Plenty of gold, but also silver, copper, brass. It’s sparkling everywhere at Salone del Mobile 2014 and Fuorisalone! Sometimes real metals, a masterly job, sometimes wonderful fakes as at Kartell’s stand “Precious” where plastic becomes precious, exclusive and sophisticated, too.

There are brands, that have always worked with metals, more ore less nobles (De Castelli, Tom Dixton), and the trend had already emerged at Maison et Object, but at Milano Design Week gold is really everywhere: not just objects, but even tables, chairs, pieces of furniture and lamps that glitter like jewels. And the coolest installations are metallic as well (Citizen, Usm.. ). It’s a trend imposed by the market, especially the Eastern markets, that’s obvious. But the Italian “good taste” can work wonders, and through a good dose of irony and the combination with a modern design this excess of gold doesn’t look either Baroque or kitsch. It’s fun, and all things considered it’s also attractive, even if this fashion is going be “dated” very soon.

Captions
1, Precious Kartell. A new shade of Gold. 30 new products: highly technological, functional and high-performing, and also vibrating with energy, light and twinkle plastic.
3, Stand Opinion Ciatti at Salone del Mobile 2014.
4, Casamania, golden cage Twee T. design by Jake Phipps.
5, Design Junction at Palazzo Morando, Orsted Desk a large aluminium estrusion golden painted.
6, Citizen. Installation at Triennale Light is Time by Tsuyoshi Tane (DGT) in collaboration with Design Team Citizen.
7, Tom Dixton, Stand at Salone del Mobile 2014.
8, De Castelli, coffee table collection Placas in acid-etched brass, design by LucidiPevere, also available in natural sheet and acid-etched iron.
9, Usm Stand at Salone del Mobile 2014.
10, Desalto Stand at Salone del Mobile 2014.