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Furniture for indoors and outdoors

“Home design can take place outdoors as well.”

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Meticulous in every aspect – this would probably be the best way to describe Meike Harde’s work. The Cologne designer has won over prestigious international clients such as Vibia, Prostoria, Woud and Pulpo with her technical skills and fine knowledge of materials. A notable talent from the Rhine region, she presented two new product launches for Pode at imm cologne 2024. We spoke with her about the latest trends and developments in the furniture industry.

Two round lounge chairs and a round stool stand around two coffee tables. The ambience is colourful and invites you to linger.

An unmistakable look: The Balini contemporary club armchair was designed by Meike Harde for Pode. Copyright: Pode

The boundary between indoors and outdoors is becoming increasingly blurred. Items of furniture that are traditionally associated with the living room are making their way outdoors thanks to advances in materials. What does this mean for furniture design?

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.

What functions does a piece of furniture need to fulfil in order for it to be used indoors and outdoors?

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.

Two lounge chairs in powdery colours stand on a carpet. A person walks between them.

Sustainability is more than just a buzzword; it’s a driving force in furniture design and production – for the indoor and the outdoor segments. How does sustainability influence your furniture designs?

Sustainability is more than just a buzzword; it’s a driving force in furniture design and production – for the indoor and the outdoor segments. How does sustainability influence your furniture designs?

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.

Pieces of furniture with a timeless design are particularly long-lasting. What characteristics does a piece of furniture need to have for it to be used for a long time?

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.

You can see a light blue sofa through an opening in a wall in front of a beige wall.

Lay back and unwind: The soft cushions of the Nivti sofa are a wonderful place to relax. The sofa line created by the Cologne-based designer consists of distinctive-looking sofas and add-ons with scope for individual design. Copyright: Pode

Social media channels like Instagram or Pinterest have a considerable influence on people’s purchase behaviour. Do you feel the impact of this trend in your work as well?

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.

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. And one last question to finish: A designer is also a kind of visionary when it comes to product design. Which furniture trends will fade away in 2025, and what new ones will emerge?

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.

Meike Harde can be seen in the photo. She founded her own studio in Cologne in 2013. Her designs are characterised by a visually light and constructively intelligent design language.

Meike Harde set up her own studio in Cologne in 2013. Her works stand out thanks to their visually light language of form and intelligent design. Copyright: Jenn Werner