January 25th, 2018

2018 Design Forecast

There’s nothing more fun than forecasting for the year ahead. Like the weather, things are always changing with new trends and new products on the horizon that push innovation. In design, there are a few things we can always count on – one of them being Pantone’s Color of the Year, which is Ultra Violet for 2018 – and IKEA (we are only half joking). IKEA did in fact debut the new YPPERLIG collection designed with Danish design company HAY in the Fall, which we are more than over the moon about, but that is old news. We’ve looked into the crystal ball and rounded up a few new and noteworthy products to keep your eyes peeled for and lust after this year. Keep reading to find out

Modular Seating

The way we live and work has dramatically changed in the last few years. No longer are we confined to stationary screens and computers to do our work or enjoy entertainment. We almost demand flexibility and adaptability with our smartphones, tablets, and laptops – shouldn’t our furniture also change with us? With our ever-changing needs, modular furniture appears to be our best solution and it doesn’t have to be boxy and uncomfortable. Francesco Rota designed the PLUS system for Lapalma which is a collection of curvy, soft components, including rectangular, square and round-ended seat shapes, two sizes of backrests, an armrest and a table. Minimalist and quite fun, these pieces can be rearranged to your preference whether that be a classic sofa or floating seats in a large living room. You can even have the side tables outfitted with a power supply so your gadgets are never out of juice.

Surface Charging

Speaking of the power supply, have you noticed that power outlets are in hot demand? They are hotspots when you go to the airport or the mall – we constantly need to recharge our smartphones. The day when you can wirelessly charge your phone from almost any surface is not too distant. The Blend Into Space everyday objects by design studio PESI is sure to be on your radar for 2018. It is a conceptual collection of furnishings and homewares with wireless-charging technology integrated below every surface designed as a part of Samsung’s startup incubation program, Creative Square. There is no doubt that these products will fly off the shelves.

Smart and Wearables

While we are still on the topic of smart technology, we cannot forget about the smartwatch. Although it has not been adopted into our everyday lives as readily as our smartphones, they are still evolving to meet our needs – and more importantly our design tastes. Skagen Denmark just released their new Falster Smartwatch and it is the perfect cross between your classic watch with the technology of a smartwatch. It looks classy with a minimalist LCD touchscreen face and runs Android Wear so you can tap and swipe your way through messages, music, and activity tracking data. Watch out Apple!

Minimalist Gadgets

For something a little more low-tech and practical, we have this beautifully designed PlusMinus [http://selek.design/11-plusminus.html] minimalist screwdriver from  Selek Design. Can we take a moment to admire how sleek it is? We would probably try to find reasons to take it out for a spin as often as possible. It is also so compact that you can do without the bulky toolbox and just stash it in a drawer. Now if only there was tape measure on the market that is just as gorgeous to match!

Grids

A trend we’ve been starting to see is the use of grids – simple lines intersecting and joined together. It’s a great pattern and is fairly timeless in our opinion. Kallista has taken this idea even further by creating their new faucet named Grid. Using cutting-edge technology, innovation, and design, the faucet is 3D printed. The faucet celebrates the beauty of geometrical minimalism and coupled with a matte black finish, it is simply stunning. We are amazed by its outline form which hides discrete interior waterways. It is sure to be a show stopper once installed in a bathroom!

What are you forecasting for design in 2018? Let us know with the hashtag #area3forecast2018