The signs are pointing to revival and regeneration. ‘renewal. notion of redo’ bubbles over with energy and confidence – and with fresh ideas that catapult upcycling design into a new dimension. Sustainable living increasingly means taking social aspects into consideration. With stunning creativity, excitingly combined materials and a colour palette for the bold and determined: Let’s take the plunge into Ambiente Trends 2021 – notion of redo!
Refreshingly new and stunningly different: creative interior ideas for an energy-charged home
With the future seeming vague and uncertain, we ourselves make it tangible – by trying out innovative ideas here and now, upcycling and creating something completely different. Ambiente Trends 2021 – notion of redo are all about renewal. An interior theme that is just bubbling with energy. Creative interior ideas invite us to look at things from a refreshingly new perspective. With bold colours and interesting new materials. Improvisation is definitely encouraged. “Surprise and humour play a particularly important role in this diverse mix,” explains Annetta Palmisano from stilbüro bora.herke.palmisano. “Even designer pieces now display a casual DIY attitude.”
Ambiente exhibitors are providing exciting ideas for the new interior lifestyle feel. The Mantu lamp by Dedal comes from Portugal and draws its inspiration from the traditional clothing of Azorean women: the name simply means ‘coat’ in Portuguese. The elegant cover made of cork and recycled rubber wraps around the lamp like a coat, allowing its light to be adjusted to different strengths and intensities depending on how you turn and twist the lamp. The Wonderland collection from Gaia&Gino X 3RD CULTURE certainly lives up to its name. Zeynep Rende works with artisans from various parts of Turkey who share their knowledge and experience with the designer. The result of this collaboration is an array of exciting symbiotic creations, such as the Zoa placemats, which bring together traditional wickerwork and a special type of lace embroidery unique to the region.
‘renewal. notion of redo’ aims to inspire our imagination, and the objects created by Brazilian designer Bianca Barbato fit perfectly with this trend. She previously inspired us during Ambiente 2020 at the “Focus on Design: Brazil” exhibition. The surface of her sweeping wall object imitates a mystery-laden green marble but still has an absolutely light and playful look about it. The addition of the golden boat completes the idea of a lake in miniature. Pets, too, can learn to appreciate creative interior ideas that are imaginative and cleverly designed. Our feline friends feel completely at home in the cat cave by Qeeboo. Designer Stefano Giovannoni has fitted the lower cat cabin with a scratch mat and plush ball, while the upper area serves as an observation platform for animal roommates. The FZ1 stool, which Jean-Baptiste Fastrez designed for EO Denmark, provides us with new perspectives for the living room. It’s a radical reinterpretation of the classic chair design with its excellent form, bright colours and modern graphic twist.
A real energy cocktail: Trend Colours 2021
The exciting and invigorating Trend Colours 2021 of ‘renewal: notion of redo’ are simply bursting with confidence. Dark crimson, bright sun red, sky violet, orange and pastel lavender unfold before us like a magical, radiant sunset. Complementing this energy cocktail are fresh algal blue-green, cloud grey and ocean blue. “A colour palette for the bold and determined that makes us want to bring about positive change,” is how Claudia Herke from stilbüro bora.herke.palmisano sums up the interior Trend Colours 2021. The plates, cups and jugs by Bornn, for example, bring a touch of humour to the table. This range of brightly coloured enamel tableware is handmade in Turkey. Here, too, irregularity is the watchword – each object, explains the manufacturer, is able to show “individual traces of its journey”.
Material trends: Upcycling design and an exciting mix of materials
The Ambiente Trends 2021 – notion of redo are taking big steps towards a future that will lift upcycling and sustainability to a new dimension. Its designers are already taking the lead. With so much stimulating creativity, it’s impossible not to get carried away. “Wood and plastic waste, brightly coloured glass and textiles are suddenly transformed into exciting collages in new contexts. Irregularity is allowed – and demanded,” explains Annetta Palmisano from stilbüro bora.herke.palmisano. “This interior theme presents even familiar materials in a way we’ve never seen before.”
