News
Grey isn't just grey
Step into 2010 with a restrained use of colour
Each year, ZOW guarantees rapid communication of innovative ideas at the right time. Once again this February ZOW is returning to Bad Salzuflen to showcase the furniture trends of tomorrow. The products and innovations that will be on show at this year’s supplier fair East Westphalia reflect the wealth of creativity and innovative force of suppliers to the furniture industry and interior design.
Lively surface structures and fine shades of grey are the trendsetters among household furniture designs. But grey isn’t just grey. Before this year, it was rare to see so many different shades of grey. They can be perfectly combined with monochrome white or berry decors or contrasted with warm, dark walnut. Structured surfaces are used as a design tool to effectively highlight the clear use of forms in the furniture design. They give decors visual depth, which becomes even more intense with changing matt shimmer effects. Deliberate material combinations with stone, glass and stainless steel lend furniture a touch of modern elegance.
Integrated attenuation is the key word for fittings. Cupboard doors and drawers should open as quietly as possible, and the required technology should be virtually invisible. The fittings' design line is still puristic and therefore adapts perfectly to the elegant grey and white shades of the furniture surfaces. Stainless steel with a matt or shiny finish remains the height of fashion, but glass and natural materials such as wood and leather are gaining in popularity. Handles are still a current topic and are filigree or striking depending on where they are used. Particularly large handles and knobs can be found on extremely wide pull-out units in the kitchen, for example, while smaller and more refined ones are used for drawer solutions.
The light way to present furniture
Light as a design element is more in demand than ever before. Different sources of illumination can be used to create an interesting mix of light. The trend amongst all lighting is for small products with high lighting levels, appealing light colours, as little heat radiation at possible and an extremely long service life. LEDs, halogen spotlights or luminous textiles for example, which are used in many areas of interior design, allow designers a very free hand. Using light is also becoming more important for fittings manufacturers. Integrated LEDs in handles or cupboard hinges give users a clearer view of the interior and pave the way for very different furniture presentations. Current ZOW photos will be available to download from
www.zow.de/Press from 9 February