On the last day of my trip to Miami this past December, Pantone announced its colour of 2025: Mocha Mousse, a soft brown meant to evoke chocolate espresso–flavoured desserts. At first, the proclamation felt out of sync with the riotous parade of pigments that had characterized the latest editions of Design Miami and Alcova Miami. But then a visit to the beach — where a herd of 100 life-sized wicker elephants just so happened to be soaking up the sun — led me to realize that perhaps Mocha Mousse is not so far off from sand.

Thanks to the coastal landscape, the colour had already been pairing perfectly with bright, ostentatious shades all week long. Heed the lesson: Neutrals needn’t be boring. Often, they can set the perfect backdrop for something that truly pops, like a string of giant, rainbow-hued beads, a fantastical blue tree or a yellow beanbag in the shape of a serpent. Here’s to 2025 — the Year of the Snake. Let’s make it a vibrant one.

1

The ReefLine

Photo by Steve Kehayias

Plans are underway for an 11.27-kilometre artificial reef (and sculpture park) off Miami Beach. In the meantime, artist Carlos Betancourt and architect AlbertoLatorre presented an early prototype in the form of 46 3D-printed stars (shown above) made from a zero-cement geopolymer concrete — and filled with nooks and crannies that mimic natural fish habitats.

2

Animal Pouf

Bottega Veneta channelled Noah’s Ark with its viral collection of animal beanbag chairs, introduced with Zanotta as a limited-edition riff on the manufacturer’s Sacco chair.

3

Pearl Jam

Photo by Kris Tamburello

Toronto-based designer Nicole Nomsa Moyo bedazzled the Miami Design District with a collection of bracelet like sculptures that strung together large aluminum beads painted with patterns inspired by the Ndebele women of Moyo’s South African homeland.

4

Magmatic

Capturing the thrill of the molten glass–blowing process, Lasvit creative director Maxim Velčovský  presented a trio of fluid vessels.

5

The Great Elephant Migration

Crafted from an invasive Indian weed by Indigenous artisans from the Real Elephant Collective, one hundred jumbo sculptures marched across Miami Beach. After two weeks, each one was sold as a fundraiser for global conservation programs.

6

Popo chair

L.A. designer Willett’s design, made of stacked MDF with a lacquer finish and newly available in red, served as dignified seating for Design Miami’s talks programming.

7

Nefertiti lamp

Photos by Eller Studio

Illuminating one of the hotel rooms at the Miami River Inn, where Alcova Miami held its second edition, Zurich architect Marco Zelli’s two-toned sconce features just one bulb — but thanks to a 45-degree mirrored panel, it appears to have two.

8

The Strawberry Tree

Photo by Todora Photography

At the heart of Design Miami, the Haas Brothers planted a cast bronze tree (originally installed at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas, shown) featuring beaded blue flowers that bore glowing blown-glass strawberries.

9

Hana-arashi

Designed by Nendo using leftover and discarded materials, Paola Lenti’s new collection (first unveiled in Milan this spring) proved a perfect match for Miami’s bold spirit during its American debut.

10

Skyline carpet

A$AP Rocky’s Hommemade design brand teamed up with Gufram for a three-by-three-metre floor covering complete with upholstered skyline backrest pillows that follow in the tradition of Gaetano Pesce’s Tramonto a New York sofa.