A few days ago, we visited Konstfack, Sweden’s largest design school, where nearly 200 students revealed a striking shift in attitude and expression. This time, we continue the journey through Beckmans College of Design, Malmstens, and Handarbetets Vänner — schools shaping some of the most interesting creative voices right now.

At Konstfack, I described this movement as “form follows creativity.” It feels like the old modernist mantra — form follows function — is slowly loosening its grip. Today’s young designers are not obsessed with solving problems as efficiently as possible. Instead, they use objects, materials, and spaces to express emotion, identity, memory, politics, and humanity itself.

The result is something softer. Warmer. More personal. And infinitely more interesting.

At Beckmans I talked to Daniel Trewe. He made a daybed, but based on flavours and taste rather than rational decisions.

He made a group talk about the experience of the six flavours: sweet, salt, bitter, sour, spicy and umami. Each flavour ended up in a shape. Salty is a base so that is square. Sour is pointy shaped. Etc.

From these shapes he then made a daybed. And you could almost read a recepie here.

There s a pointy (sour) shape at the feet of the daybed. The sides are unevenly long. The upholstered armrest is illogically over the divider.

What Daniel did is finding a new language, or a new way to express eastethics. Very clever.

At textile school Handarbetets Vänner student Linnea Engstedt made a weave. This is inspirered by the light coming through blinds in a window. It is basically encouraging daydreaming. It is a engineer driven weave. Notice the straight lines symbolising the window frame.

The weave is coloured twice. First with a bit of yellow and then with purple. Finally a silk weave to enhance a bit of glimmer.

This is a fabric that is not logical or functional. Just wonderfully dreamy.

At Malmstens Felicia Lundberg made a chair built around the concept of softness. Malmstens is a classical wood school and students show plenty of woodwork. Here a piece with basically NO WOOD. Instead this chair made of scraps and waste textile should resemble a fashion garment.

Back to Beckmans. Here Filippa Holm went to her own backyard to find materials. A lot of materials come with given usage. Here Filippa finds clay she dug out of the ground, twigs and branches, etc. The project doesn’t necessarily show larger, finished products but rather focus on curiosity and playfulness. Form follows fun.

Innovation at Handarbetets Vänner. Vera Westberg made a weave with old casette tape. And with a separate machine you can actually read these sound waves. Fun.

Handarbetets Vänner again. Korean student Bosong Kang made a weave interpreting Swedishness. Beautiful.

At Beckmans Axel Peters went the opposite direction when it comes to coffee tableware. Instead of delicate, brusch strokes – what happend if you went the opposite direction. Instead of fine strokes – make it chunky, warm and userfriendly?

What is a chair? Perhaps my personal favourite. These chunky chairs with attitude. It is like a reaction of things being too nice and too invisiable. These chairs demand attention and I love it. Basically in the same tradition as Finnish Vaarni. Made by Malte Lundberg at Beckmans.

At Malmstens there were a lot of experimentation on surfaces. Top picture is veneer work where it is the same kind of wood but where the coloured piece is changed by heating. By Martin Skybrand. Second (three images) by Loke Isaksson. Finally a cabinet made completely black by fire. By Fredrik Eliasson.

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Vienna and Austria is lovely. Something I covered from a trip last year here. And now in May, the whole world is looking at the city for this music festival.

Just like so many other events like this, there are things happening on many places and many levels. The city was full of posters and displays with reference to the music context. The gradient graphic design in blue, purple and red might not be my choice, but it was recognisable.

Local pride for previous winners is ok. The song Merci Cherie won 1966.

On a side note, it was pretty obvious that Austria took this opportunity to talk about their prefered story. So more references to Falco (cool) and not Opus with “Life is life” (cheesy). And I was pretty amazed but the abscence of Conchita Wurst, the winner of Eurovision 2014.

I did like how the city gave “12 points” for certain sustainable behaviour. Like public transportation or bikes. It could have been more…

ESC Vienna had an official mascot. I had to double check. It is not the first time there is a mascot – but it is not as common as you think. I might be something more evident for the future. 1992 Malmö had a bird and last year in Switzerland there was a heartshaped carachter.

Something I REALLY liked were the way they handled the cafés. Vienna is famous for the cafe culture and it must have been around 15 bigger cafes that participated in this. The cafe had two supporting countries. Here Estonia and Italy. And they would have activities. At this specific cafe you would get a free glass of bubbles if you were from this country. FUN.

Also the “green room” at the arena was built around the cafe culture. Nice.

There wasn’t that much “merch” as I would have expected. Of course nice when we are looking for a more sustainable and durable future. No more plastic shit. Here a cookbook based on food from each country. What about Sweden? Of course meatballs… No real surprises here.

Postcards with the representatives… Not sure I need one…

The city was of course full of people wearing merch for the act they supported. Here a guy with Finnish song Liekinheitin. Most fun was perhaps the Greek merch where you could get the same hat as the singer.

During my days here I got to see the whole arena on a guided tour. It is actually more mindblowing than you could think. Very impressive.

We for instance learned that they clear and build up the stage in 40 seconds. And since the floor is a screen, they illuminate the sections where they should place the objects. First Australia where they place a harp, and just above here the tables for the UK song.

Hair and make up for the artists.

Press conference.

And of course a lot of nightlife.

