8 Contemporary Furniture Trends at ICFF 2025
Grid patterns, sunset hues and innovative eco-materials were among the trends at the recent trade show in New York
The annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) — a global gathering of designers, manufacturers, architects and design enthusiasts — is the premier destination for discovering the latest in cutting-edge contemporary design. At this year’s Designing in Harmony-themed event, held May 17-19 at New York City’s Javits Center, we identified eight looks and ideas to watch. Each is illustrated below with standout pieces from established or emerging designers whose bodies of work shone at the show.
Surface design, textiles and wallpapers were also frequently gridded. For example, we saw several upholstered sofas, including this extremely comfy Ligne Roset Kashima sofa (a 1970s reissue) with all-over horizontal and vertical quilting.
8 Furniture Trends at High Point Market Spring 2025
8 Furniture Trends at High Point Market Spring 2025
2. Sunset Colors
At this spring’s High Point Market, rich, warm desert tones were a top trend. That was the case at ICFF too — especially desert sunsets, from pale violet and aquamarine down to deep mauve, amber, terra cotta and burgundy. These colors showed up on upholstered furniture, rugs, tile and more.
Here and there, the colors were presented in beautiful gradients, as in this dreamy Sedona Sunset wall mural by Jill Malek. Part of her recently released Wanderlust collection of wallcoverings, it illustrates some of the pink, purple and caramel shades popular at the show.
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At this spring’s High Point Market, rich, warm desert tones were a top trend. That was the case at ICFF too — especially desert sunsets, from pale violet and aquamarine down to deep mauve, amber, terra cotta and burgundy. These colors showed up on upholstered furniture, rugs, tile and more.
Here and there, the colors were presented in beautiful gradients, as in this dreamy Sedona Sunset wall mural by Jill Malek. Part of her recently released Wanderlust collection of wallcoverings, it illustrates some of the pink, purple and caramel shades popular at the show.
8 Color Trends From the 2025 Maison & Objet Show
3. Red and Green Stone
In keeping with the trend toward rich and warm colors in interiors, colorful, heavily veined marble has largely outshone cool white and gray stones in recent contemporary collections. This year, deep purplish-red and green were the most popular colored stones at ICFF. Both were featured in Menino Design’s Kuklos collection, which incorporates “waste” marble from Tuscan quarries, including this beautiful green slab.
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In keeping with the trend toward rich and warm colors in interiors, colorful, heavily veined marble has largely outshone cool white and gray stones in recent contemporary collections. This year, deep purplish-red and green were the most popular colored stones at ICFF. Both were featured in Menino Design’s Kuklos collection, which incorporates “waste” marble from Tuscan quarries, including this beautiful green slab.
You can help clients visualize their planned home with Houzz Pro Mood Boards and 3D Floor Plans. You can also share photos, files, estimates, proposals and more with clients using Houzz Pro.
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We were also smitten by the red and green solid marble handles and knobs from hardware company Lo & Co. (a pair of faceted Prism handles in Rosso is pictured here), as well as the new Rosso Levanto marble options in Emtek’s Select program of customizable door hardware.
4. Nature Plus Wellness
The influence of nature and pursuit of wellness — two ongoing trends in the world of interior design — had a lot of overlap at the 2025 ICFF.
One principle that continued to influence both products and conversation was biophilic design, which aims to enhance well-being by creating a connection with the natural environment. Natural materials, colors and shapes play a pivotal role in biophilic design and, not coincidentally, were abundant on the show floor.
A stunning example of a nature-inspired furniture collection featured at ICFF was Morpho, a collaboration between music festival Tomorrowland, furniture company Ethnicraft and architect Dieter Vander Velpen. Note the bronze-colored dragonfly-wing detail on the back of this teak-and-velvet Volita dining chair.
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The influence of nature and pursuit of wellness — two ongoing trends in the world of interior design — had a lot of overlap at the 2025 ICFF.
One principle that continued to influence both products and conversation was biophilic design, which aims to enhance well-being by creating a connection with the natural environment. Natural materials, colors and shapes play a pivotal role in biophilic design and, not coincidentally, were abundant on the show floor.
