What Does a Massive Furniture Show Say About the Future of Your Home?
To call Salone del Mobile a furniture trade show is like calling the Super Bowl a football game. And the crowd is bigger. The huge event, now back on its annual cadence, stretches over a campus of cavernous halls and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors. (To give a sense of scale, roughly 386,000 people visited in 2019… the population of Milan is around 1.3 million.)
But in addition to Salone, dozens of exhibitions also pop up in showrooms, studios, and temporary venues all over town, with everyone from tech companies (Google, Microsoft) to fashion brands (Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Issey Miyake) also creating often-elaborate presentations.
So how do you sort through it all and figure out which of these furnishings might eventually make its way into your living room? We sent three of our editors to cover a lot of ground (we stopped counting steps long ago) to separate the brilliant from the bland and the awesome from the awful. These are their personal picks for best in show.
Julia Stevens, style editor
In a world full of beige sofas, I’ll be on the hunt for personality-filled pieces with some shock factor: the iridescent resin furniture of the world that makes you do a double take. It’s day one in Milan and the energy is electric. Here’s what I saw (and may never stop thinking about).
Style editor Julia Stevens on day one in Milan.
First Stop: The Bright Side of Design, Nilufar Depot
The first show of the week sets the vibe for the rest of the trip, which made Nilufar Depot the obvious choice as stop one. The striking, more experimental counterpart to owner Nina Yashar’s original gallery has never failed to get an audible “wow” out of me the second I walk in. I personally couldn’t imagine a better backdrop to Yashar’s boundary-pushing curations than a former silverware factory with industrial bones, sky-high ceilings, and lofted galleries that overlook an atrium, all warmed up with sheers as partitions.
Poikilos Collection by Objects of Common Interest
Entering the gallery’s main floor was like stepping into some kind of heaven. Minimally scattered between gauzy panels sat opalescent resin furniture radiating such intense light that I found myself wondering where the hidden power cord was.
It really is all about who you know. For this chair and the rest of the collection, Athens-based duo Objects of Interest used a glowy resin technique that they learned from an elder Romanian who had mastered the craft.
Celestial Proceedings by Audrey Large
Walking up to Audrey Large’s larger-than-life sculpture is like watching a 3D action movie and taking off the glasses only to realize the scene is actually happening right in front of you. And that’s not entirely far off—the dynamic sculpture is 3D-printed, giving off a satin thread-like texture that picks up light but still appears soft.
When taking a closer look, I noticed engraved messages inscribed in writing that appeared as if someone had taken a finger to the frosting of a birthday cake.
Fontana Amorosa Collection by Michael Anistassiades
The thing about fountains is that they’re always in motion. Now imagine all that spewing water frozen in time, mid-air. That’s what lighting designer Michael Anistassiades did when thinking up his Fontana Amorosa collection, except he replaced jetting water with powder-coated brass in a wine color and attached mouth-blown opaline spheres for light bulbs.
Talco Side Tables by Draga & Aurel
Side tables traditionally serve a function, but as far as I’m concerned, all that Draga & Aurel’s drums need to do is sit pretty. Thick slabs of resin that look more like jello are layered atop a reflective metal surface.
Second Stop: RoCollectable 2023, Rossana Orlandi
Judging by the sheer volume of impassioned discourse echoing through the contemporary gallery’s halls, clearly Rossana Orlandi is the only place that matters on Sunday at noon. The multi-structure space surrounding a charming garden was packed to the brim with eager designers and editors, which goes to show you that Milan Design Week is as much about discovering young emerging talent from around the globe as it is about celebrating heritage Italian brands.
Facade Cabinet and Light Sculpture by Jordan Artisan
When thinking of decaying ancient buildings, the works of Jordan Artisan probably aren’t what you picture. Yet, that’s the exact type of structure his works draw from—specifically, his hometown of Nijmegan, an ancient roman settlement. In his wonderfully wonky shelf, every rule was broken. There were curves where you’d normally see angles, and slanted surfaces that would typically be level. While I had assumed the works were unglazed stoneware, they’re actually made of foam and chicken wire covered in cement.
