With the concept for “Das Haus” and its choice of designers so far – Doshi Levien in 2012, Luca Nichetto in 2013 – the imm cologne has underscored just how seriously it takes its goal of an “interior design” fair that depicts a wide range of different product lines. And Luca Nichetto’s interpretation of “Das Haus” was impressive proof that this is a format for the interior design discipline to take seriously – perhaps the first of its kind at such a major furnishing fair.

What the designers of our times dream about
“Das Haus” is an exhibition format which gives a different creative each year the space to turn an independent, very personal interior design into reality. Up until now interior designers have needed a commission to do that, a house and a client who is open to their tastes and new ideas. On top of that, the work has to satisfy requirements of a very practical and technical nature as well. “Das Haus” liberates the creative from these prerequisites and is therefore a recurring experiment that permits maximum freedom. “Das Haus” thus finally provides an answer to the question as to how the great designers of our times would like to live.

An authentic example of contemporary interior culture
Despite the forward-looking concept, which focused on Luca Nichetto’s ideas about green living, the 2013 edition of “Das Haus” was again very much anchored in the here and now and provided concrete suggestions for contemporary interior design. The Venetian designer mastered the challenge in exemplary fashion – with an abundance of details, elegance and great sensitivity for the harmony between the various spaces and colours. Nothing in “Das Haus” looked stiff or artificial: most visitors could have envisaged moving in on the spot. At the same time, the designer succeeded in generating new conceptual impetus with his idea of a “Slow House” (Slow Food + House = Slow House). With the help of product designer Luca Nichetto, the discipline of interior design went a long way towards emancipating itself from the dominance of furniture design in Cologne this January.

An (almost) real house in the midst of Pure Village
In Pure Village, interested visitors and design enthusiasts who happened to be passing stumbled across a little gem on a platform measuring 180 m², slightly hidden between the cubes that created a diversified neighbourhood around “Das Haus”: the architecture of a home that carried its gardens in its walls – in the form of approx. 350 planted pots integrated into an outer facade that was interrupted by light-filled gaps. Big windows drew visitors’ gaze into the open, inviting interior of a fully furnished house scenography, rather like an authentic bungalow that had been set down in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the trade fair. It almost came as a surprise that “Das Haus” wasn’t actually inhabited by real-life occupants.

But was it really uninhabited? Not quite. Throughout the first four days of the fair, at least, visitors could encounter the designer in his “own four walls”. If it had been possible, he said, he would have liked to cook and entertain guests in his “house” as well. Luca Nichetto had given careful consideration to every single detail of the interior design, from the colours and materials all the way to the furnishings, the plants used for the loggia, room dividers and living areas, the carefully selected works of art and even the pots and pans, ashtrays and paperweights.

1,200 products, 650 accessories, 400 plants, 95 designers, 85 manufacturers
A total of 1,200 products were used, including around 400 flower pots and 650 accessories. Koelnmesse went to great lengths to organise the everyday things and design objects from 85 manufacturers. Some of the items were borrowed, others purchased, and they ranged in value from one to as much as 25,000 euros. What the Venetian designer had in mind was a synthesis of the arts in which new design meets old, in which different design cultures come together and contemporary living is combined with a sustainable approach to nature. Although most of the furniture on show originated from Luca Nichetto’s studio, a great many other designers were represented too: “Das Haus” featured objects by no fewer than 95 designers and was thus anything but a one-man show.

Luca Nichetto: “The plan worked out”
“I’m very happy with the result of ‘Das Haus’,” says Luca Nichetto, taking stock of the weeks of hard work that he, his team and his partners from the imm cologne put into the project. “Everything I’d planned materialised – in the form of a house that I would like to live in.” The imm cologne has good reason to be pleased with the result as well. “Das Haus” met with a very good reception across the board, and at times – especially during the Public Days – the stream of visitors even had to be limited due to the big crowds and the richly detailed features of the architecture the trade fair builders had constructed. And yet surprisingly little was lost or broken – little short of a miracle in view of all the glass items and little treasures that were on show, including a number of Nymphenburg porcelain figurines. The only explanation would seem to be that visitors to “Das Haus” spontaneously felt at home and treated the work of the designer who was “hosting” them with respect.

Realistic, innovative and trend-conscious
As Creative Director of the imm cologne, Dick Spierenburg has been closely involved with the project right from the start – and is more than satisfied with the second instalment of the still-young design format: “When I saw the finished and furnished ‘Haus’ for the first time on the Sunday, the first impression was overwhelming! The house was so lifelike, so inviting and yet so innovative that I was totally surprised. Even the design of the facade was fascinating: parts of it were totally open, whereas other parts had subtle slits, not to mention all the greenery. The interior was divided into nine areas and managed to be functional and pleasant at the same time, without the usual walls but with clear distinctions all the same,” says the Netherlands-born designer, summing up the main features of “Das Haus 2013″.

“Das Haus” gives interior designers a great deal of food for thought. Even the colour concept is inspiring: it combines Scandinavian-like shades of wood with oak, light greys and an atmospheric greyish blue, coupled with terracotta, rose pink and a soft rich yellow – all of them nuances that allude to Canaletto’s views of Venice, made tangible by means of a colour palette defined by NCS codes. And last but not least, there is the space concept and the suggestions for living surrounded by greenery.

