The Salone del Mobile trade fair, held every year, used to attract designers, designers and lovers of new trends to Italy. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the organizers decided to cancel them. Nonetheless, it's worth considering what could be appearing at this year's edition. We take a look at the products of companies that have booths at the Italian fair every year. Oskar Zięta and Tomek Rygalik, among others, talk about trends.
Furniture made exclusively of one material? Such products are increasingly appearing on the market. At the same time, they have a lot of advantages: they are easy to manufacture and recycle, and therefore ecological. Their production - due to the simplicity of the process - is not a burden on the environment. One of the pioneers of monomaterials in design and the idea of MMT (Mono Material Thinking) is the prominent Polish designer Oskar Zięta. A perfect example is one of his latest projects - the Ultralegger chair, which would appear at Salone del Mobile this year. It is currently the lightest chair in the world, inspired by the Superleggera model designed by Gio Ponti. In addition to being extremely lightweight, it was created from only one material - aluminum. Such a piece of furniture is easily recyclable, and interestingly enough, the benefits of mono-material production could also be observed during the pandemic period.
They are easy to produce and recycle, and thus ecological; their production - due to the simplicity of the process - is not a burden on the environment
© Domoteka press materials
Unlike many companies, we had no problems with the supply chain ," Oskar Zięta notes. - We only needed one material from which to make the finished product. So we didn't have to wait for any additional components.
It is worth noting that in the case of multi-material projects, the lack of one element, traditionally imported from China, for example, makes it impossible to complete the product.
ecologically and naturally
Growing environmental awareness is also translating into changes in design, as well as furniture manufacturing processes. One example is the MMT described above. Numerous companies are using recycled materials in their designs. A good example is the Babila XL chairs by Pedrali, whose seats are made of 100% recycled polypropylene. And Polish brand Livingroom offers sofas with upholstery made from recycled PET bottles. Considering that such a bottle takes about 500 years to decompose, the innovative use of the material translates into a big relief for the environment and the planet. And what does it look like in practice? Used bottles are collected, washed and shredded into small pieces. They are then melted, filtered and made into micro-granules. In turn, the granules are used to create yarn from which upholstery fabrics are made.
Woven Bottles upholstery fabrics made from polyester created from 100% recycled PET bottles
© Domoteka press materials
Recycled fabrics are a trend that is starting to become more pronounced around the world. We started with sofas, but are slowly working on other furniture as well. We treat this as a kind of mission - the realization that we are reducing at least a little bit of litter in our world appeals to us very much. We are proud to have added upholstery fabrics by Woven Bottles to our collection, made from polyester created from 100% recycled PET bottles. This material is no different in feel and appearance than regular polyester fabrics. It is absolutely safe. As an upholstery, it provides maximum seating comfort, softness and durability. It also comes in a wide range of colors ," says Anna Wyrzykowska the company's marketing specialist.
Natural inspirations are also present in Oskar Zięta's designs. Minimalist Parova tables resemble plant organisms, which adapt their shape to the terrain. Round, organic forms can also be found in many of Bonaldo's new furniture pieces (such as the Combination and Lupino tables, and the Circus and Curling tables).
Parova's minimalist tables resemble plant organisms, which adapt to the terrain with their shape
© Domoteka press materials
The natural trend is also visible in colors and decors. Danish Fritz Hansen released this year a new version of the Lily chair (designed by Arne Jacobsen) with a seat in a natural walnut option. Also, the color palette of furniture increasingly refers to nature. This can be seen, for example, in the already mentioned "New Ideas 2020" collection. Pedrali. It is also worth noting in passing that Classic Blue, the color of the year 2020 according to Pantone, is not particularly popular.
comfortably
Design harmoniously coupled with the needs of users and their lifestyles - this, for example, is how the Zanotta brand communicates its new products in the "Back to Emotions" collection. The Nena armchair is distinguished by its minimalist form, but draws attention with its characteristic backrest, which almost "embraces" the sitter. The optically light Dove sofa, on the other hand, looks as if it consists only of soft cushions. Its hallmark is also a very simple design. Among the novelties of the Bonaldo brand, on the other hand, we can find the Tirella sofa, in which the backrests and armrests are deeply stitched, making it seem softer and fluffier. The armrests, moreover, have classic connotations - they resemble the rollers that were the hallmark of traditional ottomans. The focus on comfort is also evident in Pedrali's Ila series of armchairs. The enveloping seats allude to the forms of cocoon armchairs.
The optically light Dove sofa looks as if it consists only of soft cushions
© Domoteka press materials
surprises
Every edition of Salone del Mobile has been associated with some kind of surprises. Tomek Rygalik, one of the world's most recognized Polish designers, points this out:
It's hard to say what we would see in Milan. That's what's interesting about the industry, that it can surprise, and that's what I'm missing this year. There are many reasons to go to Milan, but from my point of view it's mostly about looking for new insights and fresh approaches in design.
