Furniture is so much more than just functional objects. This is most clearly evident every year at the Milan Furniture Fair—and in our selection of favorites. Among them are, among other things, a tomato-shaped armchair, a seat that resembles a hug, wall tiles that aren’t entirely understated, plenty of inspiration from Greek mythology, and a bookshelf that can be endlessly configured and expanded.
Liebling
Greek Tragedy
You could lose yourself for hours in Greek mythology—after all, there’s more drama, intrigue, and love stories there than in any soap opera. And there’s also the Palladion, an ancient carved image of Athena, the patron goddess of cities. Hermès drew inspiration from it for the “Palladion d’Hermès” collection. The result is a jug and a vase, crafted from hammered metal with a palladium finish, combined with leather, horsehair, or wood. Athena herself would certainly have used them.
hermes.com
Nice to Have
Office Mode: Off
Is lounging a legitimate hobby? We think so. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be an endless selection of so-called lounge chairs. Like “Graffetta,” a design by Carlo Colombo. Graffetta means paper clip. But when we lounge in it, we’re no longer thinking about anything even remotely related to office work. The inspiration lies more in the shape and material of this little office helper: Like this unassuming yet practical tool, the chair is also based on a flowing metal form.
lemamobili.com
Mythical
Take a seat like royalty
Even though Glastonbury has claimed to be the legendary place of Avalon since 1191—no one knows whether the place ever existed or where it is located. However, the mythical city appears in numerous literary works, most recently in Nell Zink’s novel *Avalon*, published in 2023. At Flexform, Avalon isn’t a kingdom—it’s an armchair. It’s so comfortable that you can imagine King Arthur would have wanted one in his castle. Fortunately, this softly upholstered armchair is also available to us mere mortals.
flexform.it
Cozy
Summer Set-Up
What is part of the American Dream, aside from the white-painted garden fence that surrounds the cozy family home? That’s right—a porch. As the feminist and anti-capitalist author bell hooks put it: “The porch swing was a place where one could build intimacy.” The porch is also what’s known as a “liminal space”—a transitional place, a bridge between inside and outside. This concept served as inspiration for the design duo Stephen Burks and Malika Leipers to make the “KIDA Porch” even more comfortable with patchwork quilts. Their inspiration was the quilting tradition of an African American community in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, which has been known for generations for its artistic and colorful quilts.
dedon.de
Perfect Form
All day long on the chaise longue
Comfort enthusiasts know: The chaise longue is the epitome of blissful laziness. Somewhere between an armchair and a sofa, the chaise longue allows the body to assume an almost weightless position. But celebrating comfort doesn’t mean compromising on design. Lounging around has to look good, after all. Belgian architect and designer Vincent Van Duysen has designed “Moor” for B&B Italia—a sculptural and elegant chaise longue where you can put your feet up indoors or outdoors—without feeling guilty. Because everyone needs a break.
bebitalia.com
Work of Art
Danger of Hypnosis
Traditional Portuguese majolica are ceramic tiles coated with an opaque white tin glaze and then painted in vibrant colors. “Acid Majolica” is what happens when Diesel gets involved. And Iris Ceramica, the tile manufacturer with which Diesel has had a partnership for ten years now. If you take a closer look at the pattern on the tiles, you’ll notice the deliberately distorted and asymmetrical shapes—even if you’re not into acid at all.
diesel.com
Evolution
The only constant in life is change
What does psychology have to say about change? That many people find it difficult. But also that it’s worth it. Armani Casa also weighs in on the topic of change. With eight design icons, such as this bar cabinet, the brand demonstrated at the Milan Furniture Fair that evolution can happen very gradually. You don’t have to completely turn a design upside down. But you can still refine familiar and beloved pieces just a little bit. After all, a breath of fresh air is especially welcome in interior design.
armani.com
We Love
For Print Lovers
What looks like an elegant way to store tax documents and other important papers next to your desk is actually intended for books. “Doheny,” designed by Giampiero Tagliaferri, can be configured with three or four levels. For even more customization, the polished aluminum side panels can also be covered in leather. Anyone who owns more than a handful of books and magazines—which, hopefully, includes most of you reading this—can line up several Dohenys side by side to create arrangements that fill entire walls.
