Milan Salone is the pinnacle design event that captures the world's attention. In our report delivered in June, we highlighted the overarching trends observed on-site. This article takes a step further, delving into more micro-level material expressions through TOPPAN's unique perspective.

2026, The Evolving "Layering" of Materials

At the recent Milan Salone, the mainstream approach has been to create multi-layered depth and emotion in spaces by intricately interweaving diverse materials.
TOPPAN has defined this trend as "Material Blending" and has been closely monitoring it. In this year's exhibitions, this technique has evolved further, sublimated into more sophisticated expressions. What is particularly noteworthy is the skillful composition that controls and harmonizes different textures using "monochromatic tones".

Symbolic of this was Poliform's new kitchen. Travertine on the countertop and oak on the sides resonate vividly through a shared color palette. While blending into a single worldview from a distance, the delicate expressions of each material only emerge upon closer inspection. This "intended nonchalance" is the key to this season's aesthetics.

Material Trends Deciphered through a Micro Lens

From here, let's decipher the trends for each material through a more micro lens.

Light-Infused, New Textures

First, we selected five elements that symbolize this season's trends outside of wood and stone: Crafted Metal, Mirrored Materials, Ceramic, Effect Glass, and High-gloss Paint.
What mirrored materials, effect glass, and high-gloss paint have in common is an expression that imbues rigid materials with "softness", bringing profound depth to space through the fluctuation of light. Among them, effect glass, by applying special processing to thin-layered glass, creates a new relationship with the objects it reflects. The change in light, reminiscent of a water surface, elevates the space into something richer and more emotional.

The Sophisticated Expressions of Wood

Next, we highlight five points regarding wood: Natural Oak, Black Wood, Espresso Color, High-gloss Wood, and Outdoor Wood.
While the ever-popular Natural Oak remains a staple, the technique of suppressing natural textures, like in Black Wood, to precisely control the color and gloss as a background element has also taken root. Furthermore, although high-gloss wood is limited in frequency, its strong presence powerfully drove the resurgence of vintage style, which was a distinct feature of this year.

The Deepened Aesthetics of Stone

Let's also look at stone. In addition to White Marble, Black Marble, and Brown Marble, Travertine and Rosso Levanto stand out.
For classic White and Black Marble, this year saw an expansion in color gradations and increased depth. Delicate veins lent a poised, high-quality feel to the spaces.

Colors that Create Spatial Depth

Finally, regarding overall color: Greige, White, Brown, Sienna Red, and Teal can be called the major colors of this season.
While Brown has emerged as an accent to emphasize a vintage feel, there were also many bright and open spaces where White acted like a reflector, beautifully amplifying the light.

TOPPAN continues to research the essence of design trends from diverse perspectives beyond this report. If you are interested in the details of this analysis, please feel free to contact us.

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