The actual show was so much better than expected. Lots of fun. Of course super long, but fun. I got invited to the VIP area so no complaints.

But everything was sooo good live. You could really sense that every act used the whole room and not just looking at the camera. And everyone had been working for this three minute act so hard. All angles, all props, all dancers were on key. It was like the Olympic Games but for pop culture.

Not one act was bad. Of course you have your favourites but everything was so nicely executed.

Vienna is of course more than Eurovision. It is where my Forecast Club friend Alina lives. So a lot of coffee culture with her.

And just walking around.

Not a lot of time for sightseeing but I got to stop by the design museum MAK.

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The Class of 2026 is, as always, a wide-ranging crowd. Among the 175 students are textile designers, sustainability thinkers, industrial designers, craftspeople, and much more. Finding a common thread is not easy. Is there something distinctly generational here? The school itself points to war, destruction, and overconsumption as defining influences. But I’m trying to navigate this generation in my own way.

Last year, I noticed a strong urge to actually do things — not just discuss ideas, but work hands-on and make something happen.

This year, I see rituals, repurposing, and an ongoing fascination with waste. But before we get there: does form still follow function, or has creativity become the real driving force?

My report for this generation will start with this piece. A set by Karl Salomonsson.

It is interesting – and of course sometimes fristrating – running around and looking at 175 works. That means you really just give things a glance. This piece I passed, and gave it little thought. Didn’t really get it. But I happened to stop at talk to Peter Andersson who was tutoring this guy.

He explained that Karl started his process by following a creative thought. In this case the cow skin. His mind drifted and came to think of cowboys. And he built his set or collection around this thought or dream of cowboys. Not focusing on functionality or selfexpression. Basically just dreaming.

And this is new. Form follows creativity.

You can of course argue that this is classic Memphis style, but there were a lot of things at Konstfack where one looked at other values than strict functionality. And that is interesting.

Emma Stocklassa made a kitchen set where everything is a bit off balance. Not functional – but something else. Perhaps this non-flat surface would force us to focus on what’s on the table and skip the phones in our hands?

There were a lot of tables. Or “bring my people to the table”. Meetings, seeing eachother, rituals. Here Lilly Ellen Dormeier

Meeting eachother on a gigantic wool carpet. By Elvira Staf and Fanny Stengårds.

A tableware set that looks like a poppy. By Ida Wallin.

Rituals… I think this will be one of the most talked about student works. Here Carl Martinsson made a setting for a hospital when someone is passing.

Rituals and symbolism. Is it a Swedish maypole?

By Molly Björlind

More rituals and symbolism. Candle holders and a flower crown in metal. “Remember you are mortal”. By Emma Hansson.

At department of graphic design, there was even a book about rituals.

A second theme among the students, was the fascination to work with waste. Here textile designer Klara Djamila Kassman Soukkan

Åke Andersson built a system of bolts and screws so you easily can use waste and build your own chairs.

Waste as in pine cones. Grind the pine cones to a dust, add binding materials and then start 3D printing.

One student even went through the garbage at the school to find materials and make beautiful things. By Wendy K Skogstad

Not necessarily built from waste but perhaps AVOIDING waste. A collection of pieces where you easily can change fabrics and update your lamp or easy chair. By Isabella Werner.

And finally, just three things that spoke to me. Nothing about form follow creativity or waste. Just nice things.

Dimitra Konstantinidi made five textile pillars about her roots in Greece. Embroidery that made me think of Britta Marakatt-Labba.

Also just beautiful. Veneer work by Anna Hedström (for textile department…)

And this lamp. The whole piece is 3D printed – with moving, adjustable parts. Just add a light source and cords. And done! One material. So nicely done. By Nils Fallenius.

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Chunky

The list here is in no particular order, so this chunky aesthetics is not necessarily the most “important” one. But chunky easy chairs and dining chairs were everywhere. Above here is Kelly Wearstler for H&M.

Here Alivar. I actually noted that these kind of sledge runners were pretty common too.

Here at Zilio.

Chunky, textilie and almost a but 70s.

Even at Salone Satellite. Here Norwegian studio Kogl.

And Cassina.

Of course also at Tacchini.

But even wooden chairs feel a bit chunky. This at Zanat.

Nikkari

Michael Anastassiades

Sancal

Tacchini

Tok Studio

Emadlajevardi

But even dining chairs feel chunkier then ever.

Blå Station.

Tacchini

Luis Gimeno Design

Sofas

On the same note as chunky easy chairs – so are the sofas. Bigger and bigger and bigger.

I think this was the biggest sofa… Acerbis. Who needs a living room when you can have a sofa??

Colour

Everyone is talking about the colours from Milan. It is of course important for any business to get their hands on the right colour combination. At first it felt pretty difficult to pinpoint colours that were used. Perhaps because so many variations were ok. And slightly “un-innovative”… We have seen butter yellow for a few years and that was still seen.

My colour expert friend Alina said the colours were exactly the ones she talked about in 2021 (for 2023). It is a strange time gap. Are they already coming back – or did they not really push through then?

The colours Alina talked about then would be in my words: ochre, celadon, lilac, denim blue, nude and perhaps burgundy.

Looking at my pictures now I would say that the colours that stood out to me are a little bit stronger. The ochre needs a bit of punch. Perhaps a yellowish mustard? The burgundy also need more push. A bit of plum and raspberry?