Ambiente exhibitors show what the exciting mix of materials can look like: For instance, the shelf by Studio Aroma combines grey wood and green iron-coated shelves with a bright red drawstring that gives the geometrically tapered shape an eccentric look. Kare Design makes cushions from a wide variety of fabrics and textiles and combines them to form waves. The deep blue mobile by Flensted Mobiles also brings movement into the home as the elements painted in different shades of blue swing in the breeze.
Marco500 by Jacqueline Chiabay demonstrates that sustainable design can also take social perspectives into account. For her eco-social project, the Brazilian artist brings together artisans from rural regions and prison inmates. Everything is designed and developed in collaboration – from the initial draft to the finished product. The result is an array of unusual products, such as the bright, shimmering cushions and the stool made of woven, colourful leather strips, which combine innovative interior design with traditional techniques.
Creating a new generation of upcycling design is what underpins the work of Moogoo Creative Africa. All objects are handmade in Burkina Faso and fairly traded. And they’re versatile – the stool, for instance, can also serve as a side table. It’s one of the Moogoo team’s own creations in partnership with designers Ousseni Ouattara and Pascal Wandraoua and is made from recycled oil drums. Here, too, no two pieces of furniture are alike. Scratches in the bright colours testify to the history of the reprocessed, creatively reused materials.
Handmade interior design in the Ambiente Trends 2021 – notion of redo
Some objects are handmade, while others show a deliberate sense of DIY creativity. Handmade interior design has a firm place in both versions of this theme. With their irregular colour application, the plates from SPAL Porcelanas decoratively enhance any table. There are some surprising creations here, too, such as the handmade glasses by Massimo Lunardon, which are decorated with bright red and blue glass balls, and the wooden chopping board from knindustrie by Livorno-based artist Stefano Pilato, which you could just as easily hang on the wall as a small fish sculpture. The handmade decorative item by Brazilian designer Humberto da Mata, who previously presented his fabulous work at Ambiente Talents, is also ambiguous.
The jewellery by Made51, which is made in Malaysia by refugee artisans from Syria, Myanmar and Afghanistan, also fits with the Ambiente Trends 2021 – notion of redo. The beautiful patterns, set in real gold, are intended to evoke the landscapes of Myanmar and the tile designs of the Middle East.
& more: Unconventional living. Recycling interior design for indoors and outdoors
It’s been a long time since our everyday lives looked so colourful, diverse and full of energy. And these environmentally friendly Laguna sunglasses from Parafina make the perfect companion. The key feature of this eyewear is the combination of two recycled materials: cork and plastic. Recycled plastic also plays an important role for Dutch manufacturer Handed By whose products are to a large extent also made from leftover, recycled plastic.
Mobility is taking on a completely new form in our current times. We now want to remain in situ but stay mobile, we want to discover and retake the streets on our own doorstep. We want to embark on adventures of exploration through our own towns. ‘renewal: notion of redo’ addresses this need. Bicycles, rucksacks and helmets are now virtually part of our home furnishings. And, of course, they are just as innovative and unusual as the new recycling interior design. The foldable cycle helmet by DesignNest, for instance, saves a lot of space when you’re out and about and can virtually go everywhere with you. The fabulous bag by Loqi made from recycled plastic and featuring a print by Felice Rix might even make you look forward eagerly to a trip to the local supermarket. Rix was one of the most famous textile artists of the Viennese Werkstätten and later also shook up the Japanese art market. If you really want to be prepared for any adventure, the anti-theft backpack by XD Design is a must. Cut-resistant and water-repellent material, integrated lock, RFID-protected pockets and numerous hidden interior compartments make it the ideal companion for every conceivable situation.
Another great portable item for when wanderlust comes knocking is the City Radio from Palomar, which brings the world into our homes – or wherever we happen to be. It’s a magic box that plays live radio stations from London to New York, Beijing to Havana and Tokyo to Moscow at the touch of a button. This unusual home accessory, which has been nominated for the German Design Award 2022, is the perfect embodiment of the Ambiente Trends 2021 – notion of redo. Functional as well as elegant, unconventional and with a sense of humour, these are the things that now enhance our everyday lives, both indoors and out.
