02 Jun Salone del Mobile 2023, day 1.
Spring has arrived, which for interior designers is synonymous with one of the biggest and most anticipated trade fairs of the year, the Salone del Mobile, which takes place every year in Milan, when the whole city becomes a giant, colourful bustle. We always look forward to this week with excitement, as we can return home with a lot of inspiration, which is an essential part of creative work.😊 Despite getting up in the morning and the several changes in the departure time of the plane, our day started with a good mood since most of the big names in the industry travel together at this time, so we already met many familiar faces early in the morning and had the opportunity to catch up with some sales representatives as well.
However, due to the delay of a few hours, we arrived late for our first meeting in the morning, therefore we had to modify the original plans a little, and instead of a private tour we joined those arriving after us, with whom we visited the Sicis factory together in the autumn as well, so we had no doubt that the exhibition could not start better than this for us. Every year, the big-name company is characterized by its generous exhibition space, which has increased this year compared to the previous ones, so this year we were captivated on 900m2 by the interiors based on eclecticism. Furnishing inspired by rococo style and neoclassical flavours have been reinterpreted with a contemporary approach, creating environments that perfectly combine different styles of furniture with elegant and distinctive solutions. Sicis has always placed great emphasis on upholstery materials, so this year, in addition to expanding the existing collections with new colour schemes, it also introduced a new floral fabric series made in jacquard technique. Walking between the interiors, it was as if we were jumping between continents, since the internationally renowned company does not stop at the Italian or European borders, instead, it offers solutions that charmingly meet other cultures and traditions.
Our next meeting was with Tanja at Wall and Deco, who expanded their Essential collection with four new designs, each available in three colour variants. Among our favourites was Studiopepe’s Fukuro, which means owl in Japanese, it’s no surprise that they chose this name, as the wallpaper reminiscent of owl silhouettes emerging from the darkness of the forest, with its three-dimensional, silvery glint. Limo is a highly textured wallpaper dreamt up by Zanelatto Brotto Studio that displays an abstract representation of fragments of water and earth.
The Czech Brokis is a high-quality lighting brand characterized by a synthesis of excellent design, high quality, and remarkable craftsmanship of Czech glassmakers. But among its designers there are also recognized Italian names, such as Federico Peri, who dreamed up one of this year’s most significant novelties, the Trottola family, which reminds us of the well-known toy of our childhood, the spinning top. It is made of hand-blown opal glass, characterized by the contrast of the play of light and shadow, and its special feature is that the alternation of cold and warm light can be solved with a light gesture of the hand. And one of the most exciting parts of our day was that we could exchange a few words with the talented designer personally and we also had time for a photo together.😊
Then we hurried on to get a quick overview of the novelties of the world of luxury, so our first trip led to Visionnaire, where this year’s philosophy is to live in harmony with the beauty that surrounds us and with the space of our home. Nothing proved this better than the dream kitchen presented by them with its beautifully crafted curved and unique green marble surfaces, or the chair from Studiopepe, the backrest of which is embodied in a knot symbolizing infinity and interconnection.
Next was Reflex from Venice, who specialize in glass processing and are at the forefront of the production of furniture made of solid Murano glass. Exciting examples include the Dune 72 dining table, which is built from layers of glass, or the full-wall beverage holder designed from unique glass shelves.
Presotto products also stand for high quality and luxury, so we would like to highlight the most exciting products of the Arte & Cuoio collection, which deals with ancient leather processing by Tuscan artisans, and its products range from finely sewn office desk accessories to hand-woven poufs and benches.
The final stop of the day was the Sigma L2, where we get a taste of what it’s like when a utility item takes the place of a work of art in the home, whether it’s a lamp or a console table. The company was founded in 1968 near Florence, so local professionals are responsible for every small detail of the products. Our special favourite was the “mushroom” table lamp, under which we also hid for a photo.😊
Since we had been on our feet for more than 20 hours, our first evening turned out to be unusually low-key, and after a quick pizza we got into bed to get enough energy for the next 4 days.