Above two pictures from Moroso and B&B Italia. You can absolutely work purely with yellows.

But the most talked about colour installation was the one at Cassina. Combinations of yellows and burgundys with a colder white.

Nice colour combinations at Convey.

Yellows and burgundy at Artemest.

Dimore studio

Liberty’s

Kelly Wearstler for H&M

White aluminum and a pop red colour with yellow text at Flos.

Softer yellow and a darker red at CC Tapis

And almost everything at Nilufar Depot was red hues and yellow.

Here at Louis Vuitton

Two pictures above from Hermes installation.

But we also saw burgundy with celadon. Here at Alcova.

Burgundy, a bit of yellow and celadon at Bolon.

Celadon at Elle Deco exhibition

Celadon at Louis Vuitton.

Mutina

Kelly Wearstler for H&M again.

Kartell

Soft light

Moving on to lighting. I will write a separate lighting report for a Swedish magazine so this is just touching the surface. But I saw a lot of lights with a soft surface.

Also a lot of layering.

Layering at Foscarini.

6.00 AM

Glass

6.00 AM again. But in general a lot of soft, but square glass.

Glass Italia

Venini

Metal

We have seen white metal before and it is still around. Not done yet. Here Lara Bohinc.

At Alcova

More Alcova. I know some of my trend colleagues want to talk about chairs becoming jewellry. We’ll see…

But both shiny metal and matte.

Here Convey.

But also a we are starting to see more gold. Here Dimore Studio.

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(examples of design that feels computer generated. First two from Rossana Orlandi, purple easy chair at Nilufar Depot, butter yellow sofa from Urquiola at Moroso, purple sofa from Secolo, outdoor sofa from Ethimo, lilac chair at Cassina)

The Glitch

AI is no longer a novelty; it’s part of contemporary design. Over the past year, we’ve seen a surge of organic, almost sci-fi silhouettes shaping sofas and armchairs—fluid, otherworldly forms more generated rather than crafted. One of the most recognisable examples came from Patricia Urquiola for Moroso, though similar explorations appeared across brands such as Meritalia.

And yet, in 2026, something has shifted.

What we are now witnessing feels like a quiet counter-movement—a subtle resistance to the polished perfection of artificial design. I think of it as the Glitch. A deliberate imperfection. A rupture in the system. Perhaps even a longing for the human hand. Or maybe it is simply nature reasserting itself—unpredictable, irregular, impossible to fully control.

Craft is here too. The presence of a human hand.

One of the first pieces I saw in Milan Design Week was the gallery collection by Front for Moroso. They have previously flirted with how nature is affecting design, but now more in the presence of the hand. The geometry inspired pieces have textiles that are AMAZING. Everything is woven. Even the shading. Could AI do that? Maybe, but it feels real.

A similar dialogue emerges in the work of Ai Weiwei for Rubelli. His collection draws from digital culture yet is realised through traditional Chinese craftsmanship—a compelling collision of medium and message, where the “glitch” becomes both concept and process.

Elsewhere, the tables by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) for Nerosicilia stood out. Formed from sustainable lava, their surfaces rise unexpectedly at the centre, complete with cracks and irregularities. These are not errors to be corrected, but features to be embraced—gestures that feel “real”.

At Rossana Orlandi’s gallery, the narrative continued. A softly contoured rattan bench made no attempt to disguise its material or origin; it was proudly handmade, its construction legible.

Sketch-patterned furniture by Kiki & Joost.

Even in smaller details, the theme persists: the fractured surfaces of side tables by Nikari, or the subtle irregularity in wallpaper by Vivienne Westwood for Cole & Son. Imperfection, here, is not a flaw—it is the point.

Which brings me, perhaps inevitably, to Gucci.

Their installation wanted to be “the glitch”—Renaissance-inspired tapestries disrupted by digital distortions. On paper, it aligned perfectly with this emerging narrative. In reality, it felt hollow. Everything was machine-made; the “imperfection” felt calculated and computer generated. Even the floral elements— arranged in plastic trays—lacked any sense of craft. It was more “over the top” than genuine or authentic.

Ornaments, Non-Ornaments — and Layering

Opposites attract. I would say we see an equal amount of minimalism (but focused on geometry) and ornamentation. My trend friends at the Forecast Club and especially Alina and Susanna see a lot of ornamentation. Alina would say it is a season for art nouveau, but then again also art deco.

The cabinet above is from Natalia Triantafylli and Andrew Pierce Scott at Alcova and I see it return at many reports. As I understand it Scott is a carpenter and Triantafylli is a ceramicist giving the doors this ornamented look. Ornamentation means personalisation and if you buy it, you will most likely keep it for life.

Also part of the Forecast Club is Elisabetta and she talks about layering the interior room. Add things from different decades to give it personalisation. Like how Dimore Studio is doing.

Ornamentation is very often non-functional. It is something else. Part of this are all the fringes. We saw fringes everywhere. From Moroso to Knoll and to the young designers.

Art deco was a big part of the Louis Vuitton presentation too. A design with strict reduced shape we also saw at Hermes. And at Marni cafe.

Even Mutina celebrated the square.

Also outlines, something we saw by Faye Toogood at Meritalia, Johanson Design and by Studiopepe at Zanotta.

