Decorating Guides
12 Trends in Contemporary Furniture for 2023
The 2023 ICFF and WantedDesign Manhattan trade event embraced innovation, color, and doing and feeling good
Social and environmental responsibility, care for oneself and others and technological innovation were big topics of conversation at this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) and show-within-a-show WantedDesign Manhattan. Those ideas influenced the many sustainable, cozy and avant-garde-looking products at the industry event. Totemic shapes, grid patterns and several other design elements also popped up repeatedly at the May 21-23 show. Here are some of the design trends that stood out at New York’s Javits Center.
Focus
2. Feel-Good Design
The question of how to create calm, healthy and inclusive environments has preoccupied the design industry for several years now, influencing the look, feel and function of products. Think spa-like bathrooms, nature-inspired interiors, sound-dampening wall panels and right angles softened into scallops and curves.
The prevalence of cozy modern fire features at the fair, such as this Paxfocus fireplace from Focus, fits into the trend.
12 Ways to Promote Wellness Through Home Design
2. Feel-Good Design
The question of how to create calm, healthy and inclusive environments has preoccupied the design industry for several years now, influencing the look, feel and function of products. Think spa-like bathrooms, nature-inspired interiors, sound-dampening wall panels and right angles softened into scallops and curves.
The prevalence of cozy modern fire features at the fair, such as this Paxfocus fireplace from Focus, fits into the trend.
12 Ways to Promote Wellness Through Home Design
X-ZOO Design
Cuddling a stuffed animal is about as cozy and calming as it gets. Perhaps that’s why many designers took a cue from Teddy and covered their rounded designs in plush, furry and fleecy fabrics, as X-ZOO Design did with this 36.5°C series chair.
Shop a curated selection of furniture
Cuddling a stuffed animal is about as cozy and calming as it gets. Perhaps that’s why many designers took a cue from Teddy and covered their rounded designs in plush, furry and fleecy fabrics, as X-ZOO Design did with this 36.5°C series chair.
Shop a curated selection of furniture
Good Growing
One buzzy new brand taking a different approach to care was Good Growing. The New York-based housewares brand, which focuses on objects designed for growing healthy food at home, launched its inaugural product, Gus, seen here. It’s a stackable ceramic planter for growing mushrooms.
6 Trends From the 2023 Milan Furniture Fair
One buzzy new brand taking a different approach to care was Good Growing. The New York-based housewares brand, which focuses on objects designed for growing healthy food at home, launched its inaugural product, Gus, seen here. It’s a stackable ceramic planter for growing mushrooms.
6 Trends From the 2023 Milan Furniture Fair
An Aesthetic Pursuit
3. Clarity, Smoke and Mirrors
In contrast with the soft, textured fabrics were a plethora of reflective and see-through surfaces, often in combination.
Several designers showed tables with translucent bases that gave the impression their tops were floating in space. One such table was the Olympia, pictured here, which consists of a pill-shaped marble slab sitting atop plexi acrylic bases. The table is from the Pieces collection by An Aesthetic Pursuit, a Brooklyn-based creative agency.
3. Clarity, Smoke and Mirrors
In contrast with the soft, textured fabrics were a plethora of reflective and see-through surfaces, often in combination.
Several designers showed tables with translucent bases that gave the impression their tops were floating in space. One such table was the Olympia, pictured here, which consists of a pill-shaped marble slab sitting atop plexi acrylic bases. The table is from the Pieces collection by An Aesthetic Pursuit, a Brooklyn-based creative agency.
Atelier Pascale Girardin
4. Stacks and Stones
One curious and compelling trend at the event was the prevalence of products resembling stone cairns, totem poles and children’s tumbling blocks. Some of these towering wood, stone and ceramic forms were created as stools, lamp bases or tables and others were purely decorative.
These ceramic sculptures by Canada-based artist Pascale Girardin have an elegantly elemental quality.
