To design something, you have to feel it. The ‘Technological Emotions’ style world shows us how. It’s where experiments with new technologies and innovative materials are transformed into interior designs with a strong feeling of wellbeing. Discover high-tech inspirations that go straight to the heart!  

Balance booster

People instinctively want what does them good. That’s why our impulses and inspirations are so important. Quality design creations can help us take time out to restore our meditative balance. That’s where the ‘Technological Emotions’ style world comes in – not with a cool, objective look but with shapes and colours to encourage us to explore within. We saw engaging fusions of wood and glass with metal, with no one material being over-dominant. Smooth surfaces give rise to reflections, and textile structures offer tangible relaxation. The written word is often a stepping stone on the mindful road to self-awareness. But a blank white page isn’t always an easy place to start. That’s why we loved these poetic notebooks from Frankfurt, where turning over a new leaf means uncovering a new world of colour. The abstract screen prints are sure to help you achieve a state of flow.

A feel for technology

Coupled with these emotionally appealing designs are technologies that bring a ‘sense of future’ to proceedings: for instance, through a sophisticated finish or a fibre with innovative properties. Original gadgets and experimental materials also provide a flavour of this trend – take, for example, these bath mats containing diatomaceous earth (Kieselguhr). Natural air circulation ensures they soak up splashes at super speed. Even washbasins can experience something new, such as a clever soap dish. The secret here is an opening that allows water to drain and keeps the soap dry. Equally surprising is an urban daysack made of artificial fibres, which has demonstrated its robust qualities in the world of motorbike racing.

Whiteout

What are the main colours in this oh-so-balanced style world? White, white, and white again! Linen, in the latest soft waffle piqué, is one of this shade’s most tactile and attractive proponents. The trend also soothes the eyes with its flowing transitions – between transparent and silver, ice blue and deep-sea blue. Its companions are warm orange, and green plants. This is a style which provides the perfect opportunity to mark relaxation areas around the house: perhaps with purist iris-glass vases and dishes made of shimmering, rainbow-coloured glass. Placing two or three of these objects alongside one another allows them to reflect each other’s light. Colourful ambient scent sticks arranged randomly in and around them will underscore the effect.

Mirror image

Silver surfaces are often said to have a cool, clinical effect. Yet the ‘Technological Emotions’ trend proves this doesn’t have to be the case with wafer-thin sheets applied across floor-to-ceiling panels. Although the reflections from them are diffuse and remain in the background, they successfully create an extra-special futuristic look. These refined effects are fine examples of a style which shapes a new, visionary yet sensitive approach. We predict that reflecting on our own thoughts and using smart materials and designs to do so has a great future in these increasingly hectic times.