Spikes and Punk

A third, more vague theme emerges at the edges: punk.

It would be an exaggeration to call it dominant, yet it lingers in the shadows. I am starting to read about it a bit… We will see how it grows. Spikes, chains and a roughness.

Spikes. Above first from Alcova and second from Uzbekistan exhibition.

Chains at Alcova. The thing is – this is not in my aesthtics so I tend to miss a lot of these references…

Hard, stainless steel. Here at Polish exhibition. This is Mati Siporia.

Deliberate broken things. Lamp shade at Dimore Studio and a candle with no candle holder at Muuto. Raw, rough and reuse. Punk?

A gesture and attitude at Rubelli by Ai Weiwei.

In conclusion, it feels less like a fully formed movement and more like a reaction. A pushback against the softness and romanticism that has dominated recent years. The overtly “pretty” is receding.

This rose has thorns…

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Why the optimism effort? Because I can be a bit grumpy. Milan is the most important design week in the world, which inevitably raises expectations. I usually arrive in full search mode, moving from one exhibition to the next, and quite often leave feeling slightly underwhelmed — and definitely exhausted. Too much noise, too many impressions, and not enough that truly feels new.

This year, I tried a different approach. More open. More positive. Yay.

I landed with a list of 109 events and exhibitions across Fuorisalone. Nobody really knows the exact number of shows in the city. Ask ChatGPT and it will tell you there were over 1,000 events in 2025. The fair itself hosts nearly 2,000 exhibitors.

I’ll report from Milan in three parts: first, an overview of shifting values. Then new styles, materials and colour directions. And finally, form and design language.

But to stay with the optimistic tone: Milan 2026 felt easier. More structured. Queues were better organised, and key destinations — like Alcova returning to the city — made navigation simpler. Even the PR machinery seemed slightly more aware of flow and fatigue.

Still, what stood out most was a growing willingness to experiment with taste. Not always elegant. Often messy. Sometimes even ugly. But alive. Expansive. Beyond the safe and commercial. I prefer that. Not everything needs to be aligned — taste should be plural.

Everything is design

My friend Elisabetta at Italianbark recently published a ten-year reflection on Milan Design Week. She’s been attending for a decade. I’ve been coming for almost twenty.

Looking back, I remember when fashion brands first began appearing. A few installations at Louis Vuitton, Loewe showing stone and leather in 2021. Small gestures then. Now, almost every fashion house is present. Even H&M Home made its debut this year.

So, the design week now comfortably includes interiors and fashion. Is that a good thing? Or not?

The next layer, already established, is automotive. Lexus was early, back in 2005, but today Milan is also a car show.

After that, beauty entered the scene — almost an extension of fashion. This year: Aesop, Byredo, Le Labo, among others.

And then food. Always next. We’ve already seen Barilla experiment with 3D-printed pasta. This year, McDonald’s appeared in Tortona. The question is obvious: who’s next?

So, Milan Design Week is no longer just sofas and chairs. It’s fashion, cars, beauty, food — and everything in between.

One could call this democratic. And if I stay with my optimistic lens, perhaps it is: anything can be design. Still, with so much expansion, there’s a lingering question of whether we are slowly drifting away from the things that once defined it.

DEI

Will design ever have its own Bad Bunny? Possibly. DEI — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — has become a visible cultural force, reflecting a wider demand for representation and new voices. The opposite of Trump administration.

Just before the week started, there was also social media backlash around Capsule and accusations of misogyny — a reminder that questions of representation are no longer peripheral.

From a more positive angle, it’s encouraging to see collaborations like Knoll working with Nigerian artist Dozie Kanu, Veuve Clicquot with Yinka Ilori, and Ai Weiwei contributing a textile piece for Rubelli. Korean Kwangho Lee continues to gain global visibility, this year with Bottega Veneta. Jorge Suárez Kilzi stood out at Alcova, while Fernando Laposse, Mexican continues his rise. Lebanese Lina Ghotmeh delivered a major installation at Palazzo Litta, and Khaled El Mays showed at Nilufar Depot.

But still — where are the women? Where is the Turkish equivalent of Patricia Urquiola, or the Argentinian version of Faye Toogood?

It’s also interesting how many male designers within LGBTQ circles are well represented — Formafantasma, Dimore Studio, Sebastian Herkner among them. But women designers flirting with women still feel less visible.

So yes, 2026 feels like a step forward for DEI. But not quite enough.

Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe felt more present this year — and I separate this from DEI, as it remains largely male-dominated and very white.

The exhibition Polish Modernism – A Struggle for Beauty, produced by the Visteria Foundation, was a standout. Prostoria revisited Vjenceslav Richter from Croatia. Marcin Rusak continues to grow in recognition, while Pani Jurek’s installation at Alcova was one of the strongest. Mati Sipiora is clearly one to watch, and Lara Bohinc — Slovenian, London-based — continues to evolve her practice. Uzbekistan design also had one of the most memorable presentations of the week.

A clear sense of momentum.

Dreams

Staying with optimism — last year’s surrealism theme continues, though this edition felt softer. Less dystopian. More playful. Some have called it an “Alice in Wonderland” turn.

There is still plenty of Freudian symbolism: doors everywhere, like at Rossana Orlandi or Convey’s cabinets. Fabio Novembre’s giant baby at Bisazza, Laila Gohar’s vegetable carousels for Arket, and the life-sized elephant at Deoron all point in the same direction.