4. Stacks and Stones
One curious and compelling trend at the event was the prevalence of products resembling stone cairns, totem poles and children’s tumbling blocks. Some of these towering wood, stone and ceramic forms were created as stools, lamp bases or tables and others were purely decorative.
These ceramic sculptures by Canada-based artist Pascale Girardin have an elegantly elemental quality.
Ian Love Design
These wooden totem sculptures by designer Ian Love have a vaguely anthropomorphic form.
Revisit 2022 ICFF trends
These wooden totem sculptures by designer Ian Love have a vaguely anthropomorphic form.
Revisit 2022 ICFF trends
Caleb Ferris
5. Wild Wood
Designer Caleb Ferris won two ICFF Editors Awards: Best in Show and Seating. With its ruffled edges, this lighthearted chair, part of the Al Dente collection, resembles lasagna noodles.
Similarly innovative and somewhat unorthodox approaches to crafting wooden furniture turned up in many of the booths.
5. Wild Wood
Designer Caleb Ferris won two ICFF Editors Awards: Best in Show and Seating. With its ruffled edges, this lighthearted chair, part of the Al Dente collection, resembles lasagna noodles.
Similarly innovative and somewhat unorthodox approaches to crafting wooden furniture turned up in many of the booths.
Fort Standard
Another example was this oversize striped wooden table by Fort Standard. It anchored The Crossroads, a pavilion at the center of this year’s ICFF that was dedicated to highlighting the diversity of American designers and products.
Another example was this oversize striped wooden table by Fort Standard. It anchored The Crossroads, a pavilion at the center of this year’s ICFF that was dedicated to highlighting the diversity of American designers and products.
Juntos
Unconventional wood colors and finishes were popular at the fair as well. This debut collection from Juntos, which is made in Maine using hard maple sustainably sourced in the Northeast, is available in three stains made exclusively for the studio: Lichen (soft green), Tide (dark blue) and Tinto (aubergine).
Unconventional wood colors and finishes were popular at the fair as well. This debut collection from Juntos, which is made in Maine using hard maple sustainably sourced in the Northeast, is available in three stains made exclusively for the studio: Lichen (soft green), Tide (dark blue) and Tinto (aubergine).
Moooi
6. Big Weaves and Passels of Tassels
Highly textured woven material has been huge for several seasons. At the event, the weaving material itself often was huge. An example was this Knitty lounge chair by Nika Zupanc for Moooi, which is pictured here in three color options.
6. Big Weaves and Passels of Tassels
Highly textured woven material has been huge for several seasons. At the event, the weaving material itself often was huge. An example was this Knitty lounge chair by Nika Zupanc for Moooi, which is pictured here in three color options.
Obakki
In addition to woven designs, macrame, knit and passementerie (tassels, trimmings, cords and fringes) were popular at ICFF. The looks ranged from funky and retro-looking to elegant and avant-garde.
Two outstanding examples were Obakki’s enormous Morse wallhanging, which won an ICFF Editors Award for accessories, and its tassel-like Sansevieria sculptures, pictured here, which were handmade by weavers in Querétaro, Mexico.
In addition to woven designs, macrame, knit and passementerie (tassels, trimmings, cords and fringes) were popular at ICFF. The looks ranged from funky and retro-looking to elegant and avant-garde.
Two outstanding examples were Obakki’s enormous Morse wallhanging, which won an ICFF Editors Award for accessories, and its tassel-like Sansevieria sculptures, pictured here, which were handmade by weavers in Querétaro, Mexico.
BNF Studio
7. Color Explosion
While clean lines and neutral tones will never go out of style, many longtime fairgoers noted that the pale Scandinavian simplicity that ruled booths for many years has been slowly supplanted by bold color over the past few seasons. And pink, among the most popular of the colors, has proved its staying power, maturing from millennial pink into bold rosy shades with varying undertones (as illustrated by the Mt. Curve collection from BNF Studio pictured here).
Whether pastel, primary, clashing or fluorescent, many of the palettes looked a little offbeat, as if one had walked onto the set of a Wes Anderson film. In addition to pinks, terra cotta, orange-based red, mint and olive greens, clear light blue and cobalt and yellow (both lemony and mustardy) were among the oft-used hues.
