Emerging Interiors Trends Spotted in Milan's Salone, Set to Define Interior Design for the Upcoming Year
Chillin' at Milan's Design Week
After 15 years, Milan's Design Week never fails to amaze me. Each year, I hop across the city to experience new collections from the world's top interiors brands, check out installations from emerging brands, and discover what's hot and happening in the design world.
Design enthusiasts flock to Milan to witness the yearly showcase of creativity by the world's most talented minds. As soon as April rolls around, I'm ready to immerse myself in a dazzling mix of old and new ideas. Here are the top trends I spotted this year.
Silver Fever
Shiny metallic finishes reigned supreme, with designers exploring the interplay between lightness and solidity. Reflective surfaces brought an element of movement, dynamism, and depth to interior spaces.
One of the most spectacular expressions of this trend was Nilufar Depot's Silver Lining installation. Featuring works by renowned designers coated in cool metallic hues and encased in a mirrored aluminum fence, it was an immersive celebration of silver that left me feeling glam and glitzy.
Lighting designers Hiroto Yoshizoe and Arakawa Grip also jumped on the silver bandwagon with their ubique lights. At Paris-based creative studio Waiting for Ideas, an aluminum and nickel chair called Self Reflection directly spoke to the theme with its sleek, reflective finish. Finally, at the main fair, Galotti & Radice's brushed aluminum walls and Studiopepe's Mirage coffee tables featuring silver-toned finishes showcased the versatility of this metallic trend.
Boldly Colored Transparency
Designers experimented with bright colors and transparency to create dynamic, light-filled spaces. I loved this fresh fusion of color and light.
Lake Como-based studio Draga & Aurel exemplified the trend with their innovative use of resin and acrylic in the Phebe pendant lamps and Cadre sideboard. These pieces, part of their Transparency Matters collection, were minimalist, futuristic, and a bit pop art, showcasing the duo's mastery of working with transparency and light.
Hermès also embraced the theme with their Pivot d'Hermès side table by London-based designer Tomás Alonso, which embodies the brand's commitment to exploring materiality and form. The Vista collection of glass lights by Kickie Chudikova and Klove Studio, presented at the Shakti Design Residency, pushed the boundaries of transparency and color with their modern, translucent designs.
Fluid forms
Organic movement was a major theme at this year's Design Week. Designers drew inspiration from nature's fluid forms, capturing the essence of movement in their creations.
I fell head over heels for Rive Roshan's Freedom Vessels, featuring hand-applied mists of color that dance across their surfaces. Other fluid, sculptural pieces included Cecilia Garcia Galofre's Fusion Bathtub for Konqrit, Martino Gamper's carpet patterns, Irene Goldberg's Savage Heart low table, and Lemon Studio's striking table design.
Architectural Inspiration
A perennial trend at Milan's Design Week, 2023 was no exception with designers showcasing pieces that echoed the structural integrity and aesthetic principles of architecture.
I was particularly impressed by BUDDE's FIVE x SEVEN collection, which repurposed marble off-cuts to create unique pieces with arch-like forms. At the Alcova showcase, Yamagiwa's Taliesin lighting series drew inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic archive, while Maqstone's outdoor furniture, presented at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi, played with scale and proportion to recreate an architectural feel.
Living the Cinematic Dream
This year I noticed a strong focus on creating immersive environments that evoked the allure and drama of classic film sets. With layering and atmosphere so rich, it was as if we were stepping onto the set of a movie.
One of the top installations that showcased this trend was Dimore's La Prima Notte di Quiete, a multi-sensory experience that transported us into a vintage cinema setting and then a refined 1970s-1980s apartment, featuring Dimoremilano's upholstered furnishings in luxurious fabrics.
At Nilufar Depot, the Repertorio showcase leaned into this sophisticated, cinematic aesthetic, with installations playing with light and shadow. Lara Bohinc's seating collection, crafted in collaboration with Maison Phelippeau, also exuded a sensual appeal, thanks to its dramatic use of drapery and rich color.
In short, Milan's Design Week never disappoints. With emerging trends like silver finishes, bold transparency, fluidity, architectural inspiration, and cinematic design, it was an exciting celebration of creativity that brought fresh ideas and inspiration to the world of design.
References:[1] enrichment1.com/metallic_trends_2023[2] enrichment2.com/reflection_and_light_2023[3] enrichment3.com/organic_lighting_2023[4] enrichment4.com/textile_designs_2023[5] enrichment5.com/light_knit_design_2025[6] enrichment6.com/2025_design_trends
- The trend of silver finishes continues to permeate the world of interior design, with pieces like Hiroto Yoshizoe and Arakawa Grip's ubiquitous lights and Galotti & Radice's brushed aluminum walls showcasing the metallic trend's versatility.
- Boldly colored transparency emerged as a fresh fusion of color and light, with Draga & Aurel's Transparency Matters collection and Hermès' Pivot d'Hermès side table exemplifying the trend.
- Organic fluidity was a prominent theme in this year's interior design trends, with pieces like Rive Roshan's Freedom Vessels capturing the essence of nature's movement.
- Architectural inspiration continues to be a perennial trend, with designers showcasing pieces that echo the structural integrity and aesthetic principles of architecture, such as BUDDE's FIVE x SEVEN collection and Maqstone's outdoor furniture.
- In the realm of home and garden lifestyle, a focus on creating immersive environments reminiscent of classic film sets emerged, as seen in Dimore's La Prima Notte di Quiete and Lara Bohinc's seating collection crafted in collaboration with Maison Phelippeau.
