Following on from yesterday’s survey of the trends in the “Materials & Nature” section at this year’s Interzum, we bring you the exhibitor’s own predictions for the “Function & Components” section.
The exhibitors who responded identified three main trends: the merging together of various rooms, customisation, and the comfort factor. In addition, they highlighted quality and price, Smart Homes, LEDs and technology would be important at this year’s show.
Trend 1: Merging different rooms
For Hening Pölitz, Managing Director of GERA Leuchten, lighting in interior design planning is becoming more and more of a formative element, particularly in view of the growing trend for merging rooms into one another. “The right lighting lends the desired structure and atmosphere to furniture and spaces in open layouts,” says Pölitz.
Häfele recognises the global social trend of merging working and living environments and among the company’s product portfolio are clever organisational options with innovative furniture solutions. In this context, Suspa also considers electrical adjustment functionality to be of increasing importance – not least because of changing demographics.
Trend 2: Customisation
An enduring megatrend is the customisation of furniture, encompassing the corresponding differentiation which ensures that the trade can establish a competitive advantage.
This applies to “medium-sized businesses, above all,” says Managing Director of woodbox, Karl Baliko. For Blum und GRASS, differentiation will also remain an important theme. Ronald Weber, Chairman of the GRASS Board of Management says: “The end customer’s desire for kitchens and furniture which can be adapted precisely to their requirements is growing. And that automatically generates the demand for product concepts from furniture and kitchen makers which are based on the requirements of the end consumer, and which at the same time offer them the option of differentiating within their own collections. Which means that our client company can distinguish itself from the competition.”
Hans-Wilhelm Rottenau, Managing Director of Gross + Froelich GmbH & Co. KG, provides further explanation: “The trend is moving away from the mass-produced and toward more design-orientated, high-quality products which allow for customising.” GERA Leuchten and Servetto are also allowing their product development to be influenced by the desire for more individual furniture.
Trend 3: Comfort
More and more exhibitors are embracing the trend toward comfort and ergonomics. For Indaux, this is connected to increasing expectations in the area of design and quality. Hubert Schwarz from Blum says: “In the future, the general trend will continue to move toward comfort and to perfect motion.”
“In living, we are seeing a trend for comfortable kinematic solutions at home, for example in the area of functional seating. With our smooth-runner systems, we offer added value which can actually be felt,” says Martin Schock, Managing Director of Schock Metallwerk. For Hans-Joachim Kollmeier, Managing Director of Confer, the trend for comfort is also defining the industry: “The developments in Relax-Systems for improving the quality of life and living are particularly important for people who are getting older but who are young at heart.”
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