Softer colour palates represented at design show

Ruche Sofa by Ligne Roset. Photo / www.designfolio.co.nz

Publisher of Design Folio Magazine Claire Sullivan is at the Salone del Mobile design fair in Milan. Check back throughout the week for her updates on the latest trends.

Today, in what felt like record numbers of people, the crowds descended upon the Fiera Pavillions in Milan to see what the biggest names in global furniture manufacturing had on offer.

The fairgrounds can feel quite bewildering with the sheer magnitude of furniture on display. In the early 2000s it was not uncommon for each manufacturer's presentation to deliver bigger, and brighter pieces of furniture than their competition.

On show today however, was a more realistic interpretation of beautiful form following function, all created in the softest of colour palettes, from duck egg blues to pinky beiges and creams.

Perhaps we're all a little quieter after the recent economic gloom - with the softer colours reflecting our softer approach.

It seems we can say farewell to the bolder times of the past - at least for a while.

* Claire Sullivan also has a design blog at designfolio.co.nz.