minotti.com
A Change of Scenery
Morning Has Broken
Even the best wellness concept is useless if the surroundings aren’t right. That’s why Apostoli Design focuses on spas, wellness, and luxury hotel chains. And yes, to truly unwind, everything has to strike the right note—even a mundane wall. For SpaghettiWall, the studio designed the “Eos” wallpaper collection, named after the Greek goddess of the same name, whose task was to rise from the sea every morning and bathe the sky in pink light. The wallpapers follow in the goddess’s footsteps: they conjure up a warm atmosphere in any room, no matter what time of day it is.
apostolidesign.com, spaghettiwall.it
Anniversary
A Decade Full of Ideas
Ten years ago, Vincent Van Duysen was appointed creative director of Molteni. But the relationship had already begun in 2010—in part through a project developed in collaboration with UniFor and the design of the Molteni&C booth at the trade show in Cologne. Van Duysen had big plans for Molteni right from the start. Among the first manifestations of the Belgian designer’s vision were the new Molteni&C booths at the Salone del Mobile, as well as the renovation and expansion of the 600-square-meter flagship store in Tokyo. And, of course, he contributed significant product designs. For example, the modular sofas “Paul” and “Augusto,” the “Logos” sideboard, the “Mateo” table, and the “Gliss Master” wardrobe. New additions for 2026 include the “Julian” sofa and the “Physis” kitchen. Commenting on Molteni’s evolution, Van Duysen says: “Guided by a long-term vision rather than seasonal trends, we have refined proportions, materials, and atmospheres with consistency and clarity.”
molteni.it
We Love
This is where the music plays
“Down with minimalism!” Boffi’s dressers would chant, if only they had a voice. In the style of 18th-century Louis XVI furniture, the motto here is: More is more. But there’s a modern twist. After all, record players, headphones, cables, and microphones didn’t exist back then as decorative elements. Craftsmanship, on the other hand, certainly did. And it’s still essential today. That’s because the patterns and colors are created using the art of marquetry, in which wafer-thin layers of wood are fitted together with millimeter precision.
fratelliboffi.it
Must-Have Outdoor Item
One Hug, Please
Flopping down on the couch at the end of a tiring day sometimes feels almost as good as a comforting hug. “Loop” by Ethimo even looks like a hug, as two voluminous structures cling to one another. And in doing so, they become a creative sculpture on which you can make yourself comfortable. Designer Elena Salmistraro describes “Loop” as neither a sofa nor any other conventional seating piece, but rather as “a hybrid form that rejects hierarchies, preconceived notions, and unambiguous interpretations.” The colorful piece is suitable for outdoor use and looks best in untamed gardens that are just as unconcerned with prefabricated structures and clean lines.
ethimo.com
Well-padded
Let’s sit down for a moment
With offices in New York and Toronto and over 100 employees, the design studio Yabu Pushelberg—founded by George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg—can draw on seemingly endless sources of creativity. For Porro, they created “Arnaldo,” a cozy armchair whose seat appears to float in the air. The upholstery is available in leather or fabric.
porro.com
Enlightenment
Bright all around
What looks futuristic was actually designed 55 years ago. The “Model 262” lamp by Astep is the product of Gino Sarfatti’s forward-thinking vision. The new version has been given a white coat of paint. The idea behind the round lamp is simple: the light bulb should take center stage. And not just any bulb, but a mirrored one. Because the light radiates gently, you can hang several 262s on the wall or ceiling. Sarfatti passed away just over a decade after designing the 262. The fact that not only this lamp but also several other models from the Gino Sarfatti Collection continue to illuminate our spaces in the 21st century proves that the best design is timeless—and outlasts its designers by decades.
astep.design
Collaboration
Couch Tomato
In line with the ongoing trend toward a health-conscious lifestyle, seating designs are also taking inspiration from colorful vegetables. That said, the “Tomato”—which Chloé aims to bring into our living rooms for the Salone del Mobile—isn’t following any new trend: French designer Christian Adam created the round chair back in 1970. Poltronova, known for the Italian “Radical Design” of the 1960s and 1970s, is handling the development and production of the new “Tomato.” It’s available in soft leather and in the somewhat uncharacteristic tomato-like shades of cream, cognac, sand, and black.
poltronova.it, chloe.com
