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Salone Del Mobile 2019 Highlights

The Olson and Baker team set sail to Salone del Mobile 2019, Milan, one of the design world’s most anticipated design and furniture exhibitions. This year showcased a wealth of weird and wonderful designs, here’s our highlights of the show…

1. Alabaster

2. Italian Chic

3. Nemo Lighting

4. Design Holding

5. Preciosa Lighting

6. Carl Hansen

7. Won Furniture

 

 

 

1. Alabaster

Olson and baker at Alabaster Elements_Milan 2019 1

We’re hearing a lot about Alabaster being ‘out’ which, for all intents and purposes, really it isn’t ‘out’ at all. All across the show this year we saw all kinds of exciting designs including, or at least influenced by the soft carved mineral. Creating all the grandness of a museums hall of ancient statues and vase. We promise that you need not panic, that new sofa you have just bought is safe! Alabaster still has a place, amongst accessories and lighting. However, there is another neutral that’s sneaking up at the moment which I’d say is at the ‘early adopter’ stage right now. Companies like Lee Broom seem to have peeked early with this exciting new trend, but we’ve fastened our seatbelts and opened ourselves up to what is yet to come…

 

2. Italian Chic

We discovered a benchmark for Italian interior design, Novamobili, an international brand that prides itself on product and service quality developing contemporary bedroom furniture designs whilst maintaining a commitment to sustainable development. Their ultra modern ranges of bedroom furniture which can be made in a wide range of colours and finishes include some truly unique beds and contemporary bedroom designs that would not look out of place in some of the best boutique hotels in the world.

Olson and Baker at Novamobili_Milan 2019

3. Nemo Lighting

We were head over heels to meet Milan-based Nemo Lighting. They exhibited products from their masters collection, which includes never-before-produced concepts by architects and designers such as Le Corbusier, Vico Magistretti, Franco Albini, Charlotte Perriand, and Kazuhide Takahama. The collection also featured more recent pieces, such as Bird by Bernhard Osann, which won a Design Plus award at Light+Building last year. Nemo Lighting also held a special event featuring Mario Bellini’s Cloud.Olson and baker at Nemo_Milan 2019 2

 

4. Design Holding

Design Holding, the new furniture and lighting group made up of B&B Italia, Flos and Louis Poulsen, has marked its first show at Salone del Mobile by presenting the biggest stand the Milan fair has seen in decades. For us though, it was a flop! More museum than furniture, no room sets only pretentious stands with furniture and lighting completely out of reach. For us this is not what the show is about…

Olson and baker at Flos_Milan 2019 2

“”It’s probably the biggest, if not one of the biggest in the history of Salone del Mobile,”” said Piero Gandini, chairman of Design Holding and CEO of Flos.

“”We didn’t make a big booth to say that we are big guys,”” he added. “”We need the surface area to display what we are offering.””

Design Holding brings together Italian furniture brand B&B Italia and lighting company Flos with Danish lighting firm Louis Poulsen.

Olson and baker at Louis Poulson_Milan 2019 1

The group is backed by private equity firms Investindustrial and The Carlyle Group, which both own 48 per cent of the company, with Gandini and B&B Italia’s Giorgio Busnelli sharing the remaining four per cent.

Olson and baker at Flos_Milan 2019 3

5. Preciosa Lighting

Preciosa’s stand was one of the most notable. Their “Carousel of Light” installation; an interactive chandelier spreading a width of some 5 metres atleast. Suspended above a rotating platform. Reportedly approx. 8,000 coloured crystal globes light up and dim in response to movement, and next to it another that responded to a breath of air from the observer.

Olson and baker at Preciosa_Milan 2019 1

6. Carl Hansen

Through the years, Carl Hansen & Søn has maintained a strong focus on preserving Danish design classics while continuing to expand our collection to represent influential new designers. Our goal: to gather the best, most iconic modern furniture designs under one roof.

Olson and baker at Carl Hansen_Milan 2019 1

“Experience The Oasis and it’s Pockets of Serenity – The 2019 Salone del Mobile stand, curated by Sevil Peach. The Oasis offers tranquillity, serenity and sanity, along with the chance to explore a series of installations and interventions that bring the values embodied in every piece of Carl Hansen & Søn furniture to life: meaningful design, uncompromising craftsmanship and respect for natural materials.” – Carl Hansen

At centre stage, an eight-meter waney-edged table made from a slice of oak taken from the centre of the tree. The table represented the remarkable transformation Carl Hansen & Søn, it undertakes the everyday turning of magnificent trees into a multitude of timeless, enduring, carefully crafted and high-quality wooden pieces.

Olson and baker at Carl Hansen_Milan 2019 2

Star Wars!

World renowned Filipino designer, Kenneth Cobonpue has been commissioned by Disney, to create a Star Wars furniture collection. This fantastic collection comprises of three easy armchairs, a rocking stool, and a hanging lamp inspired by iconic characters of the film series.

Olson and baker at Kennth Cobonpue_Milan 2019 1

7. Won Furniture

We also discovered Won, an innovative Danish design brand, established in 2015 on a solid foundation supported by three generations of passion for furniture design.

“Based on the Scandinavian design universe, respect for simple form, good quality and workmanship – WON brings new energy to the table with an original furniture collection, targeting the creative, urban person.

The principal idea is to develop designs that exude Scandinavian lightness and match the modern city home – where there is a requirement for functionality and flexibility – and where aesthetics play a central role.” – Won

Olson and baker at Won_Milan 2019 1

 

We’d love to see your Salone Del Mobile 2019 Highlights stories and inspiration! Why not share a photo on Instagram!? Remember to tag us with @OlsonBaker”

 

 

 

 

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