Inspiring mix of Scandinavian simplicity and Italian elegance
In terms of style, it was also striking that Nichetto – like Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien the year before – did not choose to adopt a puristic direction. Whereas Doshi Levien’s design was deliberately dominated by multicultural influences, Luca Nichetto arranged his mix of stringently shaped furniture, opulent luminaires, playful elements and elegant soloists on an equal footing with design classics from various eras, all of it set in a harmonious, cosy ambience that sometimes came across as elegantly reserved, sometimes fresh. The fusion of Scandinavian simplicity and Italian elegance works surprising well and no doubt stems from Nichetto’s roots in the two great design traditions of Europe. Besides his studio in Venice, the designer has been running a second office in Stockholm since 2011 – a base for his collaboration with various Scandinavian brands.

For the imm cologne, the most gratifying quality of “Das Haus 2013″ is no doubt that it is based on a different concept than the previous year’s edition without abandoning the format per se. “Das Haus – Interiors on Stage” has thus successfully proven its worth as an independent platform for creative living designs.

And so, according to Dick Spierenburg, the true quality of Luca Nichetto’s scenography is only apparent at second glance: “The atmosphere was fantastic, partly because of all the little details and plants. There was so much to discover. You were constantly spotting new ideas, solutions and product designs, from popular classics all the way to the prototypes by Luca himself. For me – just like last year – ‘Das Haus’ was the highlight of the fair. But in a totally new and different way!”

This year, there was a 13 percent rise in the internationality of the visitor structure – a significant increase. The international furnishing fair was able to report particularly positive growth in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe and Asia that are so important for the sector. “This result is a great signal for the imm cologne and confirmation of a performance befitting a leading international fair,” said a visibly satisfied Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse. “With this trade fair duo, we have written the next chapter in the success story of the imm cologne and LivingKitchen. Cologne is the absolute focal point of the furniture and kitchen industry – especially when it comes to business,” continues the trade fair corporation’s chief executive officer.

Dirk-Uwe Klaas, Chief Executive of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (Verband der Deutschen Möbelindustrie), came to a similarly positive conclusion: “The imm cologne 2013 was an outstanding trade fair – the German furniture industry is more than satisfied. Despite the wintery weather, visitors flocked to the exhibition centre in droves. We are delighted to report numerous new contacts and customers as well as a pleasing amount of ordering activity. The marked increase in the number of foreign trade visitors is another important component for the fair’s enduring and sustainable success.”

On course for growth: internationality of visitor structure increases
A total of 142,000 visitors came to the metropolis on the banks of the Rhine. With foreign visitors accounting for a share of 42 percent (based on the trade visitor days), the imm cologne and LivingKitchen were once again very international trade shows. On the one hand there were considerably more buyers from Europe, especially from the Russian Federation and traditionally strong countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Italy and Switzerland, on the other hand there was also a marked rise in the number of visitors from Asia – and especially from China.

The Public Days were also very well attended. Around 43,000 consumers came in search of inspiration from the furnishing worlds on show. “We’re delighted that the imm cologne and LivingKitchen met with such great interest from consumers too. This good result is due in no small part to the way the concept behind the trade fair duo has been expanded. We want to build on this success and increase the attractiveness of our fairs from year to year,” says Katharina C. Hamma, Chief Operating Officer at Koelnmesse.

Opinions on the trade fair:
Heiner Goossens, CEO of Rolf Benz AG & Co.KG, Nagold
“We had a good volume of national and international visitors and good-quality visitor volume as well. For Rolf Benz, this was a successful trade show appearance in business terms as well.”

Karl Sommermeyer, CEO of himolla Polstermöbel GmbH:
“We’re pleased with how this year’s trade show went – especially because of the quality of the business we did here at the imm cologne. It was helped by the fact that, happily, the furniture business got off to a good start in January, so the dealers came to Cologne in optimistic mood.”

The perfect setting for good business: trends at the trade show
This year too, exhibitors set off a real “fireworks display” of new products, providing enduring proof of their huge capacity for innovation and the industry’s multifaceted versatility.

Trends
* Megatrend: the nature theme
* Upholstery fabrics with subtle stripes, zigzags, floral, abstract or geometric patterns
* Small, free-standing, functional upholstered furniture with soft, rounded corners and edges
* Box-spring beds
* Wall units (highboards, lowboards, display cabinets)
* The combination of good design and good quality
* Colours: strong plain colours, blue, grey
* Oak in all its variations
* Concealed LED technology

For ten years now, the imm cologne has been providing young designers with a forum where they can present their ideas for furniture, home accessories, lighting, floor coverings, wallpapers, textiles and other forward-looking furnishing items to an international public: the D3 Contest. For the coming imm cologne, 671 products were entered from more than 40 countries – convincing evidence of the competition’s international standing.

The contest is only open to design students and designers who graduated less than three years ago. For many entrants, the imm cologne is thus the first major stage where they can present themselves to an international audience. Held by Koelnmesse and organised in collaboration with the German Design Council, the competition’s professionalism and favourable parameters make it extremely popular with many young designers. Koelnmesse invites the nominated participants to Cologne as its guests and covers their expenses for the contest, travel arrangements and the exhibition – all they have to come up with is the exhibit.

Because all the nominated products are generally no more than a year old and are either prototypes or designs that are still in the preparation phase before going into production, the D3 Contest presents visitors with a treasure trove of ideas that constitute a wealth of “uncharted territory”. As a result, it isn’t just visitors with an interest in design who seize this unique opportunity to take some surprising ideas home with them. Manufacturers in search of new talent for their portfolio are equally keen to take advantage of the compact format and obtain a concise picture of the creative potential inherent in the next generation of designers.

