imm cologne

On 22nd January 2012, the imm cologne and LivingInteriors drew to a close in Cologne with a very good result. For seven days, 1,157 companies from 54 countries showed the interior design trends of the coming year. Including estimates for the last day of the show, the trade fair duo lured 115,000 visitors to Cologne. “Cologne is the key business platform for the global furniture economy – as this trade fair has once again impressively demonstrated,” sums up Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse. “This year we were bang on course. We had more exhibitors, were more international – the Italian contingent was stronger than it had been for a long time – and visitors got to see lots of genuinely new products. All in all, a result like this means we are again playing at the very top of the furniture sector’s premier league,” continues Böse.

With his statement “This year’s furniture fair exceeded our expectations yet again,” Dirk Uwe Klaas, Chief Executive of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (Verband der Deutschen Möbelindustrie), came to a similar conclusion. “With this kind of momentum, 2012 may well be a very good year for furniture- and as far as Germany is concerned, our furniture industry may well become the engine that drives consumption,” adds the Chief Executive.

A total of 115,000 visitors came to the metropolis on the Rhine – 14 percent more than at the last comparable event in 2010, even without LivingKitchen. With foreign visitors accounting for 42 percent (based on the trade visitor days), the imm cologne was once again a very international trade fair. Firstly, there were far more buyers from Europe, especially from the Russian Federation and Italy, and secondly, there was a slight increase in the number of visitors from North America and Asia. The Public Days were also very well attended. Around 40,000 consumers came to seek inspiration from the interior worlds on show. “We see this result as proof that our many and varied activities, aimed not only at national and international trade visitors but at consumers as well, have been successful,” says Katharina C. Hamma, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse. “The imm cologne 2012 has thus established itself as an order-writing and information platform,” continues the COO.

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The countdown has started: in just a little more than a month from now, the next imm cologne will be opening its doors. From 16th to 22nd January 2012, everybody who’s anybody will be presenting themselves in Cologne again. From international basics in living room and bedroom furniture to young lifestyles and the self-assembly segment, mattresses and sleeping systems, upholstered furniture, modern living-room, bathroom and solid wood furniture, furniture for kids and sophisticated interior design concepts, all the way to the premium and high-end segment – all of it will be on show in Cologne. For the first time, the extensive range of products covered by the “biggest furniture store in the world” will be extended even further, thanks to the numerous providers from the bathroom, flooring, wall coverings and lighting segments who will be exhibiting at the new parallel event LivingInteriors. weiterlesen…

Retro is a trend – there’s nothing new about that. For some years now, the aesthetics of fashion, design and architecture have been turning to the shapes and styles of past eras. Even so, new variations on this trend are evolving all the time: wallpaper manufacturers have realised the appeal of retro motifs and are integrating them into their collections.

Big lines and circles in loud colours are typical of retro wallpapers. Several vibrant shades are often used together in one motif to create striking colour combinations. But there are also wallpapers on the market for amateur decorators who are less keen to experiment. Single-colour motifs on a light background, for instance, are a good start for retro novices. weiterlesen…

In January, Cologne will once again become the temporary design capital of Europe. But the design highlights aren’t restricted to the booked-out exhibition grounds – throughout the city, the trade visitors and design aficionadas who flock to Cologne from all over the world can look forward to a host of fascinating product presentations and exhibitions from the international design scene.

One of the biggest solo exhibitors is lifestyle label Esprit, which will be presenting its latest Home Collection at Cologne’s new event location “The New Yorker Dock.One” to coincide with the imm cologne. As in previous years, the MAKK (Museum of Applied Art), one of the city’s biggest design institutions, will also be showing an exhibition during the imm cologne, this time about exclusive furniture designed by architects over the last 100 years: “From Aalto to Zumthor”. And at another event that traditionally takes place in the cathedral city at the start of the imm cologne and can almost be considered an institution in its own right, renowned interior design and architecture magazine “Architektur & Wohnen” will be honouring an influential designer personality with its “Designer of the Year” award. weiterlesen…

Following the end of the early booking period, Koelnmesse is looking ahead to imm cologne 2012 with optimism. Already, more than 200 days before the event, the rental situation is 18 percent above the figures for the same period for the last imm cologne. Overall, over 70 percent of the hall space has been hired out.

“This result marks a seamless transition from the outstanding imm cologne 2011″, remarks Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse, with regard to the registration figures. “Developments in relation to international participation are particularly pleasing. As well as huge demand from Germany, we have seen increased desire for space from Italy, France and Spain”, continues the CEO.

Frank Haubold, director of imm cologne, had the following to say: “The current developments confirm imm cologne as an important international business event. Anyone wanting to earn money through furniture turns to Germany and thus to imm cologne as the biggest event in this market.” LivingInteriors, the new trade fair format for halls 4 and 5, is also awaited with great excitement. Here, everything will revolve around the topics of bathrooms, floors, walls and light.

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