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.

Inlägget Light & Building 2026 dök först upp på Trendstefan.

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.

Like much of the design and architectural industry, flooring has been feeling the weight of recession—perhaps even more. Still, Domotex has remained a dominant platform, showcasing beautifully crafted floors from traditional wood strongholds such as Sweden, alongside carpets and artisanal workmanship from across the globe. In recent years, however, the carpet sector has partially shifted its focus, favouring fairs in the Middle East and flirting with the broader textile universe at Heimtextil. These changes ultimately led Domotex to adopt a biennial rhythm rather than an annual one.

Now, it is back—very much so.

In 2026, the atmosphere felt distinctly optimistic. The halls were busy, humming with conversation and money. It was, without question, the most crowded fair I’ve attended so far this year—and yes, I’ve already been to five.

Before diving into the content, a moment of perspective: compared to its former glory, Domotex is physically smaller. I am comparing my notes from the last edition. This year counted around 500 exhibitors, down from 1,000 in 2024. On paper, that sounds like a contraction. In reality, it didn’t feel that way at all. The halls were full, the energy tangible, and if crowdedness is any indication, a great deal of business was done.

Smaller, perhaps—but focused, lively, and confidently back in the room.

I was in conversation with Domotex last year, and they shared their idea of moving from floor to more the concept of “finishes”. So, not the actual architecture or furniture but perhaps handles, wall paint, why not windows… Another idea was to make a section for store owners. A fair like Domotex could be a meeting point for store owners to meet paint suppliers, etc, etc. A small section of that came to live this year. So when you see a brand like Farrow&Ball, this is the section that sells paint to stores. Not straight to architects or interior designers.

I was invited to do a keynote seminar on what I call “new connectivity”. And a panel to talk about the future of influencers.

Herringbone

Walking around a fair like this is quite difficult for me. It is very technical and engineerdriven. Huge focus on water resistant floor. Not sure what to do with that information… But I did see some things. Of course herringbone will continue.

There has already been talk about floor to look more diverse and “natural” and absolutely so here as well.

I could see some colouring too.

Herringbone but in a different direction.

Also herringbone plank but laid differently.

Blue for floors

Blue stood out as a new colour. Last time I talked about black floors, but I absolutely saw hints of blue in the floors.

Is it black or blue?? Well, I would say a hint of blue at least

Art floors

Maybe not completely new – but fun. I saw a lot of floor with intricate layouts. Love that. I guess not super commercial – but cool.

Metals in floors

An interesting feature that could potentially grow big. At a few suppliers I saw wood floor with brass inlays. Nice.

The square

My job is try to spot early shifts and I think perhaps the classical square could come back.

Carpets

There weren’t that many carpet exhibitors at the fair, but what I could read from what I saw, I noticed this kind of fluffy fur feeling.

Inlägget Domotex 2026 dök först upp på Trendstefan.

The design industry, unsurprisingly, is still feeling the long shadow of recent years of recession. This tension manifests itself in two parallel impulses: an almost exaggerated optimism, and a noticeable hesitation to take real risks. The result? A collective retreat into the comfort of the familiar. Retro, in particular, is taking the center stage.

Remember back five or six years ago, when everything was raw, wobbly, earthy—steeped in Japandi restraint and handmade imperfection. Today, the mood has shifted. Pink and pastels, ceramics all over, and cheerful declarations such as “I love my life” smile out from every surface. A reassuring aesthetic, perhaps—but one that says as much about the times as it does about our appetite for bold new ideas.

In conclusion I give M&O a four out of five. It is good. It is relevant. It is one of the big ones. Now over to the actual trends.

Who needs something new?

There are some major installations and exhibitions at the fair to inspire the visitor towards a new retail future. And I feel a bit puzzled by this installation by “Designer of the Year” – Harry Nuriev – at M&O. I love it. I really do. I think Harry Nuriev is pushing boundaries in the design world.

But what is this?