“With D3 Design talents, we are very deliberately offering young designers a unique opportunity to present themselves to international professionals, companies and the media,” explains Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse. “The concept has proved its value for all sides. For many people, it’s precisely this encounter between experimental design and the market-driven offerings of the furniture industry, the contrast between the commercial and the experimental, that makes the imm cologne so attractive,” adds Dick Spierenburg, Creative Director of the imm cologne.

Next to the designs by the participants in the D3 Contest, which are characterised by originality, a wealth of ideas and a certain lack of respect for the market’s usual design conventions, the presentations in the D3 Young Professionals show make a rather more decorous impression. At the same time, it is not so much the market performance of these independent designers and design studios that qualifies them for this forum as the quality of the products on show. The third element of D3 is the D3 Schools format. Located in the exhibition centre’s Offenbach Hall in 2013, it enables international design colleges to present themselves in the form of creative installations and products by their students.

A place in the D3 Contest exhibition is a particularly sought-after prize amongst the young designers. For Tsuo-Ning Hu aund Yu-Chih Chang of E & J Design Studio in Berlin, it is “the best place to present our design.” Kim Thome, a young designer from London, takes a similar view: “It’s such an important place for meeting colleagues and potential clients. It opens up totally new possibilities.” Ellen Heilmann from Frankfurt also appreciates the exhibition at the imm cologne: “I was delighted to be accepted. I exhibited at the Salone Satellite in Milan last year, so I know how expensive taking part in a trade fair can be. The possibility of exhibiting at the imm cologne for free means a lot to me.”

For many up-and-coming creatives, the contest serves as a career springboard – which is why, this year too, the participants came to the competition with high ambitions. “I consider it an honour to be selected and am looking forward to being able to present my work to the public in such a great setting. I also hope to make some new contacts and maybe even find a manufacturer who’s interested in producing my design,” says a hopeful Tina Schmidt, who will be travelling to the D3 Contest from Darmstadt. Hannah Krüger also sees her participation as “a huge opportunity and a way to present my design to the right public in the right place. With a bit of luck, I might make some good contacts as well.”

The winners of the initial screening are invited to present their designs at the imm cologne from 14 – 20 January, where the three most talented international newcomers will also be presented with a prize by the jury of the Interior Innovation Award. This year the jury line-up of designers and representatives from the media and design institutions consists of: Carole Baijings, designer and co-owner of Scholten & Baijings, (Amsterdam); Barbara Friedrich, editor-in-chief of A&W Architektur & Wohnen (Hamburg); designer Giulio Ridolfo (Udine); Gerhard Wolf, owner of furniture store Funktion Möbel (Darmstadt); Sebastian Wrong, designer and co-founder of Established and Sons (London) and Andrej Kupetz, General Manager of the German Design Council (Frankfurt am Main).

The D3 Contest, originally launched under the title “inspired by cologne”, is one of the most internationally recognised competitions for young designers. Since its initiation in 2004, the number of participants has grown continuously from around 300 to more than 680 entries for the imm cologne 2012. Over the past ten years, a total of 291 products by 368 designers from all over the world have been presented in the contest exhibition at the imm cologne. Many of these products have found their way into the collections of renowned manufacturers. In 2011, the imm cologne launched Alumni, a database of designers and products that documents the success story of the contest and will continue to be updated.

The next dual exhibition imm cologne // LivingKitchen will take place from:
14 – 20 January 2013

Furnishing Cologne - Vitra, RAR Winter Special; Design: Charles & Ray Eames, 1950. Location: Altstadt Köln. (photo: Koelnmesse; Karsten Jipp)

Perched on the observation terrace at Cologne Airport, the new Ligne Roset sofa Nils by designer Didier Gomez seems to be waiting for the visitors who will soon be flocking to the city’s international furnishing show. The scenography is part of an imm cologne initiative that involved photographing newly rolled-out furniture in urban Cologne.

In the second year of the “Furnishing Cologne” initiative, the motto for the series of photographs was “Above the city’s rooftops”. And that’s how Artek’s “Stool 60″ stools (by Alvar Aalto, in the new Anniversary Edition) came to be standing on the roof of a factory building in the morning sun as if they were keeping a lookout or inviting guests to take a rest. The motifs range from Miele’s new wine cooler KWT 6832 SGS – an allusion to the LivingKitchen fair that takes place parallel to the imm cologne – all the way to Vitra’s re-edition of the Eames Rocking Chair, which was photographed from an unusual perspective above the roofs of Cologne city centre.

The imm cologne is bringing the next season’s new furniture launches to the Rhine. In January, Cologne will once again become the design capital of what is probably the most important furniture market in Central Europe. From 14th to 20th January 2013, more than 1,100 companies from around 50 countries will be presenting over 100,000 pieces of furniture and even more related items at the imm cologne. About one third of the exhibits will be new launches.

The city is gearing up for the arrival of an international clientele from commerce, the contract business, the interior decoration sector and the press. And the city centre with its rich variety of supporting programmes such as the Passagen, museum exhibitions, college and media events is also a popular destination for the design clientele of interior designers, architects, designers and artists.

With such brisk business being done and all the interest that is generally focused on designers and interior design trends, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that the imm cologne is about one thing more than anything else: new, market-ready objects for the home. To ensure that the new products are presented in the proper light despite the vast range of goods on show, koelnmesse has brought some of the industry’s highlights to the city in advance of the fair and had them photographed in unusual locations above the rooftops of Cologne: high above the Mediapark and the airport, on the roofs of multi-storey car parks with a view over the city centre and the exhibition grounds, in and on the city’s museums and in its public and historic places.

