I remember the first time attending the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) back when Connected Design was first introduced in 2017. As an editor who mainly covered technology and retail trends at that time, I felt very out of place walking the aisles of the show floor alongside high-end designers and brands. The vibe was different. The products weren’t what I was accustomed to covering. But, in my gut, it felt right being there.
Coming back to ICFF almost a decade later, the show has evolved in some unique ways, but that out-of-place feeling has almost completely evaporated, replaced with a sense of belonging. Just as the high-end residential and commercial environments have adapted to changing environments, so too has ICFF, bringing in new styles and categories of product.
Is it a show that demands the custom integrator’s attention? Perhaps not entirely—at least not in the same way something like the Builder’s Show and KBIS do. However, during my day trip up to New York City for ICFF, I did run into several forward-thinking integrators who were exploring the halls of the Javits Center, looking for inspiration or simply trying to stay abreast of the latest design trends.
Between the eye-catching furniture—some of which looks like it should be in a museum and not on a tradeshow floor—and wonderful works of art, the show featured a variety of familiar names to the integration world alongside some intriguing brands that showcased product that could certainly have an influence on the design and style choices your clients will make on that next big project.
Luxe Lighting
Particularly present at ICFF was a smattering of high-end lighting brands. Each brought their own unique style and flare to the event, showcasing just how diverse the category can be and why it’s still such a massive opportunity for integrators.
No two brands presented anything even remotely close to one another. With something as simple yet complex as lighting, that tells me that the client’s taste is really the biggest influencer at the end of the day. But there’s still the chance to influence their decisions by opening their mind (and eyes) to just how much of an impact a single fixture can have on the aesthetic of an entire room. Lighting can be the focal point—art, if you will—if they drop a statement piece from A-N-D into their space, for example. Or, the light can be shaped by the fixture itself, painting unique yet intentional patterns on the wall and throughout the room with Lightexture pieces.
Then there’s RENG, a brand that seemingly wrapped works of art around light bulbs with their lamps, fixtures, and sconces. Or Hollis+Morris that uses a pendant design in a variety of ways to create gorgeous fixtures and chandeliers.
The list of brands could go on, as could the variety of way sin which lighting made its presence felt at ICFF.
Fine Finishes
Where no two lighting booths at ICFF looked the same, the opposite could be said about the fixtures and finishes present throughout other areas of the expo. In particular, brushed and matte stainless finishes in a variety of colorways were the clear trendsetters at this event. From the switches, spotlights, buttons, and knobs on display at the Corston booth, to the faucets shown at the Grohe and Fireclay Tile spaces, to the variety of outlets and lighting options from Juniper—the materials and colors felt almost coordinated. I saw a ton of gold, stainless, rust-colored, and black finishes.
Thinking back to the Builders’ Show earlier this year, the theme fits with the color introductions we saw at the Legrand booth with their new adorne wall plate finishes.
Especially in higher-end homes where the design community looks to maintain a consistent story throughout the entire living space, these metals have seen a surge in use. What started in the early 2000s with stainless appliances gaining popularity in the kitchen has slowly morphed into the material—in a variety of color—appearing throughout just about every other area of the home.
For those local enough to get into and out of New York City in a day, ICFF was a very unique setting worth experiencing. Walking the aisles, rubbing shoulders with the design community, and exploring the high-end trends of today can spark some inspiration or even arm you with enough information to be just a little more dangerous during that next meeting with a design partner.
At the very least, it felt like a full-circle moment being able to bring Connected Design back to these halls nearly a decade later.
