I recently traveled to Milan for the International Furniture Fair (aka Salone Internazionale del Mobile) to view the latest in design from Italy and beyond. I knew I was in for a treat, but even so I was still overwhelmed by the innovation. Where else in the world but in Italy can you have a forum such as this? It’s the place to see it all. This is best demonstrated by the first thing you see when arriving at Milan’s Linate airport: an airplane hangar with a sign that says “Emporio Armani.” Enough said.

After three days of non-stop walking on uncomfortable shoes (which is my own fault), and days of reviewing my own notes and photographs as well as press kits galore, I’ve finally come down to a short list of personal favorites:
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I recently traveled to Milan for the International Furniture Fair (aka Salone Internazionale del Mobile) to view the latest in design from Italy and beyond. I knew I was in for a treat, but even so I was still overwhelmed by the innovation. Where else in the world but in Italy can you have a forum such as this? It’s the place to see it all. This is best demonstrated by the first thing you see when arriving at Milan’s Linate airport: an airplane hangar with a sign that says “Emporio Armani.” Enough said.

After three days of non-stop walking on uncomfortable shoes (which is my own fault), and days of reviewing my own notes and photographs as well as press kits galore, I’ve finally come down to a short list of personal favorites:

Jesse: I just loved these Regolo Light shelves from Jesse when I walked into the showroom. The best thing about these shelves is that they are modular, therefore offering more shelving possibilities to get the arrangement that you want. You can find more images from Jesse in our galleries.

As a complement to its theme of “New Styles, New Houses, New Emotions,” Jesse also had a showcase at the Jil Sander store in Milan, converting the entire store into a display called “La Casa Nel Cinema,” meaning “The House in Cinema,” with room displays inspired by films including “About a Boy,” “Heat,” “Little Buddha,” “Old Boy” and “9 1/2 Weeks.” The showcase itself is to demonstrate how interior design can play a role in bringing out the characters in movies; it is a language in itself. I loved the educational concept of this show. Very impressed.

Ligne Roset: This well-known family owned French company introduced Les Minis, its first line of children’s furniture. What can I say? It’s comfortable, functional, fun and doesn’t look like your standard children’s furniture. My favorites are the Baby and Mini Togos, which are designed for children ages 2-4 and 5-12 respectively, because of their soft material. One could easily fall asleep on one of the things. You can find these in stores this summer in goya red, mandarin, pistachio and ruby red colors. The pricing is expected to be around $500 each.

The other fun piece is the Gregory, which is a folding seat that can be flattened out as a floor mat. Neat, eh? You’ll have to wait for a few more months for this one, as the official street date is September of this year. This piece will be available in at least red and grey. Other colors have not been confirmed or announced. Pricing will start at around $600 or so. By the way, did I mention everything in the children’s collection is easy to clean?

This cocoon-like Moël chair, part of a collection by the same name designed by Inga Sempé, is just so soft and comfortable. When I sat on the chair, the comfort was instant. You can choose to have this piece in a variety of materials, from leather to wool, and from armchairs, love seats to sofas and ottomans. What’s great about this piece is that the upholstery is basically custom, with interiors and exteriors ordered separately. Price ranges from the small Ottomans at around $700 to the sofas at approximately $4,500.

Ligne Roset also introduced a few accessories, including this Espace Temps clock, which is a two-piece ceramic clock that displays hours and minutes of the day on separate clocks. It will take a while to get used to, but definitely something different. Pricing is around $385.

Listone Giordano: This Italian company got its start in the hardwood flooring business and has since expanded far beyond its roots. At the show the company presented the Boiserie, which is a wall paneling system that is truly is your entertainment center.

Basically, the paneling system allows for a 42″ or 46″ LCD screen that can be incorporated into the wall. Everything else is ‘hidden’ behind the panels, including the sound, which will travel through the walls to create unique sound effects through the vibrations in the wooden panels. The panels come in standard sizes, but it is also possible to customize your order, if price is no object of course. There are also other add-ons such as shelving and lighting systems to add that extra touch. Available in Wenge, Canadian Maple Montblanc and Morado.

There’s more to come.

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