Super slick. The streamlined furnishings from Miniforms are what you expect from a contemporary Italian furniture design company — clean lines and bursts of color. Whether you prefer the yellow, green, red, white and black powder-coated steel products (there are a lot in the collection) or the organic shape of the glass-topped Otto table/desk, Miniforms has stylish tables, occasional tables and unique storage solutions. More

Early on in our visit to Maison & Objet this past weekend, it became clear that one of the more cutting edge colors for furniture and accessories coming down the line is green. Now, I saw plenty of different greens all over the show, but I'd place my bets on a kelly green - true, bright and bold - to be the color we'll be seeing lots of as it works its way from the high design showrooms to the retail shops. Here is just a sampling of the variety of greens that were on show at Maison... More

ALKI furniture combines traditional furniture building techniques with a modern aesthetic of clean lines and a punch of color (how French!). Most notable was the Landa collection of desks that use a unique form of cable management — a strip of nylon brush in a bright tomato red both conceals the gap in the table surface and allows wires and cords to pass through it. More

One of the things I noticed while hiking around Maison & Objet was the move toward lots of dark colored furniture and accessories shown against an almost equally dark backdrop. From true blue black to stormy charcoal grays, this was a trend that showed up again and again, especially in the European exhibitors' booths. More

After being impressed with the Sundara Rug Collection by Donna Wilson & SCP at last August's NYIGF, I was excited to see that their new collection for 2011 had even more exciting additions: More

Beautiful Beds! Italian bed and sofa sleeper company Noctis wowed me with their simple and (often) colorful beds — I was drawn to the beech one pictured above. Its simple lines and colorful fabric headboard (which looks super-easy to update/replace when you're ready for a change). More

Paris is wonderful even in January. Aaron and I were just there, attending the unbelievably big home design trade fair, Maison et Objet. It was freezing and gray outside, but there was so much energy in the massive halls at the conference center that it seemed to burst through the doors, along with the smokers looking for a spot to take a break. The economy may be in flux, but if this year's show is any indication, the home design and decor world is forging forward. But, it wasn't about making deals for us — we were there to spot trends and see what is new.... More

London-based knitting dsigner Donna Wilson will show her new collection at Maison & Objet in Paris this week. Donna is swapping her trademark lambswool for a fresh Spring / Summer range of printed cushions and a collection of delicate bone china. More

For the last entry in my series on Maison&Objet I have a series of photographs I’ll randomly title Interiors, which are simply a few possible ways we could combine all the cups, cupboards and chairs we’ve been looking at into an atmospheric whole. Some of these booths are by designers, others by antiques dealers, manufacturers and artisans. I’m not sure I quite have my finger on the pulse of any discernible trend, other than my favorite inky black continues its high profile, mid-tone grège has never looked better, and as always — I love the combination of old and new. More

I'm back to color again with this latest dispatch from the home furnishings show in Paris. Today I'll let color speak for itself, and talk a little bit about texture. There was a strong "felt" theme running through many of the exhibition halls: it was on furniture, chairs, stools, pillows and wall hangings, meant — I imagine — to convey warmth and simplicity in troubling times. Perhaps you can't see the texture in the photo, but that tête-à-tête is covered in pink felt... More