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Salone del Mobile 2015

The Milan Design Fair, or Salone del Mobile, is arguably the biggest and most important event in the furniture industry. The 54th edition of the show this year was as exciting as ever, with over 2000 exhibitors showcasing the best in furniture design to more than 310,840 visitors from all over the world. Our dedicated team was thrilled to see the new products of our favourite brands exhibited at the show and to visit their stylish showrooms. Below is a small selection of some of the hot new designs that we captured during our three days in Milan.

Carl Hansen & Son

The theme of the Carl Hansen & Son stand this year was "At home anywhere in the world", presenting four different environments and hinting at the idea that the design classics by the Danish brand can fit well many different interiors and home styles.

Carl Hansen keep digging in the archives and turning into reality previously unpublished or less known pieces by Hans J. Wegner. This year they have reinvented his Tray table CH417 - a coffee table with a removable round tray and a collapsible base, which was first introduced in 1970 and was produced for only a limited number of years. 

The new Embrace chair was designed by Carl Hansen and the Austrian design trio EOOS, which includes Gernot Bohmann, Martin Bergmann and Harald Grundl. The soft cushion of the chair is folded into 3 dimensions, and functions as a seat, back and armrests in one. Originally ntended as a dining chair, it can also be used as a guest chair, in hotel lobbies, conference rooms or waiting rooms.

Signature chair FH429 (below) is the last piece of furniture designed and produced by the cabinet maker Fritz Henningsen, and is an undisputed classic. Henningsen often began working on his designs by developing a small model, and he used toothpicks for the legs of this one. The design of the Signature chair was completed in 1954, but fewer than twenty pieces were produced back then. Now this elegant chair is officially back in production thanks to Carl Hansen. 

Knoll. 

To celebrate 100 years from the birth of Henry Bertoia, Knoll hosted a Bertoia-themed party at their flagship Milan showroom. We had a chat with designer Marc Krusin, and managed to catch a glimpse of Edward Barber from the British design duo Barber and Osgerby (or so we thought).

The new Pilot lounge chair by Barber and Osgerby (pictured below) brings a new level of comfort and versatility, and can be used in a wide range of settings, from residential spaces to offices. And you can freshen up your room by using different colours for the arms, seat and backrest.

We were excited to see a new version of the Florence Knoll sofa with a clean design without its signature concave effect on the seat and back cushions. This model is upholstered in the new Cognac colour from the Venezia leather range.

And finally, the Bertoia chairs and stools have now become very affordable, as they are now available in a new version with plastic seat in six bold colours. This modern take on the iconic collection was introduced in celebration of the centennial of Bertoia's birth.

Vitra.

Vitra's stand this year was built in a warehouse style, corresponding with the design of some of their new products.

Belleville is a new family of chairs and tables by Jean Prouve. The seat and backrest of the chair are made of plastic, but very much resemble metal, for a touch of bistro chic in your dining room.

Mariposa Sofa, which was introduced last year, now comes in several new versions, including a three-seater and an armchair.

The Polder Sofa by Dutch designer Hella Jongerius has experienced slight modification in its design, and is now available in a yellow and navy blue finish. We were a bit sad to see the colourful odd-shaped buttons replaced by these more industrial-looking ones, but we very much welcome the new colours.

Expanding the colour palette seems to be the trend this year with many of the big designer furniture brands. The Eames Plastic Chairs are now available in several new colours, including green, dark red, and royal blue. The chairs' seat height has also been adjusted, so this midcentury classic will now be available with a slightly higher seat.

Fritz Hansen.

Continuing the tradition, the Republic of Fritz Hansen used their flagship Milan showroom in the heart of Brera (Milan's design district) as the setting to present their new products.

The novelties included two new armchairs by Jaime Hayon: Fri, the smaller sister of the Ro chair, and Sammen, an elegant upholstered dining chair. Hayon's new designs are a combination of Danish minimalism and Spanish playfulness. 

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the iconic Series 7 chair, Fritz Hansen asked the world-known Danish artist Tal R to create nine new colours for the chair. So now your dining room can be even more colourful! Each of these new colours is available in both coloured ash or lacquer.

Swedenpresspause

We found our Swedish friends from Officeline and their beautiful Lei chair designed for ladies at the Swedenpresspause stand, which was branded as "Swedish Design Goes Milan 2015".

The exhibition was a collaboration between Business Sweden, VisitSweden and the Embassy of Sweden. It was centred around the modern workplace in Sweden: a space for living and working which feels like home but also helps you being productive. The name Presspause reflects the importance of taking a break from our daily work.

Danish Living Room.

Similarly, many of the Danish brands were exhibiting together in the Danish Living Room: 

Louis Poulsen and their classic PH lights in a bold bright yellow finish. 

Skagerak and their new Flux collection of chairs and table, made of teak and perfect for outdoor use. It was love at first sight, so we couldn't help ordering some of these for our showroom. If you like this table and chairs, we have it in stock now, available for immediate delivery!

Povl Kjer designed the Rockingsheep in 1981 as a present for his niece. It has now become a Danish design classic. Still made in Denmark by small local workshops selected by the designer, who still finishes every piece. 

Flos.

The most talked-about exhibit at the Flos stand was Philippe Starck's new lamp, Ether. It was presented along with a provocative video showing a nude lady on one side, the lamp on the other, and a man dressing them both up (no nude pictures in this blog post though!). You can read more about the making of the video in an interview with Flos CEO Piero Gandini in Wallpaper magazine

Wewood.

After some very successful Maison & Objet shows in Paris and Singapore, Wewood made their debut at Salone del Mobile this year. The new products presented by the Portuguese brand in Milan included the Scaffold sofa (below)

 

Lei desk by André Teoman

and the Metis desk by Goncalo Campos. They all will surprise you with their hidden compartments and clever storage solutions.

The multifunctional X2 shelf, which was introduced earlier at Maison & Objet Paris, was a big hit with the Milan show visitors too. This versatile bookshelf can change its shape according to your needs.

Many of these products are already available to order, so please get in touch with us if you are interested in a quote.

 

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