* Turkey has an increasing trend in participating this world fair of furniture and other furnishing items where over 100,000 pieces of furniture and other furnishing items will be exhibited, around a third of which will be presented to the international market for the first time
In January of the upcoming year, the leading fair of the industry, imm cologne, will ensure an energetic start to the 2016 furniture year. With approximately 1,200 companies from 50 countries expected to attend, the trade fair duo of imm cologne and LivingInteriors will present a well-rounded product show, covering a broad spectrum of interior design. Over 100,000 pieces of furniture and other furnishing items will be exhibited, around a third of which will be presented to the international market for the first time at the Cologne exhibition. The first signs of the arrival of the furniture world in Cologne have already been sighted around the city. The presentations by the first fair guests from different interiors segments are part of the “Köln möbliert” (Furnishing Cologne) campaign of imm cologne and LivingInteriors. For this project, Koelnmesse has commissioned photographs of products to be taken in unusual locations in and around Cologne before they are introduced at the fair.
For the campaign’s fifth year, exhibitors are once again entrusting the press team of imm cologne/LivingInteriors with the portrayal of their latest furniture and interior designs. The first four of eleven shoots for “Köln möbliert” have already taken place – at a climbing centre, at Design Post, a historic former post office now used as a design showroom, in the newly converted Gerling quarter and in a mini library in the Stadtgarten park. The locations, most of them public, offered interesting settings for the new products.
Exhibitors at the Pure design segment at imm cologne also send their best pieces ahead to Cologne for the premiere photo shoot. In the core segment of Pure, the big-name design brands present their comprehensive concepts for living with the kind of grand gesture that has come to be expected of them. The classic fair architecture offers them enough space to stage their collections atmospherically and to present a complete interior design style at the fair. With space spread over various levels and its community of like-minded companies, Pure in Halls 10.1 and 11 brings together pioneering innovations, original product displays and international lifestyles. Traditionally, this segment includes numerous brand-name manufacturers from Italy – 2016 will feature, for example, Trussardi Casa, &B Italia, Molteni, Cassina oder Poliform.
Verzelloni also feels most at home in the Pure segment. After 20 years, the Italian upholstery specialist is re-launching his Divanitas program – a collection of seating furniture which is distinguished by its curvy yet restrained, almost Northern European design. Divanitas was created as early as in 1996 by Lievore Altherr Molina. The collection’s two-seat sofa, with its fashionable, black-and-white houndstooth pattern, accompanied by an armchair with a pouffe in the trend color of mustard yellow, cuts a fine figure in the photo taken in the newly renovated Director’s office in the Gerling quarter.
The “Minibib”, located in the middle of the autumnal Stadtgarten city park, is one of several “mini libraries” spread throughout various districts of Cologne to promote better accessibility to reading skills (especially for migrant children). No library card is required. The library serves as a venue for readings with an enchanting view. On the brand-new Mamlin carpet from Pure exhibitor Mischioff, Paul and Anne, too, can listen to the most exciting adventure stories and step into a dreamlike world of nature, without leaving the feeling of security offered by the “Minibib”.
Other design brands such as Thonet, Muuto, Gubi, Vitra and Driade prefer the gallery-like atmosphere of Pure Editions. In the 2016 edition of this segment, Very Wood, Sancal, Tom Dixon, Pedrali, Röshults, Petit Friture, Cap Design / Cappellini, Kettal and Fatboy will also be exhibiting, making for a truly international mix. Pure Editions is the dynamic, compact format at imm cologne featuring all the most exciting ideas from providers of visionary furniture and interiors concepts. On an area of only 50-150 sqm, exhibitors show selected objects and displays which exemplify a design idea and a brand philosophy at their individually designed stands. A young and inspiring variety of products and ideas from on-trend, premium brands is awaiting the audience. The homogenous, open fair architecture creates a particularly creative, vibrant atmosphere. The homogenous, open fair architecture creates a particularly creative, vibrant atmosphere. Like a large gallery, Pure Editions offers a stage-like setting for the product concepts and interior designs by international exhibitors: a venue for staging designs that make a statement.
In addition to sofas, carpets and outdoor furniture, new products and ideas from other areas can also be expected in Cologne, such as the new, innovative sauna S1 by Klafs, which will make its debut at LivingInteriors 2016. The key feature of the sauna is its minimal use of space, since it is essentially an extendible piece of folding furniture: In its fully retracted state, the S1 extends only 60 centimeters from the wall – like a conventional wardrobe. However, the S1 is a chic, top-quality sauna, designed down to the last detail and with enough space to accommodate the whole family. At the touch of a button, the S1 expands into a sauna, ready to use, and nearly three times as deep as when retracted. With this space-saving versatility, the S1 could even fit into a bedroom. Indeed, wherever it stands, it generates an astounding inner warmth – such as in the underground garage of Design Post in Cologne. This effect can also be experienced at LivingInteriors in January, the diverse and informative event for innovative bathroom and interior concepts. Every two years – alternating with LivingKitchen, which is held in odd-numbered years – LivingInteriors showcases how the interaction between products and materials in the areas of bathrooms, flooring, walls and lighting creates intelligent room solutions and integrated living environments. Together with imm cologne, Living Interiors provides a comprehensive and innovatively staged overview of the entire furnishing world.
