It's quite possibly the biggest event of the design calendar year — Milan Design Week is here and with it, a cavalcade of exhibitions, showroom openings, product launches, and artful installations to explore. And of course, the Livingetc editors are on the ground and taking everything in.
We're four days in now, and Salone del Mobile is in full swing. We're rounding up our favorites as we go, updating this page daily — so whether you're heading to Milan this week or watching from home, you can keep up with the most exciting events as they happen.
Day Four
1. Arte's debut Ancient Egypt-inspired installation
This year marks Arte’s debut at Milan Design Week, and the pop-up showroom certainly makes a good first impression. The Belgium brand’s wallcoverings are less backdrop, more front-and-center feature, forming the heart of an installation inspired by the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis.
The brand worked with artist Gabriela de Sagarminaga on the installation, all in monochrome, which translates imagined scenes from Memphis into life-sized contemporary artworks made from raffia, cork, shells and woven grasses. “It’s at once old and new, celebrating craftsmanship but with an almost futuristic finish — one of the most interesting things I’ve seen this week,” says our editor Hugh Metcalf.
2. Florim's journey into materiality
Florim have been incredibly clever with their installation at the showroom this year, inspired by the curved lines of the tree-lined avenue Foro Buonaparte. The brand uses its surfaces to invoke some of the architectural spirit of the city, drawing us into the building and leading us to a rather impressive display of Florim collections, including those of Cristina Celestino and Matteo Thun & Partners. It’s a must-see for anyone interested in texture and materiality.
3. Italian terrace vibes at S-CAB
There were a number of clever indoor and outdoor furniture pieces on display at S-CAB’s Salone stand, but Nolo stood out for us. A series of tables made from concrete and steel, there’s a push-pull relationship between the two materials, heavy and light.
The brand tells us the collection is designed to live outdoors, under the canopy of an Italian cafe, perhaps, or on a private rooftop at sunset — but as Hugh says, “I can see them working just as well in a London garden, albeit in a patch that (occasionally) sees some sun.”
4. A sofa that defies logic
Edra is always a talking point at Milan, and this year is no different. “The last two years have seen Edra launch fabrics — shimmering and innovative — but this is the first time it has launched furniture for three years,” says executive editor Pip Rich. “And the Anywhere sofa was worth the wait.”
The key feature of the Anywhere sofa is the backrest, which can be moved around to suit how you want to be in that moment. “It’s so simple — seemingly — but the back can be picked up and moved anywhere and then stays exactly in place until picked up again,” says Pip. “It defies sense, but the result is a feat of wizardry that allows for multiple configurations for working, conversation, and relaxation. The Dilly light also deserves a mention for its unique shimmer — no two are exactly the same.”
Day Three
1. B&B Italia makes its return to Salone del Mobile
“B&B Italia took the unusual step of not showing any furniture in its Milan showroom, instead displaying a history of its iconic advertising in a gallery-style setting,” says Pip. “As a print editor it was fascinating to see how the brand’s collateral has evolved over the years, while remaining true to its core identity.
“That said, I was excited to see the actual furniture at the brand’s showcase at Salone del Mobile — and it didn’t disappoint,” he adds. Quite right — the brand’s showcase, its first at the fair in 2026 with one exception, is packed full of sleek new pieces, reissues of classics like the Nena armchair, and the signatures of collaborative designer colleagues like Vincent Van Dryden and Michael Anastassiades.
2. The mark of the maker at Iris Ceramica Group
Iris Ceramica Group embraces Fuorisalone’s theme this year, “Be the Project”, with the concept “The Humans Behind” — an invitation to explore tangible objects and surfaces and discover the traces of the people who brought it to life.
It’s conceptual, yes, but walking around the ICG Gallery, we could envision just how the group’s creations can come to life in the home, too. We were particularly taken by Sapienstone’s new “haute couture” surfaces, a series of 12mm thick large slaps that blend natural beauty with fashion.
3. Furniture as art at Draga & Aurel
Obviously we’re going to stop off to see what atelier and workshop Draga & Aurel are doing at any given opportunity, and we were delighted to walk into what felt like a color- and light-filled gallery within their Salone del Mobile exhibition space.
“The studio presented these abstract, sculpture-like pieces — lamps, tables, consoles — that felt like works of art as much as functional pieces,” says Hugh. “This time, they’ve explored glass as well as their signature resin to develop these moving, changing, almost living pieces that look like gem-like treasures.”
4. Natuzzi’s Puglia inspiration
Natuzzi’s usual fun, modern spirit was on show at the furniture design brand’s flagship store at Via Durini. We saw new pieces made in collaboration with Italian designer Mauro Lipparini for the new Caleo collection, and immediately fell for the sculptural dining table, above. Inspired by coves along the coast of Puglia — surfaces shaped by the rhythm of the waves and warmed by sunlight — it’s another success story for this innovative brand.
