The edit: furniture at Milan Design Week 2019

This year's Salone Del Mobile was a quieter affair than many before it. Several companies such Scandinavian design brands Hay and Gubi chose to eschew Milan Design Week entirely, focusing instead on Stockholm and other smaller events. Their absence created a void that was filled by luxury fashion houses such as Hermés and Louis Vuitton, whose profiles and events were bigger than ever this year.

Beyond this there was still plenty to uncover at the Salone and in the city itself. We found designers in a contemplative mood. Many objects were designed without a predisposed function, leaving use and time to determine their purpose. In addition, more and more products were designed with the complexities of modern life in mind, space saving and multifunctional designs were everywhere. Mattiazzi had interesting, elegant examples of both tendencies in the Konstantin Grcic designed Cugino and Kim Colin and Sam Hecht's Fronda chair.

As with Euroluce, brands seemed less concerned with having countless new products and more with asserting the coherence and beauty of their existing collections. For us, e15 shone out in this respect, their collaborative stand with Kvadrat and Dinesen showcased their collection beautifully. Earlier pieces such as the Kashan sofa mingled with the latest releases, all in stunning colour ways and fabrics chosen by Farah Ebrahimi.

See our standout 16 new indoor furniture releases from this years Milan Furniture Fair below: 

1. Houdini Ten Year Edition by Stefan Diez and Farah Ebrahimi for e15

e15 celebrates ten years of Houdini Chair by Stefan Diez with a curated palette of anniversary colours by Farah Ebrahimi. The new colour ways are devised to communicate "Diez’s imaginative spirit and the unique nature of their collaborative friendship through colour." A blend of metallic and melodramatic tones are combined with a spark of exuberant colours. These colours will be available throughout the year as a special edition at no additional charge.

2. Mr Collins by Stefan Diez for e15

In addition e15 released a new stool, Mr Collins, also designed by Stefan Diez as a side kick to the original Houdini chair. Available in the same anniversary palette, this comfortable casual stool echoes the form and construction of the original and is perfect for quick meetings in workspaces and cafes. 

3. Cugino by Konstantin Grcic for Mattiazzi

Cugino is neither a stool, nor a table, it will define its own use with time. Designed by Konstantin Grcic for Mattiazzi, he says of the design "Cugino is the result of many tries; it happened over time, with wanting it to be an object that we don’t already know, but also something that is maybe a little bit familiar."

4. Fronda by Kim Colin & Sam Hecht for Mattiazzi

Fronda is a chair and stool that is a new typology for Mattiazzi. Designed by Sam Hecht & Kim Colin who are also currently art directors for the brand, the chair typifies the Industrial Facility approach to design, seeking solutions for new ways of living and working.

Fronda reverses convention by using wood for the frame and metal for the seat, it's form inspired by nomadic living and the need to store personal items in public spaces which means Fronda has a single built-in wooden shelf.

“The metal seat takes Mattiazzi to a new place – an experiment that has some of the qualities of those beautiful Japanese copper and cypress washing buckets. What’s next is to see where Fronda can live.” - Sam Hecht

5. Zampa by Jasper Morrison for Mattiazzi

“I noticed some old country stools, handmade with curved stick legs and roughly connected to circular solid wood seats. This design is a reminder of this very direct solution to having something to sit on. Their charm and character are irresistible though they couldn’t be more direct and everyday in a practical sense. This new version is light and adaptable for use as a stool or small side table beside the bed, in the bathroom or wherever they’re needed.” - Jasper Morrison

Mattiazzi's Zampa is a low stool and high stool crafted from ash wood with rigorous attention to detail. The number of joins has been reduced and the legs feature a gentle curve, both contribute a sense of graceful elegance. Its round, flat seat is a technical achievement in that it is structured to provide some comfort and flex.

6. Leva by Foster & Partners for Mattiazzi

The first wooden chair to be designed by Foster + Partners, Matiazzi's Leva chair has a form rooted in the idea of sustainability and doing more with less. It's arms are made from a single piece of machined timber with an ergonomic slight incline evoking the efficiency and materiality of a rowing oar.

7. Smalto table by Barber Osgerby 

An exercise in purity and simplicity, Knoll's Smalto table is made entirely of enamelled steel, designers Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby explain why; “Enamelling has a really strong materiality and tactility that cannot be replicated in other finishes. The colours you can achieve through this process have a real depth and vibrancy and the finish is also extremely durable, perfect for a table top.”