A stunning example of a nature-inspired furniture collection featured at ICFF was Morpho, a collaboration between music festival Tomorrowland, furniture company Ethnicraft and architect Dieter Vander Velpen. Note the bronze-colored dragonfly-wing detail on the back of this teak-and-velvet Volita dining chair.
5 Furniture Trends From the Fall 2024 High Point Market
Biomimicry, on the other hand, looks to nature’s processes and forms to solve human challenges. Another area of study is neuroaesthetics, which, simply put, means how our brains respond to aesthetic experiences. Both concepts have only recently begun to be explored by interior designers and architects. But the buzz is that by incorporating biomimicry into design, designers can harness the brain’s natural affinity for nature-inspired elements to create healthier, more supportive interior spaces.
At ICFF, this idea was embodied by the designs from California company Star Tile. The handmade tiles (including those pictured here) incorporate natural patterns, forms and colors that our brains are “wired” to find calming.
At ICFF, this idea was embodied by the designs from California company Star Tile. The handmade tiles (including those pictured here) incorporate natural patterns, forms and colors that our brains are “wired” to find calming.
5. Playful Anthropomorphic Shapes
The idea of sparking joy with design was widespread at the fair, and in many cases, the approach was as simple as creating playful forms. We were especially charmed by pieces that looked like little people or animals — some more literally than others.
This Helping Hand side table by New York designer noknok studio is a cute example. We also got a smile from SouleWork’s Monster cabinet, which has two hand-turned wooden knobs for eyes and drawer fronts reimagined as teeth, and Design Va’s Walky chair, which looks like it’s ready to stroll on its two bulbous feet.
34 Home Design Trends That Will Define 2025
The idea of sparking joy with design was widespread at the fair, and in many cases, the approach was as simple as creating playful forms. We were especially charmed by pieces that looked like little people or animals — some more literally than others.
This Helping Hand side table by New York designer noknok studio is a cute example. We also got a smile from SouleWork’s Monster cabinet, which has two hand-turned wooden knobs for eyes and drawer fronts reimagined as teeth, and Design Va’s Walky chair, which looks like it’s ready to stroll on its two bulbous feet.
34 Home Design Trends That Will Define 2025
6. Dramatic Wood Graining and Staining
Each year at ICFF, we are absolutely wowed by exhibitors’ artisanal woodwork. This year, we fell for a lot of exquisite joinery, inlaid metals and hammered textures, for example. But there were two finishes that struck us as particularly trend-forward: dramatic graining and creative staining.
Wood with strong graining has been growing in popularity over the past couple of seasons, and was ubiquitous at ICFF. But pieces by Iowa designer Aronson Woodworks, including this dresser, take it to the next level. A prototype from the new Ripple series, this dresser has solid ash drawers that feature the company’s trademarked Claize finish, which exaggerates the ash’s natural grain. Similar designs in white and ombre-like Claize drew gaggles of admirers at ICFF.
Each year at ICFF, we are absolutely wowed by exhibitors’ artisanal woodwork. This year, we fell for a lot of exquisite joinery, inlaid metals and hammered textures, for example. But there were two finishes that struck us as particularly trend-forward: dramatic graining and creative staining.
Wood with strong graining has been growing in popularity over the past couple of seasons, and was ubiquitous at ICFF. But pieces by Iowa designer Aronson Woodworks, including this dresser, take it to the next level. A prototype from the new Ripple series, this dresser has solid ash drawers that feature the company’s trademarked Claize finish, which exaggerates the ash’s natural grain. Similar designs in white and ombre-like Claize drew gaggles of admirers at ICFF.
Color-stained wood that allows the natural wood grain to show through has been gaining traction both at ICFF and beyond as well. We saw it in several booths this spring, including that of Juntos Projects, whose pieces we first admired at the fair two years ago.
The limited-edition Hamilton Holmes white oak Desert chair shown here was an even newer take on this still-fresh-feeling trend. What looks like stripes of watery blue stain is actually created through the studio’s Oxalino process, which entails hand-painting an oxidizing solution onto tannin-rich wood to create color through a chemical reaction.
The limited-edition Hamilton Holmes white oak Desert chair shown here was an even newer take on this still-fresh-feeling trend. What looks like stripes of watery blue stain is actually created through the studio’s Oxalino process, which entails hand-painting an oxidizing solution onto tannin-rich wood to create color through a chemical reaction.
