Maison et Objet 2017: confetti & antique surfaces prevail at the Paris fair

If Cologne kicks off the design year showing the shape of furniture to come, Maison et Objet follows quickly on its heels with a taste of the tabletop to come. Of course there’s furniture too, but it’s typically the multi-platform brands that dominate in Paris, guiding us to the more general household and lifestyle trends. Brands and buyers come from across Europe and the wider world. Lately it’s the Scandinavians and the Japanese who seem to make the most of the show.
One material often jumps out as particularly popular – and this season it seems that many of our esteemed designers have been getting busy with glass. Granted, there are many glass specialists who regularly show and the usual suspects were there, but there were new turns by Tomas Kral and Joe Doucet at Nude; Michael Anastassiades, David/Nicolas and Sebastian Herkner at Verreum; and Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance at St Louis.
Garth Roberts’ ’After Party’ rug for CC-Tapis
Now that brass, marble and wood (alone and combined) have become popular shorthand for quality across the mainstream as well as luxury markets, designers are looking for new substances and surface decorations with which to break up the material monotony. A couple of years ago terrazzo prevailed, and last year splattering seemed to take hold. This year it’s confetti that’s fallen on walls and flooring, tables and tops. Fine examples were on show at CC-Tapis and Ferm Living, where wallpapers and fabrics got the treatment.
In addition, oil-spill iridescence and antique mirroring were inspiring surfaces at Llot Llov, Ferm Living and Pulpo. Young designers in the Rising Talents section showed unique treatments of resin – UK-based Zuza Mengham exhibited a particularly fine vase in her signature colourful resin composite and Marcin Rusak showcased his flower and resin compositions.
Georg Jensen launched a decadent 'Manhattan' collection
Pierre Charpin was the fair’s Designer of the Year, and an exhibition of his work set the tone for some of other French designs on show; the likes of Petite Friture and Pool at Gallery Bensimon proved Memphis Mach II to be alive and well.
Among the newcomers taking the stage here was Maison Dada, a Shanghai-based brand with a whimsical selection of lighting and furnishings designed by French nationals Thomas Dariel and Delphine Moreau. Evolution, created by Vincent Le Guern (brother of Valérie, who heads up the family firm Mauviel) and designed by Alain Gilles, featured tabletop and kitchen pieces in mixed materials that complement Mauviel’s essential kitchenware. And Sebastian Conran introduced a design collaboration with the traditional craftsmen of Japan’s Gifu region.
The ’confetti’ surface effect was seen across Ferm Living’s new wallpapers (left). Their candleholders (right) were decorated with oil-spill iridescence
Petite Friture debuted new prints by Shelley Steer and Tiphaine De Bodman (left) and a new ’Hoff’ chair by Morten & Jonas (right)
Glassmakers Verreum introduced some big-name products, like these ’Corolle’ vases by Sebastian Herkner
St Louis launched glassware by Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance
Pulpo’s ’Miro’ mirror was another fine example of the popular oil-spill iridescence and antique mirroring
Included in the Rising Talents section were Zuza Mengham’s sculptural marble pieces
Pinch showed its most recent launches, including this ’Emil’ dresser
Kohchosai Kosuga presented the ’Copenhagen’ collection of tools of for the home, designed by OEO Studio
Sebastian Conran introduced his collaboration with craftsmen from Japan’s Gifu region – including these wooden pieces by Ohashi Ryoki
Ito Bindery, from Japan, unveiled simple stationery
’Beak’ glassware by Thomas Kral for Nude made its first appearance
Left, geometric pendants from CVL Luminaires. Right, Llot Llov’s ’Klara’ dressing table
On view at Maison Baccarat was ’An Affair in Blue’, an installation exhibiting the ethereal quality of the new collections
Spanish designer Jaime Hayon brought his whimsical style to Vista Alegre with the launch of the new ’Folkifunki’ watercolour tablware
Shanghai-based Maison Dada revealed its whimsical silhouettes
Artek launched new hand-drawn ’Rivi’ fabrics by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec
Watch the Bouroullec brothers’ hand-drawing process
Artek celebrated 100 years of independence with a special edition Alvar Aalto’s ’L-Leg’ table, in new linoleum surface colours
Young Chinese studio Suomu Design exhibited its dynamic ceramic collections
Launched at the fair: new brand Evolution, created by Vincent le Guern (brother of Valérie, who heads up the family firm, Mauviel)
Verreum also collaborated with Michael Anastassiades on ornamental silver balls (left), and with David/Nicolas on candleholders (right)
Alessi presented kitchenware with a sleek matt black finish
Refined bathroom accessories by Frédéric Périgot
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Maison et Objet website
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