30 Jun Salone del Mobile day one
After a 2-year absence, the Salone del Mobile furniture exhibition, which was held for the 60th time this year, shone in its old glory. We have been looking forward with great excitement to this sensual journey in the world of sparkling colours, dynamic shapes and drastic surfaces, where not only the Italian feeling captivates the visitor. Since the first days of the exhibition are open only to professional audiences and this is when we have the opportunity to comfortably walk through the stands of the individual brands with the representatives of the factories and to get to know the novelties of this year, on our first day we went directly from the airport to the exhibition area, where we tried to keep our appointments by running from appointment to appointment according to a tight schedule (so much for the calm, comfortable pace).
Our first trip led us to Wall and Deco, one of our favourite wallpaper distributing companies, where, as always, we encountered fascinating new graphics, from softly curving floral motifs to colourful graphic shapes to cool and bulky patterns. This year, too, the new collection was designed by such big names as Ludovica and Roberto Palomba, Mae Engelgeer and Studiopepe. But the great novelty of this year was the appearance of acoustic wallpapers, which is a real breakthrough in the world of acoustic solutions since only wall or ceiling panels specifically designed for this purpose could be used in the designs so far. Sound System wallpaper is a special product that consists of two layers and reduces the echo in interiors. The first layer is a 2 mm thick woven backing base to which a 1 mm thick printed fabric is applied with any graphic they have already dreamed up or, leaving it to our imagination, it can also be ordered by creating a new pattern. So you can make an office, conference room or hotel lobby homey, but you can also feel free to use it in your home.
Our next appointment was at the world-famous Sicis mosaic, where we must leave a longer time slot on our agenda every year since not only are we impressed with its special, shiny products, but their magical 700 m2 stand is not negligible either. On the basis of a beautifully structured concept, we proceeded between the furnished rooms, which also equalled the experience of a journey around the world. Our first stop evoked the Far East with its gigantic Onyx collection, which is now available in 4 m high contiguous elements, thus creating generous elegant interiors.
As soon as we saw the first interior, we expected that this could not be enhanced, but as we moved towards the Equator, we found ourselves among the items of a limited capsule collection. Since we are lovers of art, we were immediately captivated by the sight of handmade masks decorating the walls, with their detailed elaboration and a combination of bold materials. At the end of our tour, we arrived at a green terrace, which was a real surprise, as it was the first time that an outdoor collection was designed, the fabrics of which showed a familiar mosaic pattern typical of the brand, perfectly suited to the indoor atmosphere. However, there is no Italian feeling without a cooling Prosecco, so we closed our visit on the terrace they dreamed up, sitting next to the plashing water by a Vetrite pool.
We had the opportunity to get to know the product range of some manufacturers unknown to us before. The quality and sophistication of the materials typical of Tonin Casa as well as the detailed elaboration and appearance of wooden surfaces on the products created a wonderful harmony with the reflective soft surfaces surrounding the entire stand. Our favourites included a Dorian mirror with its sophisticated special frame and a Drops cupboard line, which had gazed fronts with solid wood drops suggesting extreme sophistication.
We ended our day at the cocktail party organized in the showroom of Wall and Deco, where the novelties unseen at the exhibition came to life on the walls and we could touch the surface treatments of the different systems since it is no longer surprising today that there is a wallpaper wall in rooms with plumbing. Thanks to the superb company and the only 15,000 steps shown by our step counter, we gave in and joined the others for another drink.
The last stop of our evening was Bar Basso, which has been operating since 1947, where the ‘aperitif’ was first introduced, and has since become one of Italy’s trademarks. The bar is a real cult place where all key figures of Milano’s design life show up in the evenings, We also discovered members of several acclaimed Italian design teams. However, visiting Bar Basso is only recommended for those with strong nerves or fanatic Negroni Sbagliato lovers (we belong to the latter group) because visitors have their drinks in the streets, while a crowd of taxi drivers try to get through the crowd.
Milano, this is how we love you. 😊