Sometimes the objects are shown all by themselves, at others they are the focus of a scenography featuring models or passers-by. And yet in winter the city is actually a rather cheerless place, and not even furniture feels particularly comfortable outdoors at this time of year. Most notably, the streets depicted are largely devoid of the people who otherwise populate the banks of the Rhine, the parks, the museum squares, the streets around the cathedral, the playgrounds, the beer gardens and the street cafés. They withdraw to the snug warmth of the pubs, to the cafés and shops – and of course to their own four walls. And so the circle is complete, for the furniture they surround themselves with at home was first presented to the world right here in the trade fair city of Cologne.

It is hard to think of any other fair that can match the Cologne furnishing show’s broad spectrum of market segments – from basic to high-end design, from home textiles all the way to home entertainment. Cologne is a city for all styles and all situations in life. Perhaps that’s why the objects in the photographs look as if, in Cologne, they had found their natural surroundings. Because this is where the world of design is at home too.

The next dual exhibition imm cologne // LivingKitchen will take place from:
14 – 20 January 2013

There will also be a joint presentation by young, innovative companies from Germany, who will be presenting themselves to a broad audience here for the first time as part of a sponsorship project initiated by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. They will be joined by a number of strong individual exhibitors from various countries, including Germany, Portugal and Italy.

With the new “European Lifestyles” concept, the trade fair has created a new attraction in Hall 1 for all buyers who are just as interested in compelling quality and sales-boosting design as they are in a convincing price-performance ratio.

For the most part, the companies represented in Hall 1 are already operating successfully in Central Europe, as is demonstrated by their performance in e.g. the highly competitive German market. Last year, for instance, Rumanian furniture imports to Germany increased by 22.6%, thus making Rumania the Federal Republic’s 11th-biggest source of furniture imports. Bosnia-Herzegovina also reported double-digit growth (+26.1%), whilst the Croatians saw an increase of over 60%. The producers from these countries have been operating in other Central and Central Eastern European markets with similar success.

National pavilions showcase sales boosters
The Rumanians will be coming to the imm cologne with a wide range of domestic furniture for virtually all areas of the home and in a host of different design styles ranging from rustic to modern. The Rumanians are counting both on their wealth of experience in wood processing, which is based on the country’s immense abundance of forests, and on the state-of-the-art production technologies that have entered the country’s factories in recent years. All these factors play a part in the thoroughly positive development the Rumanian furniture industry has been experiencing in recent years, as is reflected in export growth of 63% in the period between 2004 and 2011.

As compared to the Rumanian furniture industry, which consists of almost 4,000 manufacturing companies, the Estonian furniture sector is more modestly sized. But after Estonia’s debut national pavilion at the last imm cologne, it will be interesting to see what the exhibitors from the Baltic republic will be bringing to Cologne with them this time round. One of the most striking things about Estonia’s furniture producers is their extremely varied range of products. The imm cologne 2013 will once again show that they are just as competitive in the inexpensive segment for discount marketing as they are in the upper end of the market for e.g. upholstered furniture. Estonia relies heavily on the export trade. The value of the Estonian furniture industry’s exports is currently three times higher than that of furniture imports. Estonian manufacturers’ success abroad mainly centres on Scandinavia – and especially Finland which, together with Norway and Sweden, accounts for almost two thirds of all recent Estonian furniture exports.

At the very latest since the last imm cologne, however, the Estonians have also been focusing increasingly on Central Europe. Their as yet still modest export rates to e.g. France (2%), Great Britain (3%) or Germany (3%) thus look set to grow significantly in the near future. More than half the total area of Bosnia-Herzegovina is covered by forest. It thus comes as no surprise that the country’s wood-processing industry looks back on a long tradition and its furniture manufacturers rely heavily on this natural raw material. The seven participants at the national pavilion at the imm cologne will however be demonstrating their competence in the field of e.g. upholstered furniture as well. First and foremost, the positive development of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s furniture industry can be seen in the success of its foreign business. In the first nine months of this year, the country’s furniture industry increased its exports by 4.4% to 113 million euros.

The most important exports are wooden chairs, dining room and living room furniture, bedroom suites, other wooden furniture and kitchen furnishings. Bosnia-Herzegovina’s most important foreign markets are Germany, Croatia, Austria, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Serbia and the USA. Croatia is another country with abundant forests and thus excellent opportunities for a flourishing wood and furniture industry. Helped by the country’s geographical location, Croatian companies have always been strongly export-oriented. Solid wood furniture accounts for the majority of foreign sales, but the Croatian furniture industry is also increasingly turning to alternative materials as well, as its national pavilion in Cologne will be demonstrating.
Seating furniture accounts for 61% of all Croatian exports. Germany is the country’s most important export market, followed by Italy and France. Around 60% of all Croatia’s furniture exports go to these three countries.

Unusual eye-catchers and genuine fast-movers
But it isn’t just the national pavilions that account for the attractiveness of “European Lifestyles”. Individual exhibitors such as German mattress manufacturer Breckle Weida, an important provider in this product segment, or Portuguese manufacturer Gualtorres, which surprises customers time and time again with its avant-garde, sculptural furniture and standalone pieces, will also be present in Hall 1. They will be joined by Italian home textiles specialist Castello del Barro, which will be presenting its fabric and curtain creations right near the entrance to “European Lifestyles”. The exhibitors outside the joint booths are aiming to surprise visitors not just with sales-boosting products with broad appeal but with flamboyant designer items for a wide range of very different niche markets as well.

