An interior designer let loose at the furniture fair in Milan could be likened to a child running riot in a lolly shop. The Salone del Mobile, Milan Furniture Fair 2024 was no exception, in fact, we gorged ourselves on the abundance of colour, texture, pattern and materiality showcased this year.

There was a heightened sense of self-expression, vibrancy and a playful exploration of design across the various sectors of the Salone itself and of course the Fiori Salone — almost another design fair in itself. It also being the year of EuroCucina where global kitchen and bathroom producers enable us to taste their exciting developments in design and technology, it was an enviable feast for those of us lucky enough to be on the ground in Milan this April.

What became very apparent in the pavillions of the Fiera Milano Rho grounds and the streets of Brera and central Milan was that the influence of paired back, architectural seriousness had been swallowed up by the desire to have fun, the need for curiosity and the intent of expressing individuality. Both big and small brands seemed inspired to embrace their individuality and the uniqueness of their actual product and many ensured that it was creatively displayed.

At Gessi, its pavilion — aflutter with delicate butterflies — exhibited truly inspiring bathroom products in delicious new colours and materials. An ingenuous glass showerhead, water gently flowing from hand-blown glass (reminiscent of Murano glass) was paired with jewel-like glass basins. Perfectly rounded natural stone spheres atop elegant metal basin mixers were also a punch of design genius at Gessi.

We saw each brand striving to be more creative than the other, Alape revealed dishings of colour to enamel basins, with individual hues applied to each adjoining surface. Italian brand Nicollazzi displayed a chocolate box of ceramic basins and shower mixers, appearing like tiny circus tents. Kohler embraced technological development and boldness of colour in a Brutalist-inspired faceted toilet, blazing in a deep red hue. Laufen’s Alessi range — which has boasted colour for many years — added sunshine to the bathroom space with the addition of intense yellow pieces to its range of tapware. Bisazza tiles are well worth a mention for injecting pop culture into elevated interior design direction.

The kitchen pavilions were equally as delicious, with coloured cabinetry and benchtops making more impact than in previous Salone years. Calacutta Viola marble (always a kitchen superstar), was seen in custom fabricated sinks and complete walls, not necessarily a new design direction but its repeated appearance indicating that kitchen design is also leaning into the bold, colourful and unique.

Sleek-edged minimalist kitchen brands were seen alongside super traditional styles such as the elegant French brand La Cornue which displayed an incredibly rich palette of metal finishes. We appreciated the styling on La Cornue’s pavilion display that featured printed and sculptured birds (got to love a bird). L’Ottocento exhibited kitchens that prove they are the masters of the perfect amalgamation of classic and contemporary detailing — colour palettes were gentle with exceptional detailing. The inclusion of shaped profiles to cabinetry fronts and panels indicates that profiles with circular reference will be included in kitchen design for a wee while to come. 

Furniture and lighting are for us, an area of interior design that seems to create an endless source of joy and amazement — again back in the lolly shop. Exhibitors within Salone 2024 furniture pavilions were overflowing with colour, cleverness, creativity and people. Italian style-setters Missoni displayed its distinct patterned fabric on a curation of furniture pieces atop a bed of stone and glass. Missoni’s angular geometric prints a clever juxtaposition of the organic shapes below. De Castelli embraced warm moody metals and enamels, utilizing the materials’ versatility to create an array of stunning pieces; dining and coffee tables with embedded patterns and textures, quirky storage units in various shapes along with geometric wall art.

The stunningly detailed furniture at Turri was almost overshadowed by its impressively oversized rattan pendant lights and timber panels curved into a solid wave-like walkway. However, the radiance of the burnt orange, woven velvet, and occasional chair they displayed could not be overshadowed. (We would have squeezed a piece into our luggage if possible). South American-founded brand A Lot of Brasil, also incorporated woven fabric detail into its pieces, some chairs almost feeling like fashion pieces. The unique voice of A lot of Brasil and the works of their stable of collaborating designers was fun and distinct bringing a smile to our faces. Our smiles were even wider when we reached the Fama exhibition. This Spanish sofa company cleverly smashed Tin Tin and erotic Japanese art into the fabric that joyfully covered their curved seating, what is there not to love about that furniture?

Technology — although not every designer’s strong point — is an essential element in the products we use and specify. Many brands boasted obvious technical elements to their products such as Laufen’s introduction of a mechanical flush cistern built directly into a toilet pan, which removes the need for in-wall cisterns or large clumsy ones at the back of our toilets. Or Kohler’s very hard to describe in words but incredibly beautiful sculptural shower heads featuring delicate patterns of water while tranquil sounds of nature wafted through the space around you. Gaggenau, a German kitchen appliance leader, showed mind-blowing cooktops that enable the user to cook directly on a kitchen benchtop. At the Salone, Gaggenau partnered with Dekton to show us this brilliant glimpse into the beautiful future of kitchens and cooking.

Along with the aforementioned themes of joy, self-expression and technology, there was an obvious acknowledgment by many that sustainability is one of the most important issues we are all facing. Companies exhibiting at the Fiera and within specifically selected locations across Milan displayed an obvious intent to champion sustainable and ethical production. Cosentino, one such company, revealed Earthic by Silestone a solid slab that designers can feature in kitchens, bathrooms, and furniture. This product incorporates up to 30% recycled products is produced with 100% renewable energy and 99% recycled water. Fama our adored sofa company reuses 99% of its waste product. There are many other companies we would like to mention but that is a whole other cup of coffee, or bag of lollies.

www.rarebirdsinteriors.com

Salone del Mobile is one of the world’s biggest and most influential furniture and design fairs and is held annually in Milan, Italy. This year the fair took place 16 Apr–21 Apr 2024 with a focus on kitchen and bathroom design and technology as part of  the biennial EuroCucina exhibition.