Raise the curtain

A radical change and a fresh start are both to be expected at the forthcoming Heimtextil in Frankfurt/Main, with only the timing making it the first trade fair of the year for the furnishing sector announcing the familiar program on four days from 8 to 11 January. With the construction of Hall 12, which was designed by kadawittfeldarchitektur and was recently opened, Heimtextil has "virtually touched every stand," says Marketing Communications Director Thimo Schwenzfeier. Entire segments were restructured and positioned in new halls. The appearance in Hall 3 was thus strengthened: Here, the top sellers from the wallpaper sector can still be found on the upper level 3.1. On the lower level 3.0, there is an even bigger "Trend Space", the former "Theme Park" of leading international trend agencies. This alone makes it worthwhile to visit the world's largest trade fair for home and contract textiles featuring a total of approx. 3,000 exhibitors. The range of presented contract textiles at the Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Expo in Hall 4.2 has been enhanced in particular for furnishers, interior designers, and architects, and will additionally provide interesting information thanks to accompanying formats such as lectures and guided tours.

"We live in a time of uncertainty and mistrust of all that is established. In response, we try to lead a meaningful, conscious life that builds on positive relationships," explains Caroline Till, co-founder of Studio FranklinTill, the leading trend agency of Heimtextil's Trend Space. Topics such as mindfulness and sustainability would play a key role in this. "Towards Utopia" is therefore the title of the Trend Space in Hall 3.0, where not only textile but entire interior trends are presented. One can look forward to the implementation, which is for the first time designed by the Frankfurt-based agency Atelier Markgraph.

Inspiration from Furoshiki
Under the heading of "Interior.Architecture.Hospitality", approx. 500 exhibitors located all over the trade fair grounds are specifically addressing the contract sector: from flame-retardant or acoustically effective textiles to modular carpets, solar protection, or innovative wall coverings. Following the successful launch of the compacted Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Expo format in Hall 4.2, Heimtextil is further expanding the range here. The expansion of the product portfolio relating to beds will probably be of particular interest to the hotel industry. At the Expo, hotel planners will also find bed systems, mattresses, bedding, and bed linen meeting the special requirements of hotels. The overall design concept for the Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Expo in Hall 4.2 was created by interior and set designer Ushi Tamborriello and is inspired by the central idea of "Furoshiki". In Japanese tradition, Furoshiki refers to a square cloth used as packaging or as a carrier bag. In addition to exhibitors, tours of the trade fair guided by experts, specialist lectures, and numerous networking opportunities are provided especially for the contract business.

As an anchor exhibitor at the Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Expo in Hall 4.2, yarn manufacturer Trevira together with 22 partner companies, that use the flame-retardant Trevira CS contract yarn, will again exhibit on an area of 2,000 m². The partners include companies such as Engelbert E. Stieger, FIDIVI Tessitura Vergnano, Gerriets, JAB Josef Anstoetz, Mattes & Ammann, Spandauer Velours, Webatex by Getzner Textil and many more. Gerriets, for example, a company known for its stage curtain systems, exhibits a special sound curtain for offices with an integrated viewing window for additional transparency. FIDIVI from the Turin region, which supplies fabrics to all the major design companies such as Vitra and Haworth, presents a two-color woven fabric with a wool look under the keyword of "authenticity", which, however, is spun from Trevira CS and a voluminous twill in bold jeans colors.

The joint stand "Carpet by Heimtex" featuring a selection of flooring manufacturers from the Verband der deutschen Heimtextil-Industrie e.V. (Association of the German home textiles industry), including German Rugs, Object Carpet, Findeisen, Toucan-T, and Tretford, will also be part of the Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Expo in Hall 4.2. "The core element of the new stand will be a dominating, effective installation that will invite visitors to linger and experience," says Martin Auerbach, Managing Director of the Heimtex association.

Guided Tours von World-Architects
Für Orientierung sorgen die Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Tours, die unter anderem vom Bund Deutscher Innenarchitekten (bdia) sowie den World-Architects durchgeführt werden und die auf der Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Expo in Halle 4.2 Stand X 50 starten. „Die Guided Tours von World-Architects auf der Heimtextil sind sorgfältig kuratiert und genau auf die Bedürfnisse von Architekten, Innenarchitekten, Designern und Fachbesuchern maßgeschneidert“, so Renato Turri von World-Architects. Insgesamt sechs Guided Tours, geführt von Architekten, Designern und Journalisten organisiert World-Architects. Die Guides Theresa Scholl (Textildesignerin), Jana Vonofakos (Innenarchitektin), Susanne Brandherm (Innnenarchitektin), Klaus de Winder (Architekt), Veronika Aumann (Textildesignerin), Martina Metzner (Designjournalistin) und Lisa Pavitschitz (Co-Guide, World-Architects) führen in 1,5 Stunden zu ihren persönlichen Lieblingsherstellern und -produkten auf der Heimtextil. Die Führungen sind kostenlos, die Plätze allerdings begrenzt, daher wird um Voranmeldung gebeten.

Another Heimtextil highlight will be the "House of Textile" by the Heimtex association in Hall 9.0, Stands C61 and C57. The installation is the result of a competition which the association held in 2017 for students of architecture, interior design, and textile design on the following questions: How do we want to live in the future? What role do home textiles play in this? The ten winning projects will now be presented in the House of Textile at Heimtextil.

Textile editeurs are also getting a new appearance. Approximately 40 editeurs are grouped around the "Editor's Café" in Hall 8.0 and form a central contact point for interior decorators in the "Window & Interior Decoration" product segment. There, they will be in the immediate vicinity of suppliers of curtains, carpets, sun protection, and decorative systems. The joint stand of DecoTeam is likely to be another special highlight. The interest group, which includes suppliers such as Apelt, Gardisette, Höpke, Paulig, Saum & Viebahn, boasts a wide-ranging program of events such as lectures, workshops, and panel discussions.

Heimtextil
Messe, Frankfurt/Main
January 8 -11, 2019
Opening hours: Tue-Thu 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Fri 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
heimtextil-blog.com
heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com

Map of trade fair grounds and segments
heimtextil-gelaende-2019-de.pdf

Guided Tours by World-Architects
with Theresa Scholl, Jana Vonofakos, Susanne Brandherm, Klaus de Winder, Veronika Aumann, Martina Metzner, and Lisa Pavitschitz
Start: Hall 4.2 | X95 Interior.Architecture.Hospitality Expo
world-architects.com/en/heimtextil-2019/guided-tours

World-Architects is content partner of Messe Frankfurt.