Mr Christian Lacroix designs first range of furniture

Christian Lacroix for SICIS

French fashion designer Christian Lacroix has designed his first ever range of furniture, for Italian brand SICIS The Art Mosaic Factory. The collection will be launched at Milan's Salone del Mobile this year, from 12-17 April; it should be noted that the venture is not associated with the Christian Lacroix brand.

Sustainable Luxury at Alicia Adams Alpaca

Fusing luxury and sustainability is at the heart of WGSN's Autumn/Winter 2012/13 macro trend Eco Hedonism, and homegrown brands like Alicia Adams Alpaca are the quiet commercial trailblazers in this arena. Alicia Adams Alpaca's story begins at Adams and her family's New York State alpaca farm. The results are unbelievably soft, rare and hypoallergenic home goods and accessories.

HBL Events: Loaded at Spring Projects

Hotel (Imaginary Architectures) by El Ultimo Grito. Photo: Michael Tolke

London gallery Spring Projects' latest exhibition, Loaded, explores the phenomenon of 'design art', using examples by El Ultimo Grito, Hussein Chalayan, Jaime Hayon, Nienke Klunde, Karen Ryan and Studio Makkink & Bey. The show is divided into three areas of consideration: Imaginary Landscapes, Cultural Morphing and Modified Utilities.

HBL Analysis: designing for disaster

Atelier Van Lieshout

WGSN-homebuildlife normally forecasts 2-5 years into the future, with Think Tank providing long-term analyses of consumer behaviour and Creative Direction tracking the cultural and societal developments which will shape our future macro trends. However, this week we have examined a more extreme vision of the future, where ecological disaster and apocalyptic scenarios have forced us to drastically rethink our behaviours.

Nemo Cassina launch new collection

Italian lighting brand Nemo Cassina have released details of the new collection they will present in Milan this April, including the UMA chandelier by Giancarlo Turino (pictured above).

HBL Tradeshows: Live from Maison & Objet

Simon Pattison at Maison et Objet 2011, Paris

WGSN-homebuildlife has been in Paris all weekend and today reports live from the first Maison et Objet of 2011, highlighting the three key trends to emerge from the influential interiors event:

1. Fluorescents: In contrast to the subdued colour palette’s of the last season, day glo colours dominate tableware and soft accessories at Maison&Objet this year 

2. Kaleidoscope: Glassware is layered to create new colour mixes and add interest to tableware, bathroom accessories and lighting

3. Sci-fi: Upholstery has taken on an outer space aesthetic this year with acidic colour ways and outlandish forms

HBL Events: Love from Darkroom

Design retailer Darkroom are to host a charity auction on behalf of Kids Company on 14th February 2011, the second in their now annual series of Valentine's Day auctions. Over forty designers, stylists and artists have already signed up to create unique artworks for the event, each to be sold for a set price of £150 on the night, and exhibited beforehand at the London shop.

HAL by Jasper Morrison for Vitra

Jasper Morrison's latest chair for Vitra comprises a moulded plastic seat shell which can be combined with a number of base variations. HAL aims to be "a universal chair" suitable for both domestic and contract use. Versions available so far include two stackable tubular steel designs, a chunky four-legged oak base, a cantilever chair and a bar stool. There's also a matching table in the range.

HBL Tradeshows: Live from imm Cologne

Tvilum at imm Cologne 2011

WGSN-homebuildlife reports live from one of the most important furnishing fairs in the international design calendar, imm Cologne - this year joined by its new sister show, Living Kitchen. Here are three key trends to emerge from this year's show:

1. Sofas and beds merge: Manufacturers merged the aesthetics of the sofa and the bed. Beds were seen without headboards, resting directly on the floor and able to function as areas for sitting and lounging as well as sleeping. Sofas also commonly rested flat on the floor, and were either generously proportioned to allow for resting or featured a flexible arrangement which allowed them to expand into daybeds.

2. Use of raw wood: The biggest materials trend at the event was the use of unfinished wood, confirming our spring/summer 2011 macrotrend Fair and Square. Rough-hewn chunks of wood were used for tables and other large pieces of furniture, while uneven planks of wood with contrasting grains were also used widely.

3. Button back detail: The design detail traditionally featured on Chesterfield sofas – embedded decorative buttons – was seen widely on all types of upholstered furniture, modernised and updated for today’s customer. Designers gave the style a handcrafted twist by scattering buttons around unevenly, using different colours and styles together, or reducing the technique to just a gathered thread detail.

HBL Tradeshows: Live from Domotex 2011

Floor to Heaven at Domotex 2011

WGSN-homebuildlife visited Hanover this week for its annual flooring tradeshow, Domotex. To read our entire live report from the event, subscribers should click here; to whet your appetite, here are the three key trends we noted at the event.

Preserved 19th Century Mansion Opens to Public

The BBC has published the story of Louis Mantin and his late 19th Century townhouse in central France. Mantin's last wishes, which were recently fulfilled, was to leave the house untouched for a century and consequently open it to the public as a museum.

HBL Analysis: Interactive light displays

A still from Whistling Sea by Jun Ga Young (2009)

At architectural lighting fair the Arc Show in London last week, two light installations on show as a preview for Kinetica Art Fair were proving very popular amongst visitors. Both use light, movement and audio with the intention of immersing the viewer in a sensory experience which they feel rather than understand. A new online app also harnesses the power of moving light and colour, with similar intent.