imm cologne - review: Modifications, mixes and make-up

Every two years, the construction industry traditionally starts the year with the BAU trade fair in Munich. Here, close attention needs to be paid to the main trends and developments in building - including by us architects. New materials and processes shed light on the current state of technology and the level of expertise needed by all those involved in construction. In the intervening years we can relax a little, turn our gaze inwards and wander through the world of home textiles, floor coverings, furniture and accessories as exhibited at the Heimtextil trade fair in Frankfurt, Domotex in Hanover and the imm in Cologne. They offer an almost infinite range of possibilities for designing the rooms created by us, right down to the finest detail. Everything is possible, nothing is a must. We have compiled the main trends for you. What are the furniture and interior design trends for the digital age? How does our computer- and smartphone-dominated lifestyle influence our homes and furniture? And with increasing mobility, do we still have a traditional home? A walk through the Cologne exhibition halls provides unequivocal answers to these questions: Futuristic designs and revolutionary interior-design ideas were completely absent from the stands of the more than 1,000 exhibitors. We seem to long not to live in the present or future but in the past. The demand is for 1950s plush, cuddly and cosy homeliness. In Cologne, it seemed that almost all the manufacturers had been rummaging through their archives, looking for usable designs from this time of economic take-off. The formula for success seems to be to transport the spirit of the decade into the 21st century while retaining the familiar. Moreover, the fact that the designs from that time are considerably lighter, more filigree, smaller and more economical than the expansive seating groups, shelving units and dining tables of recent years enhances their practicality. Given a contemporary facelift, they are remarkably well-suited to the urban living culture of a mobile society that wishes to dispense with unnecessary ballast, but at the same time has a strong desire for the familiar in response to the perceived growing social insecurity. The »ess.tee.tisch« by horenglarus is based on the ingenious design of Swiss architect and designer Jürg Bally from 1951. It has a round tabletop with a diameter of 95 cm that is covered with linoleum, and three crossed legs with moveable mortise joints and a winding mechanism. This has been further improved, so that the height can now be adjusted when objects stand on it. The ten height levels mean that the table can be used both as a side and dining table.

After 20 years, Verzelloni is once again bringing out the »Divanitas« seating collection. This re-edition consciously focuses on continuity and a balanced design. The proportions in particular have been altered in order to enhance comfort further. Another current trend is the large number of upholstery fabrics, especially in inviting velvet.

Walter Knoll's presentation, too, focuses on history. Rediscovered classics from the mid-20th century have been added to the venerable brand's »Classic Edition«. The re-edition of the »Votteler Chair«, designed by Arno Votteler for the company in 1956, for example, drew a lot of attention. New upholstery fabrics with fine Lurex threads elegantly link past and present.

With the »Sadi & Neptun Ozis Collection«, the range has been given additional international flair. Thus the »Fishnet Chair«, the »Burgaz Chair« and the »Rumi« are considered among the first examples of modern furniture from Turkey, and after their relaunch appear as modern and filigree as when they were first created.

The Cologne showroom of Kartell included a homage to Ettore Sottsass and Memphis. The well-known stools and vases together with the upholstered furniture that has been redesigned with Memphis patterns, form the capsule collection entitled »Kartell goes Sottsass. A tribute to Memphis«. The idea is of a limited special edition, as seen in the fashion industry. However, as the expectation is that the retro wave will last for a while yet, the edition is not just planned for one season.

Boffi, too, has included old friends in its range. The high-profile kitchen manufacturer is extending its portfolio with the De Padova furniture collection. After the two brands were merged in April 2015, new doors should now open for the traditional brand, founded in Milan in 1956.

Thonet has taken a different approach with its tubular steel classics by Mart Stam, Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. With a new protective coating and specially impregnated cushions, the furniture items are suitable for outdoor use, and from the spring onwards can also be used on the terrace and in the garden. The colour palette allows multiple combinations and is based on the Bauhaus colour theory and Johaness Itten's Colour Sphere.

As most modern interiors are dominated by smooth plaster surfaces, large windows and hard floor coverings, they often lack the currently desired cosiness and security. No wonder, therefore, that the field of home textiles is once again gaining in importance. In diverse combinations with the different furnishing objects, they make spaces liveable and also improve the acoustics. Whether as material in front of windows, area rugs or simple cushions, textiles once again have a place in modern room decoration.

As an example, the installation »Das Haus« by Sebastian Herkner shows us the ways in which textile curtains can take on a space-creating function. In Herkner's vision of living, the spotlight is once again placed on the architectural quality of the materials: »Onno«, a sporty pleat, »Ray CS«, a durable net and »Lou« with circular laser burning-outs invoke in their structure architectural materials - corrugated metal, grilles and perforated elements - and have been realised by Nya Nordiska in a soft flowing quality.

The final individual touch is given by the various accessories that now almost every manufacturer has in its range. The ethnic look using natural materials that appear as if they were homemade or brought home as a souvenir from a long trip abroad is very popular.

For ames, Sebastian Herkner has designed an entire collection of modern home-accessories that combine diverse cultural influences. It includes throws, rugs, pillows, vases, baskets and bowls, all of which are made from natural materials in small traditional craftshops in Colombia.

The trend colours were clearly inspired by those in the fashion and beauty areas. Light powdery tones - especially in the pallets of the two Pantone colours of the year - »Rose Quartz« and »Serenity« - could be found both among the upholstery fabrics and the surfaces and accessories. In marked contrast, the favourite colour of architects, too, is once again gaining a foothold in interiors, true to the motto »black is the new black«. In contrast to the last great black wave in the 1980s, the contemporary design is purer, i.e. without contrasting elements such as chrome, and only differentiated by the mix of materials and surfaces.

Or what about highlights in Black?