Salone del Mobile 2024 – Trends & Highlights
With design innovation and sustainable excellence the theme of the week, Salone del Mobile Milan 2024 was bustling with the excitement of industry insiders. Spanning six days from 16 – 21 April, the annual design and furniture fair attracted an avid global audience.
With over 300,000 attendees, Rho’s Fiera Milano district overflowed with aesthetic enthusiasts. Exhibits were packed with key design brands and ambitious creators. Even with retail down globally, a hopeful mood prevailed for the future.
On the ground DOMO Director Jane Novembre, with General Manager and Buyer Elise Phillips, attended must-see events, launches and installations. Here is their take on the key colour and material trends spotted at Salone del Mobile.Milano 2024.
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Salone del Mobile 2024 Key Trends
“Trending colours at Salone Del Mobile 2024 included a mix of brights like hot pink and denim blue, through to softer blush pink, deep burgundy red, and natural tones,” explained Elise Phillips.
“With mid-century modern a major trend this year, tan and brown leather tapped into this theme along with quilted and stitched leather detailing,” adds Elise. “Conversely, floral fabrics referencing effervescent pinks, greens and reds gave a feminine counterpoint,” she says.
In terms of materials, “marble proved to be centre stage in colourways of pink, burgundy red or deep brown with white veins winding through – or the inverse of this. Sculptural and individual ceramics were still gaining momentum,” Jane Novembre explained.
Notable furniture pieces included, “the re-issue of the 1970s cubic Atrium sofa by Wittmann Workshops, and the dramatic new addition of the de Sede DS-888 Collina sofa by atelier oï. While Spain’s Point outdoor furniture impressed with the realistic detail of their new recycled and recyclable TechTeak material,” she commented.
Featuring an overflowing cultural program and numerous off-site events, Salone del Mobile 2024 provided an extraordinary setting for exchanging ideas and uniting the global design community. Curious about Salone del Mobile 2025? Save the date: April 7th to April 13th, 2025. Make sure to mark your calendar!
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Highlights from Salone del Mobile 2024
We talk about the Salone colour and shape trend here. The furniture and design highlights were:
de Sede
At de Sede, the exclusive Swiss leather furniture manufacturer kept things simple and featured only one key furniture model at Salone del Mobile this year.
The indoor-outdoor DS-888 Collina sofa was made in collaboration with designer collective atelier öi and features a matching table. As de Sede’s ‘new classic’ seat and major innovation in modular seating, the reconfigurable DS-888 Collina sofa combines design, functionality and ergonomics.
With six variations in total, the backrests could be flexibly moved horizontally and vertically with their newly patented function. The tubular elements placed over the back rest serve as head rests and are height adjustable. The sofa was shown in leather, fabric and in a combination of both materials. The DS-888 Collina’s shape is reminiscent of the Swiss Alps.
The highlights were:
Wittmann
Austrian artisans, Wittmann mixed timeless heritage designs alongside completely new, forward-thinking creations at Salone del Mobile.
New designer collaborations included Philippe Nigro, Arthur Arbesser, Sebastian Herkner and Federika Biasi.
The Wittmann booth (designed by Alice Wittmann and Arthur Arbesser) highlighted the brand’s ongoing dialogue between traditional and contemporary. With tables, seating and accent pieces, clean furniture lines and cubic shapes common references among the designs.
The highlights included:
Adele Table by Philippe Nigro is an elegant, minimalist dining table with a bevelled frame and frieze of individually milled notches. Attendees enjoyed the tactile experience of touching the notches.
Joseph Club Chair by Philippe Nigro has a soft, smooth backrest and seat which was encased with a quilted upholstered shell. The design is inspired by the goldsmiths during the Secession movement. A versatile item, the seat presented as a dining chair and would look equally at home as an office or desk chair.
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Atrium by Wittmann Workshops was designed in 1971 as a modular living ensemble, based on cubic forms. With its enduring relevance, it has been reissued due to its perfect fit for 21st century living. Practical with a smaller footprint, it transforms into a high-quality sofa bed in a few simple steps. The Atrium design is low to the ground, but incredibly comfortable.
