Designist Dream

Today opens the four-day imm cologne international furniture fair and it looks to be an incredible show this year. With a focus on young designers, furnished bedroom retreats (”world of dreams“) and the latest in kitchen design and appliances, I am tempted to book the first plane over there. And that’s not all, the entire city of Cologne has reinvented its public and commercial spaces to house the Top 100 designers and companies in events, interviews and sales. And to top it all off - although there’s so much more appealing segments to the show, I just don’t know where to begin or end - imm is also highlighting national and urban contributions to interior design, including histories of German design, Dutch design and Italian design.

Which is the perfect segue for Designist’s take on the whole shebang, because of the more than 60 countries showcasing their wares at the expo, there are no Israeli furniture companies exhibiting. But that didn’t stop some of our greatest exports from appearing at the show through their amazing creations for leading furniture companies like Zanatto, Kartell, Alessi and more. Rest assured that uber-talented Israeli designers Ron Arad and Arik Levy are represented alongside other Israeli designers, you just have to know where to look: Above, in an imm cologne promo pic courtesy of design mavens, MoCoLoco, at top left, the Clover chair by Ron Arad for Driade and bottom right, the Bigwire table by Arik Levy for Zanotta.

I love the clover shape of the chair, the way its curves make the synthetic polyurethane material seem organic. It’s a departure for Arad from his usual metallic and voluminous seating, but still a modern interpretatio of both functionality and material. Levy’s table is also understated (given his recent blingin’ rock tables) but the tempered, color glass top balanced on the circular and wiry base still give the impression of a perfectly designed balancing act - one that someone with a weak sense of style would pursue. Based on both designs, it looks like the forecast for this year from imm cologne is both stylish and modern with a lighter and cleaner aesthetic, perhaps more nature inspired. Hopefully more coverage of this major event will shed some more light on the coming trends. Or, if anyone’s headed to Cologne this weekend, please send us your personal report!