A room spraypainted in silver and covered in aluminum foil?? It leaves you with more questions than guidance. But perhaps this is what we need? I wish we had more text to read, explaining this. But sure. It is in a culture where we don’t want to buy anything new. Get it at a thrift store and spraypaint it.

Taste queen Elisabeth Leriche has made proper trend installations previous years. Not sure about this either. Ancient mosaic floors with odd shaped furniture…

It’s a retro, retro world

Looking at these pictures it is of course easy to say that this is kitsch and camp. And it is. But it is also accessible and a bit fun. Compared to the grey seriousness of five year’s ago, this could be likeable.

However. This is such a dominant and fast growing trend that I think we will soon be tired of it. I am sure this will sell summer of 2026. A lot. But for how long?

And all these “hello” and “amour”… We will be done with this. Remember in the 90s when we had tableware with names of objects on the ceramics. A bowl that said “sallad” and another one that said “popcorn”. Where are they now?? These will soon join for the space at the end of the cupboard.

Oh, and authenticity??? The plate with the Portuguese expression “Bom Dia, Bonita” is actually from Turkey.

Pink glass

Time to look at trend themes found at Maison&Objet. And in no particular order. First out pink glass.

Here at &Klevering. This kind of pink glass stood out especially since it has a colder shade compared to the retro pink we have seen. Feels fresh and new.

Halle Mardahl

This throw with grey, blue and pink holds the same kind of cool pink.

Of course you saw the combination of pink, ochre and a bit of yellow/green. And I have that for my colour trends coming years, but I really must say that this “cold pink” was new and interesting.

Tubes

It feels like a memory from 2015-2016. At that time we made everything tubular. And I feel it is coming back. Pretty recently we we experimented with wooden rods in the same shape. Now it is metal or even glass/ceramics.

Above Valerie Objets that found inspiration from the subway rods.

I don’t know if we are heading into a “subway trend”, but fabrics brand Dedar also found the same colours and shapes but in textile. And inspirered by subway maps.

Plates

I am sure we will see clearer and more examples of this at Ambiente – but I think that we soon will see a reaction to the Mediterranean ceramics. Perhaps whiter and more distinct patterns. Here Serax.

Jonathan Adler

House of Capricorn

Bitossi Home.

This is new from Gien in the city.

I felt this strict pattern at Giobagnara kind of had the same aesthetics.

Chunky, ceramic flowers – and shoes?

There is something very appealling with these folklore flowers. Of course part of this Mediterranean trend. But lovely. Here at House of Capricorn.

Bitossi Home again.

Candle holders as flowers.

Above from &Klevering.

Bloomingville.

Similar flowers as &Klevering but at Bloomingville.

And just a note… Will this be a trend?? I saw a few ceramic shoes to put on display. Strange.

Inlägget Maison & Objet winter 2026 dök först upp på Trendstefan.

On paper, Heimtextil 2026 looked very much like last year. Roughly 3,000 exhibitors and 48,000 buyers—almost identical numbers, officially at least. Familiar scale, familiar buzz.

What was new, however, was the layout. Like many fairs these days, Heimtextil has embraced a reworked floor plan. I’m not against change—done right, a new layout can lead you to unexpected brands and pleasant surprises. That said, it did feel a bit disorienting at times, with more wandering than discovering.

Carpets and rugs, which came strong in the previous editions, were noticeably dialed down. They were still present, of course, just not with the same confidence or impact as in 2025. Hard flooring was almost entirely absent, which makes it clear that Heimtextil is doubling down on textiles rather than drifting into flooring territory. And wallpaper? Once a major player here—still little to be seen.

As for trends, yes, we’ll get into those. There was plenty to look at: a wide mix of colours, textures, and finishes. But one thing everyone seemed to agree on—the trend installation curated by the Alcova team was… not great. Bold idea, unfortunate execution.

Halls were busy with buyers. Not overcrowded but the exhibitors I talked to were happy.

I think in conclusion I would give Heimtextil a strong 3 of 5. Maybe 4. But I think I will stick to 3 because of the bad trend exhibitions.

More on the good, the bad, and the colourful below.