Then there’s Gentle Monster’s octopus on Corso Como, or Matteo Cibic’s Floresta Futuristica at Senator Hotel.

Why this return to dream logic? Perhaps the same escapism we see in nostalgia — but in a softer, cuter register. “Cute” might be the keyword of the year.

The 1%

Finally, the strongest tension.

I began by suggesting Milan feels more democratised. But there is another reality running in parallel: a design world increasingly oriented towards extreme wealth.

This is not just luxury. It is beyond the 1%. It is design that exists almost entirely outside everyday life.

Nilufar Gallery is a clear example — nothing there is really intended for serial production. Everything is rare, expensive, collectible. The same feeling came from Fornasetti’s glass cabinets: exquisite, but distant.

Fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès naturally operate in this space. So do collaborations like Luke Edward Hall with Buccellati, creating objects such as caviar bowls that sit firmly in another economic universe. And of course Artemest.

And now – even the fair has a section where they want to push collectible, exclusive and expensive pieces that no one can afford. What happened if we pushed affordable design??

At the same time, it makes the presence of brands like IKEA and H&M Home feel even more important. Design does not only need to be exclusive. It also needs to be accessible.

And perhaps that remains the real question behind Milan Design Week: who is design actually for?

We continue looking at more trends tomorrow.

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The biennial fair is still underway — Thursday as I write this, with the final day tomorrow — which means the official figures are yet to land. But my report from the last show gives us a sense of scale. In 2024, around 2,000 exhibitors filled the halls, welcoming more than 150,000 visitors.

Because this is not the kind of design fair dominated by sculptural pendants and photogenic installations. Light + Building sits firmly on the technical side of the spectrum — a place where the conversation is often about what happens behind the wall rather than what hangs from the ceiling. Engineers, developers and lighting specialists share the floor with designers, and the atmosphere reflects that: practical and curious.

In previous editions, discussions have drifted into surprising territory — the idea of lighting infrastructure doubling as Wi-Fi carriers, for example, or explorations into how lighting affects wellness.

This year, I found myself missing a little of those big new conversations. They were there — just perhaps a little quieter than in previous editions. Instead, the fair felt broader than buzzy, a reminder of the vast ecosystem that lighting touches.

And it really is vast. At Light + Building you find streetlights guiding late-night cyclists, architectural systems illuminating façades, office lighting designed to reduce eye strain, retail displays engineered to flatter fabrics and finishes, and even the humble but essential world of warning and safety signage. And you find the audience here. I met the managing dirctor of the lighting society in Sweden and he gasped “Everyone is here”. And perhaps you would more likely meet a lighting designer, architect, city planner or builder – than a trend hunter like me.

There was another reason to visit Frankfurt this year. The city is celebrating its role as a global design hub, carrying the title of World Design Capital — an apt backdrop for a fair that sits somewhere between design, infrastructure and future thinking.

A new angle on sustainability? I had never seen this at a fair, but it is not new. Darksky is a certification given to lighting products that meet strict standards for reducing light pollution and protecting the night sky. I find this super interesting. Light pollution…

But let’s have a look at some of the lighting trends I saw in Frankfurt.

Industrial glass

I noticed a lot of lamps with crackled glass. It felt a bit more square, straight and industrial. Away from craft and in with thicker glass.

Brushed metal (especially white metals)

I thought I would see more casted metals, but not a lot. Some…

Flourescent lights

Super dominant as a trend. Every brand has their own version of this lighting rod. Alone or in a system or cluster.

Even bent.

Advanced systems where you connect lights.

And of course just free hanging from the ceiling.

From the side

Over the last few years we have been talking a lot about “sculptural lights” meaning that lamps could look crazy, be oversized and just be a bit bananas. I call this trend “from the side” and it is kind of like you need to see the lamp properly from the side. It is soft, rounded and works really best being seen from the side. Not from above or underneath.

Small light clusters

Something I expected to see more of were these kind of clusters with small lights. I saw some but not a lot.

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Every year, for the last almost fifteen, twenty years, I have gone to the large decorative fair in Frankfurt called Christmasworld. It is part of the trio of fairs with Ambiente and Creativeworld, so you can imagine it is busy.

This year, I walked the aisles and looked at colours and shapes. By my side I had Helena Lyth, with whom I do the podcast “Under Granen” with. We are both Christmas enthusiasts but absolutely look at different kind of things. I think both Helena and I were happy to see that the good spirits were back. I could see some repetition from previous years like pets and specifically dachshounds. But still fun and new things.

Lets kick of by looking at things.

Christmas trees

Over a few years we have seen Christmas trees become more and more extravagant. Taking the center stage. It’s almost like it needs no decoration. It is fancy on it’s own. Here a tree that looks like the Grinch.

Also in white. But impossible to decorate with ornaments.

Last year we saw Christmas trees with feather like branches. This continues.

I also noted a sharper metallic look.

And also common to see trees built up by these red berries.

But in general – anything could be a tree.

Baskets…

A Ralph Lauren Christmas

Six months before Christmas 2025, almost noone had heard of “Ralph Lauren Christmas” and a few months later it was all over Internet. And of course we see references to this at Christmasworld too. “Ralph Lauren Christmas” is a pretty conservative, New England, blue, green, red, proper – and tartan. And teddybears. In recent years Ralph Lauren got a lot of attention for his sweaters with teddybears on – so of course for Christmas.

