backside.

Gan by Gandia Blasco Silaï Rugs

Designed by Charlotte Lancelot, Silaï rugs are handwoven on traditional looms in Valencia. The colorful wool patterns are embroidered on plastic grids to produce the lightweight designs.

Ligne Roset Paper Lamp

These lamps may look fragile, but designer René Barba used nonflammable and tear-resistant fabric for durability while alluding to the delicate charm of paper. The table lamp uses LED bulbs and is available in two sizes.

SkLO Float Light

SkLO products are modern designs handcrafted out of Czech glass. Reflecting the unpredictability of glassblowing, the American-Czech studio’s designs are distinctive as a collection, yet unique in the subtle variations of each piece.

De La Espada Harold Desk

Luca Nichetto designed this writing desk with an elegant silhouette featuring open storage spaces and a surface drawer. it is available in American black walnut, european ash, and American white oak with lacquered accents.


Ambiente
Next Edition: February 12–16, 2016


For new trends in consumer goods, Ambiente in Frankfurt is the go-to trade show. This year, some 135,000 trade visitors from more than 150 countries came to find out about the best products for the home and kitchen from around 4,800 exhibitors. Color combinations and tactile surfaces, from completely smooth to bold and rough textures, were in full force. The Design Plus award, one of Germany’s leading design competitions, honored cutlery for people with limited hand mobility and a practical string dispenser from OXO. At the next edition of the fair, look out for Paola Navone’s superb art direction for the pavilion for Italy, Ambiente’s 2016 Partner Country; a “Ethical Style Guide” to help visitors find sustainable and fair-trade products; and a new section on jewelry and accessories like watches, leather goods, and luggage. —P.M. and E.A.P.

Kuhn Rikon Mixer Splatter Guard

This splatter guard by Kuhn Rikon AG keeps messes at bay when mixing and blending. The transparent silicone disc has a flexible central opening to let electric mixers and handheld blenders through.

Kitchen Craft Master Class Bakeware

Featuring an award-winning no-stick coating that enables the easy release of baked creations, this collection is perforated to let hot air circulate and guarantee crispy crusts for pies, bread, and pastries.

Joseph Joseph Square Colander

The square shape and no-slip silicone handle of this colander by design duo morph for Joseph Joseph means that it is a cinch to use and store. It comes in two sizes and five colors.

Amefa Integral Cutlery

Isabel Heubl designed this elegant stainless-steel cutlery for people with limited hand mobility. the spherical shape of the handle can be held in multiple positions, provides a comfortable grip, and makes it easy to pick up.

Megasmile Black Whitening Toothbrush

Advanced dental technology helps this toothbrush reach the narrowest spaces between teeth. Carbon particles remove plaque, promoting gum health and whitening tooth enamel. The brush’s ergonomic handle is made out of corn flour.

Unikia Fantastic Shoe Dryers

These battery-powered shoe driers are safer to use than heat-based driers, but work just as fast with a 5,000 rpm fan. Drying cycles can be programmed at one or three hours.

Prepara Herb Savor

With a refillable water well in the base and a removable steel rinsing basket, this gadget keeps herbs fresh for up to three weeks.


Salone del Mobile
Next Edition: April 12–17, 2016


Held every April, the Milan furniture fair remains the world’s most important design exposition, showcasing the leading furniture design trends at the Rho fairgrounds or in exhibitions in the city’s showrooms, palaces, and museum spaces. At this year’s 54th edition, about 300,000 visitors attended the fair on the outskirts of Milan, where more than 1,300 exhibitors displayed their latest products; and at the SaloneSatellite, 700 emerging designers showed their prototypes with the hope that manufacturers would put some of their designs into production. One of the main attractions was Michele De Lucchi’s huge installation The Walk, a meandering path through workplace installations, reflecting the crossover between the home and the office. Big-picture trends—the combination of luxurious materials like blown glass, marble, brass, and lacquer; the strong presence of geometric forms; and numerous examples of plant-inspired objects—reflect the pulse of the design world today. —P.M. and E.A.P.

Roche Bobois Edito Armchair

This armchair and ottoman by Sacha Lakic is fully customizable with fabrics in many colors for the interior and exterior faces. Edito is mounted on a swivel base with a memory system and an automatic return function.

Knoll Pilot Chair

Designed by Barber & Osgerby, this armchair can have a low or high backrest. It is comfortably stylish in its “slim soft” and even lighter “slim” versions, and it comes in a variety of colors and materials.

