Trends 2020/2021: 5 trends of imm Cologne Exhibition

We want to live better: more comfortable, more stylish, more efficient, more colorful, smarter and greener. Imm Cologne experts name the most important trends observed at the exhibition.

Sustainable and rustic design

An increasing number of people are trying to change their behaviour as consumers in order to move towards a sustainable society. Their decisions, including when choosing furniture, are assessed in terms of climate neutrality. The history of the product – how, from what, where and by whom it was produced – is becoming increasingly important. Design must be quality, attractive and “green”. Natural materials are used not only for comfort, but also for environmental reasons. There is a growing interest in recyclable materials. Plants, home greenhouses, untreated fabrics are becoming important interior elements. They are complemented by rattan, willow or bamboo weaving, which brings a sense of winter garden to the house. This 2020/2021 trend supports interest in the Scandinavian style, the natural, rustic lifestyle and the traditionally simple design.

Smart design

Intelligent applications are becoming more diverse, reliable and easy to use, and can more precisely adapt to the specific needs of people. As a result, intelligent technologies are increasingly playing a key role in architecture, becoming part of our lives: for example, by optimising indoor air quality or regulating temperature with no extra energy consumption. The same is true for object and interior design. Luminaires serve as loudspeakers, bedside cabinets are equipped with wireless charging stations for mobile phones, sofas remember the individual preferences of sitting, beds are gently pushed to take another position for sleeping when we snore. Technology becomes an integral, invisible element of the furniture and a leading trend 2020/2021.

Less, but better

Rent increases and the emergence of small houses will continue to stimulate demand for furniture that saves space. The first wave of the trend that preaches neatness and austerity has already reached Europe from the U.S. and Asia. Strategies to restore order, to stop excessive consumption and to limit oneself to vital things are popular. More and more people find this approach useful and it is simply considered fashionable. “Less is better” can be an ideal philosophy for many, especially as it corresponds to the desire for natural life. Especially in demand will be affordable prefabricated furniture (just contact your Office Furniture Warehouse) and compact individual elements that can be adapted to different sizes of space, adjust to fit.

Flexible solutions and freedom of movement

Living conditions are changing rapidly today. People are also looking for freedom from conditionality in terms of housing: this reinforces the trend towards spacious studios with a sense of loft, where a bedroom or office can be separated. The rooms flow from one room to another and there is a need for multifunctional furniture that marks the living areas or separates them from each other: tables that serve as dining and work desks, cabinets that can store things and zoning the space. The kitchen and living room merge, while the bathroom remains a separate room or adjoins the bedroom. Modern apartments are open plan, while apartments in old buildings are “filled with air” by removing the elements of the walls.

Colourful life

Color is a powerful tool in interior design and architecture. It plays a crucial role in the way we assess a room. The biggest influence is brown, which can be used both neutrally and avant-garde. Shades of brown are responsible for coziness and therefore are very popular now. They range from grayish-beige and taupe to moraine oak, as well as their combinations with other colours from orange to turquoise. In any case, the colour, be it green, pink, purple or brown, brings charm to the interior. Shades of dark wood, reminiscent of Art Deco or Danish Modernism, with gold, brass or other metallic accents on lush rugs, are real luxury. Although trendy interiors are generally dark (from dark green and blue to black), minimalism remains true to the lighter and more natural shades. Fans of the Bauhaus combine primary colours with white. Interiors as a whole become more colourful thanks to the intensive use of colour schemes. Monochrome is also increasingly being abandoned in favour of patterns.