The Maison&Objet show is back at Paris Nord Villepinte from 18 to 22 January 2024 for its 30th edition. If you’re lucky enough to be attending, there are only a few days left to prepare for your visit, so we’ve put together a list of the highlights of this year’s show that you won’t want to miss.
Science and nature combined
For its 30th anniversary, the show is taking a trip to a reinvented future, where technology and nature are reconciled. Following on from ENJOY last September, the theme of this year’s show, TECH EDEN, devised in collaboration with the creative strategy consultancy, Peclers Paris, is still optimistic, this time looking towards a futuristic environment of biophilia and wellbeing.
The aim is to “highlight the profound changes in the relationship between science and nature, and project it into a sustainable and desirable future”, says the press release.
The theme will be spread across two “What’s New” areas:
- What’s New in Retail?, designed by François Delclaux in collaboration with global design agency BETC, will be a space for sourcing, inspiration and exchange. The subtle set will quietly bring tech to the fore, with comforting materials, natural shapes and soft colours. Three major trends will be on show: sustainable minimalism, sustainable brutalism (re-use and recycled materials) and organic fluidity.
Find it in Hall 4.
- What’s New in Decor? is an installation designed by trendsetter Elizabeth Leriche in which the home is presented as a soothing cocoon of benevolent, modular design. It’s a space also impacted by remote working, open source and e-commerce.
Find it in Hall 7.
Ligne Tradition bistro table, Ardamez, Hospitality Lab.
- Within the Hospitality Lab, the Peclers Paris agency will be showcasing three biophilic, immersive and forward-looking escape capsules: Awakening, Active and Regenerative. The aim is to introduce new concepts: the café becomes a hybrid wellness area; luxury spas are brought into hotel rooms, and waiting areas such as airports and railway stations are transformed into gyms.
Mathieu Lehanneur. Photo by Felipe Ribon.
Outonomy by Mathieu Lehanneur
Every year, Maison&Objet awards the title of Designer of the Year to a key figure in the industry. For its 30th anniversary, the show has chosen French designer Mathieu Lehanneur for the uniqueness of his world.
He will have free rein to design the layout of his dedicated space, called Outonomy. “Running away, going off on a tangent, breathing, living… These are just a few of the actions that sum up the project I’ll be presenting at Maison&Objet in January 2024,” Mathieu says. “Without saying too much for the moment, the project is built on the idea of independence and freedom, far away from noise and density. Towards a place where everyone can rethink the way they live and interact with their environment. A place where people can invent and reinvent themselves.
“The Outonomy project is a living ecosystem that is both minimal and optimal,” he continues. “The history of civilisation and architecture is peppered with attempts, solutions and proposals for isolated housing: the igloo, the cabin, the hut or the yurt. The challenge here is to combine our needs with today’s technologies. Far from being nostalgic or trying to retrace our steps, Outonomy is trying to answer the question: ‘What do I really need?’”
Find the installation in Hall 7.
Anga’s eco-friendly imitation marble, Future on Stage. Photo byS Teaser.
Future On Stage competition
As well as the innovations showcased on the event’s many stands, three companies will be highlighted in the Future On Stage competition, which aims topromote emerging firms. This year, brands have been selected that take a forward-looking approach to an optimistic future, blending design and technology.
- Founded in 2020 by Alexandre Alimi and Valentine d’Harcourt, French brand Anga produces an eco-friendly imitation marble made from volatile fine plastic. In the form of construction panels, the material can be used for worktops, sideboards or office and bathroom surfaces. The firm has teamed up with Moore Design to display this new material at the show.
In the Company of Animals furniture collection, BlueCycle xThe New Raw, Future On Stage. Photo by Aspa Koulira.
- BlueCycle is a Greek brand founded in 2020 by Suzanna Laskaridis. It makes 3D objects, such as vases, benches and chairs, by recycling marine plastic waste, including old fishing nets and shipping equipment.
Wild Fibers Tapestry by Aurelie Hoegy, in the permanent collection at MFAH (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston) Texas. Photo by Gordon Spooner.
The Rising Talent Awards
For its 30th anniversary, the Maison&Objet show is changing the format of the Rising Talent Awards. Instead of focusing on a particular country’s emerging talent, this year’s awards will spotlight young designer-researchers whose work is in tune with the digitisation that’s shaking up the way we live and work.
The talent is divided into two categories: tech and know-how. The winners in the tech category are: Audrey Large, with her creations combining the tangible and the intangible; WINT Design Lab, with its cutting-edge use of bio-materials, and Index Office, with its 3D printing.
In the know-how category, the winners are: Aurélie Hoegy, who works with rattan (pictured); Jenna Kaës, who reimagines funeral art; Emma Cogné, who weaves plastic tubes, and Line & Raphaël, who hand-make 3D marquetry furniture and ornaments.
Come and chat to the Houzz Pro team
The Houzz Pro team will be ready to welcome you on stand D174 in Hall 7. Our experts will be available to answer all your questions, so make an appointment now to see one of them at the show.
