MAISON&OBJET 2020 (RE)GENERATION!

Casalgrande Padana will be at MAISON&OBJET between 17 and 21 January 2020!

Hall 6 Sector TODAY SIGNATURE Stands O112 – P111

Parc des expositions Paris Nord Villepinte

The 2020 edition of MAISON&OBJET will see the home and design trade fair celebrate its 25th anniversary. The theme of the event will be the habits of a new generation of consumers and the impact these are having on the lifestyle and home design sector.

by Sara Costi

Let’s have a look at the changing purchasing and consumer habits of millennials – people born in the 1980s and 1990s. This demographic now accounts for a significant slice of the market, in Italy and around the world.

The internet remains the most popular resource for searching for items and brands and when looking for information on products, while Instagram is the biggest social network when it comes to getting to know the latest developments, choosing a style and drawing inspiration from the hottest trends. Word of mouth is the biggest factor in how opinions are formed, while physical showrooms and professionals such as architects and interior designers are considered crucial to encouraging people to make a final decision and purchase a product.

The home of the future is sophisticated, green and smart

The values and requirements of the new generations are matched by new purchasing methods. The rise in smart working has ushered in a new mindset as regards the domestic space, where homes are no longer simply private spaces dedicated to rest and family – they are increasingly used as workspaces too, requiring them to be organised and furnished accordingly. This need to satisfy the requirements of all members of the family has led to a change in mentality in the way domestic spaces are designed, to make sure that the home reflects the tastes of the man of the house too, with the woman no longer the only voice when it comes to evaluating and deciding on furnishings.

Customisation is proving to be a key service when it comes to choosing furniture, while design plays a fundamental role too. Yet the most en vogue trend right now is an approach based on mixing and matching expensive and bargain pieces which can be switched around again at a later date. Industrial influences are paired with more contemporary accents, with colours and fabrics originating from different areas and eras, to create an imperfect yet highly stylish aesthetic effect.

Millennials are also very well-informed about the green economy and social responsibility. They carefully inspect the materials and production processes used for products they buy and are likely to be willing to invest in order to create a “smart home” featuring innovative automated technology. And while a key purpose of this is to reduce energy consumption and waste, it also serves to simplify domestic life, combining comfort with increased security.

The preferred home furnishing trends of millennials

The homes of the new generations are spaces characterised by personal items which reflect the identity of the people that live there: minimalist prints, personalised details, LED signs on the walls, decorations in chrome-plated finishes and copper light fittings. The colour that best represents millennials is a powder pink shade which is widely used for walls throughout the home, while one of the key requirements for many millennials is the need to bring a bit of the great outdoors into the house in the form of a mini garden or copious potted house plants.

Flooring and walls: R- Evolution Light Pink

Walls: Limpha Arborea

Walls:Limpha Helix

Flooring: Pietra Baugè Beige 20mm laid on gravel

Despite the popularity of modern, contemporary styles, one of the most popular materials used in home furnishing is the timelessly elegant marble. As well as for flooring, marble is also used for kitchen worktops, desks, tables and other tops. With classic veining standing out against a white background and the subtle tones once used to stunning effect by the great Tuscan masters, marble will remain one of the undisputed protagonists of the future of home design.

Flooring and walls: Marmoker Statuario Oro

Flooring: Marmoker Grafite – Walls: Marmoker Statuario Grigio