Bluetooth speakers that look like old-timey phonographs. Ceramic cabbage. Distorted cocktail glasses. A giant foot.
The spirit of Dali looms large over next year’s Maison&Objet—a perfect theme to reflect our times.
The bi-annual design fair in Paris will center around the theme "Sur/Reality," exploring the resurgence and reinvention of Surrealist elements within modern design. The concept, developed with Peclers Paris invites visitors to delve into a creative realm where the ordinary is infused with the extraordinary, blending fantasy with everyday life to challenge perceptions of reality.
In homage to Surrealist pioneers like René Magritte and Salvador Dalí, Sur/Reality at Maison&Objet aims to showcase design that distorts, transforms, and questions the mundane. This theme resonates with today’s complex world, where imaginative escapes offer relief from routine. Surrealism’s characteristic playfulness, unpredictability, and humor will be evident in the exhibits, which incorporate both traditional and digital forms of expression. AI-driven creations and iterative digital designs echo the Surrealist practice of automatic writing—that’s the practice of writing without consciously controlling hand movements, allowing words, ideas, or images to flow onto the page without active thought or planning. Like this:
The warted toad gulped his sangria greedily but failed to woo his mistress, the beleaguered Miss Clemph, who looked distractedly throughout the room in search of anything that might sway her to abandon all inhibitions and pogo away to a nicer place.
(Try it. It’s fun!)
Sur/Reality will do that with everyday household items, bridging the gap between functionality and fantasy, featuring curated displays of oversized horns by LiveHorn, evocative of phonographs, and distorted ceramic forms from brands like Bordallo Pinheiro. Selected brands, such as Seletti and Jonathan Adler, will present pieces that subtly reference Surrealist icons, including cloud-like seats and playful nods to René Magritte’s dreamscapes, encouraging visitors to see everyday items from a fresh perspective
An essential part of Maison&Objet’s Sur/Reality experience is the What’s New? series, focusing on décor, retail, and hospitality trends. These segments will feature curated designs that cater to consumer interests in unique, immersive spaces. For example, in hospitality, designer Julien Sebban’s work will provide insights into creating environments that captivate and inspire through eclectic, non-traditional aesthetics. This includes innovative uses of color, form, and playful distortions that reimagine how hospitality spaces can engage guests through unexpected visuals.
The January event will return with a strong hospitality focus, especially geared to those involved in the design and development of hotels. “Together with Peclers Paris, we are continuing our work both to decipher consumer expectations in an ever-changing context and to identify tangible stylistic trends that will generate new business,” says Mélanie Leroy, managing director of Maison&Objet. “Inspiration, curation, and solutions remain the virtuous triad that shapes the interpretation of the theme at the show, through a carefully curated selection of products and innovative scenographies.”
In Hall 7, trendforecaster Elizabeth Leriche will present “What’s New? In Décor” by – an exploration of the colors and materials that will shape the interiors of the future, and then in Hall 6, Uchronia’s Julien Sebban will present “Hospitality a taste for theatricality,” his take on the needs of contemporary hospitality professionals.
The event also honors British designer Faye Toogood as Designer of the Year. Known for her eclectic, avant-garde style that combines art with daily life, Toogood’s work will feature prominently at the show, offering a fresh take on integrating art into functional design. Her work aligns seamlessly with the Sur/Reality theme, emphasizing creativity that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, and the designer will present ‘Womanifesto: Ceci n’est pas une chaise’, a surrealist space that invites visitors into her mind, deconstructing her creative process.
Maison&Objet takes place Jan. 16-20. Learn more.
