Eco-design the top homewares trend at leading European trade fair
French homewares showcase Maison & Objet Paris had special focus on designs drawn from nature and natural processes - a way to anchor people in a world where boundaries between life and virtual reality are growing blurred
Among the nearly 3,000 exhibitors at this year’s Maison & Objet Paris, which ended late last month, there were plenty of things you would expect: elegant lamps, high-priced sofas and no shortage of furniture pieces inspired by Scandinavian modern design.
In one corner of the sprawling design fair, though, there was a surprise: a cafe where fair-goers sipped liquorice bark tea while sitting on the rough surface of a tree trunk, the sounds of the forest floating through the air. Nearby, an exhibition showcased furniture, ceramics and other works that took inspiration not just from nature but from the idea of being untamed, or as the French put it, having l’esprit sauvage: a wild spirit.
“People want textures, sensations, sounds and tastes that are untouched – that are connected to the soul of nature,” says François Bernard, founder of Agence Croisements, a trend-watching firm that has worked with Maison & Objet since its launch 20 years ago. “Not nature that has been conquered by humankind, the nature that is biotechnological and mechanised. This is a new religion of nature.”
It’s a trend with roots in the growing predominance of smartphones and web-based technologies, says Lisa White, creative director of London-based trend-watching firm WGSN, not to mention the growing alarm over climate change and environmental destruction.
“New technology keeps us from feeling human and feeling natural,” says White. “We need to feel grounded.” Design that draws from nature and especially natural processes – White calls it “feral technology” – helps people feel anchored in a world where the distinction between virtual reality and real life is being quickly erased, and where social and environmental upheavals have created a sense of instability.