Mag Floor Lamp by Mandalaki
Remember the sunset lamps that took over TikTok? Consider Mandalaki’s orange-light lamps to be their chic, older sisters. The Milanese brand’s dimly lit exhibition room was a much welcomed respite, and the model of the moment was a black anodized-aluminum pedestal. While it appeared to be one solid piece, its magnet-attached flashlight, if you will, could be removed to direct that candle-lit glow from the ceiling to the wall.
The Repeta Collection by Con Crazy
What do you get when you mix concrete with architectural debris? In this case, a plant bed, some wall panels, and a mirror and bench (not pictured) in a delightfully pastel palette. Unlike typical cement furniture that’s been done before, Con Crazy founders Sarah Kele and Anna Cserba’s mission is to honor the memory of an old building while also creating something new.
The Art of Living Together by Tjitske Storm
Sometimes, a rug is so special that it’s best suited as a wall hanging. That’s the case for all of Tjitske Storm’s looped wool works, full of playful graphic shapes, punchy colors, and fringe for days.
I couldn’t help myself but to go up and touch the dense, textured works. And yes, they’re as soft as you’d imagine.
Third Stop: The King, Atelier Biagetti
I entered the wildly original design studio Atelier Biagetti’s installation with little to no knowledge of what I was walking into, and what I happened upon was certainly a pleasant surprise.
Greeted by multiple Elvis Presley impersonators (talk about a warm welcome) and entertained by the atelier’s opera trained cofounder performing Can’t Help Falling In Love, I couldn’t help but ask myself, where the hell am I?
The King Sofa by Atelier Biagetti
No one has a bigger ego than Elvis did, and a healthy sense of self takes up a lot of space. Which is why the show’s star sofa, inspired by the rock and roll icon, was as colossal as they come.
Seriously though—I’ve never seen a larger sofa in my life. Fully modular and composed of 22 cherry-red velvet sections, it took up so much space that it nearly became the space itself. My guide mentioned that it would be great for “all types of parties.” And I’ll leave you with that.
Fourth Stop: Take It Or Leave It, Paola Navone
At this point in the day, my mood was very much I need to sit down, charge my phone, and down a macchiato, which quickly became a non-issue after being hit with the energy of Paola Navone’s incredibly unique exhibit. The Italian architect and designer owns a vast collection of home accessories, and felt moved to downsize. So she partnered with media company The Slowdown and organized a raffle experience to give away one thousand of her objects. So basically, I’m considering this room the coolest vintage store I’ve ever stepped foot in. What’s more beautiful than upcycling objects with no reward other than the joy of making something once old, new?
Cutlery for a giant? Sure! Winners might receive a fork, spoon, or knife, but the real prize is the inevitable conversations to come while walking down the street with one in tow.
We all have a signature color, and for Navone, that’s blue. As a Pisces, she’s drawn to all things aquatic (her seashell assortment was a’plenty), so naturally, shades of cobalt, navy, turquoise, and robin’s egg were strategically grouped together.
If I were to win that coiled vase, I’d fill it with sunflowers and make it the centerpiece of my home.
Prototype Tray by Alessi and Paola Navone
If there’s one thing I learned from walking this show, it’s that if Navone collaborated on a product, it instantly became something special. Take her Alessi tray, for example: While it has the typical stainless steel frame, its surface is covered in a floral-patterned laminate by Abet.
Adding to its value, the tray is a one-of-a-kind prototype that never went into production.
Ghost Armchair by Gervasoni and Paola Navone
On Navone’s long list of collaborations is an upholstered seating line with Gervasoni. In a special custom version of her famous Ghost armchair, the slipcover is adorned with a little something special: various forms of magenta yarn, because, well, why not? I’m considering it coastal grandmother with a funky twist.
William Hanley, editor-in-chief
William is an arch minimalist, but one who is easily seduced by the absurd—his ideal sofa is a concrete slab with a fun throw pillow.
William’s picks will be live on Tuesday, 4/18. Check back for updates.
Megan Reynolds, senior home guide editor
I’m Dwell’s in-house authority on bad renovation shows and occasionally, tile. In Milan, I’ll be immersing myself at the fairgrounds of what I’m affectionately calling the Chair Fair. Find me looking for the new, the opulent, and the pleasantly absurd.
Megan’s picks will be live on Wednesday, 4/19. Check back for updates.
Related Reading:
Our Favorite Forward-Looking Designs From Salone del Mobile 2022
Salone del Mobile 2021 Delivers Exactly What We’ve Been Missing
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