I must say – teddybears are everywhere!!

Santa is no longer holding an elf or a nutcracker – it’s always a teddybear.

Teddybears in suits.

I guess we are leaving “ugly Christmas sweater” and going into something more elegant.

Old world references like books.

Crests.

Tartan everywhere.

Fancy, is a key word for this “Ralph Lauren Christmas”, and I think this tree bottom, or the thing to hide the end of the Christmas tree is so elevated. Fun.

It’s funny to see how “everything” gets teddybear. Here two different brands doing the nutcracker as teddybear.

Blue

In one part of this “Ralph Lauren Christmas” we see a lot of blue. I think it is so new and dominant that I want to have it as a separate trend. So blue. I am personally very fond of the one we call “ultramarine”, “Klein blue” or “international blue”.

Beaded

This year a lot of the ornaments felt beaded. I wonder how long these extra sparkles will stay on the actual ornament.

Why not beaded croissants?

Flowers

We have seen flowers in Christmas trees before, but it felt like more is more. Proper bouquets with flowers in the tree.

And flowers in general.

Jellycat

Jellycat is a Londonbased brand very popular in Asia. The have toys that look like ordinary bears and animals, but what is unique with them is that they make ordinary object into plush toys. Basically put cute eyes and legs on everything. This esthetics felt new and I saw a lot of it.

Shoes

We have seen shoes for Christmas before. Both sneakers and highheels. And of course also for this year. But I am starting to see more of the classical loafer.

Tassels

Last trend. I could continue, but we need to try to keep this tight. I have not talked about garlands. Garlands will be huge. Decorate your window, your door or your tree. But no room here…

An early trend would be tassels. I think this will grow. Feels new and something people could love. Strong new esthetics.

So we didn’t have space enough to talk about this – but still something growing…

Food as ornaments. Not sushi, but perhaps more Americana.

There is absolutely a Japanese or Asian Christmas theme going on.

We didn’t talk about sizes. And yes, it will be bigger.

The animal print trend will continue. Perhaps in a different direction.

And I mentioned garlands. More, more, more, more…

And I didn’t talk about the Swedish glögg party we arranged… We will save that for another time.

Inlägget Christmas trends 2026 dök först upp på Trendstefan.

Ambiente, remains the heavyweight. Incorporating sister fairs Creativeworld and Christmasworld, it occupies Messe Frankfurt with the confidence of a global marketplace that knows its relevance. (Christmasworld will get a separate report)

Contentwise Ambiente of course confirms things already seen when it comes to interior design. But there are still new things to find. And Ambiente is as always much stronger on kitchen designs and tableware than competing fairs.

Given the geopolitical and economic backdrop, one might have anticipated a more anxious mood. Conversations around tariffs, supply chain recalibrations and the decentralisation of globalisation have become standard industry fare. Yet in Frankfurt, the prevailing tone was not defensive — it was optimistic.

Exhibitors reported orders being written. Buyers were not merely browsing; they were buying. Business, in the most traditional sense, was being conducted — and that mattered.

Walking the halls, however, there was a perceptible lightness. The space felt airier, the crowds less compressed. A subjective impression, perhaps — but what do the numbers say?

Official figures report 4,636 exhibitors and over 147,000 visitors. Almost, to the decimal, a mirror of last year’s edition. No dramatic surge. No worrying dip. Just continuity.

And in 2026, continuity feels quietly radical. We may not be in a boom cycle. But we are building again.

Ambiente’s steadiness signals that the interior design sector has found its footing. Buyers are planning ahead. Brands are investing in presence. The ecosystem — from artisan ceramicists to multinational kitchenware giants — is functioning.

If 2024 was about recovery and 2025 about recalibration, then 2026 begins with something subtler but perhaps more valuable: equilibrium.

And from equilibrium, creativity has room to grow.

Ambiente gets high scores. I don’t see anything that needs to be improved, so I have to give it 5 out of 5 points.

Now let’s look at some trends.

I need to start with the obvious. Optimism as a commercial trend. It is very much “now” and a sugar rush. We see a lot of words on everything. Remember 20 years ago when we had jars with words like “popcorn” on it. Now we speak Italian and French. It is all about “Merci” and “Tutto bene”.

Also commercially we see a lot of colours. Basically all at once. The more the better. Colours on colours.

A new shaker

OK. If the Mediterranean retro is very spring 2026, my job is to look beyond. What comes after? What is the opposite of the colourful bonanza?

So, I walked around and looked at things. Waiting for that gut feel. The intuition. And it was when I saw the stand at Hübsch. Always colourful and fun. And always trendy.

And all of a sudden I started to see these straight, toned down furniture pieces among all these colours. Very carpentry. Kind of flirting with cabinet making. Very minimalistic.

And then I realised – it’s shaker. Google “shaker style”.

I think this could be a thing that builds on this retro style. It is not futuristic. It is still looking back in history. But further than the 1950s. It’s crafted. Perhaps as a reaction to all these AI talks. It’s kind and historical. Offline and home made.

And with this shaker style in mind I started to see a lot of things in tableware in this direction. Obviously the dark brown, but also these bowls from Nittsjö in Sweden.