The trend installation by Alcova. Cold, distanced, no explanaiton, no context. Terrible.

One of the themes from the Alcova team was to talk about the influence of AI.

A second installation was done by Patricia Urquiola which combined AI with sustainability. Made from waste material and given organic AI shapes…

Tactility

If we should look into more details for the trends, then we should start with the obvious.

A lot is happening on the texture of the fabrics.

It is layered and pretty complex.

It can be part of the weaving or sowned on.

The picture just above is silk with woven “pimples”.

Rose, ocher and pink

As a trend expert I of course work with colours and colour charts. One of my colour trends is based on pink with a bit of “dirt” with it. This bready, darker yellow can be called ochre or even almond, but I saw a lot of this.

You can of course focus on a colder and more grey colour scale, but I really think that this warm ochre is nice.

It felt like almost everyone at Heimtextil had a version of this ochre.

It could be stand alone of with other colours.

Absolutely with proper brown.

Beautiful carpet.

With grey

But of course a lot of these more pink tones.

The chequered pattern

When it comes to patterns I am certain we will see experimentation with chequered versions. A play with tartan and nostalgia. Here a pattern from my dad’s shirt from the 80s.

I also think we will see attemps for a more “premium” or luxarious chequred print.

Same here. Is it related to the Louis Vuitton print??

Nostalgia

There was some – not a lot – of Mediterranean nostaglia. Some…

You could see it in colour combination. And I think this turquoise with orange is nice.

Beige and blue

Finally there was also a bit of blue. It is blue together with a dusty green, powder pink and fudge.

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Our route began in Florence, before boarding the so-called “Christmas train” to Arezzo, continuing on to Gubbio and eventually looping back to where we started. These were not destinations chosen for spectacle, but for what lies just out of view: small cities where traditions endure, local rhythms prevail and the season is marked more by ritual than display.

In between stops, we stayed at a vineyard, where meals were prepared by a nonna whose cooking needed no commentary. It was here, away from Christmas markets and curated experiences, that the story of our podcast truly took shape. Everything curated by a travel agency called Veyond.

Arriving in Florence.

Train station. Helena’s favourite train station in the world.

First stop was the town of Arezzo. We arrived on a Sunday and the town was full of market stands. Of course a lot of Christmas items but also plenty of vintage stands. Super lovely. These vintage figures for a nativity scene cost about 4 euro each.

Helena, my podcast partner.

Lunch. During our days in Umbria and Tuscany we could note that there isn’t a certain food for Christmas.

The town was very buys with locals. I am sure you wonder why. Of course it was a nice Christmas market and vintage fair, but it was also the day before a national holiday. December 8 is a church day associated with Maria, the mother of Jesus. Everyone in Italy is having a day off. And December 8 is the real start of Christmas. This is the day one puts up the Christmas tree.

A beautiful town that also is art of the movie Life is Beautiful.

Our journey also included a trip with the official “Christmas train”. As I understand this train goes between Rome and Munich and we travelled only a few hours on it. We got a Christmas compartment. Everyone got Italian panettone.

A bit blurry but taken from a car. We got off the train at Asissi but moved forward straight to Gubbio. This evening is the start of Christmas and of course also the opportunity when they light the Christmas tree in the town of Gubbio.

The Christmas tree is a big deal. On several levels. The outline of the tree is build on a mountain and approx 800 meters high. This makes the tree “Tallest Christmas Tree in the World”. One can climb the top of the mountain and walk in the “tree” among the lights.

Gubbio is a quaint town. For my Swedish readers – it’s like Visby but on three levels. Very medevial.

We stayed for two nights at this lovely vinyard called Semonte Winery Resort.

But since we are on a tour “off the beaten track” we also got to visit a sustainable vineyard and do a bit of wine tasting over lunch.

Back to Gubbio. This is a wonderful medevial town. It has been voted as “most beautiful medieval town” in Italy.

This is the town where Franciscus of Asissi converted a wolf, according to legend.

