1 Paper Carpet by Hay
No one understands pastels quite like Scholten & Baijings of Amsterdam. For the past few years, the duo has worked with Danish manufacturer Hay, among others, developing textiles for the home that feature distinctive colour gradients. Paper Carpet, made entirely of paper, combines the studio’s signature soft palette in pistachio greens and peachy pinks.
2 Toshi by Casamania
Almost everything Italian designer Luca Nichetto launched in Milan this spring embraced soft, harmonizing tones, including Toshi for Casamania. The family of five mobile containers has MDF doors lightly engraved with geometric patterns. “Toshi” means city in Japanese,
and when these multi-height units are grouped together they form the silhouette of a skyline.
3 Colour Porcelain by 1616 / Arita
Also by Scholten & Baijings, this stack of plates with matching tea cup are part of a larger tableware collection produced by 1616 / Arita of Japan. The designers researched masterpieces from Japan’s long history in ceramic porcelain, which dates back to 1616, to establish a specific Arita colour spectrum that includes aquarelle blue, red-orange and yellow ochre.
4 Stack by Contempo
Milan designer Stefan Krivokapic of Skrivo says the pancake cushions that define his playful seat for Contempo are meant to look tossed in place without a second thought. He adds, “I like the idea of having cushions in constant motion.” The polyurethane upholstery’s varied tonal range adds another layer of blasé chic.
5 Cipria Bed by Edra
Fernando and Humberto Campana’s usual cranked-up style was on full display in Milan this spring at the Edra booth, where the Brazilian brothers launched a bed collection based on some of their most iconic, campy furniture pieces. The Cipria bed, shown here in powder pink, riffs on the fake fur settee they launched in 2009.
6 Xiao Li’s fashion
Student Xiao Li of London’s Royal College of Art caught the fashion world’s attention this spring with her postgraduate runway show of voluminous garments defined by massive puffy sleeves, ultra-full skirts, and a baby-soft colour range of mint greens, lilacs and pale yellows. The oversized pieces are based on her own knitted forms cast in a lightweight silicone.
7 Ikono by Normann Copenhagen
Shadow and light can change the look of a colour in remarkable ways, and Ikono by Normann Copenhagen uses this basic principle to great effect. The two steel shades that define the pendant are stacked on a cone-shaped glass cylinder, creating a tiered colour effect.
8 Zieharsofika by Meike Harde
We will likely see more coming from 26-year-old German talent Meike Harde. She launched her studio earlier this year, after interning with designer Benjamin Hubert in London, and she is gaining media attention for her unusual forms. Zieharsofika uses a new method of upholstery construction, turning soft foam mats into stiff cushions with the help of rubber bands.
9 Zantilàm by Very Wood
Designed this year by Spanish superstar Patricia Urquiola for Very Wood, Zantilàm is a modern take on the bentwood chair and its archetypal armrest ring. Available in beechwood or ash, the seat comes in a colour option of mustard and rosy pink that gives it a refreshed look. Urquiola has also designed a version that includes a backrest made of natural rope woven through the frame.
10 Pussel by Kettal
Apparatu is the pottery studio founded by master ceramist Joan Mañosa in Barcelona. His son Xavier has since joined the family business, bringing a contemporary attitude. For the outdoor furniture manufacturer Kettal, father and son created Pussel, a playful series of stacked shapes that mash up a palette of velvety, soft-hued glazes.