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Bun Sofa and Armchair by Federica Biasi shows simple, clean lines with a generous seat depth. It looks sporty, casual but with a yearning for relaxation with its armchair having a swivel function.
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Morton Fine Dining Chair and Compact Lounge Chair by Sebastian Herkner features two-part upholstery of the back rest, which is flexible and envelopes the body. A must for those who love a long lunch or a dinner party. The Morton Dining Chair is seriously one of the most comfortable dining chairs ever sat on. Plus, the new swivel motion elevates the dining experience.
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Tact Screen by Arthur Arbesser features customisable panels framed in black leather. With dual functionality as mobile acoustic panels. Seen here in a bright floral fabric or in sleek dark leather.
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Vuelta Modular Table Elements by Jamie Hayon are a welcome addition to his successful and curvy Vuelta Modular Sofa. The new marble inlay table elements fit between the seating modules bringing sophistication and convenience.
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Point
Point outdoor furniture referenced sustainable excellence melding with Mediterranean lifestyle at Salone del Mobile this year.
Point’s 200 m2 standout booth was created by visionary architect Héctor Ruiz Velázquez and featured new outdoor seating, barstools, and dining collections. Plus, designer collaborations with Gabriel Teixidó, Meneghello Paolelli and Mario Ruiz.
Trending at Point were natural shades, knotted rope, weather resistant fabrics, teak and of course their new TechTeak material. This stunning to look at recycled and recyclable material is of a surprisingly similar appearance to teak. Yet, the result is maintenance-free and highly resistant to impact and weather.
The highlights at Point outdoor for Salone del Mobile were:
Kubik outdoor seating and dining by Gabriel Teixidó was showcased with its clear bold lines and smooth materiality to evoke a sense of harmony. Made with maintenance free TechTeak which forever holds its raw teak colouring.
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The new Origin Barstool by Mario Ruiz is a stackable, simple design inspired by Mies van der Rohe. With strong legs and a durable mesh overlay, it’s an example of refined, flexible furniture.
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With TechTeak innovation and sustainability in mind, the new Kahn Double Chaise Lounge withstands harsh weather conditions, requires no maintenance and is 100% recyclable at the end of its lifecycle. Genius!
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With its trending woven seat and backrest texture, Point presented the Summer Barstool and Club Chair by Christophe Pillet. These pieces complement the existing collection with their intricate woven detailing and timeless style.
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Neck outdoor tables by Meneghello Paolelli speak to mixed materiality, combining the concrete base, body of powder coated aluminium and surface of either teak, HPL or porcelain. Its studied diameter considers the ergonomic and visual point of view, the tables hold a natural aesthetic.
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Legacy designed by Mario Ruiz is Point’s new collection which transcends indoor and outdoor spaces. It exemplifies enduring design and timeless legacy pieces. Featured here in the trending pink colour way.
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Arte Brotto
Specialising in sustainably grown timber, Arte Brotto combined luxury furniture with wooden opulence with ease at Salone del Mobile.
With complete control of the timber supply chain, from the forests through to design and manufacturing, Arte Brotto’s offerings lead the field in innovative timber furniture design.
With a focus on Italian wood interiors, the new season timber finishes trending at Arte Brotto saw coloured timber in washes of green, red, pink, blue, grey and more. The furniture shapes tended towards curved, concertinaed, and organic – but sharp edges and inlays were also on display.
The highlights at Arte Brotto for Salone del Mobile 2024 were:
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Qeeboo
Known for creating extraordinary objects and décor, Qeeboo founder, creator and designer Stefano Giovannoni conjured emotion and delight at Salone del Mobile 2024.
This year the new Nami seating collection took centre stage, along with the Bigger Brother additions to the Golden Brothers and Sweet Brothers lighting family.
Big, bold shapes, bright colours and a sense of humour espoused the Qeeboo stand. Further to this, the brand showcased recyclable polyethylene which is great for being recycled and melted down for reuse.
