Growing environmental awareness and our changing requirements of our living space are having a direct impact on the interiors market. For years now, trend experts have been observing a steady increase in design quality across all the segments at imm cologne, especially in the interior worlds covered by the Home section. In addition to sustainable production, untreated products are particularly prevalent. The design of the new product launches looks set to be shaped by the use of natural materials like wood or textiles, along with sustainable high-tech fabrics and zero waste collections. But alternative bio-based materials that haven’t been used in the interiors sector up until now will also be on show at imm cologne 2020 – for instance in the exhibition held in connection with the Pure Talents Contest, the imm cologne’s newcomer award for young designers.

In 2020, the products on show at imm cologne will include affordable modular systems and compact standalone solutions that are scalable (allowing them to be adapted to different room sizes), variable (thanks to extension mechanisms etc.) and flexible. In view of the wide range of uses for furniture systems such as these – from tiny apartments all the way to spacious lofts – suppliers attach great importance to a modern aesthetic that reflects an urban living style and conjures up an atmosphere that bears no resemblance to a teenage bedsit.

In the quest for additional living space and a greater sense of spaciousness, the patio and garden are playing an increasingly important role and being upgraded into a second living room. The boundaries are blurring – and not just in terms of the space. With the indoor-outdoor trend, today’s weatherproof outdoor furniture doesn’t only look as if it’s come straight from the living room, it’s being used there too! Its upmarket materials and high-tech textiles make it suitable for indoor use as well. In the upper price segment, it’s virtually impossible to tell the difference any more, and the level of comfort offered by the new indoor-outdoor furniture is catching up fast too. In recent years, a growing number of designers have discovered the fun of inventing and styling smart, original outdoor products – which is why quite a number of outdoor brands will be exhibiting in imm cologne’s Pure section as well. At the upcoming imm cologne, numerous exhibitors such as Kettal, Fermob, Emu, Gloster, Extremis, Tuuci, Glatz, Weishäupl Werkstätten and Danish cult label Houe will be presenting their latest products for the 2020 summer season. And with its visionary design for “Das Haus”, Spanish design team MUT will be providing fresh impetus for the huge indoor-outdoor trend too.

Besides individually configurable furniture systems, the imm cologne’s interior world Pure mainly presents standalone furniture. The range of products on show takes account of different space situations and covers the full spectrum, from sprawling to space-saving solutions. The trend is towards compact, design-oriented seating furniture in the high-end segment, such as 2-seater sofas or chairs with armrests. Following in the footsteps of stools, benches – with and without a backrest – are now being given a layer of soft padding too and adding a cosy highlight to kitchens and dining areas. Whereas interior design tends to favour dark colours on the whole – from dark green and blue all the way to black – white is taking on a special role as a result of the Bauhaus centenary. What’s more, all in all the world of interiors is becoming brighter thanks to a more intense use of colour, and monochromatic looks are increasingly giving way to patterns.

imm cologne 2020 is a global journey of discovery through the wonderful world of interiors, turning Cologne into a gathering point for leading design and trend labels who want to present their latest products and visions for the home.

Photography by Koelnmesse GmbH