TRENDS: Heritage by Cristina Morozzi

The long times spent at home have influenced the way we think about furniture.

The search for innovations and novelties has ended in favor of a revival of long-lasting products that, over time, increase their value, as evidenced by the international auctions. Gufram and Poltronova, historic design companies, which collections feature products from the glorious sixties and seventies, witnessed an increase in revenue from some icon, such as the Bocca sofa (Gufram) and the Ultrafragola mirror (Poltronova).

Many important furniture brands have drawn on their archives, for example, B&B re-proposes Camaleonda, the modular sofa designed by Mario Bellini in 1970. FontanaArte, on the other hand, has re-edited the Regina table lamp, created by Bobo Piccoli in 1968. It is no coincidence that 2021 is the year of books about houses and about the “things” they host, such as "Cose" by George Perec (Einuadi), where the author narrates a young couple's mania for objects; "Il libro delle case" by Andrea Bajani (Feltrinelli), or “Colibrì” by Sandro Veronesi who meticulously lists the furnishings of his childhood home in Piazza Savonarola in Florence.

The most sensitive companies are focusing on evocative projects which, despite their technological modernity, reveal references to memory, both in the shapes and in the typologies. The comeback of single pieces of furniture intended for a specific function, such as desks, screen-dividers, chest of drawers, also belongs to the heritage trend. This type of furnishings was once evicted from modern homes in favor of the “equipped wall”, destined to contain almost everything and perform most of the functions.

The world of fashion looks back to the 90s as those years marked the success of important brands. Contemporary design, on the other hand, draws inspiration from the 60s and 70s, which revolutionized the way homes are furnished. Architects and designers used to dream about changing the way of life through the "pop" and provocative creations that are now making a roaring comeback.