Maison & Objet presented an entirely new layout at its most recent event, which took place Sept. 7-11, 2018. It featured two hubs — Maison and Objet — effectively dividing exhibitors of furniture and decorative objects into dedicated spaces. Initial feedback confirmed that organizing the fair this way improved the visitor experience, making it easier for the 76,500 people who came to the Parisian show to shop categories.
Incoming trends revolved around the materials used for new products at the fair — a handful of them stood out.
Terrazzo
A stone to watch was terrazzo. Already in its second season of emerging, terrazzo really made small-scale pattern look trend-right. White grounds made the biggest impact, but pink and black were also available in products like tealight holders from Bolia and pendant lights from XLBoom.
When terrazzo itself wasn’t practical because of price, weight or application, surface designs alluding to it stood in. Versa did this with terrazzo-like patterns all over glass and ceramic items used on the table.
Rattan and Cane
www.nordal.eu (right) Combining black wood and natural cane created neutral contrast in HK Living’s cabinet. www.hkliving.nl
There were more rattan products — natural rattan, not synthetic — shown for the first time at Maison & Objet than the market has seen since the 1970s. It was absolutely everywhere — in chairs, tables and daybeds. The vast majority of rattan pieces were meant for interiors, but some, like the Charlottenborg collection from Sika-Design, had been newly translated into outdoor products that looked fantastic and directional.
Cane was an important material in the 1980s, but it had been off the trend radar for decades. Then, a few random products popped up about a year ago, signaling that this small-scale woven was ready to return. At this edition of the show, it finally burst onto the scene in everything from seating and furniture to lighting and desk accessories.
Cane created airy screen panels, framing natural cane with black wood at Eichholtz, and it wrapped the outside of tub chairs at Performax. Natural cane was inset into doors on consoles and cabinets at HK Living (right), while Ana Roque outlined black cane with brushed-gold metal on the front and sides of a richly finished wooden console. Market Set teamed washed linen and cane-work in tiered shades for their metal Singapour table and floor lamps. DOIY’s bookends, storage boxes, letter tray, pencil cup and tape dispenser came in natural cane with black wood trim.
Marble
www.fermliving.com
Marble isn’t at all new for interiors. It has been trending for more than two years and still represents big volume. Maison & Objet demonstrated that two major evolutions will keep this stone looking fresh into 2020.
The first takes pronounced veining with high contrast, a look already visible in the U.S., to the next level. Featuring fossilized matter within the stone not only made the veins larger and more colorful, but also provided more movement and pattern. One of the best examples of this came from accent pieces, like vases and dishes from Ferm Living (left).
The best new marbles teamed black and white, browns with various reds and rusts, or black and gold. It’s important to note that black/gold marble looks were already moving into products for outdoor living, especially ceramic-top dining tables.
Black Stains
Black stains on wood took center stage. Black was Ethnicraft’s choice for the oak chest, sideboard and cupboard in their contemporary Stairs Collection. Teak in an Ebony finish proved that black will play a role for outdoor furnishings too. It was the foundation for modular seating, tables and occasional furniture in the Sapporo Collection, new from Now’s Home. Maud Supplies showed off incoming shou sugi ban, or charred wood textures, on candle holders, decorative dishes and other objects that looked stunning in Matte Black as well.
More Materials of Note:
- Glazed ceramic tile emerged as a new option for tabletops
- Ceramic, whether decorative or on the table, preferred reactive glazes
- Velvet ruled when it came to fabric
- Suede pushed into more products
- Concrete retreated dramatically
- Cork also took a step back
The next edition of Maison & Objet will take place in Paris from January 18 – 22, 2019.
