David Lynch, Shabby Chic, and Wabi-Sabi: A Review of Salone del Mobile 2024 Trends
From April 15th to 21st, Milan hosted Design Week and the world's largest furniture fair, Salone del Mobile.Milano. Architect-designer Marina Harisova shared her impressions with myDecor readers and highlighted the key trends that will define design this year.
The Salone del Mobile.Milano 2024 is an annual event that literally sets the entire city and the Rho Fiera Milano exhibition complex abuzz for a whole week. It features leading global manufacturers of lighting, kitchens, furniture, workspaces, and interior accessories. Our retail team at LINII returned brimming with inspiration and new ideas, having noted important trends and details that we will incorporate into our projects.
EASTERN MOTIFS
A definitive trend at the fair is a distinct turn towards the East—a direction also seen in the fashion industry. In any case, retail is making every effort to tap into the rapidly growing market of affluent audiences in the East, opening concept stores in Eastern capitals and bringing their vibe to Western viewers through interior design objects. At the exhibition, this is expressed through the styles of wabi-sabi and Japandi. The use of natural, organic materials and the absence of plastic are their hallmarks. We observed motifs of Japanese noren curtains, bamboo, and sakura.
THE ANTIQUE & AUTHENTIC
The fair is permeated with an atmosphere of authenticity. We noted a touch of deliberate carelessness in both furniture pieces and booth designs: crumpled textures, asymmetry, elegant aging, and a "creative mess." Sharp-angled, cold minimalism has been replaced by soft, flowing forms—slightly "puffy," airy, and delicate. Interiors are giving a future to old furniture through vintage hardware or mirrors from a family attic. All these are techniques of the shabby chic style, which is displacing "perfect" luxury.
SOFT NATURE
Interior trends are oriented towards closeness to the earth, coziness, and warmth. This year, we didn't see an abundance of color; primarily, exhibits and booths showcased terracotta, earthy, milky, and sky-blue tones. References to natural landscapes—mountains and sand dunes—are noticeable. Deep ginger, red, and blue hues served as accent colors. The trend for rough 3D stone claddings has been replaced by more refined, processed stones. Jute, woven materials, pistachio and beige palettes, and brass remain relevant. Iridescent colors and iridescence have given way to soft pink pastels and mirror effects. Eye strain from the digital world is being compensated for by the calm and harmony of interior solutions.
METAL
The theme of metal holds a special place. Manufacturers are using traditional variations: polished, brushed, matte, or aged steel surfaces, shades of brass, and black. All of this is softly complemented by wood—we see a combination of these materials in sanitaryware and appliances. What was absent? The loud-colored metals and 3D "water ripple" textures popular in previous seasons.
STYLE MEETS GLOBAL CONSCIOUSNESS
The fair vividly showcased the trend of art's involvement in the industry: an installation called Thinking Rooms by film director David Lynch urges visitors to contemplate global issues. The ice composition Under the Surface introduces viewers to the theme of water consumption and thoughtful bathroom design. Few booths were without integrated art objects by painters and sculptors: stone, soft, or wooden totems, decor, and collaborations were an integral part of any brand zone's exposition.
For us, it was important to highlight these interior design trends for retail spaces. In our projects, we always apply relevant materials and technologies, informed by our audit of global benchmarks. Milan Design Week 2024 represents the titanic effort of leading European retailers in the fashion and furniture industries. Everything—from the presentation of brand zones and signage to lighting and product merchandising—is meticulously detailed.
For such exhibitions to work effectively, it's crucial to plan booth customer journeys, organically synthesize brand platforms with interior and exposition solutions, and consider product merchandising specifics. All of this strongly intersects with our team's work in designing commercial spaces.
