imm Cologne

Imm Cologne Furniture Fair held in January brings out the best of European design. The show features several segments offering something for everyone-















Informed by Cologne is the show’s trend forecast developed each year by their trend board made up of leading design luminaries. They meet by invitation early in the year to discuss the interior trends and the most important interior design developments for 2007. The members of the Trend Board are designer Tom Dixon from London, architect Eero Koivisto from Stockholm (who was also on the Trend Board for 2006), New York designer Stephen Burks, London-based materials specialist and writer Chris Lefteri, the Berlin-based journalist Sophie Lovell and the designer Inga Sempé from Paris. During the fair, the four trends are unveiled in the Informed by trend forum. This years’ trends were Heirloom Culture, Size Matters, New Hybrids and Design as Art. Part of the Design as Art trend featured Jasper Morrison’s Crate. Hios inspiration was the blurring of craft and design and which comes first. Crate attempts to deconstruct the design process by using something we are so familiar with and have all used, reused and then asking the question is this good design ? Art?

Contrast to the exhibitors' furnishings concepts was provided by the (d3) design talents segment in Hall One. It excited visitors with innovative solutions for the future of design. (d3) now combines NRG, a new forum for independent designers and design studios; future point -the platform for colleges and inspired by cologne -the competition for up-and-coming talents.














Architecture and culture are the twin focal points of Architecture Code Cologne launched this year. It was built on the concept of an intimate discussion to build bridges between design disciplines, create synergies and aims to unleash latent potentialities. On three afternoons, a star architect and a personality from the field of art or culture met onstage for an interdisciplinary dialogue- architecture to music; architecture to film or architecture to theatre.















Ideal House in 2007 was entitled "The Architect and the Poet". Top architect Zaha Hadid and design poet Naoto Fukasawa presented their creative ideas for the home furniture and furnishings of the future in the two ideal houses.

Furniture Trends:
In general, there is a departure from focusing entirely on low-price products towards the outer and inner values of a piece of furniture. Quality is right at the top of the list of priorities.

Pure design
Round, organic, soft forms
The new trend color for upholstery is lilac.
Technology plays a big role

Key Materials

Concrete
Natural oiled, waxed or glazed finishes
Exotic and humble woods mixed with metals or laminates
Lacquer high gloss surfaces
Oxidized, flamed steel or galvanized zinc looks
Dark walnuts, wenge, olive, cherry woods to emphasize grain and beauty

Animal skins come out of hiding. They were seen on cabinet fronts, pedestals, upholstery, accessories, seat cushions.