There has been a demand to go back to in-person design fairs for a few seasons now, as consumers and design professionals seek to see new items and trends, and brands seek to showcase their items. With the majority of fairs taking place at their typical times this fall, it felt like a genuine return to the regular circuit in Europe. Cersaie (Bologna, Italy; September 26-30, 2022), and Hábitat Valencia (Valencia, Spain; September 20-23), even reported visitor numbers comparable to or exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

Design is heading in a new direction, and we saw a lot of continuity with previous seasons this season as production and consumption patterns reacted to global changes and challenges. This season, themes such as natural palettes, biophilia, highly modular elements, sustainable approaches, and customizable and comforting decor were all addressed in new ways.

1. Color can be Playful, Natural, and Comforting.

There has been a wide variety of popular colors for the last few years, and that trend continues this season. Vernal pastels are trendy at these autumn fairs, despite being part of the natural palette.

In addition to creating a sense of connection, beiges offered a refuge from the outside world’s stresses.

2. Biophilia

The desire for nature is already evident in the color trends. We desire natural materials such as rattan.

Even though natural stone and wood-look tiles are still popular, Maison et Objet and Decorex (London; Oct. 9-12) featured stone in new applications, as United Alabaster’s alabaster Berlin light fixtures did.

During London Design Festival (London; September 17-25), there was a lot of attention paid to biomimicry, as pieces like the Cocoon light by HagenHinderdael mimicked organic forms. Likewise, we saw that floral patterns remain incredibly popular for wall finishes at Cersaie.

3. The Aesthetic Combination of Metal and Glass.

This year, industrial materials were widely utilized, but metal-look tiles were trendy at Cersaie.

Sanne Terweij’s metal wall hangings were honored at the Rising Talent Awards at Maison & Objet.

Glassware is one of the many places where glass is becoming more prominent, from the emphasis at the London Design Festival to the use of Murano glass at Maison & Objet.

Elizabeth Leriche, co-curator of the annual What’s New exhibit at Maison & Objet, recognized tables with metal legs and colored glass tops as a prevailing trend. Smoked glass and black-metal framing were also favored at Cersaie.

4. Sustainability

It’s nice to see so many different approaches to sustainability becoming more and more prominent in the design industry. Although greenwashing is always a concern, it’s nice that sustainability has become a popular trend rather than a fad.

Sustainability has become a movement rather than a trend due to shortages in energy, raw materials, and supply chains. Because of skyrocketing energy prices and supply chain issues, a lot of innovation was seen in wall and floor finishes. As a result of the high-temperature firing process required for porcelain stoneware, we saw a lot of innovation in lightweight tiles and materials that require only one firing instead of two.

One of the hottest topics at the Mondial du Bâtiment (World Buildings Fair, which consists of the Batimat, Idéobain, and Interclima trade shows; Versailles, France; October 3-6) was low-carbon concretes. Several companies are working on concretes that can be created without the ultra-energy-intensive clinkering stage that consumes a large portion of concrete. Recycling, upcycling, and urban mining were also high on the agenda. Manufacturers of old favorites such as Zuiver’s Ocean chair, made from recycled ocean plastic, were present, in addition to the electric sheathing chair from Furniture for Good, among other recycled products.

5. A Modular and Customizable Decoration.

How we live and use our homes has changed significantly since the outbreak. Because of this, modular furniture has been popular for a few years and is still a focus this season.

There are many customizable items, such as a vast range of door hardware at Decorex and customizable armchairs. We even noticed fixtures that could be painted to correspond the color of the surrounding wall exactly, such as the Groove paintable shower head by Odo Fioravanti for Alpi at Cersaie and Hamilton Litestat’s Paintables light switches at Decorex.

6. Sumptuous and Comfortable Material and Comfortable Furniture.

In addition to the trend toward sumptuous, customized interiors, there is a growing desire for comfortable, satisfying environments. Cozy and comforting boucle fabrics are becoming increasingly popular. At Maison & Objet and Hábitat Valencia, we noticed sofas shedding strict geometries for comfort and spacious seats. At the same time, armchairs got more profound, more comprehensive, and more suited to lounging with a novel.

Outdoor furniture made of higher-density material featured at Hábitat Valencia will be used inside and outside the house. Certain brands showed collections that may be used in bathrooms, utility areas, and busier areas of the home.

At Cersaie and the London Design Festival, we saw an ongoing interest in textured and tactile surfaces and across furniture more broadly at Hábitat Valencia. We also saw ribbed and fluted detailing on bathroom fixtures and kitchens at Cersaie and Hábitat Valencia. According to Norm Architects’ Katrine Goldstein, managing director, and partner, the number of images and stimuli we are exposed to makes architecture and design critical in how people feel at home or in other environments. We desperately need colors inspired by nature and tactile surfaces, Goldstein said at Cersaie.

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