The creative minds behind the trends were the Stijlinstituut Amsterdam, London studio Franklin Till and Danish agency SPOTT Trends & Business. At a joint workshop, the trend researchers drew up a global market forecast for the interior design sector focusing on emerging lifestyle, material, colour and design trends.

The omnipresent theme of this year’s trend forecast is identity, through which the researchers tackle gender and cultural diversity, tolerance and curiosity. They describe the process of self-discovery today as apparently more complex than ever. Identities develop through experiences that occur at a number of different levels: local, national and global, and both online and offline. “Identity is diverse,” as they say.

The multifaceted self

The overarching theme, ‘Where I belong’, deals with these multilayered identities and presents five trend worlds:

‘Maximum Glam’ combines glamour and a fascination with technology; ‘Pure Spiritual’ unites nature and mysticism; ‘Active Urban’ reveals practical, adaptable solutions; ‘Heritage Lux’ celebrates history and tradition; and ‘Multi-local’ casts a spotlight on the global influence of regional cultures.

The unifying theme, ‘Where I belong’, recognises that there cannot be a sole concept that is right for everyone. To unlock and open up the different layers of our identities in an informative and inspiring way for each individual, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam invited four design studios and two photographers to take part. Each was given the task of capturing the core of one particular theme. Each of these creative teams was assigned the theme that best reflected its own philosophy, practice and approach, in order to lend each design story a personal and authentic flavour.

In the ‘Trend Space’ in Hall 3.0, 2-D visualisations from the trend book were presented as 3-D spaces with five experiential worlds, created with products from the exhibitors. Conceptual installations actively engage the visitor and are intended to stimulate an exchange of experiences. They create dynamic conditions for performances and interaction. “The backdrops can be curious, wonderful and sometimes alienating,” say the creatives. “It is up to the visitors to define for themselves where they and their target group belong.”

Future Materials Library

One highlight of the Heimtextil Trend Space 2020 will be the Future Materials Library curated by Franklin Till, in which sustainable material innovations for the home textiles industry will be presented. The library’s exhibits, which will focus on material composition and innovations from manufacturing, are intended to offer inspiration to visitors and exhibitors alike and will complement the curated exhibition with aesthetic design and colour trends. Each of the exhibits on display bears information on the source of its raw materials, the production process and the potential lifespan of the material.

Material Manifesto

In collaboration with the Trend Council, Heimtextil has drawn up a ‘Material Manifesto’ showing how the resources used over the course of the event are managed and how the disposal of new materials at the end of the trade fair can be avoided. Through careful selection of materials, Stijlinstituut Amsterdam will reduce the quantity of materials required and create an immersive forum with a minimal ecological footprint. In a space of roughly 2,000 sqm, the designers are creating a forum consisting very largely of textiles and materials that can be re-used after the event has finished. In keeping with the utilisation cycle, these reusable materials will be combined with elements from the warehouses of Messe Frankfurt and with other rented and borrowed materials. The installations thus created will be more than purely decorative props – they will be narrators of unmistakeable stories that reflect this year’s trends and live up to Heimtextil’s obligations in the field of sustainability.

Overview of the themes

‘Maximum Glam’ – a combination of handcrafted and digitally rendered designs. A mash-up of Glam, colour gradients, synthetic fur, gauze and fringes, jacquard fabrics and fantastical prints. The garish colour palette will be presented with an overhyped glamour by means of electric sparkle, a synthetic gleam, digital glitch and artful soft focus.

‘Pure Spiritual’ – striving for perfection and purity. Organic fabrics, raw materials and simple textiles will be selected to demonstrate the traces, organic structures and irregularities of nature. The colour tones have their origins in the soil and were cultivated by the human race. The pure and elemental palette bears witness to their earthly origins.

‘Active Urban’ – cities value technological performance, whilst exploiting resources that are both available and renewable. Functionality is at the forefront. Hybrid textiles for home and sport exhibit smooth surfaces and an appealing mix of graphic textures. The colours range from uniform blue via asphalt grey to rapeseed yellow.

‘Heritage Lux’ – the love of luxury and splendour, decoration and embellishment. Beauty in the history of nature, with ornamental patterns and fascinating surface finishes. Interest in bygone ages produces a colour palette consisting of lush, enigmatic blood red, dark rust, sensuous sapphire and gleaming mother-of-pearl.

‘Multi-local’ – local style meets global influences. An homage to handcrafted decorative patterns, from the tribal and folkloristic to the geometric and abstract. Textile colours are set in a broader cultural context of local communities, cultural heritage and private identity.