WILLIAM KO

Founder, Space 2000

What are the design trends for 2017?

For 2017, I noted a re-emergence of retro design from the 1960s and ’70s paired with modern production technologies. This combination has enabled these designs to come back with a vengeance. With regard to materials, the trend veers towards something more tactile—warmer, milder, and softer to the touch to create a general feeling of cosiness.

Likewise, we can see an increased use of natural materials like clay, marble, and wood. Any use of metal will feature less shiny finishes for the most part. With people moving into smaller spaces, I can also see the creation of high-quality modular furniture as a trend, a way of dealing with limited spaces in urban dwellings—apartments and condominium units, for the most part—particularly in Europe and much of Asia.