The town is also full of lifesize mannequins. Around 200 figures are put out in the town.

Before the sun really set we decided to take a skilift up to the mountain where the tree lights were.

Standing skilifts.

And back for some mulled wine before dinner.

Dinner with Italians at a Nonna’s home.

Day three we got up and took the car to Florence. I had one mandatory stop on my list. Officina Profumo Santa Maria Novella. I love that perfume and soap store.

And of course we went to see the official Christmas trees outside of the dome.

And lastly. My dear Swedes, you will not believe this… Earlier in this text I mentioned that I learned that December 8 is important for Italians. But another thing we learnt was about “befana”. Read about her on Wikipedia here. She is a bit of a witch that comes to clean out Christmas on January 6th. And for us Swedes she looks exactly like an “Easter witch”, doesn’t she?

Anyway. Christmas in Italy was amazing. I was of course glad to see a bit of the “off the beaten track”. I want to go back to the vintage market at Arezzo, and see more of the beautiful town of Gubbio. And we didn’t have time for Assisi. More of that next time.

And of course, it was great to have our Italian guides with us all the time so we could ask and explore.

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Swedes have long adored Austrian designer Josef Frank, and we have an equally devoted relationship with the country’s café culture. A few years back, I staged an exhibition on Austrian design in my gallery, which gave me time to sink into the world of bentwood fantasies and forward-thinkers. Austria thrives on that interplay of old-world craftsmanship and avant-garde curiosity. After all, this is the birthplace of Thonet and Swarovski, and home to heritage treasures like Lobmeyr. Yet it’s also a playground for experimental studios like Mischer’Traxler.

Our trip to Austria started in Vienna for a few days.

Our trip began in Vienna, a city that wears its beauty lightly but confidently. The streets are immaculate—almost suspiciously so.

When you’ve visited a few times, you return to your familiar haunts: American Bar by Adolf Loos, one of Austria’s architectural crown jewels. Still wonderful, still crowded. This time, I carved out pockets of “me time.”

In the city’s commercial heart, you’ll find Austrian institutions like Lobmeyr—think of it as Vienna’s answer to Orrefors. Their delicately hand-painted glasses are the sort of things that take up residence in carefully curated shops like Svenskt Tenn in Stockholm. Their new collection, a collaboration with Laila Gohar, bridges heritage with playful modernity.

These handpainted glasses can be found at fancy stores like Svenskt Tenn in Stockholm.

This is from their latest collection. A collaboration between Laila Gohar and Lobmeyr.

Vienna, being Vienna, serves a constant diet of culture. Marina Abramović exhibitions, the deep wells of art history at the Leopold Museum, the grandeur of the Belvedere—it’s all there, all the time. And yes, the Christmas markets are as charming as the postcards insist. Only in Austria, perhaps, do you stumble upon vending machines that dispense tiny artworks for two euros.

Art history at Leopold Museum

And Belvedere.

I was also invited to join a seminar exploring the relationship between Eastern and Western Europe—a reminder that Vienna, beneath its decorative veneer, is forever a crossroads. Between wienerschnitzel pit stops and design-store wanderings (Die Sellerie deserves the hype), the days filled themselves.

Me at the seminar.

Wienerschnitzel and friends.

These paper piece are gilded and actually from Dresden but I bought some anyway.

Design stores like Die Sellerie on my list of places to check out.

After two days in Vienna we moved over to Salzburg to meet up with my podcast partner Helena Lyth.  We are here to explore this town and experience Christmas. All for our podcast about this lovely season.

It didn’t take long before we met one of the season’s more… striking characters: Krampus. A horned, red, unnervingly gleeful figure who accompanies Saint Nikolaus. Sometimes he’s pitch black, sometimes pale, but always alarming. And yet Salzburg’s children behave around him as if he were just another mall Santa with… sharper accessories.

Our first excursion took us to Hellbrunn, a manor about fifteen minutes outside the city center. If my memory serves me, parts of The Sound of Music were filmed here. The estate is beautiful, the Christmas market equally so—fairytale material with a slightly surreal edge.