Keystone Chair Sunbrella Edition

Rossana Orlandi’s Sunbrella fabric allows designers to re-create indoor pieces for the outdoors. Design studio OS & OOS made this keystone chair by abstracting and reassembling elements of the Roman bridge into this joint-free, and now weather-friendly, piece.

B&B Italia Tufty-Time 15

Patricia Urquiola designed this modular seating system in 2005 from the ottoman out. The result is an all-around system that provides extremely versatile seating configurations, now available in a new textile version at Luminaire.

Pepe Heykoop Folded Lampshade

This lampshade is made in Mumbai out of coated paper, and can be folded flat. Once it’s unfolded, the lamp’s assembly is designed to keep its shape. the shade is available in five colors.

Mattiazzi Chiaro Chair

With simple joints and structures, this chair by Leon Ransmeier is straightforward and accommodating to many environments. Finishes include oak or ash in a variety of colors. The chairs are stackable with optional armrests.

BD Barcelona Dreams Cabinet

Cristian Zuzunaga’s signature pixelated graphic style sets this cabinet apart. It offers ample storage space, with the option of colored, black, or white graphics printed on tempered glass.

Hermès Jardin d’Osier Wallpaper

Designed by Pierre Marie, this verdant wallcovering is inspired by an Indian garden with flowers, shrubs, and fountains, and comes in three colorways.

Arper Steeve Sofa 

This sofa, designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, is part of a modular system that can be customized for any indoor space. Multiple fabric and leather choices can be configured with wood options for arm- and backrests.

Plank Sinmi Stool 

Norman Teague designed this innovative rocking stool out of birch plywood with an ebony stain, and topped it with thin rubber. The finished product is a creative, active solution for a temporary respite.

FlexForm Big Bob Sofa

Antonio Citterio’s sofa features a wood and metal frame with options for adjustable seats and backrest as well as a side shelf covered in hide leather. Upholstery is available in multiple fabrics and leathers.

Emeco Alfi Bench 

Jasper Morrison and Emeco collaborated to design this three-seat bench. Alfi’s base is made by Amish craftsmen from locally sourced ash. The seats, with high or low backrests, are made from reclaimed waste and finished in five color options.

Magis Sam Son Chair

Konstantin Grcic designed this chair for Magis with an exaggerated arm and backrest that provides comfort while giving the piece an informal character. The chair is suitable for outdoor use and comes in four colors.

Cassina CAB Lounge Armchair 

This armchair by Mario Bellini is part of Cassina’s new collection inspired by the designer’s iconic chair from 1987. CAB Lounge’s ergonomic frame is upholstered with saddle leather in five color choices, with a swivel base and soft supporting cushions.

Kettal Boma Sofa

This sofa is part of a set of modular outdoor furniture designed by Rodolfo Dordoni. The materials provide high-quality performance in all climates without sacrificing the style and comfort of indoor furniture.


NYCxDesign
Next Edition: May 3–17, 2016


New York City’s 12-day celebration of design was bigger than ever last May. In addition to the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (OCFF), several other fairs and events significantly expanded their presence. WantedDesign added a second location in Brooklyn to showcase its usual exciting mix of established brands and emerging global designers. BKLYN Designs relaunched and hosted the opening event of NYCxDesign, Collective Design spread out over 60,000 square feet inside Skylight Clarkson Sq, and designjunction held its first New York edition. Significantly this year, important destinations and showrooms in the Soho and Tribeca neighborhoods also came together as design districts, heralding a new era for design in the downtown area. Metropolis will publish the official guide to NYCxDesign 2016. —Dora Vanette

Rich Brilliant Willing Ledge Wall Sconce

Designed as an intersection of two geometric planes, one of which houses 700-lumen LEDs, this wall fixture offers plenty of variety in surface finishes and the option of upward or downward installation, which changes the direction of light.

Cerno Camur Light

This five-foot-long undulating pendant is a great alternative to standard linear lighting systems. Its three-inch-square profile is encased in wood and holds 2,500-lumen LEDs with a 2,700-kelvin color temperature.

Workstead Wardrobe 

Designed to play the part of closet, dresser, and cabinet, Wardrobe can be configured in numerous ways and includes a clothing rod, adjustable shelves, and drawers. It also features doors carved from solid beech or walnut.

Bernhardt Design Los Andes Table 

Ignacia Murtagh’s sculptural occasional table, finished in walnut, references the mountainous terrain it is named after with a mixture of sharp angles and smooth surfaces, as well as in the upturned rims.

