The LUXE Interiors + Design team is back from an exhilarating whirlwind journey to Italy for Milan Design Week and the 63rd Salone del Mobile. The world’s premier spring design show attracts design enthusiasts (hundreds of thousands of them, to be exact) from every corner of the globe. This year was busier and buzzier than ever, with long days spent trekking across the city center visiting showrooms and exhibitions, to navigating the extensive Fiera Milano fairgrounds, all in the pursuit of seeing the newest collections and design innovations. To say I was inspired would be an understatement. Fueled by espresso and spritzes (and many plates of well-earned pasta), I came, I saw, I conquered, and I’ve recapped some memorable moments below.
Design Highlights From Salone del Mobile 2025
The Key To The Future Is The Past For Pierre-Yves Rochon
A standout at Fiera Milano was an impressive structure aptly named Villa Héritage. Designed to feel like a traditional Italian villa, the sprawling concept space was transportive, to say the least, as evidenced by the villa’s red Drawing Room shown here. The maestro behind it all was Pierre-Yves Rochon, a French design legend and architect whose firm, PYR, is credited for iconic spaces like the Waldorf Astoria in New York and the Four Seasons in London. Centered on the idea of heritage and tradition, Rochon remarks: “Heritage is not a constraint; it is a source of freedom. Understanding and mastering the legacy of our craft provides us with the tools to reinvent and push the boundaries of design.” The villa was a stark and powerful contrast to neighboring booths that leaned more contemporary and modern, and a rich reminder of the importance of the past and how it shapes the present and future.
Inside the Red Drawing Room at Villa Héritage, designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon.
Lasvit Embodies The Spirit of Euroluce
This year at the Salone del Mobile fairgrounds, there was a concentrated focus on lighting, with some 300 brands from around the world showcasing their illuminatory innovations. (Dubbed Euroluce, this focus alternates every other year with Eurocucina, which focuses on the kitchen.) Czech company Lasvit made a proverbial and literal splash with its Soaked in Light presentation. Inspired by water and its powerful ability to soothe and calm, a lighting installation by Martin Gallo, aptly named (you guessed it) Splash, was at the center of the booth, with its fluid form and cascading motion a real testament to their proficiency with glass.
Splash, a lighting installation by Martin Gallo, was a part of Lasvit's Soaked in Light presentation.
Run, Don’t Walk, To Molteni&C’s New Palazzo
Back in the city center away from the fairgrounds, there were equally long queues and palpable, excited energy on the streets of Via Manzoni, where some of Italy’s premier brands have street-level showrooms. The newest and most talked about tenant is Molteni&C, which premiered the jaw-dropping seven-story Palazzo Molteni, designed by Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen. As we wound through living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and terraces across nearly 32,000-square feet (!), we were immersed in the palazzo’s Old-World Milanese architecture which only complements the sleek and chic designs of Molteni&C. The setting makes for an unforgettable canvas for their wide range of product offerings to shine as they approach their 100-year anniversary. (I can’t wait to see how they celebrate that milestone.)
Molteni&C unveiled their new seven-story showroom during Salone del Mobile, designed by Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen.
Storytelling Is Alive And Well At Poltrona Frau
Just a stone’s throw away at Poltrona Frau’s showroom, thoughtful storytelling and gorgeous products coincided within the historic walls of Palazzo Gallarati Scotti. The new 2025 collection celebrates the five seasons, begging the obvious question of, "What’s the fifth season?" In expected Italian fashion, the answer is poetic: “It’s a blend of senses, natural elements, and the universal principle of harmony, that make the fifth season entirely yours.” And there were certainly plenty of new introductions to inspire us showroom-goers to define our fifth season, especially as we move into the spring season ahead. The Leplì chair, designed by Kensaku Oshiro and shown here in an energizing shade of raspberry, is peak Poltrona Frau perfection in my opinion—furniture crafted in the softest buttery leather, with exquisite detailing and a head-turning silhouette. Bellisima.
The Leplì chair, designed by Kensaku Oshiro for Poltrona Frau, is shown here in a delicious red-orange hue.
Worth the Wait: Rimadesio Expands Into Furniture
Known for their sleek architectural systems, walk-in wardrobes, organizational shelving and interior statement doors and dividers, Rimadesio is expanding their aspirational lifestyle footprint by entering the realm of furniture. From Modernity Flow, a small but mighty collection designed by Giuseppe Bavuso, we were practically taken with their approach to dining and lounge chairs—all proudly made in Italy to last a lifetime, family heirlooms in the making. Leave it to the Italians to craft a piece of furniture that’s so simple and yet complex, striking yet demure like the Nest swivel armchair, which proved a dangerously comfortable place to sit after hours on our feet crisscrossing Milan.
The Nest swivel armchair is part of Rimadesio's first foray into furniture design.
Calico Wallpaper Debuts A Wanderlust-Inspired Collaboration
With each passing year more American designers and companies are taking advantage of Milan Design Week to debut new collections and collaborations, getting their product and brand in front of a larger and more global crowd. It’s always fun to see familiar stateside faces oversees, and this year was no different with New York-based Calico Wallpaper unveiling their partnership with Los Angeles-based designer Stephen Burks and his partner Malika Leiper. Named Particulaire, the objects on the wallcovering represent the special mementos collected during one’s travel, “a gateway to different places, cultures, and experiences.” Such an apropos sentiment coming out of an inspiring week abroad.
Calico Wallpaper premiered their new collaboration with L.A.-based designer Stephen Burks and his partner Malika Leiper. Dubbed Particulaire, the wallpaper's illustrations represent special travel finds.