Preview of international furniture fair IMM 2020 is about living more sustainably and comfortably

Cologne · How sustainable is your furniture? Everyone probably has something made of good old wood at home - so you're already right on trend. This is the initial impression from the IMM international furniture fair in Cologne.

 Two wooden chairs and a table which can be seen at the Cologne International Furniture and Interiors Fair IMM.

Two wooden chairs and a table which can be seen at the Cologne International Furniture and Interiors Fair IMM.

Foto: dpa-tmn/Petr Krejci

Sustainability, there was something about that! What some call the Greta effect has also had an impact on the furnishing industry. It finally has a chance to sell something that it has been promoting strongly for years: furniture produced in a more sustainable and environmentally conscious manner.

Many manufacturers have long had such furniture in their product range. But so far, sustainability has often not been a purchasing argument. And usually sustainable products are only suitable for financially stronger buyer groups. So what is also plaguing the food industry applies: You have to be able to afford organic, environmentally conscious and sustainable products.

But this is now changing more and more. Because there are movements like Fridays for Future, and according to Ursula Geismann of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM), there is a real interest on the part of consumers.

"People are aware that it's not only governments and NGOs that have to do something, but also themselves in the private sphere," says the furniture expert. "My thesis is therefore: We will experience a phase in which sustainability will be privatized."

Visible wood comes back

Geismann asked around before the most important German furniture show about what the manufacturers want to show in Cologne. The result: "Wood is experiencing a renaissance."

Trend analyst Gabriela Kaiser also says: "The trend towards wood will only really take hold in 2020. Furniture, for example, which only had small wooden parts, will increasingly bear visible elements of it. One example: sofas with a wooden back side. And: "Wooden armrests are a completely new trend," says Kaiser.

Scandinavian and Japanese borrowings

IMM spokesman Markus Majerus expects that the design language of the furniture and the colors of the entire interior will also symbolize sustainability. "We will see lots of soft beige and light brown. Blue is also a huge theme," the trend expert explains. "I also expect a clear trend towards minimalism, we will see less opulent furniture."

Scandinavia in particular stands for this style in the furniture world. According to Majerus, another country has recently become a source of inspiration for designers: Japan.

"But I don't expect Japanese design to be recognizable in our market," adds Majerus. "The designers only use the purist and minimalist design language - combined with the warmth that Scandinavian design exudes."

Age-appropriate furniture is transformed into comfortable living

More than ever before, furniture designers are also looking at age-appropriate furniture such as adjustable armchairs or beds with a higher base. So far there has been one hurdle: Building for senior citizens was considered unsexy. A designer who specialized in this area could not, it was assumed, have a stylish image.

And so up to now, at trade fairs such as IMM, you hardly ever saw furniture suitable for the elderly. "Things are now slowly turning around," reports Geismann. Today, companies are making such furniture more attractive. "People have finally realized that taste doesn't suddenly change at age 70."

The new, more attractive furniture for senior citizens now also comes under a new, more appealing name: comfort living. "That's certainly something that will appeal to all generations," says Geismann. After all, who doesn't appreciate an armchair or a sofa element that can be brought into a comfortable reclining position at the touch of a button?

Orig. text: Simone Andrea Mayer, dpa
Translation: ck

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