GERMANY – Between January 16 and 24, Germany hosted two important trade fairs for the decoration industry. 

The Domotex fair, which took place from January 16 to 19 in Hannover, presented solutions, innovations and trends for flooring, in the most diverse materials. Between the 18th and 24th of the same month the imm fair was held in Cologne, the first international trade fair of the year, dedicated to interior decoration, which exhibited major changes in the way people live in bedrooms, living rooms, and other spaces.

In a tour of the two fairs in Germany, Schattdecor’s international team of designers were able to confirm some new directions, through themes such as CASUAL BLACK, FREESTYLE CLARITY and CULTURAL SPIRIT, showcased by the décor manufacturer at the Interzum fair in the beginning of 2015. The use of black as the main element in the environment, presented by Schattdecor with the CASUAL BLACK theme, is mainly confirmed at the imm Cologne fair, combined with different colored metals, finishes and marbles. As for the shades of natural wood, the presence of geometric prints and earthy tones were presented at both fairs, with plenty of expressiveness, also demonstrated in the themes of FREESTYLE CLARITY and CULTURAL SPIRIT.

With the “Tread on me” theme, and divided into three main sessions – textile and flexible materials, parquet and laminate flooring, and contemporary handmade carpet – the Domotex fair invited visitors to “walk” on the latest trends. The strongest of them, which was seen at most of the stands, was the search for more natural elements and colors, evidenced by rugs and carpets in shades of beige, green, brown and pastel, and by the frequent use of landscape images. This trend was also present in the woodgrain floors, which combined cathedrals, pores and smooth cracks in oak, larch and pine structures. The latter features knots and intense 3D effects, and is applied very differently. The example features the Croft Oak Canyon, Canyon Havanna Larch and Jura Pine decors, present on the Schattdecor product card. The honeycomb compositions (hexagonal indentations that resemble bee hives), combining different materials such as natural wood, black wood and concrete, highlighted this edition of the fair, as did the geometric compositions, which appeared mainly in modern reinterpretations of parquet. The decors Frequency (honeycomb structure), Mosaic, Serenity and Icecube (geometric) belong to the Digital Visions line from Schattdecor and are good options for composing with natural woodgrains.

The IMM fair in Cologne showed very important steps in the development of furniture and its place in the environments of the future. Going beyond the physical, structural, technological and material environment, the fair presented its predictions for the ways people will live in the future. Guided by the current megatrends of connectivity, feminine ascent, mobility, health, urbanization, individualization and globalization, companies used their stands to present compact spaces, reducing the size of the furniture and its multifunctionality, and “healthier” environments with more efficient heating and lighting systems and ergonomically optimal furniture. Nostalgia also served as an inspiration in the development of the spaces. Within this theme, it is believed that the design of the 60’s has a significant calming effect, conveying a sense of stability and sense of time in an era where everything is updated quickly and peoples routines are getting busier.

The fair also featured: external spaces of the house – like balconies, porches and gardens, built with comfortable furniture in a warm atmosphere – and the toilet and the kitchen – which now receive more attention when it comes to comfort. The earthy colors, brown, orange and cinnamon, plus the strong presence of the color Marsala and its variations, as well as petroleum green, and even the darker blues, were fully explored. Regarding woods, the designs using walnut, oak and pines, in natural, clear and honey tones, composed the outside of the furniture and inside they presented fabric and unicolor structures. The composition of wood with gray, graphite, nude, beige and black colors, both in satin and high gloss finishes, was also very popular. Some Schattdecor decors, such as Columbia Walnut, Riviera Oak, Sanremo Oak and Stirling Oak, were used in the composition of various spaces. 

The study of trends is a constant job that requires a careful eye and a lot of discussions and workshops. In this sense, Schattdecor works extremely hard to predict changes in consumer behavior and new global trends. In an era of globalization and intercultural exchange, they evolve simultaneously in different parts of the world, allowing predictions in a universal scope. These first fairs of the year 2016 confirmed many of Schattdecor’s predictions from the beginning of 2015, which shows that the studies have shown to the right path.