The minute you step onto the cobbled curbs of central
Milan, you can't help but be swept along with the Milanese
passion for Salone de Mobile.
The tentacles of the Furniture Fair hosted at Frera Milano
Rho extend to the heart of Milan. This (pictured above)
tribute to the 50th Anniversary of Gaetano Pesce's famed
"UP5&6" chair design was hero'd in Piazza del Duomo.
Anyone with a passion for design is like the veritable "kid in a
candy store" at the Fair. It is vast and inspiring.
There is so much to take in! In this wonderland of furniture
and (this year) lighting, what grabs attention is very
individual. Here's a glimpse of what stopped us in our tracks
...
BOLD COLOUR - My favourite colour is orange so
I was delighted to see it starring on the fashion & design high
streets and on exhibits. Vibrant colour - particularly
orange, golds and greens - was omnipresent along with gentler
pastel pigments of pinks, choral, greens and blues.
SOFT FORMS - While hard edges add strong
definition to furniture, there was a prevalence of soft forms
across upholstered and occasional furniture. This
added an inviting contrast on sofas and chairs as well as
on clustered ottomans and small tables.
SURPRISING SHAPES - Breaking the mould and
creating new shapes added an element of surprise and was
used to great affect especially by rug and lighting designers.
NEGATIVE LIGHTING - Lighting has become a
dramatic art form. The clever use of negative light
refracting off background surfaces and silhouetted structures was
spectacular.
PENCIL LINES - Fine pencil outlines created a
linear definition that complimented softer furniture
configurations. This was particularly visible in occasional
tables, lighting and screens.
CLUSTERS - We love the interest that
contrasting shapes and textures create when clustered
together. Mixed profiles and contours had a strong presence
at Salone with fabric, leather, marble, lacquer, glass, steel and
wood all combined by numerous designers.
OBJECT ENVY - Finding distinctive and
interesting accessories can be challenging. We were envious
of the objects used at the Fair. Solid objects in intriguing
sculptural shapes added a striking touch to many exhibits. We
will need to take a much bigger suitcase next year!