Furniture and lots of service
At “European Lifestyles”, the products and presentations of the exhibitors will very definitely be taking centre stage. In order to make the new focal point as pleasant and appealing for visitors as possible, the organisers of the imm cologne will be providing some attractive services during the fair, including a free shuttle service to Hall 1 and a tempting food service.

The next dual exhibition imm cologne // LivingKitchen will take place from:
14 – 20 January 2013

imm cologne continues to build on its position as the sector’s central business platform. The outstanding infrastracture in the state-of-the-art fair halls and a broad range of services provide a good basis for your success at the fair. Take advantage of this opportunity for good discussions and concrete business deals.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR to all fans and friends of imm cologne. See you soon in Cologne!

Studio Makkink & Bey, Birdwatch cabinet (for girl), 2006. (photo: © Studio Makkink & Bey)

In literature, music and art, the term ‘romanticism’ refers to an artistic era that reached from the late 18th far into the 19th century. Today we associate this term with attributes such as ‘rapturous’, ‘dreamy’, ‘imaginative’ and ‘poetic’ but also with ‘kitsch’ and with being out of touch with reality. But what, then, does romanticism have to do with contemporary design?

The exhibition ‘Isn’t it romantic? Contemporary Design between Poetry and Provocation’ attempts to address our current understanding of romanticism and to explore the new desire for romanticism.  The longing for beauty and harmony and for a place of fulfilment can be understood as an alternative concept to modernism, which has predominantly shaped our current society. New values such as individuality, sensuousness, uniqueness and affinity with nature stand in opposition to increasing globalisation and mobility, against ubiquitous information overload, against alienation and against the absolute transparency of our private lives.

Against this backdrop, we can observe a shift in contemporary design that, in terms of motivation and goals, can be compared to the historic Romantic Movement. In contrast to the positions represented in the design of the 1960s and 1980s, this current movement is both less radical and less political. The focus is not so much on a radical rejection of the generally accepted understanding of design as related to the notions of perfection, functionality and a reduction of forms, rather it is about a synthesis of the romantic and the modern and about an amalgamation of rationality and irrationality, something which can be observed in current design.

Romantic tendencies are, for example, expressed in patterns, in materials and processing techniques, but also in concepts that take up and reinterpret poetic, ironic and even disturbing principles of romanticism. The positions shown in the exhibition are represented by internationally acclaimed designers such as Philippe Starck, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Patricia Urquiola, Hella Jongerius, Martino Gamper, Doshi Levien, Tord Boontje and Jaime Hayon and also by conceptual pieces by design studios including Formafantasma, Makkink & Bey, Robert Stadler, Julia Lohmann and Pieke Bergmans.

The exhibition, entitled ‘Isn’t it romantic?’ opens alongside imm cologne (the international furniture fair in Cologne). During the week of imm cologne, we expect to welcome some 5,000 visitors. The exhibition will be documented in a representative, bilingual catalogue with contributions from internationally acclaimed design experts. There will also be an exciting event programme featuring, for example, Lidewij Edelkoort, with both a talk on “Romanticism, or the way we feel” and a trends seminar on “Nomadism on the road to fashion”, both to be held at the MAKK. Lidewij Edelkoort is seen as the most influential trends researcher operating today. Since 1975, she has helped companies all over the world with issues related to trends, colours and lifestyle.

MAKK – Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln
An der Rechtschule
50667 Köln
T. +49(0)221.221-23860
F. +49(0)221.221-23885

Opening Times:
Tues – Sun 11.00-17.00
First Thursday each month: 11.00-20.00
Closed on Mondays

Opening times and tickets during imm cologne (14 to 20 January 2013):

Mon-Sun: 11.00 -21.00
Isn’t it romantic and design collection: free admission from 17.00 -21.00

Further information:
 www.makk.de

As guests for the panel discussion imm cologne has invited Frederik Frede (CEO/Founder, Freunde von Freunden, Berlin), Costas Voyatzis (CEO, Yatzer, Athens), Micle Mihai-Cristian (CEO, Freshome, Timişoara), Ferdinando Napoli ( CEO/Co-Founder of Edilportale.com, Archiportale.com, Archiproducts.com and Archilovers.com), Will Taylor (Bright Bazaar, London) and Stefanie Luxat (Ohhh… Mhhh…, Hamburg).

WE ARE SOCIAL is a free and open event that brings international bloggers together at imm cologne, one of the largest interior design fairs of the world. imm cologne as a media platform presents with WE ARE SOCIAL some of the leading social media channels, movers and shakers.

The event is focussed on the Social Media Big Picture and Social Verticals: fastly changing media use and fast-growing channels go viral and often spread like a Candystorm. By bringing bloggers and influencers together, imm cologne wants to make the well-known Social Media Success Stories more accessible and show visitors and exhibitors how to become a Lovebrand, how to become social, interactive and last but not least liked by their fans, followers, etc.

The title of the keynote adress by Holly Becker therefore is “Blogging Your Way To Success“. “Eight tips on how others can find success through blogging and social media” can make the basis of the personal social media take home message which can be crowned with a personally signed book by Holly. Holly’s book signing event will be the highlight of the event and give you the opportunity to get connected in real live with this great blogger and author.

WE ARE SOCIAL will take place at the opening day of imm cologne, on Monday, 14th of January, 2013 at 2.00 p.m. – it’s free for open minds and we would like to welcome everybody who is interested in the intersection of social media and interior design. We think that this imm cologne event is an excellent place to get in touch with others, to network and to get social.

Feel free to join us and spread the news!