7. Culture-Infused Designs
Good design may be universal, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be rich with story and cultural tradition. In fact, ICFF’s 2025 Designing in Harmony theme aimed, in part, to emphasize the importance of multicultural design.
Throughout the fair, we saw beautiful examples of contemporary pieces that nodded to the maker’s culture, were made using traditional techniques, or both. These Paem stools by Massame Studio, for example, are made by indigenous artisans in Brazil using traditional techniques.
Good design may be universal, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be rich with story and cultural tradition. In fact, ICFF’s 2025 Designing in Harmony theme aimed, in part, to emphasize the importance of multicultural design.
Throughout the fair, we saw beautiful examples of contemporary pieces that nodded to the maker’s culture, were made using traditional techniques, or both. These Paem stools by Massame Studio, for example, are made by indigenous artisans in Brazil using traditional techniques.
Another standout came from North Carolina company Crafted Glory. The furniture makers drew from their Ghanian heritage, then mixed in elements of Scandinavian design, to create this Ati side table, named after the Ewe word for “tree.”
8. Eco-Innovation
Sustainability is a core principle at ICFF, not a design trend. But each fair does bring exciting innovations in the world of sustainability that impact the look of furniture pieces and materials — and ultimately could help lessen the environmental impact of furniture production.
Mycelium — the root-like structure of mushrooms — made a particularly big impression at the recent fair, in part because of its myriad applications. We saw it used for acoustic wall tiles (like these from Habitat Matter), which are often made from synthetic felt. MushLume lighting uses mycelium to grow lampshades. And the leather-like Reishi by MycoWorks, another mycelium product, is now available at scale production levels, offering a promising vinyl-free leather alternative. MycoWorks has even forged a partnership to offer some of Ligne Roset’s products in Reishi, which MycoWorks says is comparable to luxury leather in both performance and appearance.
Sustainability is a core principle at ICFF, not a design trend. But each fair does bring exciting innovations in the world of sustainability that impact the look of furniture pieces and materials — and ultimately could help lessen the environmental impact of furniture production.
Mycelium — the root-like structure of mushrooms — made a particularly big impression at the recent fair, in part because of its myriad applications. We saw it used for acoustic wall tiles (like these from Habitat Matter), which are often made from synthetic felt. MushLume lighting uses mycelium to grow lampshades. And the leather-like Reishi by MycoWorks, another mycelium product, is now available at scale production levels, offering a promising vinyl-free leather alternative. MycoWorks has even forged a partnership to offer some of Ligne Roset’s products in Reishi, which MycoWorks says is comparable to luxury leather in both performance and appearance.
Another material innovation featured at ICFF that has enormous potential involves — no kidding — plastic.
Heller was founded in 1971 and is known for its indoor-outdoor modern plastic furniture. The plastic is already recyclable and incorporates recycled materials. But wanting to go further, this year the company partnered with Worry Free Plastics to incorporate in its furniture an organic enzyme that enables the product to break down into nutrient-rich, microplastic-free soil at the end of life. This reissued ArcoBellini chair, which is now available in three new pearlescent colors, incorporates that Worry Free Plastics technology.
For now, Heller is the only company offering plastic furniture with this innovation. But imagine the potential.
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Heller was founded in 1971 and is known for its indoor-outdoor modern plastic furniture. The plastic is already recyclable and incorporates recycled materials. But wanting to go further, this year the company partnered with Worry Free Plastics to incorporate in its furniture an organic enzyme that enables the product to break down into nutrient-rich, microplastic-free soil at the end of life. This reissued ArcoBellini chair, which is now available in three new pearlescent colors, incorporates that Worry Free Plastics technology.
For now, Heller is the only company offering plastic furniture with this innovation. But imagine the potential.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Browse millions of photos for inspiration
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in pro-to-pro discussions
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In recent seasons, patterns and furniture profiles have been ruled by curves. But this spring, grids, blocks and right angles (albeit often slightly softened) made a bid for the throne.
Brett Paulin, the maker of this beautifully joined table, was one North American designer who embraced blocky forms in his furniture designs. Others included Bradley Duncan Studio and Ayako Aratani. Sometimes the grids and blocks were in orderly rows, as they are here. Other times they seemed assembled like puzzles or haphazardly piled atop each other.