With the year speeding rapidly towards its end, we thought it was a good time to look back at some of the most exciting design events we've been fortunate to attend this year. From the global art and design events, Discern visited in 2016, we bring you a roundup of the most stunning and innovative design highlights we've witnessed. Salone del Mobile, an iconic event that takes place in Milan, plays host to an annual pilgrimage of the international design community. Yet again this year, Milan became a smorgasbord of design inspiration thanks to the stunning collections of lighting, furniture, art, and architecture that were on display at the Rho Fiera grounds. Guests were also able to take a look at innovative products created by ingenious artists, who played with new materials.



What we Loved: At Salone, we witnessed how Asian designers are striving to carve a niche for their creativity in the modern furniture design world. Neri & Hu and a host of other designers and architects from China exhibited contemporary designs of furniture and homeware for Stellar Works, a design company established in China. We especially loved the "Fan" Series of Coffee Tables and Armchairs designed by Liang Zhitian and Lu Zhirong for QuMei. Inspired by the Chinese fan, the design integrates the traditional forms and concepts of an ancient culture with the ebullience of the West, providing unparalleled style and comfort. The coffee tables of the Fan Series feature elegant lines and graceful design. Each table has a unique length and radian and vividly represents being fanned by the Chinese fan. The Fan Armchairs are made of leather and represent both aesthetics and comfort.

A Trend we Noticed: One trend we loved most at Salone, and which we think has also captured the world’s imagination, was the emphasis on children’s furniture. Italian furniture company Kartell led the way via their association with Japanese design studio Nendo, whose transparent designs created the traditional, plastic rocking horse of yore in a beautifully minimal, sleek new avatar. Italian architect and designer Piero Lissoni created a toy tractor and a race car. Philippe Starck reinterpreted his iconic Louis Ghost chair into a miniature version, that can be customised with drawings and photos, and also introduced a new swing for children. Swedish studio Front showcased a bent-wood rocking horse inspired by the classic Thonet Rocking chair, thus stressing the importance of good design and the use of quality materials, even for younger audiences.





This year at Ambiente, one of the world’s most prestigious consumer goods trade fairs that take place every February in Frankfurt, we witnessed a globally unrivalled range of products in the Dining, Giving and Living areas. A Special Highlight: Artisanal Gardening, a key trend this year, brought the best of nature indoors while extending specific decor elements from the home to outdoor spaces like gardens, balconies and patios. The trend seemed to speak specifically to city dwellers, urging them to reconnect with nature and as a result, motivate them to think green. This trend was seen through floral motifs and natural materials in gorgeous colour palettes, inspired by late summer gardens in Europe.



Trend Alert: Functional Simplicity. The essence of this theme seemed to be: utilitarianism can be beautiful. The focus lay on simplicity, functional forms and master workmanship. The durability and efficiency of materials such as glass, stainless steel, marble, concrete and rubber used in sports and architecture, referenced usability and desirability at the same time. The focus was on only what is essential, and a departure from clutter.





Frieze New York, widely considered to be one of the most influential contemporary art fairs in the world, returned in 2016 to Randall’s Island Park for the fifth time. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Frieze, and the first year with Victoria Siddall at the helm as director. The design trends Discern witnessed at Frieze New York 2016 were a visual delight.



Standout Exhibit: We loved this installation by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama . Named the most popular artist in the world in 2014, she presented at the Victoria Miro booth an oldie but goodie: 2004’s The Moment of Regeneration. It is a sculpture that resembles what look like octopus legs.





Picture Courtesy: Rushda Hakim







The Collective Design Fair is a commercial and educational platform featuring thoughtfully-selected works from an international roster of established and emerging galleries. Under the direction of its founder, architect Steven Learner and guided by a passionate group of industry leaders including designers, architects, gallerists, and collectors, Collective Design engages a diverse range of global voices and expertise to create a compelling discourse on 20th and 21st-century design. In its third successful year, Collective Design brought talent from more than 11 international cities together, treating decor as art, and championing independent design talent. Hot Trend: One of the many design trends we witnessed and loved at Collective Design was innovation in the design of wallpapers. Flavor Paper displayed Super Series, an exploration of the interplay between light and architecture on David Nosanchuk’s photographs of New York and Rome. Details of wood benches, stained glass windows and skylights created repeating patterns that formed a 3D effect. This was one of the coolest design trends we witnessed at Collective Design 2016.





Picture Courtesy: Rushda Hakim







Design Miami/Basel is a collective global forum - a unique platform where the world’s leading galleries come together to launch creative exhibitions as well as fanciful installations and objets d’art. Occurring alongside the Art Basel fairs in Miami, USA each December, and Basel, Switzerland each June, Design Miami/ is the premier venue for collecting, exhibiting, discussing and creating collectible designs. This year’s event in Basel played host to a platform of panels and lectures ranging from design and architecture to art and fashion, as well as displaying works of emerging and established designers, curators and gallerists.

Technology in Design: We loved Joris Laarman Lab’s ‘Bits and Crafts’ exhibition, which was described as an ‘experimental playground’ that seamlessly merges cutting-edge technology with traditional means of making. Also on display was one of Laarman’s most recent works, the ‘Butterfly Screen,’ a 2×3 meter, double-curved bronze surface based on the principle of hexagonal cell division. Founded in 2007, Friedman Benda Gallery is dedicated to presenting established and emerging designers who create historically significant work.



In September, Maison et Objet Paris took place in the glittering French capital. This show specifically, focuses on three main areas: Maison, which features innovations in the world of interior decoration; Objet, the show’s vast and extraordinary concept store; and Influences, a new offering designed to facilitate communication and help design enthusiasts discover new products.

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Collaborate to Innovate: We saw a number of unusual collaborations between design houses emerging as a trend this year. An example of this was Italian design company Seletti's partnership with Toiletpaper , a picture-based magazine founded in 2010 by artist Maurizio Cattelan and photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari. The collaboration between the design house and the publication resulted in an unusual and exceptional collection of plates, mugs and tablecloths, bowls, metal glasses, rugs, backing dishes, a teapot, tea towels and object like soaps, stickers, mirrors and the umbrella.