The Nordic landscape and the Renaissance inspire fall and winter trends at Formex

Formex, which will be held August 13-16, will have a trend exhibition in Stockholmsmässan’s Entrance Hall presenting four of next season’s most important trends: Soft Nordic, Wild Wood, Dark Fragrance and Raw Rustic Junction. The designer behind the exhibition is Jan Rundgren.

“We are seeing several parallel styles as the fall approaches - and each one has a Nordic feature of some kind. So it makes sense to give this fall’s Formex the theme “Soft Nordic”. It is becoming increasingly common to find Scandinavian products wherever you go in the world. These products are acting as “good ambassadors” for our special approach to interior design. It feels like our design is easy to relate to and represents good quality that appeals to a broad market,” says Jan Rundgren.

The exhibition will display the following trends:

Soft Nordic
Soft Nordic is the strongest trend for the fall and winter and it is also the overall theme for the Formex exhibition. The design world is buzzing about the “New Nordic style”. Design that traces its roots back to Scandinavian design from the 1950s is experiencing a rebirth. The style is pure, the design unembellished and the shapes are round. The fabrics are exclusive and the expression simultaneously austere and playful. The palette consists of pastels such as pink, apricot and rust brown that are often combined with different shades of gray. Materials that are dominant include light wood and natural tan leather and wool. Furniture and cushions can be covered with buttons and they are preferably slightly over-sized. This enhances the playful feel of the design.

Wild Wood
The Wild Wood trend also finds inspiration in the Nordic region, although here it is primarily the landscape that is the major source of inspiration. The wide views coupled with contemplative solitude and silence. Food and nature go hand-in-hand. The Nordic kitchen is stronger than ever and more people are choosing local produce. The palette tends toward natural tones, which are combined with sooty black and white winter tones. Textile prints are inspired by nature - leaves, branches and seed capsules are some of the motifs. The materials include untreated wood, both new and aged, roughly hewn stone and ceramics. The interior design uses tall vases, generous platters on large tables, objects that take up space.

Dark Fragrance
Dramatic colors and design are common in the Dark Fragrance trend. Patterns are taken from the flower motifs of the Renaissance. Here, slightly stronger colors are mixed with bolder tones, for example ruby red with dark purple and pink tones or amber with warm brown tones, naturally with a splash of gold. To enhance the dramatic expression, there is a lot of black on both glossy and matte surfaces. This is evident mainly on wooden furniture, mirror frames and textiles. The trend is extravagant while being playful with colors and patterns, which are combined in a new, inspiring manner. It is either a lot of everything or a single striking object in an otherwise austere interior.

Raw Rustic Junction
This trend takes its inspiration from the ports of the world. The palette is inspired by different colored containers that are stacked onto one another and build random, exciting color combinations. Rusty surfaces are combined with materials with a lot of patina. Materials such as cement, wood and glass enhance the raw feeling. The recycled glass continues the effect, particularly in vases and products for the table. Textiles include rough canvas and linen with a lot of character in the structure and color. The textiles also include a lot of ethnic influence, particularly in the carpets and cushions. The palette tends toward strong colors combined with dark neutrals and blue tones in winter hues.

The trend exhibition is summarized in a trend guide with a color map that can be found in the Formex catalogue. Jan Rundgren will also be holding lectures about this season’s trends on the stage in Hall A.

To find out more, please visit www.formex.se or contact:
Christina Olsson, +46 8 749 44 28, christina.olsson@stockholmsmassan.se
Lotta Signeul, +46 8 749 43 36, lotta.signeul@stockholmsmassan.se

Formex is organized by Stockholmsmässan and takes place twice a year. Formex is the leading Nordic meeting place for new products, business opportunities, trends, knowledge and inspiration in the interiors industry. Formex welcomes 850 exhibitors, 24,000 trade visitors and 950 representatives from the media.