GOING SOFT(ER)

Trends in contemporary furniture include a move toward rounder, softer shapes in sofas, and a combination of metal and wood in tables and chairs

With “comfort zone” the main theme of last fall’s Maison et Objet interior design trade fair — held in Paris every January and September, and considered among the most important design shows of the year — it’s no surprise that getting comfortable is a major motif influencing furniture design in 2018.

Materializing in the form of rounder, softer pieces and furnishings made of mixed materials (like marble and wood) as well as an abundance of texture, this year’s design trend is one that industry experts agree can help transform a new home into a cosy sanctuary.

We asked a group of experts — Vanessa Jasmin-Lortie, the interior designer behind V Design; Jason Burhop, the founder of the local furnishings manufacturer and retailer Kastella; Thien Ta Trung, the co-founder of the sustainable furnishings company Élément de base; and François Xavier, the founder and designer behind the furniture design studio By the North — what other interior design trends we should look for during the next year.

What’s trending in furniture design?

Jasmin-Lortie: This year, the key word is texture. From Milan design week to the SIDIM International Design Show in Montreal, fringes that were originally meant for blankets and pillows were incorporated into everything from lights to mirrors. And macramé.

Layering is really in, so to have a lot of rugs, blankets and cushions in different materials and textures is huge.

With this year’s Pantone colour of the year being Ultra Violet, you can expect a lot more moody interiors and vibrant hues, too. Burhop: What’s happening in furniture right now is there’s a shift towards softness, rounded shapes and comfort. The sharp geometry of some of the past years is giving way to softer, more delicate lines. There’s more colour and bigger, rounded detailing on pieces as well.

Ta Trung: We’re seeing a new kind of modernity; it’s soft, organic and cosy. Of course, straight lines still have their place; but what’s newer will be rounder, puffier, more curvy.

Xavier: Having worked for a long time in graphic design, I’d say what’s trending is a mix between graphic arts and furniture; it’s a very modern look that resembles typography, to me.

What about materials? Is there anything new and/or different on the market?

Jasmin-Lortie: Velvet is huge this season. You can’t go wrong with an emerald green velvet sofa.

Brass is going to be very in as well; it’s very sophisticated and it adds an instant luxurious feel to any interior.

A table that’s split in two, and made of half-marble and half-wood, is super 2018.

Burhop: In non-upholstered product, there’s a lot more marble in dining-room tables and coffee tables — and it’s not your traditional marble either.

We’re seeing different takes on glass, which has been relatively out of style for a while, for surfaces like cabinetry and tables.

Rattan is another big one that’s come back in furniture.

There’s been a shift from dark wood to lighter woods, and not just in Scandinavian design. What’s most popular in terms of wood is definitely white oak.

Ta Trung: For sofas, velvet is still very present. We see it in soft shades of lavender, pink, green and earth tones.

Otherwise, we see a lot of brass still being popular, and the emergence of glass.

Xavier: Moulded plastic is very popular, as well as the mix of steel and wood. Steel used to be used for more industrial purposes, but it’s becoming a lot more popular in furniture design.

We like to use wood that we experiment with for our furniture, by submerging it in water to darken it naturally, for example. How have new materials, techniques and technology influenced furniture design and/or furniture making ?

Jasmin-Lortie: What’s interesting is when you take a traditional technique and you apply it to a less traditional setting. For instance, this season we’re seeing a lot of fringes on mirrors and lights, as well as macramé lights.

A fun design is when you can get outside of the box a little bit. Burhop: We introduced a product around three years ago, which was a countertop material that we adapted to our furniture, and it’s been really successful for us. The product is called Fenix and it’s manufactured in Italy. It was originally designed for kitchen countertops and vanity countertops.

It’s a departure for us because we’re mostly a wood product manufacturer, but we’ve been using it in coffee tables, consoles and desks.

Ta Trung: We see more and more 3D printing in furniture; there is 3D -printed flooring and 3D -printed furniture parts. This is still only done in the high-end spectrum of the furniture industry. The mass market is not really seeing any particular new technology yet. Xavier: A lot of furniture design is done by computer nowadays, I use AutoCAD to design my furniture and it allows me to use new techniques. There are also new tools; I use an electronic welding machine, for example, where all the settings are computer-based and you can do real precision work.

Wood and metal combine in this sleek, contemporary table and bench from Élément de base.

PHOTOS (3): COURTESY OF ÉLÉMENT DE BASE Expo, Élément de base’s low-slung sectional sofa that facilitates unconventional seating positions, invites users to stretch out, relax, and engage in conversation while enjoying the soft, plump, puffy cushions that benefit from a layer of feathers. With detachable armrests and backrests, as well as removable covers, Expo’s design makes for a practical piece of furniture that is easy to move around.

Panorama, a velvet blush-coloured pink sectional sofa from Élément de base, features curves rather than sharp lines; its cushions, filled with feathers, add an additional soft touch.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KASTELLA There has been a shift recently from dark wood to lighter tones in furniture, as with this four-drawer dresser, for example, which is made of white oak.

PHOTOS (2): COURTESY OF ÉLÉMENT DE BASE Industrial-looking steel legs combined with a light-coloured cherry wood top makes for a sleek, contemporary table that will fit virtually decor.

COURTESY OF AMULETTE PHOTO Fringed lamps designed by Annie Legault and branded Amulette provide an example of how a traditional technique (i.e. textile fringe) can be applied to a less traditional setting (i.e. to adorn a hanging light fixture).

A mix of steel and wood is popular in today’s furniture, and this mini tower — encompassing a section of ancestral barn beam, oiled for a finish — is a case in point. Not only is it eye-catching on its own, but it serves as an effective display stand for any ornament or plant.