Koelnmesse is looking forward to a very successful imm cologne 2013: a total of 1,050 exhibitors from more than 50 countries have confirmed their attendance, 625 of them from abroad. Together with the international kitchen event LivingKitchen, the trade fair will be filling the 280,000 square metres of gross floor space in halls 1 to 11 to capacity.

As always, the successful furniture and interior design fair will of course more than justify its position as a showcase for new products: some exhibitors are already offering a peek at their trump cards and providing a little foretaste of what they will be showing in Cologne in mid January. From the pure design segment to the staging of unusual interiors in pure village or the lavish booths in sleep, smart, comfort or prime: many manufacturers see the imm cologne as the most important trade fair platform of all and an indispensable start to the business year 2013. In addition, the developments from the exhibiting companies underscore many important trends such as sustainability, distinctive design and functionality. Upholstered furniture, for instance, is becoming a little less colourful but all the more comfortable. Otherwise, furniture is becoming more curvaceous, and the picture is often dominated by new interpretations of established classics.

“At the imm cologne we’ll be presenting our latest ideas from B&B Italia, Maxalto and Outdoor, with lots of appealing suggestions not just for designing interiors but for the outdoor ambience as well. At the same time, however, we will also be using our 550-square-metre booth to show furniture from the Tobi-Ishi, Husk, Mini Papilio and Theo lines, as well as the Maxalto Lux collections. In short, we will be presenting furniture that successfully reflects the tastes of the major international markets,” says Mediterranean manufacturer B&B Italia. Material or colour trends are tending to play a more subordinate role: “There are certain tendencies in terms of shapes, colours or materials that we’re starting to see less of. What we’re continuing to push ahead with is a sustainable approach, not just in the sense of using recycling products and eco-friendly processes, but in a very fundamental way as well, in relation to all the new things we implement. One example: we prefer to use finishings that accentuate the material and design of our products. Plus a light and simple construction that complements the minimisation trend we’re seeing in e.g. flatscreens and hi-fi equipment.” The company is hoping for a fair with an increased share of visitors from fast-growing markets like Asia and a good response from the contract sector.

For Bretz Wohnträume, the overarching motto is “Hunters and Gatherers” – an approach that combines anything that’s fun. Flamboyance meets simplicity, seasoned with a little dash of nostalgia. For the Gensingen-based company, the quest for the unique culminates in bold, self-confident compositions in which quality continues to play a major role. Bretz aims to depict functions more subtly, focusing instead on the freedom to be able to configure furniture individually and forms that permit lounging, sprawling and of course sitting. The new models “Napali” and “Salt” will be occupying centre stage in the Bretz presentation. “In our opinion the imm cologne has returned to the strength of the 1990s,” says Norbert Bretz, executive director of Bretz Wohnträume. “The international buyers are aware of how strong German furniture is and how weak the euro is; so they come to the imm cologne and place orders accordingly. Within Germany, the real estate boom is certainly playing into our hands, there is definitely a demand for top-quality furniture.”

Création Baumann will mainly be showing blackout fabrics in new, creative designs that are applied to the textiles using a new kind of laser technology. The Swiss firm will also be presenting creative accessories and curtain design. Création Baumann sees a definite trend in fabrics: besides their aesthetic qualities, it is becoming increasingly important for textiles to deliver functional features such as blackout and sound absorption properties as well. “We believe that top-quality, elegant and durable textiles can assert themselves in the home segment too,” says Dominik Rölli, Vice President Marketing and Sales at Création Baumann. “Our expectation of the imm cologne 2013 is that the furniture fair, which is already so well-established and widely known in the German-speaking countries, will develop into an international platform for premium interior design, especially in the field of textile applications – which this year’s Pure Textile will be presenting to trade visitors at professional level.”

The Hilding Anders company, which describes itself as the leading bed manufacturer in Europe, Russia and Asia, operates in a totally different sphere. Especially when it comes to boxspring variants, the specialist sees itself at the front of its field: “More than ever before, the focus is currently on boxspring beds and the segment is growing all the time. At the same time, however, the competition in this field is also growing, especially when it comes to prices. With our three brands “Jensen”, “Eastbourne” and “Hilding” we’re extremely well placed. What we want from the imm cologne is for German retailers to perceive us as a competent industry partner for all categories of bed products,” says Martin Frutig, head of Hilding Anders’ Southwest Europe division.

In the eyes of Belgian manufacturer Jori, the vintage style with more curves and fewer straight lines is increasingly playing a role. Loud colours are no longer in such great demand and are giving way to mellower, softer shades and colour combinations. In addition, the furniture has to be cosy and comfortable with a lounge-like feel. In January, Jori is planning to present three sofa models, two armchairs and a table, as well as an innovative lounger. The latter is the result of the firm’s decades of know-how in the field of recliners and continuous research and development. The patented recliner mechanism has been combined with a new aesthetic line and the comfort Jori is famous for. In addition, the entire display will reflect the fact that the company is celebrating its 50th birthday. Combinations of old and new models will demonstrate how much comfort has improved over the years. In view of the impact the current crisis is having, Jori too is hoping for lots of visitors from overseas, as well as for new contacts in the important German market. International architects can also expect a warm welcome at the Jori booth. “Ultimately, every company is responsible for its own success – and not the trade fair platform. We believe that our attractive product ranges will convince trade visitors and consumers alike,” says Jori’s Jeannick Breine (attaché to the president).

