Cologne 2002

Annual exhibition of furniture in Cologne: new technologies, new silhouettes, new collections of leading figures of the furniture market in Central and Northern Europe

Passing the gallery

Materials prepared: Natalya Sedyakina

Magazine: (Specific) 2002

In Central and Northern Europe, furniture market luminaries do not strive to make a pebble chair or a dining table with a hundred legs, as is the case in Milan. Long established and firmly established in the market of "burgher" demand, German, Swiss and French companies only improve the already existing corporate styling and from time to time entertain the public with this or that new product. In the new collections, in accordance with the theory of Carl Jung about the collective unconscious, from time to time something common can be traced - then this “common” is declared the trend of the year. But, alas, this year, the luminaries of the furniture market did not want to discover the general tendency and fought for the “audience award”, each relying on his own concept. The INTERLUBKE collection, made in the style of radiant white minimalism, approaching a rather hospital style, aroused general interest. Opinions about this collection were polar: someone perceived it as a sign of the decline of corporate creativity, someone, on the contrary, as the peak of design. However, the INTERLUBKE wardrobe was unanimously recognized as the best "dressing" of the year. The new model of the bed was also distinguished by its stylishly unassuming appearance and extraordinary convenience: the consultants of the company were pleased to demonstrate the supernova orthopedic lattice under the mattress (left photo). Next to this wonderful bed you could see an unusually cozy bedside table made of felt, tied in the middle with a thin pad. COR presented two new collections: Scroll (Design Studio Vertijet) and Folio (designers Alfred Klin and Gabriel Asman). Scroll sofas, produced with bright orange upholstery, fully justify their name ("Scroll"), because they can be fanned out, forming a semicircle. In addition, the Scroll backs are adjustable - they can be lowered, thus turning the sofa into a bed. Completely updated, CASSINA appeared, presenting the Blox and Big blox system and the four beds of the designer Hannes Wettstein. The first series was developed by two young German designers Jess and Laub (this is their first work for CASSINA). The silhouette of the armchairs and sofas is “based” on a cubic shape, famous also by Joseph Hoffman; in the upholstery applied technology "seams out", very popular now in the fashion world. One of the models of the bed of Hannes Wettstein deserves special attention. Its distinctive feature is that most of the elements are made using spectacular white lacquer - as in many modern kitchens (VARENNA, SNAIDERO). After CASSINA this year, Team by Wellis was also at the forefront in developing a “cubic” theme. Kurt Ernie's famous glass storage system is presented with a new content: colored polyester shelves shone with unearthly light through the walls of the glass container. All the shelves are of the same color, but color options are possible, including even silver. Even Kurt Ernie invented the ErQu table with a walnut veneer tabletop, the design of which over the past decade has become a kind of heraldic sign Team by Wellis. The star of the stand Misura Emme was the new model of the York door cabinet (Ennio Arosio design), which was created using the well-forgotten old technologies of the 60s, when the painted surface was covered with glass on top. The front movable panels of the ivory-colored cabinet are made with a glass surface and are effectively complemented by dark wenge handles; This wardrobe looks especially good in combination with the Vittorio bedroom (by the way, also new).FENDI CASA presented a new collection in which the “natural” color scheme prevails in various combinations: white, beige, cream, honey, chocolate, dark brown and black. Numerous bedspreads, blankets, pillows, and even furniture upholstery are often colored in different ways, but they always complement each other perfectly, both in color and in ornament. Pillows were especially popular at the exhibition. FENDI with sheep wool, which is very similar to branded boots, decorated in exactly the same way. Besides, FENDI decided, finally, to realize the long-cherished dream of Anna Fendi - to make upholstery of velveteen sofas. And the idea, no doubt, a success! In general, in the presented collections there are two or three successful items, or, as the designers call them, shining star. It is they who most attract attention. And it rarely happens when the entire collection "succeeds." This year we just had the opportunity to observe such a case: the LIGNE ROSET collection became the star of the Cologne exhibition (and Paris too). Having come up with a comprehensive program, the company practically did not leave a single corner in the house without “embracing” it with its creative care. Peter Mali has developed a special program for the Lumeo bedrooms with regular geometric shapes, in the style of the leading "designer" hotels. Didier Gomez designed the Annaba sofa bed, featuring extraordinary seat depth and extraordinary comfort. The best model in the entire exhibition was the Tolozan chair (designer Eric Jordan).

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