Show report: Imm cologne 2007

Architecture Code Cologne was staged for the first time and attracted the industry’s top designers and architects. According to the Japanese architect Kiyoshi Sakashita, design today is even more important than function and price. This sentiment was echoed by the organisers of the expo, who pinpointed a clear move away from cheap mass produced furniture towards an appreciation of aesthetics and cited quality as the top priority for visiting designers.

In terms of prevalent themes, a dependence on the romantic is very much in evidence, with furniture taking on nostalgic materials, shapes and colours. ‘Emotionally-loaded’ is a term the Association of the German Furniture Industry uses to describe some of this year’s furnishings. Wolfgang Kranz, executive director, Koelnmesse, reports that: “The emotional presentation by the exhibitors really put people in the mood for the theme of furnishings and furniture thus ensuring sustained and permanent business impulses in the sector.”

The priority for this season’s furniture is clear design. Round, organic, soft forms for comfort seating and bold lines and furniture with diverse applications are popular. Multi-functional items that boast a freedom of design, whether it’s a concealed storage space; a tilting, folding, turning or swivelling feature or a hidden hi-tech flat screen.

In terms of materials the popularity of dark wood is set to continue, and walnut will also extend its stay at the top spot. In the home-furniture sector, woods such as birch, ash, beech, red-core beech and alder will play an important role. The use of tropical woods is still comparatively in its infancy, and so there will be further experimentation with woods such as zebrano, palisander and wengé. Similarly, domestic fruit woods are set to make an impressive mark on the industry with apple-wood, pear and plum wood joining the more established cherry wood in attractive inlays or as solid wood furniture items — whatever the wood, high-gloss appears to be key.

Upholstered seating is making a comeback with three halls dedicated to the ‘comfort’ sector. Products on display proffered covers in linen, wool, wool felt, cotton and flax. The trend for metallics is still prolific with shiny silvers and golds much in attendance. Contradictory to this, is the popularity of both coarsely textured and soft feel fabric, which included hair fabrics such as Alpaka, Angora, Kashmir and camel hair, in addition to the stalwart in the popularity stakes — high quality leather.

Concerning colour: Bold, vibrant and dramatic are the buzzwords for this season. Trend forecasters are predicting aubergine and lilac as the clear winners, but factions of neutral and monochromatic supporters were still in large numbers at the fair.

The ‘Interior Innovation Award Cologne’ organised by the German Design Council and judged by a panel of international experts attracted nearly 300 entrants. The winners include: Kinnasand’s ‘Rocco’ for best item; Schönbuch’s ‘Stripes’ designed by Jehs & Laub for Best System; Stefen Diez’s ‘Upon’ again for Schönbuch for Best Detail. KFF Design picked up the Best Material Innovation Award for its ‘Glove’ product, while the prize for Best Classic Innovation went to the ‘Lounge Chair’ originally designed by Herbert Hirche in 1953 and redesigned by Eric Wegenhardt in 2006.

Other inspiring exhibits included The Architect and the Poet Ideal House Cologne, which is in its fifth year and featured the exhibits of Zaha Hadid and the minimalist forms of Tokyo-based Naota Fukasawa.