Round-up from the Salone Satellite

Just over a month ago I visited the Milan Furniture Fair. The Fair is really big, and ideally you need to spend three days there to see everything... I only had half a day, (I spent the morning at the Fuori Salone, which you can read about here, if you like), so I decided to focus on a select few pavillions and areas. My first stop was the Salone Satellite.

The Salone Satellite is a part of the main Fairgrounds dedicated to young desingers, most of them just starting out, all under 35. It's a fascinating area of the fair, where very fresh ideas and prototypes are displayed in wooden four-by-four stands, each designer standing next to his work, unless he's on a coffee break or visiting the fair. Unlike the rest of the Salone, which requires a ticket, it can be visited for free.

After spending a few hours there, taking pictures and asking questions about the products, I had plenty of business cards and leaflets in my handbag, and I had seen many noteworthy designs.

Here are some of my personal top 10 designs, the designers and the links to their websites:

Furniture by Studio Pousti, Iran.

Myriam Pousti and her Furniture, which requires no screws or glue

Andusa and Terrasse by SCMP design, Switzerland

Andusa, outdoor-indoor vases

Terrasse, a carpet inspired by patios and gardens

photos SCMP design

Mood Cups by Frederique Ficherouille, Belgium.

Ceramic 'Mood cups'

Fugu bag and Samurai Chair by Benwu Studio

Fugu bag has inflatable shock proof padding

Samurai chair and Sumo chair upholstery

As if from Nowhere by Orla Reynolds, Ireland.

'Rings' lamp by Garay Studio, Spain.

Rings by Garay Studio

Photo by Garay Studio

Concrete by Anna Badur, Germany

'Concrete', photo from Anna Badur's website

Photo Anna Badur

Zlata Light by Kimxgensapa

Plug in baby and Edu Wardrobe Daniel Wehrli Industrial design, Switzerland

A new way to take your shoes off

A wardrobe made using minimum material

Wooden Aquerel by Maike Harde, Germany

Wooden Aquerel

There were lots of other interesting designs so if you would like to see other round-ups of the Salone Satellite here are the posts from two of my favourite blogs:

- La Tazzina blu's personal top 10 of the Padiglione Satellite

- Design Sponge: Dipatches from the Salone Satellite

Photos by Laura Stratta, unless otherwise stated. (credits under each photo)

Recovering the satellites at the Salone del Mobile

Milan Design Week - Salone Satellite

Tucked away, at the end of one of the four pavillion entirely filled with kitchens, there was a special exhibition for young designers and design students. Here numerous small stands made out of wood pannels stood in a row. Tables, chairs, objects for everyday life, and sometimes the designer too, sat there waiting to be noticed.

This was a really interesting part of my trip to Milan and I am sorry to say I did not have time to see all the stands or take as many pictures as I wanted to (though my friends would say I took lots).

Here are some of the ideas that made me stop and look twice.

Young German desinger Meike Harde standing by her classy and chic furniture and lamps.

Dossofiorito and their very original 'green' idea, where plants and flowers seem to be a little bit into their looks.




an orchid checks her reflection

Liquen Lav young Spanish architect and designer Valentin Sanz with his prize winning bench/table. 

Valentin Sanz with 'Mas' bench and 'Farolera' lamp

'Mas' can be a table, a bench, a chair with a side table...

Sphere and quadrat, a slick collection of tables made of woods and metal, by Polish-German designer Olga Bielawska.

Tepfenhart Design, who were unsuprisigly out of business cards, displaying a wood and metal table, which can easily be transformed into a bench.

Fn:two seats eight people

Fn:two as a bench

As I made my way round the Salone, University of Koln and Koln International School of Design (Kisd) students were in the middle of sorting their display for 'Gute Stube', where modules are used to create a 'design it yourself' space.

'Gute Stube' ready for a game of chess



If you ever get the chance to go to the fair don't miss the Salone Satellite!

All photos in this post were taken by me.

Ps: 'Recovering the satellites' is an album by Counting Crows.