At Koziol, colour, quality, lust for life and sustainability are the crucial keywords right now. “In our sector, the products are bought because they give people pleasure – not just via their design and excellent functionality, but because they bring a welcome splash of colour to the home as well. At the same time, however, a growing number of customers want to know where the product comes from and under what conditions it has been produced. Nowadays, sustainable entrepreneurship is an absolute necessity,” says Stephan Koziol, owner of the Erbach-based company. At the imm cologne, Koziol will be showing two new pendant lights: “Stella XL” and “Reed”. The company’s lighting collection shows light in its most attractive forms and colours – for an exceptional atmosphere. “For us, the imm cologne 2013 is the ideal platform for presenting the Koziol brand to the furniture trade in a first-class setting. We are expecting to make valuable contacts with interior designers, furniture and interior design retailers and of course home stylists and decorators,” stresses Stephan Koziol.

For upholstered furniture manufacturers Machalke Polsterwerken, inner values are definitely the top priority. “We’re aiming to underscore our market leadership in our segment with ‘Handmade in Germany’, our unique leather collection and the artisanal details of the workmanship. This is underpinned by the very special leather grades El Paso and Nappa Seta. New, filigree and feminine sofas, as well as powerful, masculine models are in the works, coupled with very special armchairs such as ‘Cult’ by Stefan Heiliger,” says Product, Communications and Marketing Manager Bernd Schellenberg. In view of the difficult economic situation right now, Machalke is aiming to focus on the company’s core values, translate them into authentic action and reinforce them so as to be a calculable and above all reliable force within the segment. “For us, the imm cologne is the most important trade fair of 2013. The furniture industry can be really proud of getting the year off to such a special start. We’re putting a lot of energy into this event, because our success at the imm cologne determines our success for the rest of the business year.”

“The crisis is setting the course, the focus is on functional design that takes advantage of all the creative possibilities available to it. Whereas eccentric and expensive models that are more like objets d’art have rarely been in keeping with the times, we are now seeing the return of good design in the broadest sense: objects that haven’t existed up until now and which satisfy people’s unmet needs and wants,” reports Umberto Cassina, Vice President of MDF Italia. The Milanese firm has very high expectations of the imm cologne. “We would like to see an increase in the kind of visitors that confirm the trade fair’s significance as an important business platform in general – not just an increase in German and European visitors. It would be good if the imm cologne could increasingly play a leading role in terms of business with fast-growing markets like the BRIC countries.” MDF Italia’s modern interpretation of a desk, a piece by the name of “Mamba”, will be taking centre stage in its Cologne presentation. The unique mix of shelf, console and desk, complete with its own light source, was the winner of the “Cristalplant Design Contest 2011 – Touchable Emotions”, a competition for up-and-coming designers.

Minotiitalia supplies highly appealing products for exclusive and individual furniture tastes, including “Formosa in piedi” from the “Razze formose” collection. The company is now complementing the unusual cabinets with LED lighting. Two more eye-catchers: the two-metre-long sideboard “Credenza” which, thanks to the homogeneous look of all four sides, can be placed anywhere in the room, and the metal column “Cleopatra”, which can also be freely positioned and provides an elegant storage solution for books. The newly launched column features both open and closed compartments that merge into a single unit thanks to the LED lighting. In Minottiitalia’s opinion, the trends of recent years have often neglected one essential aspect: the visual perfection of a product – not just at the front. That’s why the Cabiate-based company takes a different approach to the design of its products, making them identical on all sides so that they can be used anywhere in the house or commercial property. This is what Minottiitalia is aiming to demonstrate at the imm cologne; it has high hopes both of the German market and of trade visitors from other major markets.

It comes as no surprise that textile editeur Nya Nordiska Textiles has announced it will be making a “very material appearance” at the imm cologne. The trendy decoration systems from Nya Artline and the wall panels from Nya Walls will also be on show in Cologne. Nya Walls will be presenting a genuine innovation: textile glass. In the current unsettled market situation, the company believes it is important to offer customers reliability. “On top of that, we never fail to come up with new ideas as well – after all, ‘nya’ translates as ‘new’,” explains Remo Röntgen of the management team. “In times like these, everything is more emotional. And fabric is emotion.” The Dannenberg company is convinced the imm cologne 2013 will be very good for its business. “Despite the difficult situation, Koelnmesse has managed to achieve a great deal, and ‘Pure Textile’ was a hit with the industry from the word go.”

Colour is very definitely the major theme for RAL gemeinnützige GmbH: RAL is after all the global colour language. With the colour collections “RAL Classic”, “RAL Effect”, “RAL Design System” and “RAL Plastics”, RAL offers colour users in industry, the trades, architecture and design a diverse choice of precise colour references. In total, the spectrum of RAL colours includes 2,328 shades. The “RAL Digital” software provides the basis for professional on-screen colour design. And thanks to the RAL “iColours App” for “iPhone”, “iPad”, “iPodtouch” and “Android” devices, users can colour their photos quickly and easily wherever they happen to be with the full range of RAL colours. At the imm cologne, RAL gemeinnützige GmbH will be showing the book “RAL Colour Master”, the latest work on colours by Professor Axel Venn that was published in December.

