Salone del Mobile, Milano

Each year I visit Milan to see the furniture fair.  It must be the world’s greatest with around 3000  large stands dressed to show each manufacturer at their best. With the city embracing the event the various satellite shows feature smaller or emerging designers, students and prototype work. It takes a week to see everything but its worth it.

“There was no doubt that glamour is back this year”, I thought as I viewed Kartell’s plastic furniture dipped in gold.  Bold Geometric patterns in emerald greens, petrol blues seen in the fabrics of Lorenzo Castillo, two colours seen right across the show with neutrals in soft skin tones edging on terracotta.  My favourite stand as always is http://www.baxter.it , an eclectic mix which would work well in any home. Bathrooms and kitchens were on show with copper taps and even brass, plus geometric tiles and suites in colours especially graphites. I met with Alain Ellouz http://atelier-alain-ellouz.com , and saw his exquisite work in illuminated alabaster.

In town I discovered the new micro mosaics by Michaell Anastassiades for Brix and a beautifully made cabinet called Madison at http://rossato-it.com The collection by Nika Zupanc for http://www.se-london.com confirmed my inkling that we are about to embrace glamour one more time, perhaps with an underlying fifties feel.

In that light I was delighted to discover the revival of Gio Ponti’s work at Molenti. Very La Dolce Vita. However there is an emerging style, an interpretation of Memphis,  with the strong geometrics and bold furniture as seen at the very affordable http://hay.dk