Barbara Joly, CEO at Joly Design, and Nicolas Favreau, Vice-President Product Marketing at Lectra, present their shared vision for future design trends ...
Following the close of the Salone del Mobile 2025 in Milan, which left behind a wealth of inspiration, two internationally renowned French interior furniture experts – furniture design studio, Joly Design, and technology solutions specialist, Lectra, unveiled their shared vision of furniture design trends and the industrial and technological changes in the sector, inspired by their observations at the latest Maison & Objet in Paris.
In 2025, furniture continues to go beyond its primary function with sculptural shapes, palettes inspired by cinema and fashion, and sensory materials that take objects into the realms of art.
Four main trends have emerged in contemporary interior design: surrealism is invading our living spaces, ‘60s and ‘70s kitsch has made a comeback, neo-brutalism is mellowing, and the boundary between fashion and design has blurred almost to the point of disappearing entirely.
There are also faint signs of deeper shifts: the return of made-to-measure, the advent of more responsible design and the discreet yet decisive advent of technology to design workshops.
Surrealism makes an entry
The Centre Pompidou’s last exhibition before its closure signalled that surrealism is no longer confined to art galleries, but is starting to invade our interiors. Surrealism also featured on many stands at the last Maison & Objet exhibition, and particularly the latest trends corner curated by Elisabeth Leriche, which spotlighted a dreamlike world of optical illusions, bold colours and deconstructed pieces that redefine our perception of space.
From Dalí to Calder via Miró, there were numerous artistic references, transforming furniture into a real sensory experience. Surrealism even reached the Matter & Shape show, with a crazy sofa and weird-looking pop motifs.
Swinging sixties and retro kitsch continue to inspire furniture manufacturers
Space-age colours with Austin Powers-style retro kitsch influences are still in. Orange is less dominant than in 2024, becoming more of an aura, light or atmosphere than a flagship furniture shade. There are bold textile combinations with this year’s top duo, red and pink, in a nod to pop and psychedelia.
Neo-Brutalism: sublimated materials
Faye Toogood, voted Designer of the Year 2025 by Maison & Objet, embodies the Neo-Brutalism trend by putting materials at the heart of her work, with organic shapes and striking textures, such as her monochrome deep black. The shows explore a neo-brutalist aesthetic by blending polished concrete with metallic tones, softened by organic touches: a tree, a textile, a breath.
When fashion merges into design
Furniture is gaining an haute couture look, while interiors reflect catwalk trends. Fashion and design have never been so tightly bound together. Collaborations are proliferating; Roche Bobois and Jean-Paul Gaultier are revisiting Hans Hopfer’s iconic Mah Jong sofa; Saint Laurent presented a reissue of four iconic pieces by designer Charlotte Perriand at Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Just as designers are taking inspiration from the catwalk, manufacturers are using technologies that enable them to keep up with the frenetic pace of creation while managing their impact. The convergence of fashion and furniture is accompanied by growing demand for customisable pieces, designed like haute couture garments: unique, tailored and designed to respect their material.
The return of made-to-measure, eliminating overproduction
At a time when consumers want products that reflect themselves, furniture is becoming a highly customisable object. Prompted by the rise in on-demand manufacturing, workshops are learning to adapt. With digital solutions like automated cutting and 3D prototyping, manufacturers can become more agile without sacrificing quality.
Technology now allows them to produce small runs with great precision and no waste. A new, more discrete luxury is emerging: pieces designed to last, conceived from the start to fit into an interior in the long term.
An industry undergoing quiet digitalisation
In the backrooms of workshops, digitalisation is taking place: automated cutting, intelligent planification, digital twins … Industry 4.0 has entered the world of furniture manufacture with a simple promise: to produce better and consume less.
These solutions can optimise raw material consumption, reduce errors and make production flows more seamless. They also offer a way to meet the expectations of younger generations seeking transparency
Traceable materials, sustainable furniture
Traceability is becoming the new norm of contemporary design. The development of digital product passports currently being adopted by European brands opens up the possibility of clearer information on the composition, origin and recyclability of furniture.
Accompanying groundwork on supply chain transparency is encouraging the use of responsible materials. Behind every sofa or armchair lies a virtuous chain, increasingly visible and in demand.
Furniture designers and producers now create much more than just furniture: together they deliver the lifestyle factors of emotion, technical expertise and environmental conscience.
