Yahoo Lifestyle The 4 Best Decor Trends We Saw at Maison&Objet, From Bright Hues to the Return of Rattan
Last week, the January edition of Maison&Objet once again took over the streets of Paris. Held in boutiques and showrooms across the city, with the main event spanning five days at the Parc des Expositions de Villepinte, the twice-yearly design show kicked off 2025 with a metaphorical loosening of the collar. After years of quiet luxury’s retrained profiles, neutral hues, and the less-is-more touchstone of minimalism, design trends are taking a bolder tack, with an abundance of punchy patterns, saturated rainbow colors, and light-hearted motifs that signal that brands are ready to have a little fun. Running simultaneously with Paris Déco Off—the industry’s yearly release of what’s next in fabrics and wall coverings—Maison&Objet is a strong barometer for the trends we’re guaranteed to see over the next 12 months. Read on to see what caught our eye this year.
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Surrealist Revival
The theme at this year’s Maison&Objet was Sur/Reality—chosen to mark the 100th anniversary of the publication of the Surrealist Manifesto in October 1924. A movement based on the expression of the subconscious mind through art, poetry, and literature, surrealism emerged in Europe in part as a reaction to the devastation and rationalism of World War I. Presently, its reemergence is rooted in freedom from particular styles and an embrace of the fantastic—a nod to the trailblazing creatives of yore with a contemporary twist. At the fair, trend forecaster and artistic director Elizabeth Leriche compiled pieces from a cadre of exhibiters for the What’s New in Décor section: a space filled with eye motifs (Tuğba Koç’s Eye of the Universe mirror for Homa Art was a standout), wavy lines, primary colors, sculptures of knees and feet (Italian brand Seletti shone with its imaginative offerings including the Wonder Lamp), and hand-patterned tapestries and chairs. Contemporary surrealism isn’t about the shock factor but rather a departure from design that takes itself too seriously or is too predictable—think unexpected pieces thrown into an otherwise low-key room—because, even as adults, who doesn’t love a good surprise?
A Penchant for Playfulness
Stepping away from the staid side of decor, pieces with a playful edge and lighthearted details populated this year’s debuts. While there is certainly crossover with the surrealist set, here, a whimsical sensibility (and a softer edge) makes this trend approachable and fun. Take the Confetti console by Mathieu Lehanneur, designer of the Olympic Torch for Paris 2024. Currently on display as part of his Ici et Maintenant exhibition at Christie’s in Paris, the metal dresser has tough industrial lines, but its pastel glass “sprinkles” soften the look and serve as functional drawer pulls. In a perfect balance between playfulness and chic minimalism, interior architect and designer Emmanuelle Simon teamed up with clothing designer Mira Mikati to reimagine her Baba collection. The chair, stool, and pillow are subtle and refined, finished with handcrafted embroidery in a set of punchy colors that add energy to any aesthetic. Additional spearheads of this trend include Japanese ceramicist Yukiko Kitahara, L’Objet (the company’s second collaboration, with artist Ruan Hoffmann, is delightfully irreverent), Serax (the crossover with Marni has resulted in a charming set of owl-shaped vases), and Dovain Studios.
Confident Color
While neutrals will never go out of style, the bold and beautiful are stepping into the spotlight. Rich purples, raspberry pinks, neon turquoise, and lime green—overstated, eye-catching colors were everywhere this fair. Of particular note was the collaboration between textile artist Elizabeth Ashdown and luxury trimmings company Samuel & Sons. Dubbed Kaleidoscope, the collection, which features an unexpected palette of juicy tropical hues, kicks the art of passementerie (crafting tassels, braids, and borders) into the modern realm. Other partnerships, such as Illulian and Elena Cutolo, Beni and Garcé & Dimofski, and Sebastian Herkner for Fest, produced a bevy of colorful rugs and furniture. Cutolo’s carpets, featuring vibrant, geometric patterns are an electric standout, and Masiero’s Nappe suspension lamps—in pink, purple, and gold—were like pieces of jewelry adorning the brand’s Maison & Objet installation.
The Return of Rattan
Rattan has been back for a minute, but January’s Maison&Objet confirmed that it’s here to stay. No longer relegated to patios and warm-weather abodes, rattan, which is made from the stems of the rattan palm climbing vine, has long been used to craft furniture and baskets. It felt like every other booth had pieces in rattan, from chairs at Dutch company Versmissen to a folding room divider (available with white or black wood trim) at Eichholtz. Sika Design brought new and old, leading with its latest pieces (including a trio of lights by Japanese designer Jin Kuramoto) while also displaying its Icons Collection, which features rattan classics designed by the likes of Tove Kindt-Larsen, Nanna Ditzel, and Arne Jacobsen. The latter’s Paris chair, debuted in 1929 as an alternative to the hefty wood furniture popular at the time, has an elegant silhouette that feels as fresh today as it did nearly 100 years ago.