The Qeeboo highlights at Milan:
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Pinetti
As experts in handcrafted, luxury leather décor, Italy’s Pinetti stepped further into the realm of living room furniture this year at Salone del Mobile.
With the release of a bookshelf and multi-layered coffee tables, all items were wrapped in their signature luxe leather. Plus, new leather wrapped pet accessories.
Trending at Pinetti were neutral and natural colours, spanning from cream and tan through to rust orange. Curved and organic shapes took centre stage. This Italian family company (since 1980) forms the apex of artisanry, where manual leather work meets technology.
The highlights at Pinetti for Salone del Mobile 2024 were:
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Giovanni Visentin
Known for creating unrepeatable traditional Venetian furniture, Giovanni Visentin celebrated 50 years of artistry and tradition.
From their new location at the fair, the brand was grouped with the greats of Italian luxury in Hall 13.
As a renowned crafter of traditional Venetian furniture, timber inlays, premium wood grains, high-end custom cabinetmaking and design pieces were on display.
The highlights at Giovanni Visentin at Salone del Mobile 2024 were:
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Highlights From Off-site Milan Design
Despite an immense supply of exciting on-site events and booths at Salone del Mobile, the lure of heading off-site into to Milan was still strong.
Beyond Salone’s walls, Milan hosts an array of accompanying festivities for the aesthetically obsessed. Across design, art, fashion and more, this is where trends are also showcased, and these were our top picks.
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Duviver
All things French luxury were on display in the heart of Brera, for the Monolithes Exhibition. Guests enjoyed an immersive sensory journey into the past, present and future worlds of decorative arts and haute couture.
The exhibition was staged by Franco-Italian stylist Guillaume Hinfrey and inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s movie, 2001 A Space Odyssey. Monlithes explored French craftsmanship and creativity via French luxury furniture house Duvivier Canapés 1840, Atelier Alain Ellouz, Robert Four, Taillardat and Sigébène.
The key design furniture moment from the Monolithes Exhibition included the re-edition of the Duvivier SF103 Chair by Michel Mortier, winner of the Winner of the 1954 Milan Triennale Gold Medal. In fact, the iconic design celebrated its’s 70th anniversary at Milan Design Week 2024.
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Ligne Roset
Contemporary French furniture crafter, Ligne Roset, presented the exclusive re-issues of Pierre Guariche furniture and lighting at the Mohd showroom in Milan.
The exhibition showcased the legacy of Pierre Guariche’s masterpieces – as he is known as one of the influential figures of the 20th century design scene. His story of bold design choices mixed with timeless functionality provided a fascinating glimpse of the past.
From Guariche’s wooden Papyrus chair (1951) to the iconic Tonneau chair (1953), and the modularity of the G10 armchair (1953). Also, the relaxing Vallée Blanche lounge chair (1963) and the tub-like Jupiter armchair (1966), these are only some of his revolutionary creations that were displayed.
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Salone del Mobile 2024 – that’s the wrap up!
With around 2,000 exhibitors plus hundreds of thousands of visitors to Fiera fairground, Salone del Mobile presented the very best of global design, innovation, and sustainable excellence for 2024.
Even with global retail somewhat subdued, exhibitors said they hadn’t seen huge crowds like this since the 2015-16 exhibitions. Yet with mid-century designs, furniture re-issues, marble and ceramics trending across the fair, watch closely as these design trends take centre stage! As the global design industry is certainly as passionate as ever.
Want to learn about the colours, materials and shapes that were trending at Milan Design Week 2024? >> Read the more here
Interested in any standout designs from Mobile 2024?
All brands featured are stocked exclusively by DOMO in Australia. Enquire with us about any of the furniture pieces that pique your interest.
Travelling to Milan for Design Week next year?
Our blog reveals the Milan Design Week tips to make your stay easy: how to get around, what to wear + the apps, journey planners, places to eat + more. >> Read our Milan Design Week travel tips blog now.