Back in the city, we found a museum entirely dedicated to Christmas. Yes, an entire museum. Salzburg commits to the season with an admirable sense of purpose. In the Old Town, Christkindl—the big Christmas market—glows in the shadow of the surrounding baroque buildings.

Just in Old Town is the large Christmas marked Christkindl.

We ended our visit at Salzburg and Austria at the castle. Almost 1000 years old it sits and overlooks the city and the Alps.

From the castle you can see the Christmas market.

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This time, I came for a seminar on creativity and design — a fitting theme for a country where design isn’t just a trend but a quiet force of national identity. Portugal may not boast Europe’s biggest design week, but it’s one of its great workshops: a place where production, craft, and artistry meet. And then, of course, there’s Lisbon’s irresistible charm, which continues to lure the global creative crowd on their so-called “working holidays.” Who hasn’t been seduced by this city, tiled facades, its sense of authenticity?

I come so often that I rarely feel the need to “report” from Lisbon anymore. Flicking through my old notes, I realised my last proper dispatch was quite a while ago. So here’s a short update — a snapshot, really — of what’s new and noteworthy.

Last December, I arrived chasing a bit of festive atmosphere. I revisited favourites like Depozito for a dose of vintage treasure-hunting, then wandered down Rua de São Bento — better known as “Yellow Street” — where a cluster of young designers are shaping Lisbon’s next creative district. Among the city’s newer landmarks, the design museum was freshly opened, Kengo Kuma’s striking new building for Gulbenkian had just been unveiled, and even Zara’s concept store in Rossio hinted at a shift in how retail design meets the local aesthetic.

Snap shots from last year.

Lovely cafes in Lisbon.

The new retail concept by Zara. Local pastries and cafe to make people come to the store.

The new design museum is an old bank.

The new entrance by Kengo Kuma for Gulbenkian.

Of course always a must – Depozito. One of my favourite stores in the whole world.

And just a glimpse at one of the stores at Rua dos Poiais de Sao Bento – which is this district of emerging designers. I think this might be the Kintu Store. Could be a neighbour…

And of course – vintage shopping. Love classical Portuguese glasses. But not telling you where. It’s my secret.

So, 2025. How was it? Of course always nice. It is getting a bit more and more touristic. I talked to some locals at the conference I was attending, and the Portugese have a mixed emotion about their capital. It is getting expensive and we have all read about how Airb’n’b is taking over. One guy actually said “it feels like going to another country”, when he was talking about Lisbon. And I get that… But even when it is crowded with tourists – it is still very nice.

First stop was MAAT, the contemporary art museum designed by Zaha Hadid. It’s always nice. Also by the river. It doesn’t matter so much what they are showing. It is a nice venue.

After that I stopped at newly opened private collection at MACAM. They have a fun concept. They have a small hotel inside the museum, so basically you could stay overnight with art. Unfortunately the rooms looked soooooooooo white and boring so I skipped it. But nice concept.

Then lunch at terrible, terrible LX Factory. It is touristy, terrible, bad and horrible. Don’t go.

A taxi ride to the best design gallery in the city. It is called Made In Situ and founded by Noe Duchaufour-Lawrance, who is French but lives in Lisbon.

They made a collection based on stones from the Duoro valley. They had carvings and it reminded me of my Scandinavian rune stones.

And a stop at the design museum MUDE.

And here I got to see one of the most beautiful design exhibitions I have ever seen. It was based on Vivienne Westwood but in these bank vaults.

Amazing

As a bonus, I got to see a graphical design exhibition about a designer who was very active in the 80s and 90s. Love, love, love. His name is Joao Machado and he reminds me of Japanese designer Fukada.

After a long day of walking, I headed ot for dinner.

There is a kind of “secret” place worth visiting. Pretty close to where all the tourist restaurants are, you find Casa do Alentejo. Super local. It used to be sort of the “embassy” for people of region Alentejo. They could come here for a decent meal for a cheap price. Very local. Super lovely.

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