THE Milan Furniture fair is the place to go to identify the new trends that will filter through to the high street a few years down the line. But with 2,500 exhibitors across 16 different halls it is not a trip for the faint hearted. We asked Stephen Johnson to do the hard work and report back on the looks of the future.

My overall impression is that the look is still dramatic and slick, with lots of black and white and glossy surfaces, reminiscent of the 1980s but with a different way of styling. This is softened by the use of art, but not just on the walls. Sub Zero are putting art on their fridges, which looks fantastic, and some manufacturers were showing lavish decoration on their kitchens.

As always, there was a lot of emphasis on good lighting and the idea is definitely to shout about your space, to add art, to buy dramatic pieces, to show off a bit, I suppose. Definitely nothing subtle!

Kitchens

White and black finishes with a mixture of gloss and matt-dominated Eurocina (the kitchen show). All kitchen frontages have been developed for use with integrated handles or push catches, maintaining clean lines. There was very little timber on show and colour was used in accent pieces, predominantly in red.

Art

There was a great use of modern and classical art, which was integrated into furniture, with designs etched on to glass doors. In addition, alcoves have been used for featuring contemporary displays of ornaments and books and, in some cases, murals.

Bathrooms

The bathroom section probably demonstrated the greatest advance in design over the last few years. Large circular and square baths, with integrated whirlpools and lighting, featured heavily. It would seem no bathroom is complete without its own LCD, or plasma screen. Again, colours were black and white, with heavily- polished chrome accessories, such as taps and showerheads. And no need for ugly radiators, because under-floor heating is all the rage.

Bedrooms and dressing

The trend is for bedrooms to have clearly-defined areas for sleeping and dressing, with the bed and the wardrobes now being split into separate areas. Bedrooms have become a clear area for sleep and relaxation, with wardrobes taken into his and hers-designated dressing areas. Forget the traditional opening and closing of doors, because everything at the show was on sliding mechanisms that really saved space.

Seating

In addition to more common seating, such as dining and sofas, there was a large array of interesting styles and designs, which could be used as large decorative pieces to fill that awkward corner. One corner even came with its own built-in TV.

Internal gardens

Internal gardens stood out as part of the exhibition, but they'd look great as an in-house design feature. Plants, even trees, encased in glass, like mini-conservatories, that would be used as room-dividers rather like a fish tank, only this time with greenery.

Stephen has produced his own flash movie of all the products he liked at Milan - about 500 further images! Homes readers can get their free copy by e-mailing Enquiries@stephenjohnson.plc.uk

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