With its new chair by the name of “Sinus”, Rolf Benz is focusing on exquisite aesthetic quality and technological sophistication, along with first-class comfort and scope for maximum individualisation. Based on a plastic shell – available in black or white or with a leather cover – “Sinus” can be configured to create either a homogeneous look or a stylish mix of colours and materials. There are also various options for the backrest height, seat padding and base construction, and the four leg variants permit a variety of choices as well. No matter which variant the customer decides on, Rolf Benz has the table to match. The models “Co-Sinus 1″ to “Co-Sinus 4″ put the finishing touches to the range. For the Nagold-based company, lounge-quality softness is the most important seating trend right now – as featured by the new “Grata” model, an extension to the “Colours of Rolf Benz” line.
“What I’m expecting from the imm cologne is a continuation of the positive trend seen in the last two years for visitors and exhibitors alike: a strong, efficient and internationally relevant order-writing trade fair with top-quality national and international exhibitors in the participating sectors and segments. Because if that’s how it turns out, we’ll all benefit from one another,” explains Andreas Lechner, head of marketing at Rolf Benz. “As far as Rolf Benz is concerned, the more premium providers with international appeal that are represented at the fair the better, because it shows each individual exhibitor in a more advantageous light. In particular, the national and international premium brands provide mutual support for one another, strengthen Cologne as a location and reinforce its status as a major international trade fair venue for interior-related themes. We’re looking forward to positively-minded, motivated trading partners with whom we can work together and take active steps to master the challenges of 2013 by implementing innovative products and effective marketing concepts.”

Classic meets Modern is a thoroughly appropriate heading for Thonet’s appearance at the trade fair. The Frankenberg company will be presenting its first carbon chair: “S 774″, a reinterpretation of the classic “S 664″ by Eddie Harlis. The manufacturer will also be bringing two new families of wooden chairs to Cologne: “330″, a youthful chair family developed by Berlin duo Läufer + Keichel, and “190″, a family of exclusive upholstered chairs by Lievore Altherr Molina. The new products that will be on show also include the “S 1520″ coat rack, reflecting the long tradition of coat racks in Thonet’s history. For Thonet, it is economy that embodies the zeitgeist right now – and the durable furniture from Thonet retains its value for a very long time. “It’s a way of gaining a certain kind of security in difficult times,” says Peter Thonet, CEO of Thonet GmbH. “The imm cologne 2012 was a big success for us, and despite the difficult market situation we’re expecting to get off to a successful start again in 2013. We’re particularly looking forward to the new pure editions format. From our perspective, it’s the highlight of the entire fair.”

Vondom is bringing two new products to the imm cologne. The specialist for exclusive outdoor furniture and accessories is extending its popular “FAZ” family again, this time in the form of a daybed complete with sunshade. With the new product, designer Ramon Esteve has combined his ideas on the ideal bed for sleeping, relaxing and sunbathing with the possibility of seeking shelter from the harmful rays whenever you feel like it. Like all the other members of the family, “Daybed FAZ” features mineral-inspired forms and is evocative of a quartz crystal. Vondom used “Batyline” for this product, a tried-and tested technology for umbrellas and sunshades. Nor does the user have to go without music: “Daybed FAZ” features an integrated sound system as well. The brand-new “Blow” collection is certain to cause a sensation: the offshoot of the “Pillow” family provides enhanced comfort in the form of e.g. armrests.

Solid wood specialist Zeitraum is travelling to Cologne with a new colour palette for a large part of its range. Particularly interesting: the “Pelle” chair by Milan-based designer duo Lorenz*Kaz, a wooden-framed design with a core leather seat shell, and the “E8″ table by London designer Mathias Hahn. The company, which is based in Wolfratshausen, sees light woods, coloured wood and Scandinavian-looking roundwood designs as the latest trends.

The next dual exhibition imm cologne // LivingKitchen will take place from:
14 – 20 January 2013

Ralf Jourdan, CEO Nolte Group. (photo: Nolte Group)

From 14th to 20th January 2013, more than 1,100 companies from around 50 countries will be presenting over 100,000 pieces of furniture and even more related items at the imm cologne. About one third of the exhibits will be new launches. As the leading international fair, imm cologne showcases the enormous breadth and depth of products available for the furnishing sector and, thanks to concurrent LivingKitchen, everything to do with kitchens as well.

Just how perfectly the two international trade fairs complement one another is demonstrated by the registration of the Nolte Group, which will be bringing its key subsidiaries to Cologne for the first time. Nolte Möbel in the Smart segment (Hall 7.1), as well as CS Schmal and Express Möbel (Hall 8.1), will be renewing their presence. Following LivingKitchen’s successful premiere in 2011, Nolte will also be participating with its divisions Nolte Küchen (Hall 5.2) and, for the first time, Express Küchen (Hall 4.1).

Besides Nolte Möbel, Nolte Küchen, CS Schmal, Express Küchen and Express Möbel, the Nolte Group also includes the firms Nolte Holzwerkstoff and Drum Systeme. Production takes place entirely in Germany, where the almost 3,000 employees are spread over four locations. Ralf Jourdan, CEO of the Nolte Group: “We have been taking part in the imm cologne with various subsidiaries for many years. For us, the expansion of its spectrum in the form of the new international LivingKitchen event was an optimal development. That’s why, in 2013, our youngest subsidiary Express Küchen will be representing us for the first time. With exhibition space totalling 3,000 square metres, we are one of the biggest exhibitors in Cologne. We’re already looking forward to meeting our national and international trade visitors and of course to the interested consumers we’ll be welcoming on the Public Days.”

The example of the successful German group Nolte is impressive proof that Koelnmesse’s progressive development of the concept behind the imm cologne was the right strategy. Frank Haubold, Vice President Trade Fair Management: “We have strengthened and expanded all segments of the imm cologne, with the result that we are able to offer every manufacturer an appropriate competitive environment in an attractive hall. And it allows visitors to plan their time in Cologne optimally as well: they can head straight for the areas that interest them and be sure of finding all the relevant market players there.”

The next dual exhibition imm cologne // LivingKitchen will take place from:
14 – 20 January 2013