It’s been a while…. Things have been going mad around me, but let me get back on track with some updates from the spring shows. Salone del Mobile in Milano was a real stunner. My personal highlight was Alcova, part of FuoriSalone! A feeling of never-seen-before is actually rare for me (forgive me, but that’s what happens after so many years of travelling to design fairs), but Alcova truly felt NEW!
My topic today is – what else – colour. Or better, and that’s no surprise in our industry, colours in combination with finishing and materials. A colour doesn’t stand alone, it’s defined by the reflectiveness of the surface, the material, the texture and the light that shines on it, or not. Also, the combination of colours.
I called it ‘other-worldly’. It’s dealing with objects in peculiar shapes, in surprising finishes and alien colours (alien as in not natural).
The most recent hype about the Metaverse (which was short-lived but influential) and the fascination with a sci-fi aesthetic influence the current design landscape and the use of colors.
These pure and light-filled colors, cobalt blue and magenta, cyan and neon green, bright red and bright yellow, appear in the design of furniture and textiles.
Many of these finishes come in a bright and clear color quality. There is no gray, no muted color. The metallic looks reinforce this luminosity. And are very trendy! Shiny surfaces are also playing an increasingly important role. Ultimately, it’s a game of possibilities. It’s an “anything goes” attitude, the more unusual the better. Welcome to an other-worldly era of color application.