These vases by Knabstrup

And the more I looked at tableware, the more I saw a nostalgic shaker style.

I especially saw a lot of blue flowers on white ceramics.

Just these, very nostalgic patterns. This is actually colourful brand Rice.

It is still related to the Mediterranean retro but more Americana in it.

With shaker style we should see more of quilts.

And also these petite flowers.

Of course crafted leather.

Details in linnen.

Wicker or rattan work.

And shapes. A toned down minimalism in general.

I look forward to see more of this.

Inlägget Ambiente 2026 dök först upp på Trendstefan.

In the first week of October, the news landed with a boom: Stockholm Furniture Fair and Stockholm Design Week were cancelled for 2026. The reason was blunt enough to sting—lack of interest, lack of exhibitors. Four months later, in the first week of February, Stockholm’s design scene offered a resurrection. Swedish design, it turns out, is very much alive. Stockholm’s Design Days earn a full ten out of ten. No caveats. No asterisks. Here’s why.

Let’s be clear: this was not perfection. It was occasionally chaotic, sometimes uneven, and not every brand unveiled something genuinely new. But it was good—properly good. I met designers thinking in fresh directions, saw products worth stopping for, and installations that impressed. And yes, part of my delight comes from the fact that my expectations were low. But after 20–30 design weeks and fairs yearly, I’m comfortable standing by a high score when one is deserved.

To understand why this matters, we need to zoom out. Stockholm Furniture Fair (SFF) and Stockholm Design Week (SDW) are both owned by Stockholmsmässan. That alone makes them unusual. In most major design capitals—Milan or Paris —the fair and the city-wide week are run by separate entities, creating a productive tension between commerce and culture.

For years, SFF struggled—not just with exhibitor numbers, but with purpose. I say this as someone who loves fairs. A good fair is efficient and concentrated. But it needs a clear reason to exist. SFF was always small, but charmingly so. International visitors spoke fondly of it: a day was enough, one night in Stockholm, job done. That intimacy was its strength.

Then came the pandemic, and with it a fundamental shift in the interiors and architecture world. Overconsumption by stay-at-home private buyers has tipped into paralysis; nobody wants—or dares—to buy anything new. The architectural sector is in recession. Brands are cautious, investments are frozen, and “new” increasingly means retro. The knock-on effect for fairs has been brutal.

Cologne’s IMM shut its doors for a year and returned as a biennial. NeoCon in Chicago is visibly struggling. Rumours swirl around Amsterdam’s Show-Up. Against this backdrop, Stockholmsmässan’s decision to cancel SFF in 2026 felt inevitable rather than shocking.

And yet—out of that vacuum came something quietly impressive. Around 100 Stockholm-based design brands banded together under the banner “Campfire”, creating a decentralised, collaborative alternative. And here comes the challange – and the opportunity. The 100 brands paid a super low fee, and with lack of money and lack of time (yes, we are still talking about four months from start to finish), there were unclear things. Like, is Campfire the “official organisation” of these design days? Or not? And communications challanges… But that is all fine. And then of course – why not use Stockholm Design Week? Well that brand is owned by Stockholmsmässan who decided NOT to help out. Nothing about these design days were communicated in their channels…

And this attitude of “us” vs “them” will only make Stockholmsmässan loose.

We must of course mention that these design days had other players too. Stockholm Creative Edition has proven themselves to be a source of power. And the initiative by pr agency Trendgruppen called ECHO. And The Building – not sure who is the actual organiser of this, and that is just one example of how vague a lot of these senders were.

This week showed that we can cut the ties to the suburban design fair. I think we absolutely should have a fair. But perhaps not by Stockholmsmässan. Perhaps another player. Maybe we don’t need all these empty halls in Älvsjö? Maybe we should do it at Munchenbryggeriet or Waterfront?

And please – not in February.

At one point, it was logical to have SFF in February. It was early in the year, before Milan and a good start. But things change. Copenhagen has shown that you can do a design week any time of the year.

And please – more cooperation and collaboration with our Nordic neighbours. More representatives from Designers Saturday in Oslo, more from Habitare in Finland, more from Design March in Iceland – and of course reach out a hand to 3 Days of Design in Denmark. Even local Swedish initiatives like Southern Sweden Design Days or the furniture fair in Göteborg.

Include the Baltics, the Poles and of course the Ukrainians. This is the opportunity to reach out and build something new.

Nice launches

Lots of words… Now time to look at some of the interesting launches. In no particular order.

Plain and simple. This table foot by Anna Kraitz for Design House Stockholm

Also Design House Stockholm. A new cabinet by Mathieu Gustafsson.

 

This collection of lamps for Konsthantverk by Jesper Ståhl

Is it art of a bookshelf? Maybe both. By Folkform for Källemo.

New series of lamps by Matti Klenell for Atelje Lyktan.

At Stockholm Creative Edition I found these podiums by Myrsini Alexandrini

Susanne Pontus Persson

Louise Hederström at her own pouffe

Amazing Niklas Runesson

Side tables by Anki Gneib and Mia Cullin at ECHO.

The new textile collection by Ludvig Svensson was EVERYWHERE. Especially this blue version.

This mirror in steel, made in one piece by Gustav Winsth for Muuto.

This round edge table collection in wood by Anderssen & Voll is amazing. For Muuto.

