Trend spotting at the recent Ambiente and Christmasworld was a must for visitors, with trend agency bora.herke.palmisano highlighting the trends for 2024 and beyond. “The most important thing is to know what will follow tomorrow,” stated Annetta Palmisano.
Ambiente and Christmasworld were very much as one when it came to trends, with themes such as Aura of Progress, Quality of Silence and Spirit of Craft reflected across both shows.
Aura of Progress (both visionary and experimental) brings together contradictory elements. “It’s about primal force meeting futurism, and archaism meeting hyper-innovation, with the space time continuum suspended in a seemingly magical way,” Anetta Palmisano explained. “Raw aesthetics and hyper-innovation generate an inexhaustible wealth of design possibilities, with intensive material research flowing in new approaches, along with the rediscovery of traditional craft skills and elementally strong materials such as wood, steel and stone.”
Added Annetta, “The trend is a conscious combination of pure nature with futuristic elements, with the digital and physical worlds merging in a vibrant colour palette, to include illusory impressions and ghostly effects that are otherworldly.”
Quality of Silence (pure and familiar) focuses on a desire for calm, clarity in an everyday living environment, reflecting a holistic theme that’s both purist and soothing, with mild, positive colours at its heart. “The focus is on enjoying and appreciating the moment,” explained Annetta. “It’s very user friendly, adding an edge to everyday life, tailored to personal preferences when using, say, a cup or a mug. Plus, colours that exude warmth, calm and lightness are at the heart of this trend,” she continued, “with familiar materials serving as the starting point for unusual designs that tell their own story. Simple resources from everyday life can be given a new meaning, with examples including eggshells, wood, leaves and bark, with everything either recycled or re-used. It’s about something you already know being given a new perspective through creative design.
Spirit of Craft (bold and poetical) highlights the diversity of craft skills, bringing them together in expressive combinations. “They reflect a free spirit, with a sophisticated colour palette playing a significant role, and almost forgotten materials and craft techniques combining to create unique objects,” explained Annetta.
Looking specifically at Christmas 2024, where pink was very much a trend colour across trees and decorations, Annetta also highlighted the emergence of wooden Christmas trees. “It’s versatile and sustainable, with a durable design that can be re-used,” she pointed out.
Annetta added that for Christmas decorations this year, a key trend for 2024 was combining the past and the present, with sustainable giftwrapping and bows a growth area, along with sustainable festive ornaments made out of paper with appeal to the senses.
“The Spirit of Craft in relation to Christmas is very artistic, often using forgotten techniques,” pointed out Annetta, “with patterns from the archives getting a modern twist, and unconventional decorations ruling the roost, with a new application of handmade items.”
Next year’s Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld will take place at Messe Frankfurt from 7-10 February, 2025.
Top: The Trends area at Ambiente.
