CooperBuild - Trendspotting at Salone del Mobile 2022

Top 5 Design Trends from the Milan Furniture Fair 2022

The Salone del Mobile is the largest furniture fair in the world, founded in 1961 to promote designs of more than 2,000 creative companies and independent designers. The organizers spent an entire year preparing and building what feels like a small city of presenters in front of an estimated one hundred thousand visitors from all over the world.

This year, CooperBuild, a luxury builder in NYC, flew to Milan to visit the fair, catch up with old friends and make new ones while keeping a keen eye on the latest trends in furniture, interior design, lighting, and innovations.

Here are some of the trends that caught our attention at Salone del Mobile 2022.

Integrated Induction Ranges

The experience of living gets better with every innovation that makes tasks and chores easier. Integrated induction ranges are appliances that are installed below a counter to create an invisible cooktop which is safe and functional by heating a pan through the surface. This saves space with style, while efficiently cooking faster than the usual gas or electric stove.

Manufacturers typically make semi-visible circles on the countertop to identify the areas where the cooktops are located, although this is optional. Seeing water boiling in a pot directly on the countertop from induction, while remaining cool to the touch is incredible.

As more and more cities, such as New York, move away from gas hookups in residential construction projects, we could see that this trend will certainly take hold for the long term in high-end residential construction projects.

Fluted and Curvy Furniture Surfaces

Fluted detailing is a trend that has become increasingly popular for some time now. Also known as ribbed or scalloped detailing, fluting is inspired by the columns of Greek and Roman architecture.

Products such as cabinets, pedestal lavatories, and wall accents having fluted, organic, and wavy silhouettes are a great addition to any space for added visual texture and playful aesthetic. We saw lots of these on display in Milan.

Some standout applications include:

• Fluted glass cabinet fronts that obscure contents while adding texture
• Curved sofa and chair designs that embrace organic forms
• Ribbed wood paneling for walls and cabinet faces
• Scalloped edges on tables and countertops

Dark, Moody Hues

A shift from the usual white tones to dark and moody colors was the ubiquitous color scheme in most products featured during the event. Preferential to taste, darker colors can be used minimally as accents to a space, or also as a full-on color scheme for the interiors.

Using dark colors for your spaces may seem intimidating, but dark palettes when executed well can make a room or space interesting and sophisticated. Popular colors included:

• Deep forest greens
• Charcoal and graphite
• Rich burgundies and wine tones
• Midnight blues
• Chocolate browns

These darker tones were often paired with natural materials like wood and stone to create depth and visual interest.

Blum Kitchen Door Hardware

The Revego is a space concept by Blum and it was on full display at the event. Pocketing unwanted spaces of the home when unexpected guests come over is easy and practical with its mechanical doors that offer quality motion and user experience.

This is a great innovation to maximize spaces in residential projects in NYC, especially for areas with lesser square footage of living space. The system allows for:

• Seamless integration of kitchen areas into living spaces
• Hidden workstations that can be concealed when not in use
• Flexible room divisions that can be opened or closed as needed
• Clean, minimal aesthetics without sacrificing functionality

Matte/Flat Finishes

Veering away from the shiny and glossy look, matte finishes are an evident trend for many designers who showcased their collections. The matte finish on these pieces creates an elevated appeal, adding a layer of sophistication to neutral hues, while creating a less menacing look for furniture with pops of color.

It was great seeing a break from the usual shiny surfaces. Matte finishes were particularly prevalent in:

• Kitchen cabinetry
• Bathroom fixtures
• Metal furniture frames
• Ceramic and porcelain surfaces
• Wood treatments

Bringing Milan to New York

Are you in NYC and looking for custom cabinetry or fixtures from Italy? CooperBuild, a full-service general contractor in Manhattan specializing in residential and luxury construction, has a full-time team on the ground in Treviso who is ready to source the best products that will fit your needs.

By staying current with international design trends, we're able to bring the best of global design to our New York clients, creating spaces that are both timeless and contemporary. These trends from Salone del Mobile 2022 represent just a glimpse of the innovative design directions that will influence high-end residential and commercial projects in the coming years.