Perhaps my favourite of the whole week. This new armchair with amazing details by Broberg Ridderstråhle for Swedese. Shut up and take my money. Apparently also pretty affordable…

These lamps by Pilke have been mainly hanging as pendants but now as table lamps. Nice. More of that.

One of the most talked about installations by Monica Förster Studio at restaurant Teatergrillen. She made the company SMD go completely raw. And nice.

Karl Andersson & Söner is working with waste wood. We have seen versions of this with other brands but still nice.

A side table or drink trolley by TAF for String

Installations

So, ten out of ten point. Done in only four months. Imagine what we can do for 2027?? It will be amazing.

Inlägget Stockholm Design Days 2026 dök först upp på Trendstefan.

This season, Formland welcomed 220 exhibitors and just over 5,200 visitors. By contrast, according to my notes, last year’s fair hosted 270 exhibitors and approximately 7,000 visitors, marking a noticeable dip in numbers. The competitive landscape is clear: Formland and Sweden’s Formex are aiming for the same buyers and brands. Some exhibitors choose to attend both, but more often it is a case of committing to one. In my recent report, Formex recorded 267 exhibitors and 7,000 visitors, making it marginally larger — and currently on an upward trajectory.

That said, where Formland truly excels is in its creative spectra. The tastemakers and trendsetters here operate on a different level altogether. Visually, it is a more beautiful, more trend-forward fair, with a sharper eye for emerging aesthetics. Even as my fifth fair of the season, Formland still manages to surprise me — with playful details, unexpected finds and genuinely fresh objects I haven’t encountered elsewhere. Always a joy.

I give Formland 4 out of 5.

Upcycled vintage glass. We have seen it before but the pieces put together where so much fun. By Blikstille.

Everything is just amazing.

The trend installation at Formland by Studie FlyHelsted is always a joy. And as an example of finding things I have missed. This serving tray by Jakobsdal. How could I have missed that at the other shows??

The Danish brands experiment much more with patterns and colours. Kind of their DNA. At AU Maison I loved this milky yellow together with orange. Nice.

Speaking of colours and trends. Pejgruppen also participate by letting visitors take yarn samples of the colours for summer 2026.

Fun, care free and just adorable.

Not sure in what trend to put these, but I saw a few brands do these small boxes and candleholders in bright colours.

Mediterranean retro

Also a brand I have visited for the third time – but missed this. Affari of Sweden with this seashell vase in retro style.

More in retro style at Affari.

Gigantic paper and toile flowers at Mr Plant.

Doing Goods with this gorgeous textile

Dutch brand S&P.

From distributor/agent Pärlebo.

Engholm Textiles

Pastel tableware at IB Laursen

Agent Pärlebo presented some new things.

A new kind of glass

These glasses might not look too exciting – but I think this is a beginning of a new trend. The chunky stems. Looks different and nice. Can work for a retro setting or something new. It felt new. By Hubsch.

Books

Are books the next new thing? Perhaps. I found this gorgeous embroidered notebook at Pärlebo. Pretty expensive but very nice.

At New Mags I found this sticker book. So cool. It is a book full of stickers you can peel off.

So cool.

Coloured glass at Hubsch

Danish interior design brand Hubsch made some funky candleholder I wanted to share. Haven’t seen this before.

They also introduced a clotheshanger that felt new.

Sustainable

Formland is always strong on sustainability. Here student work made of waste wood.

Wall art that is actually made of lint. You know from the dryer… Fun!

Last image

OK. This doesn’t fit a trend, but stood out. Are you tired of the same pastel crates that EVERYONE is using? You know the ones from Hay etc… Here you can get a whole new look (also with a new set of colours). From German brand Blomus.

Inlägget Formland winter 2026 dök först upp på Trendstefan.

This year, I attended without official assignments — no curated walks, no stage talks, no formal favourites to select. My calendar is increasingly filled elsewhere, in Paris, Frankfurt and across Europe, but Formex remains my  hometown fair.

Aesthetically, the fair mirrors broader international currents: retro colours, floral motifs and a kind of retro optimism dominate the halls. Yet the most compelling moments are found away from the expected. The real pleasure lies in discovering smaller, distinctly Swedish voices — a Sámi woven throw, emerging studios still finding their place, designers working close to material and place.

This is where Formex can play an important role. My only advice for Formex would just that. Lean further into these unique, local perspectives — and small-scale, characterful design.

I give Formex a 3 out of 5.

Sami throws from Sami Stories produced by Klippan.

What’s not to love?? Small dog vases by Wikholm Form. Love.

Flowers

Handpainted flowers were seen everywhere. Affari, Miljögården and Olsson Jensen.

And of course these ceramic vases we have seen at other fairs.

Embroidery

I saw a lot of embroidery on everything from napkins to tablecloth. It signals Mediterranean retro. Here from Chamois, but also seen at Axling. And of course at Miljögården.

Are olives the new lemon?

In this Mediterranean retro trend, we have seen a lot of lemons and various kinds of citrus. I still see that, but also olives now. Here at Miljögården.

Paddywax at Hippie De Luxe.

Karl Fredrik Gustavsson

But there is also a hint of cherry tomatoes. Are they the pattern for 2027?

Inlägget Formex winter 2026 dök först upp på Trendstefan.