by Marvin Sasha [ August 27th, 2007 ]

As authors and maintainers of the largest Italian furniture exhibition on-line (10000 products and 130 producers) we have the signals of what’s happening on the international market: the new releases (new trends) and the most requested products (production trends by quotes requested to the producers).

Our content is a wide range exhibition, from the rustic wood chair and the most exclusive luxury hand crafted wooden cabinet to the minimal design plastic chair or table and from the office work area to the patio furniture. Audience, by different typology of users is wide, but not so wide, though. Main source of quote requests are the interior designers and architects, or the restaurant owners directly (bars and hotels included). However these users have very different taste and feeling among each other. Additionally, owners and designers have opposite demands, usually what is beautiful for the ones is awful for the others or what is expensive do not always fit with the budget.

The same havoc comes with world areas. For example, you think that the Arabians like the hand crafted unique pieces of classic luxury while you find that products in the Las Vegas Casino Hotels quotations. Demand is very far from what we are suggested or accustomed to see on the main furniture trend magazines. Actually, for instance, there is no evidence that the modern linear design, so often printed in the architecture articles is the final choice, nor for the mass nor for the Contract. Everything seem to be upside down when you get in touch with the mass demand. Glamour is definitely for the few and does not establish a trend. Trend is definitely after the production value, and famous designers are very rarely interpreters of it.

Design (famous firms) production might be the only reference for architects or interior designers but at last what is selling is totally different. Maybe for they’re simply too niche or expensive, maybe for they’re too far from the mass culture and impossible to buy from those who like it, but what we see as the real trend is not what published on the most influential furniture magazines, but a more flexible and user friendly product, often not even seen on the paper. While we have to reckon extreme design is good for image or glamour, it is not the guide to the mass production. See what you find in the restaurant you go on Saturday night, or the one you go on vacation to Mexico or Australia.

Best example is what you see in TV shows in Italy. Yes design but no expensive design, anymore.
See the below prods for example:
http://www.chairs.ws/armchair%20furniture_arm%20chairs_chairs%20reception-4965p.htm
http://www.chairs.ws/armchair%20furniture_arm%20chairs_chairs%20reception-4972p.htm
http://www.chairs.ws/bar%20stools%20swivel_lift%20chairs_adjustable%20bar%20stool-12983p.htm
http://www.chairs.ws/armchair%20design_arm%20chairs-14706p.htm

Extreme design is great only if the product goes wherever, not only to stores’ showroom. However, considering how many furniture store we have all over the world it may be a worth business, eventually.

To get an idea of the most viewed (not the most requested) products on our platform simply go to the Top 100 furniture chart:
http://www.chairs.ws/furniture-top100.htm

To see the design products that meet the mass demand shape and material taste, go to the Top 100 design chart:
http://www.chairs.ws/design-furniture-top100.htm

Note many of the products are in both charts. What they have in common are the simplicity of the shape, materials (most plastic and metal) and above all the functionality. People look for multifunctional and innovative products and this seem to be the real trend beyond the glamour for the front page magazine. Kitchen and dining room are probably the main destination, but restaurants come along.

This article may seem a critic to famous firms, and top famous designers, but it is not. Without them we probably won’t explore new forms and shapes and material applications. However, if those firms and designers would be available to the mass on more reachable media, they probably will have more influential power and consequentially huge selling. But they don’t want to mix with, in the believeth that staying one feet above the others is a sign of evidence, distinction, while they do not realize the 99,9% of the world population choose for the product not for the signature beyond it, for that they don’t even know it exists.

Marvin Sasha
CEO at IDFdesign Srl - Italy