7. Color Explosion
While clean lines and neutral tones will never go out of style, many longtime fairgoers noted that the pale Scandinavian simplicity that ruled booths for many years has been slowly supplanted by bold color over the past few seasons. And pink, among the most popular of the colors, has proved its staying power, maturing from millennial pink into bold rosy shades with varying undertones (as illustrated by the Mt. Curve collection from BNF Studio pictured here).
Whether pastel, primary, clashing or fluorescent, many of the palettes looked a little offbeat, as if one had walked onto the set of a Wes Anderson film. In addition to pinks, terra cotta, orange-based red, mint and olive greens, clear light blue and cobalt and yellow (both lemony and mustardy) were among the oft-used hues.
Affreschi & Affreschi
8. Immersive Environments
Large-scale mural wallcoverings were also used to create alternate realities and immersive experiences. This Shadow design by Italian wallpaper company Affreschi & Affreschi, for example, could transport a homeowner to a tropical forest. These murals also offered a fresh way to experience the nature-inspired patterns that have been popular for several seasons.
Read stories about wall treatments
8. Immersive Environments
Large-scale mural wallcoverings were also used to create alternate realities and immersive experiences. This Shadow design by Italian wallpaper company Affreschi & Affreschi, for example, could transport a homeowner to a tropical forest. These murals also offered a fresh way to experience the nature-inspired patterns that have been popular for several seasons.
Read stories about wall treatments
Sawyer Made
9. Tongue-in-Cheek Tradition
As you can tell by the furry chairs and jungle-patterned walls, a sense of whimsy imbued many of the designs at this year’s ICFF and WantedDesign Manhattan. And traditional designs were fodder for much of that fun.
This Wayward Bench by George Sawyer, for example, is a lighthearted take on a classic Shaker design. Sawyer, a second-generation Windsor chair maker, designed and made the bench in Woodbury, Vermont, using local wood and traditional green woodworking techniques.
9. Tongue-in-Cheek Tradition
As you can tell by the furry chairs and jungle-patterned walls, a sense of whimsy imbued many of the designs at this year’s ICFF and WantedDesign Manhattan. And traditional designs were fodder for much of that fun.
This Wayward Bench by George Sawyer, for example, is a lighthearted take on a classic Shaker design. Sawyer, a second-generation Windsor chair maker, designed and made the bench in Woodbury, Vermont, using local wood and traditional green woodworking techniques.
Flavor Paper
If you look at it closely, you’ll see that this Austin Toile wallpaper from Brooklyn-based Flavor Paper in collaboration with artist Dan Funderburgh isn’t your grandmother’s toile.
If you look at it closely, you’ll see that this Austin Toile wallpaper from Brooklyn-based Flavor Paper in collaboration with artist Dan Funderburgh isn’t your grandmother’s toile.
Atelier Morphology
10. Digital Daring
Innovations in construction and materials and AI-assisted design were also topics of conversation and evident in the products at the event. Among the pieces exhibited were 3D-printed chairs, tables and lighting made of bioplastics and wood waste. They may sound futuristic, but they’re in production right now.
The shade of this 3D-printed Biophilic Fold light from emerging designer Atelier Morphology is made from biocomposites. The fixture was designed to emit light that’s both pleasing to people and supportive of plant growth.
10. Digital Daring
Innovations in construction and materials and AI-assisted design were also topics of conversation and evident in the products at the event. Among the pieces exhibited were 3D-printed chairs, tables and lighting made of bioplastics and wood waste. They may sound futuristic, but they’re in production right now.
The shade of this 3D-printed Biophilic Fold light from emerging designer Atelier Morphology is made from biocomposites. The fixture was designed to emit light that’s both pleasing to people and supportive of plant growth.
