Maison & Objet 2019: Trends and Designers' Impressions

From January 18 to 22, the annual Maison & Objet 2019 exhibition took place in Paris. We learned from designers what trends await us this season and what impressed them most at the exhibition.

Ariana Ahmad, Designer-Architect: She believes that in space the most important thing is air and play of light

On Trends and Impressions

Ethnic motifs are back in style! When it comes to materials, the 'chicken fur' fabric — an artificial fur also known as 'karakul' — will be in demand in 2019.

Another good news: lighting fixtures now have a new interpretation. They are not only sources of light but also real pieces of jewelry.

3 Favorite Booths at the Exhibition

Munna Design Ginger & Jagger - The brand introduced a new collection of furniture with soft forms. For example, the Gran Torino lounge chair was handmade.

Giopato & Coombes - The new collection of lighting fixtures was hard to miss. The Gioielli model resembles a necklace with precious stones made from blown Murano glass and crystal.

Zaha Hadid Design - The goal of the brand is to see something unusual in ordinary things. For example, who would think that what's on the photo is just a table lamp?

The most interesting collaboration: Besau-Marguerre Design Studio + Porcelain Manufacturer Fürstenberg!

Hard to believe, but these magazine tables Plisago with pleated legs are made entirely of porcelain. This material, it turns out, can be used not only for making dishes. The tables resemble haute couture dresses and look light and airy.

Olga Kulikovskaya-Eshbi, Expert - Interior Designer, Founder of Olga Ashby Interiors and the Interior Box ready-made design solutions service

On Trends

This year terrazzo is still relevant, indeed, not only in tiles: it can be laid as slabs for wall cladding or used in countertop decoration techniques. If you want more options, you can find terrazzo lighting fixtures and even wallpapers imitating its pattern.

The most interesting collaboration: American designers HAAS Brothers + Accessories and Tableware Brand L'Objet

Under the slogan 'let out a monster', designers created vases, candles and dishes in the shape of whimsical animals. Strange but cute.

New Furniture and Decor

SkLo Suspension in an unexpected metal for the brand: usually they make items from glass.

Suspensions, lamps and chandeliers Magic Curcis are handmade from blown glass.

Skyline Chess figures are shaped like architectural buildings of New York. What happens when two architects spend long evenings playing chess.

Spanish brand Thai Natura presented affordable, stylish and functional furniture.

Ginger Brown loves to use unconventional materials for making furniture. For example, combining slate and brass on cabinet fronts.

What impressed most?

Huge vases Aangenaam XL By Marc Poldermans look impressive. They won't fit in most apartments, but are perfect for restaurants and homes with double-height spaces.

Anna Muravina, Designer-Decorator - Author of the book 'Recipes for a Happy Interior'

On Trends

Tropical motifs are still not losing their relevance and now appear not only on wallpapers. It seems that when creating any decor items, designers are inspired by the living nature.

It's interesting that mirrors received a new interpretation this year. Complex and varied compositions of mirrors in different shapes and sizes complement lighting fixtures and accessories. And in place of already familiar artificially aged mirrors, models with cracks have appeared.

2 Favorite Booths

Fancy Home Collection - The brand introduced a new collection of home furniture and accessories. Again, lots of color and tropical motifs.

Silk Ka - You simply cannot walk past this booth! The brand creates compositions of artificial flowers made from silk.

The most interesting collaboration: Martyn Lawrence Bullard Design + Corbett Lighting + Cole & Son

Hollywood decorator Martyn Lawrence Bullard presented collaborations with two brands at once.

The creation of the Garden lamp by Martin was inspired by chrysanthemums, favorite flowers of Coco Chanel and a symbol of the fashion house.

Tropics again: together with the English brand Cole & Son, the decorator created wallpapers with tropical patterns.

What impressed most?

Chinese studio Boking Art Co creates sculptures from glass that look like frozen ice figures. It looks so realistic that it seems the ice is melting in some places and frost has already caught branches of trees or autumn leaves in its embrace.

Elena Khryasheva, Architect-Designer - Founder of the Elenium Architecture Studio

On Trends

Maison & Objet 2019 is a combination of many natural tones: vivid blues, sea wave color, all shades of green, including emerald, terracotta and sandy tones. Unlike soft pink, these colors will be comfortable for everyone and remain in trend for more than one season.

What strikes is the amount of rattan furniture, lighting fixtures and decor. Of course, such items bring lightness and summer mood into interiors, but how long will this trend last — a good question.

3 Favorite Booths

Dooq - The brand's booth is a combination of all interior trends both in color and furniture forms and materials. Round shapes and geometry, marble and rattan. And of course, items in Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern styles.

PH Collection - This booth is strict, minimalist and almost black-and-white. But it is very eye-catching due to the use of items of various sizes, including lighting fixtures, as well as decorative panels and paintings.

Gardeco - Booth with interior and exterior sculptures, which are rarely used in projects. A great example of how to make an interior interesting and stylish with the help of art objects.

What impressed most?

Furniture from Portuguese factories of the Covet House company group is so eye-catching and expressive that it has no analogs.

Interesting experiments with leather weaving by the Pinetti brand, which creates home accessories. Edition Van Treeck Pastille introduced transparent countertops made from melted glass.

Anna Prybislavskaya, Designer - Founder of the FineFineArch Architecture Studio

On Trends and Impressions

In my opinion, at the exhibition the new fashionable palette has finally solidified: shades of red and cool green, lots of gold, blue and yellow as accents. The color of 2019, coral, is on par with shades of pink and terracotta.

The tropical theme has been preserved and developed further: while in the past tropical motifs were only found in prints, now brands use even recycled versions of this pattern in gold and coral tones.

Round shapes, arches of any size and proportions, mixes of various materials from previous seasons — all this transitions from walls to mirrors, armchairs, tables and interior items. By the way, almost all of them have a pleasant matte texture, satin shine is preserved in natural stone, and the shine is added by mirrors and an abundance of metallized surfaces.

Ilya Guliants, Designer - Co-founder of El Born Design Studio

On Trends

The majority of trends smoothly flowed over from the previous year: lots of terracotta shades, tropical prints, brass and terrazzo. Despite the fact that the colors are more than enough, classic black-and-white combinations are also at peak popularity.

Favorite Booths

La Chance - How quickly to travel to the moon? Just look at the booth of the French brand, which creates furniture and lighting for the home. Against this landscape, the lights resemble flying saucers.

Pulpo - Designer Sebastian Herkner presented a new collection of lighting fixtures. Very minimalist but still very effective.

Frank Chou Design Studio - Probably the most impressive booth belongs to a studio of young and independent Chinese designers. What modern Chinese design looks like.

The most interesting collaboration: Sebastian Herkner + Kaufmann Keramik

Sebastian Herkner is the Designer of the Year according to Maison & Objet. He didn't name this tile Soap for nothing: it really looks like pieces of soap.

New Furniture and Decor

Look at the Astair lounge chair designed by Pierre Charepe for the brand Ligne Roset. By the way, dusty pink is still relevant.

The mirrors Bonnet designed by Elena Mistraro for the brand Houtique have a whimsical shape and don't look like our usual models.