“Home design can take place outdoors as well.”

In my opinion, home design can take place outdoors as well. It gives designers more scope for creativity, and it’s creating exciting possibilities, especially in the sofa segment: For example, you take a delicate steel-based frame that enables different shapes and details. The sofa’s proportions look completely different to a fully upholstered sofa.

Even if it’s used outdoors, an item of furniture should still have a homely feel and be incredibly inviting. If, for example, instead of an upholstered bench, there’s a welcoming outdoor sofa on the balcony or terrace or in the garden, it’s easy to associate it with indoor furniture. The important thing is for the cover fabric to resemble upholstered furniture closely: Coarse fabrics, visible threads and stitched details help with this.

Sustainability is a prerequisite in the development of an item of furniture – that goes for both the selection of the materials and the production techniques used. Avoiding plastic components is essential. Returning to proven materials such as wood or natural fibres for textiles is a key factor in working sustainably. But applying new eco-friendly developments in foams is also crucial. Removable, easy-clean upholstery covers that can be repaired give a sustainably produced item of furniture an even longer lifespan.

The production quality has got to be right. Long-lasting materials and a robust construction are crucial if an item of furniture is to be able to withstand regular use for generations. Another important aspect is constantly adapting the design process to modern forms of use. For instance, it’s important today for a sofa to have a lounge feel.

I share my work and designs with my community – it’s a way to get direct feedback on the products that I present. I’ve noticed that customers are increasingly interested in the designers behind the product. They contact me directly on social media. This development means a lot to me.

The all-natural trend is here to stay, and in my view, it’ll become even more important – especially for materials. There’ll be even more focus on skilled craftsmanship in products. We’ll see more products with a workshop feel, as high quality in the design process will play a more important role. Textiles and the new textile manufacturing technologies will be even more crucial in future. And a warm, inviting language of form will remain a key aspect of furniture design in 2025. I think we’ll see fewer “cool” products – less chrome and no more hard, masculine shapes.