Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024 – a success infusing new energy into the trade fair concept

Envisioned as a testbed “for new ideas”, Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024 celebrated community spirit and – although more focused in scale this year – gathered a great lineup of exhibiting brands. By combining culture with commerce, the programme included exhibitions, talks, sustainability walks and DJ sessions with block parties in the aisles. The addition of a mini golf course in the bar Surface Club by Swedish studio Lab La Bla, infused an element of play – temporarily turning the trade fair into a funfair.

During five days the 270 exhibitors attracted more than 18.000 visitors, with great reviews from buyers, architects, and media alike.

“The brands that exhibited this year push the industry forward, and in the midst of an economic downturn, they make all the difference,” says Director Hanna Nova Beatrice. “For us, the size of the fair wasn’t the main thing – it was more important to reinvigorate it with good curation, excperiences and new energy.”

The fair featured three design bars and a series of different exhibitions addressing current topics such as forestry, local production, waste management and our changing perception of aesthetics. The Reading Room by Guest of Honour Formafantasma and the large-scale installation Farming Architects by Jordens arkitekter offered different takes on building and designing for a sustainable future. The fair also included the much-appreciated platform Älvsjö Gård, which showcased artists and makers moving between small-scale and industry production.

“This year, exhibitors invested more in activating their booths, organizing events, book readings and golf tournaments. Visitors appreciated it, and we believe it’s the way forward. Trade fairs need curation and environments that stimulate,” says Hanna Nova Beatrice.

Furniture and built elements from the bars and exhibitions proposed by Stockholm Furniture Fair are being reused in new contexts directly after the fair, making sure nothing is wasted. One such example is the Guest of Honour exhibition by Formafantasma, where all the furniture used will be re-sold as signed pieces, and the installation fabric which will be reused in new projects by an art school. The books selected by Formafantasma are donated to design schools.

During the week Stockholm Furniture Fair handed out the Greenhouse Best in Show Award in collaboration with Sight Unseen to offer emerging designers exhibiting at Greenhouse a unique opportunity to reach out further. The fair also unveiled the winners of the Scandinavian Design Award with an award ceremony and an exhibition at the entrance hall of the fair. The award is a collaboration with the publisher It is media, and the winners for seven categories are chosen by a 20 people jury. The Designer of the Year award went to Danish Cecilie Manz.

“As a fair our aim is to stimulate the market and promote the industry. Business is at the core of everything – but it’s also important to have fun, push talent and gather the Scandinavian design community. It’s time to reimagine the traditional trade fair format”, says Hanna Nova Beatrice.

Next edition of Stockholm Furniture Fair will be held February 4-8, 2025, at Stockholmsmässan.

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