Mater Design Terho Lamp

Designed by Finnish designer Maija Puoskari, this alderwood and white opal glass lamp mimics the shape of an acorn. Even its name, Terho, translates to “acorn.”

Muuto Fiber Chair

After years of experimenting, the Copenhagen-based duo Iskos-Berlin decided on an innovative bio-composite material that looks like plastic from afar, but reveals wooden fibers when viewed up close.

Pablo Contour Lamp

This lamp’s slender aluminum frame houses a fully dimmable led light and leaves room to display objects such as books and flowers. It comes in three distinct sizes, with woven fabric or hardwood interiors.

Umbra Shift Cowboy Coffee Kettle

Castor’s enameled spun-steel kettle with a beechwood trivet takes coffee making back to basics, evoking traditional open-range fire brewing. The kettle is available in black and speckled white.

Lambert & Fils BeauBien Collection

These brass and powder-coated aluminum fixtures by the Montreal-based lighting design studio are minimal in their geometric structure and color palette. Devoid of shades, most of the lamps provide direct lighting instead.

La Metropolitana Mesa de Buró

Mexico City–based design studio La Metropolitana designs simple and functional wooden objects. This sidetable is a case in point, with its geometric shape and reduced color palette.

Suite NY TS Table 

A subtle quirkiness underlies this minimalist table by the Danish-Italian duo GamFratesi—a linear metal frame pairs with a round marble top. It is available in four sizes and offers marble options for the top.

Estiluz Button Lamp 

This elegant suspension lamp is composed of an aluminum track with multiple led heads. Suitable for lighting large areas as well as small rooms, Button has a tactile sensor that switches each point of light on and off individually.

Apparatus Cylinder Series

As minimal as they are functional, these light fixtures project directional light from recessed points within the simple metal forms. The lights can stand alone or be grouped together.

Geiger Envelope Chair 

Upholstery weaves around a welded tubular steel frame in Ward Bennett’s 1966 chair, which has been in production ever since. Suitable for both public and private spaces, the chair is available in many metallic finishes, as well as textile and leather options.

Dekton by Cosentino Entzo Surface 

This new color for Dekton, the ultracompact surface material made of glass, porcelain, and quartz, is inspired by Cosentino’s Spanish roots. Entzo features bold, marblelike veining in warm gold and cool gray tones.

Lumina Flo Lamp

The first collaboration between Lumina and Foster + Partners resulted in a range of desk, bedside, floor, and wall lamps. They have no superfluous moving parts, and the head can be rotated 300 degrees for task lighting.

Fantini Lamé Faucets

Designed by Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez, this collection of faucets is inspired by the research of mathematician Gabriel Lamé. The matte black knob handle contrasts with the curved chromed surface of the faucet, giving it a sophisticated look.

&Tradition Cloud One Seater 

Luca Nichetto’s upholstered seats for the Danish manufacturer boast a sturdy but minimalist base of powder-coated steel legs, with soft seat cushions that create an illusion of a floating cloud.

Mimi Jung Four Teal Walls

Artist Mimi Jung, one-half of the creative studio Brook&lyn, is branching out to focus on her weaving practice. Her ethereal Four Teal Walls, made out of natural fibers and powder-coated steel, function as sculptural pieces or room partitions.

Foscarini Yoko Lamp

Norwegian designers Anderssen & Voll subvert traditional lighting typology—a light source and shade—by creating two intersecting volumes, the top one resembling a transparent bubble.

Mosaico Chrono Pulsar Mosaic

Designed by Ikos, this mosaic is made of three-dimensional, recycled sintered glass tiles, patterned closely together to create a richly textured surface.

AQQ Logos Table 

The Los Angeles–based collective AQQ carries out a dialogue with Postmodernism in this table. It juxtaposes oak and marble in a chunky form that, while nodding to tradition, is entirely original.

Dornbracht Sync Faucet

With its tall swiveling spout and wide projection, Sync offers limitless freedom of movement at the kitchen sink. The faucet features a pull-down spout with both spray and laminar-flow modes.


Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair
Next Edition: February 9–13, 2016


This event, compact and cozy, is a great destination as it focuses on furniture and lighting from the Scandinavian region—making it unlike any other design fair in the world. Here you’ll find the latest products that draw upon a rich tradition—mixing the best in craftsmanship, sustainability, and contemporary design. Ilse Crawford was the guest of honor at this year’s fair, where her groundbreaking collection for IKEA was also showcased. Next year’s edition will have London-based studio Barber Osgerby as the guest of honor, a whole new area promoting designers’ own small-scale production, and a pop-up design bar created in collaboration with the acclaimed chef Fredrik Eriksson. —E.A.P.

Zero Elements Lamp

Moody Nordic weather influenced the palette for this series of customizable lamps by Note Design Studio. With shades made from Danish company Kvadrat’s soft textiles, it produces a gentle light in any of its variations—floor, table, pendant, or wall mounted.

Färg & Blanche Frankie Chair 

Legendary dancer Frankie Manning’s suspenders inspired this chair. It is stackable and available in almost 500 fabric options and 192 frame colors.

Nathalie Dackelid Wooden Cloth Table

With a surface that easily contracts and expands, this versatile and high-quality table by Nathalie Dackelid is built to last. Wooden cloth is constructed from ash with a transparent finish.

Baux Acoustic Panels

These panels are a beautiful way to regulate sound, moisture, and heat. Designed by Form Us with Love using energy-efficient, inexpensive material, they meet high environmental and safety standards.

Stelton Theo Teapot

These teapots by Francis Cayouette are Scandinavian stoneware with a cast-iron finish and a bamboo lid and handle. The collection also offers mugs, teapot warmers, and miniature bowls in a black-brown color.

Mifuko Kiondo Baskets

Kiondo baskets are expertly woven by artisans in rural Kenya. Mifuko offers four sizes and many color options, some with leather handles. Made from sisal and food-grade plastic, they hold everything from food to firewood.

IKEA Sinnerlig Collection

Ilse Crawford created this collection of more than 30 products designed to be adaptable to any home. Natural materials are the signature of the collection, which ranges from cork-topped tables to sea-grass baskets.

Mitab Row of Cabinets 

Daniel Svahn designed this set of cabinets to fit offices of any size and style. Four standard configurations are offered in as many sizes with customizable color choice.


London Design Festival
Next Edition: September 17–25, 2016


Now in its 13th iteration, the festival this past September included 350 events with more than 250 partners throughout the city. The Victoria & Albert Museum, the festival’s design hub, showcased installations by artist Barnaby Barford and Austrian design duo mischer’traxler in collaboration with Lobmeyr, and a two-part installation, The Cloakroom, by Faye Toogood. Somerset House was a highlight, with designers like Jasper Morrison, Nendo, and Alex Rasmussen given free rein in its spaces. Lee Broom converted his Shoreditch showroom into the Flower Shop, highlighting the trend of incorporating flowers into displays. and a strong showing by students in the RCA’s Platform 18 design Products department explored the notion of reproduction and how we interpret and translate descriptions. look out next year for a London Design Biennale at Somerset House, gathering 40 installations and exhibitions from around the world focused on the theme of “Utopia by Design.” —P.M. and E.A.P.

Hansgrohe Axor One Shower Control

This interactive shower control, designed by Barber & Osgerby, consolidates many elements: temperature is set by the central dial, a small level below regulates water volume, and the Eco Mode halves water consumption. It is currently available only in Europe.

Carbon Trust Worldbeing WrIstband 

Designed by Benjamin Hubert’s London-based studio Layer Design, this piece of wearable tech tracks energy use, so users can monitor their carbon footprint.

Carl Hansen & Søn SIgnature ChaIr 

This was the last piece of furniture designed by Frits Henningsen, and fewer than 20 pieces were made in 1954. The 2015 reedition of this rare design was shown along with his Heritage Chair.

Neal Feay The Wave InstallatIon 

This giant wave installation by Santa Barbara designer Alex Rasmussen and Neal Feay at Somerset House combines more than 7,000 aluminum panels in a structural swell, reflecting shades of Pacific blue.

Hem Alphabeta Lamp

Luca Nichetto’s playful pendant lamp allows for 10 billion possible design combinations with eight handcrafted spun-steel shapes and a choice of three colors for each.

Holly Hunt Paula Crown Pedestal Table 

This limited-edition table in Nero Assoluto marble is inlaid with a brass fractal pattern. It’s the result of a collaboration with the artist Paula Crown, and is available only from Holly Hunt’s London showroom.

KnIt by Curver 

Leading plastic manufacturer Keter Group worked with the Franklintill Studio to create these objects that are produced by deep-texture injection molding but preserve the look of 3D knitting.

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