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Salone del Mobile’s new curatorial platforms and contract initiative

Salone del Mobile.Milano 2026 positions itself as a strategic global platform for design, culture and industry, with more than 1,900 exhibitors from 32 countries and a fully sold-out fairground. The 64th edition strengthens its international reach while introducing new curatorial and exhibition formats, including Salone Raritas, the immersive installation Aurea, an Architectural Fiction, and a redesigned wayfinding system aimed at improving accessibility and visitor experience. The return of EuroCucina with FTK – Technology For the Kitchen and the International Bathroom Exhibition reaffirms the fair’s role as the leading reference point for innovation in domestic and professional interiors.

The edition also marks a pivotal step toward the launch of Salone Contract in 2027, a long-term project developed with OMA under the direction of Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten to address the evolving contract and hospitality sectors. Sustainability remains a measurable priority, supported by renewed ISO 20121 certification and a focus on circular design practices across materials and supply chains. Together, these initiatives frame Salone 2026 as both a marketplace and a cultural infrastructure, reinforcing Milan’s status as the capital of contemporary design and a driver of global exchange.

ICFF spotlights global partnerships

New initiatives spotlight global partnerships and cross-disciplinary dialogue under the 2026 theme, Common Ground

Five things defining the design moment: January 2026

Each month, DNN Editor in Chief Courtney Porter curates five developments shaping the design industry, from international fairs and technology launches to regional shifts and standout interiors. The January 2026 edition spans Paris Design Week’s most compelling products, CES’s evolving relationship between technology and the home, and a sober assessment of California’s wildfire rebuild one year later, reframed through global philosophies of resilience and impermanence.

This month’s briefing also considers Dallas’ potential rise as a year-round design destination and closes with a close reading of Sheldon Harte’s refined desert interiors, which signal an evolution of Palm Springs style without erasing its past. Together, these selections map a creative landscape defined by nostalgia, adaptation and the search for durable cultural meaning in a period of ecological and economic pressure.

The O’Hare Way: A design family’s approach to creativity

In a multi-generational portrait of design lineage, the O’Hare family reveals how immersion, curiosity and kindness shape creative lives across decades, from factory floors abroad to sketchbooks at the kitchen table. For designers and manufacturers alike, their story offers a timely reminder that innovation is less inherited than cultivated through proximity, mentorship and a sustained attention to the world’s smallest details.

Neuroaesthetics: A designer’s superpower

The idea that design can improve people’s well-being is reshaping the home furnishings industry, according to panelists in a recent webinar, “Designing for Well-Being: The Science Elevating Home Furnishings and Design.” But some caveats apply, they said.

House of Rohl’s strategic Leadership appointments support leading position in luxury home décor

House of Rohl® expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of Emtek® and Schaub®, leaders in customizable cabinet and door hardware, in 2024. The addition of these brands alongside Riobel®, Perrin & Rowe®, Shaws®, Victoria + Albert®, and ROHL® has strengthened the portfolio’s position as a trailblazer in luxury plumbing and hardware for the kitchen and bath, and continued to broaden its offering across the luxury home décor landscape. By integrating both plumbing and hardware, the new House of Rohl delivers curated, stylistically aligned collections with shared finishes, simplifying specification while upholding the unmatched craft, service, and heritage that define its portfolio of prized brands. Today, House of Rohl welcomes seasoned industry leaders to help accelerate that momentum.

That’s a wrap on Shoppe Object’s first Paris edition

Conceived as the brand’s first international expansion, the event marked a strategic milestone for Shoppe Object, introducing its curatorial DNA to the European market. With over 80 carefully selected brands, this first Paris edition deliberately embraced a human-scale format, designed to encourage discovery, dialogue, and meaningful business connections. A foundational chapter intended to set the tone for long-term development in Paris.

What’s driving luxury e-commerce trends?

1stDibs presents the latest data on the site’s consumer-buying trends from the past year

Rimadesio opens in Los Angeles in partnership with Luca Lanzetta

The showroom spans over 3,500 square feet in a prime urban location, surrounded by international showrooms, art galleries and iconic venues that attract a discerning, design-forward clientele.

Humanscale brings human-centered design to San Francisco with new showroom

Designed with architect Suchi Reddy and featuring Kvadrat, the showroom serves as a vibrant hub for the design community, embodying Humanscale’s commitment to thoughtful, sustainable design.