Maison & Objet 2017: Design Highlights
Every January, design enthusiasts and tastemakers race to Paris for the Maison & Objet fair. A global showcase for furniture, accessories, lighting and style, the five-day event is like Fashion Week for the home. Beloved for fantastic exhibitor booths, strong international perspective and trend-setting concepts, Maison & Objet is a chic dose of design inspiration. With thousands of brands presenting their latest, it is nearly impossible to see everything, but that doesn’t stop us from trying. Here are a few standouts products and looks from this year’s fair.
Tropical Punch
Call it palm print fever. Botanical patterns, banana leaves, glamazonian motifs—these lush inspirations were in the air during Maison, appearing on fabrics, wallpapers, curtains and cushions.
While shades of green were a natural fit, companies have carried the look into dark, romantic color combinations as well. The zest for the tropics found its way into furniture with laid-back woven seating that wants for nothing beyond a summer breeze.
Color & Pop
Serious collectors have been passionately procuring Memphis furniture and decor for the better part of a year. While the direct riffs from that design movement can still be felt, few companies have translated the Memphis essence as artfully as Maison Dada. Founded by two French designers based in Shanghai, the collection offered an exuberant and elegant rendition with smart colors, fluid shapes and sly style.
Color was also on display in accessories. One notable example is Atelier Swarovski. The crystal company collaborated with designer Tomás Alonso on a special series named Prism. The small collection of vases and trays captured the kaleidoscopic infinity of precision-cut crystal prisms transformed into homeware.
While lighting has been a category du jour for most forward-thinking design houses, luminaries in brass, marble and glass have been the prevailing fashion. The French company Designheure featured lacquered steel works by Kristian Gavoille that appear to be art installations first, lighting second. The Nénuphar wall trio showcases candy-colored offerings in geometric shapes.
Material Issue
Part of the thrill of Maison & Objet is witnessing the mind-bending ways in which new materials are used. Young talent and London-based artist Zuza Mengham gave onlookers something fresh to consider with resin flower vases.
Established luxury brand L’Objet mined the wild beauty of Mexico with its Tulum collection, featuring concrete-like vessels with metallic spikes meant to suggest cactus needles.
Not far from L’Objet’s stand were the head-turning feather lamps from the Aynhoe Park Collection. The blend of British eccentricity and out-of-this-world decadence make them the perfect Maison & Objet souvenirs—designs that hint at the magic and surprise that should be present in every home.
Hero Image: Xanadu Wallpaper by Helen Wilson of Witch and Watchman Studio. All images courtesy of manufacturers, unless noted.