NJ Roseti
The synthesis of computers and handiwork resulted in some edgy, hard-to-pin-down but visually arresting designs. NJ Roseti won an ICFF Editors Award for his body of work, which included this veneered credenza. It’s part of a collection Roseti describes as “digital distortions of cubes and tesseracts,” or cubes in four-dimensional space — very tech-y-sounding indeed.
10 Fresh Furniture and Decor Trends for 2023
The synthesis of computers and handiwork resulted in some edgy, hard-to-pin-down but visually arresting designs. NJ Roseti won an ICFF Editors Award for his body of work, which included this veneered credenza. It’s part of a collection Roseti describes as “digital distortions of cubes and tesseracts,” or cubes in four-dimensional space — very tech-y-sounding indeed.
10 Fresh Furniture and Decor Trends for 2023
Abigail Edwards
11. Noir Nature
Nature has had a bigger-than-usual influence on the shapes, colors, forms and patterns of furnishings across the design industry for the last several years. The motifs keep evolving, though, and they took a darker turn at ICFF this year.
In addition to delicate floral and large-size leafy patterns, there were tangled vines, denuded branches and charred wood evoking enchanted forests and fairy tales. This hand-drawn eco-friendly Misselthwaite wallpaper by Abigail Edwards was inspired by the overgrown estate in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden.
11. Noir Nature
Nature has had a bigger-than-usual influence on the shapes, colors, forms and patterns of furnishings across the design industry for the last several years. The motifs keep evolving, though, and they took a darker turn at ICFF this year.
In addition to delicate floral and large-size leafy patterns, there were tangled vines, denuded branches and charred wood evoking enchanted forests and fairy tales. This hand-drawn eco-friendly Misselthwaite wallpaper by Abigail Edwards was inspired by the overgrown estate in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden.
Ayako Aratani
This powder-coated steel-and-brass table by Ayako Aratani, a Japanese furniture designer and sculptor based in Detroit, is from her Ghost Garden series, which channels the same vibe.
This powder-coated steel-and-brass table by Ayako Aratani, a Japanese furniture designer and sculptor based in Detroit, is from her Ghost Garden series, which channels the same vibe.
Nice Condo
12. Grid Lock
Not everything was wavy and wonky at the event. The basic grid pattern could be found on wallcoverings, textiles, furniture forms and even the backdrop of the talks stage.
One fun and functional use of a grid was this reconfigurable hanging system by New York-based studio Nice Condo.
12. Grid Lock
Not everything was wavy and wonky at the event. The basic grid pattern could be found on wallcoverings, textiles, furniture forms and even the backdrop of the talks stage.
One fun and functional use of a grid was this reconfigurable hanging system by New York-based studio Nice Condo.
Poppy Print Studio
The Grid collection of wallpaper by ICFF exhibitor Poppy, shown here with tan lines and a black background, illustrates how repeated geometric patterns can be a refreshing counterpoint to irregular organic shapes.
Tell us: What do you predict will be the biggest furnishing trends in 2024? Share your ideas in the Comments.
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The Grid collection of wallpaper by ICFF exhibitor Poppy, shown here with tan lines and a black background, illustrates how repeated geometric patterns can be a refreshing counterpoint to irregular organic shapes.
Tell us: What do you predict will be the biggest furnishing trends in 2024? Share your ideas in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more design stories
Read more industry show and fair recaps
Find design and remodeling professionals
Shop for home products
1. Do-Good Design
ICFF and WantedDesign Manhattan organizers say they aim to showcase established and up-and-coming contemporary furniture designers committed to sustainability, and many brands at this year’s show did indeed tout the ways they are environmentally responsible in their design and production. Other designers described how they try to be inclusive of people with disabilities and how their practices support local communities and artisans and preserve cultural heritage. And plenty said they combined those do-good measures in their business practices.
One such company is MasayaCo, which makes the teak furniture and woven headboard pictured here. According to the company, it has planted more than 1 million trees on previously deforested land in Central America. It selectively harvests those sustainably grown trees for its furniture, which is handcrafted by fairly paid local artisans using traditional manufacturing techniques.
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