The result is a finely balanced, graphic form that nods to classic designs of the past whilst retaining it's own character. Smalto is available in a variety of colours and sizes.

8. KN04 Lounge Chair by Piero Lissoni for Knoll

The KN04 Lounge Chair is a new addition to Knoll's KN collection. It's proportions are more compact than its predecessors, but thanks to the design of the shell it retains a deep comfortable seat. The result is a design by Piero Lissoni that celebrates visual lightness and purity of form.

9. Void by Guglielmo Poletti for Desalto

Desalto's Void coffee table and Void console are made by curving sheet steel. The curves increase the overall structure's strength and resilience, allowing the material to be just 3mm thick. The design is the result of Guglielmo Poletti's exploration into "shape in relation to the architectural concepts of mass and void."

10. Post by Cecilie Manz for Fredericia

Clean uncluttered lines are the hallmark of Cecilie Manz's Post chair for Fredericia. For Manz "creating is about examining the purpose of a piece of furniture. Stripping the concept down to only what’s necessary, the form emerges from the function in an expression that’s pure and purposeful."

In a world where there is certainly no shortage of chairs this design stood out for us due to subtle detailing such as the delicately curved armrest that echoes the gentle curve of the seat. Each element of the chair has been designed with human proportions in mind, as Manz herself says "My overall aim is always to have a clear argument legitimising the designs that I make. Function is essential, and if I cannot formulate a good reason for a new product to exist, it is better to refrain from making it."

The Post chair will be available from September 2019.

11. 1595 Console Table, Steel Leg Series Coffee Table, Steel Leg Series Occasional Table & 1592 Desk Organiser all by Paul McCobb for Karakter

Karakter had several excellent new releases on their stand, these reissues of original Paul McCobb designs were our favourites. The console, coffee table and organiser all exemplify McCobb's stripped back design style, informed by his New England upbringing and love of Shaker furniture.

12. Planner Shelving by Paul McCobb for Fritz Hansen

More Paul McCobb was to be found at Fritz Hansen who presented his Planner Shelving, a highly adaptable, minimal design that "is elegant in its simplicity, yet it unashamedly commands attention in a room."

The matte steel frame is hand welded so the edges can be gently rounded to soften the overall feel of the design.

13. Arte Osa 1-2-3 by Alfredo Häberli for Nikari 

"These abstract servants function in a corridor, at the entrance, in the living-, bed- and bathroom as a display for any possible object or simply as a stool, a bench or a side table. The challenge is to accept the open character and the undefined primary use of the pieces and embrace their whole presence and standout carpentry. The striped back design creates space for the material and the craftsmen behind Nikari to shine.” - Alfredo Häberli

As with many other designs at this year's fair, Häberli has tackled the idea of open ended design, allowing use to define an objects purpose rather than prescribing at the outset. The project is especially interesting in terms of materials, bringing the unique beauty of curly birch to the fore.

14. Quadra chair by Mario Ferrarini for Viccarbe

The Quadra chair by Mario Ferrarini for Viccarbe is inspired by architectural tools and drawings. The design of the backrest and seat allows the chair to stack in large numbers, making it a versatile chair perfect for cafes, hotels and other public spaces. 

15. Polar Chair by Moritz Schlatter for Karimoku New Standard

Moritz Schlatter's Polar Chair for Karimoku New Standard is a subtle, universal design, its curved seat and back rest complimented by the straight edged legs. The indigo blue finish is a particular favourite here, offering a wash of colour that enhances rather than detracts from the wood grain.

The Japanese design brand turned 10 this year and their stand was a celebration of products old and new. A recent addition worth highlighting here was their Panorama Chair by Geckeler Michels, its shortened arms and compact footprint make it perfect for for high use areas such as meeting rooms, restaurants and other public spaces.

16. Roundish Armchair - upholstered by Naoto Fukasawa for Maruni

Maruni and Naoto Fukasawa presented a new upholstered version of their Roundish Armchair.

Bonus - A look ahead to 2020 

Apologies for the image quality, but these products are in very early prototype stage and not press ready.  On the left the Boomerang chair a 1960's design originally by Peter Hvidt & Orla Molgaard which will be put back into production by &Tradition from January 2020. On the right a new dining version of Jasper Morrison's Fugu Lounge Chair for Maruni. Morrison and Maruni are still finalising the proportions and finish of the final product and this is also expected to launch next year.

Also on the journal - Our Milan 2019 highlights for lighting at Euroluce and our review of the best Salone 2019 new releases in Outdoor and Accessories.