5. Lualdi’s smart take on the home’s unsung heroes
No one does internal doors quite like Lualdi — and if you didn’t think the subject could be exciting, you just haven’t seen how smart, sleek, and dramatic the brand’s designs can be. The Framework system was front and center in the showroom, with shelves, compartments, and doors all on display. “Creative Director Piero Lissoni has done it again, with his series of doors and shelves that are so smart, so elegant," says Pip. “The unsung heroes of the home.”
Day Two
1. Marazzi's Material Lounge takes cues from listening bars
Listening bars have been a Livingetc obsession for some time now, so obviously, we perked up at their mention as inspiration for Marazzi's exhibition, The Material Lounge, at Salone del Mobile.
This isn't a showroom, rather an experience — a series of spaces defined by their ceramic surfaces, with the brand's new Grande Lume collection at the heart of the show. "I could have stayed here for hours taking in the feeling of the space," says our global editor-in-chief, Sarah Spiteri.
2. Rimadesio’s conceptual art piece
It’s a huge year for Rimadesio, and the brand is celebrating its 70th anniversary with plenty of big moves under the umbrella of a conceptual title, Becoming. Its collaboration with Giuseppe Bavuso, a constant in the brand’s journey for the last 30 years, is on display in the flagship store with new pieces, materials and finishes. It even has a new corporate headquarters launching for the occasion.
And Aedes Memoria, a collaborative installation with Encor Studio and open to the public in the courtyard of Palazzo Isimbardi this week, also caught our eye. This unusual, almost otherworldly artistic piece stopped Pip in his tracks. "It’s a very conceptual exhibition — a fascinating and dreamlike display of lights that is meant to feel like an imaginary box," he says. "It challenged the senses."
3. High end kitchen personalisation from Cesar
Of course, we had to nip into Cesar’s flagship while we were in Milan: the Italian kitchen brand is introducing new versions of our favorite line, Tangram, with plenty of opportunities for personalisation.
"Cesar is absolutely amazing this year," says Pip. "The brand was the first to do curved islands back in 2022, and it has kept up that level of innovation with new lacquer finishes, more curves, and graduated color. A true highlight."
4. AI and the future of food at SKS Appliances
The SKS showroom is an example of how brands can tap into AI and our wider interest in sustainability to capture visitors’ imagination. Feeding the Future is an AI-assisted journey through the life cycle of food, highlighting untapped potential and showing clever ways to preserve and use the resources we have using SKS's clever tech. And, of course, there are plenty of opportunities to taste test along the way.
Of course, the showroom also showcases LG Electronics’ built-in offerings — including an ongoing collaboration with Schiffini, and SKS’s new Tracce capsule collection of undercounted appliances in historic patterns by radical Milanese design figures, above — so be sure to check it out if you're after kitchen inspiration.
Day One
1. Poliform's immersive installation takes theatricality to a new level
There's quite the buzz about 'Multitude', Poliform's installation at Palazzo Clerici during this Design Week. An abstract urban forest of aluminium poles makes for a dramatic backdrop for the brand's new outdoor collection.
"Poliform set the bar high by taking over the most beautiful palazzo, a space that has ever been seen in this way before," says Pip. "The brand’s classic modern furniture sang out against the Renaissance-style architecture."
2. Artemest's take on "Italian Grandeur"
We already mentioned L'Appartamento by Artemest in our Milan preview — it's a highlight of the week — but seeing it in real life is a whole different experience. This year's theme is "Italian Grandeur", celebrating the artistry, architecture, and craftsmanship of Italy through a series of designer-created rooms.
"A personal highlight of mine is The Grand Salon by March & White Design," says Hugh. "There's velvet, there's fringing, there are glossy lacquered surfaces and dramatic floral displays, all set among this incredible Milanese architecture. It's a genuine spectacle."
3. Patricia Urquiola's colorful redesign of the Moroso flagship
Look, anything Patricia Urquiola touches is worthy of attention, and the Moroso flagship store — for this week, an exhibition called "I feel space" — is a must-see while you're in Milan.
Part art gallery, part showroom, it sees works of art like "Dammi i colori" by Heimo Zobernig and "Geometriæ" by Front set alongside Moroso's signature shapely pieces, including Patricia's own Cuadra-Soft Edge modular sofa system — all designed by Patricia to give shape to space.
4. Dimoregallery's new location at the heart of Milan
This week is the debut of cutting-edge art gallery Dimoregallery's new space on Via San Vittore al Teatro, mere steps away from Piazza degli Affari. We relished traversing the two floors of this former bank, admiring the mix of historic Italian furnishings alongside ultra-contemporary, ultra-design-forward pieces by Dimoremilano and Interni Venosta.
"They've collaborated with Cardi Gallery to add works by 20th-century and contemporary masters, like Jannis Kounellis, into the mix — it's a truly cultural experience to squeeze into your busy schedule while you're here," says Sarah.
For more of the latest in design, subscribe to our newsletter.
