On the occasion of “White in the city”, the most anticipated event of the Milan Design Week 2017, dedicated to the color white, designed by Claudio Balestri, president of Oikos and Giulio Cappellini, Art Director, with the protagonists of the most influential personalities in the world made of design, I decided to reveal all the potential of this color. Because “a little bit” makes me realize that the next trends will see the absolute and undisputed prevalence of white. So why not intercept them in advance and make the most of them to furnish a trendy home that never goes out of style?

Those who follow me consistently know perfectly well that colors are my passion, so much so that they have dedicated numerous posts to the subject with the aim of satisfying all tastes and helping each one to find ideas and solutions suitable for making the most of their own house according to one’s own personality.
For this reason, the most common advice that is asked of me in private regards the choice of colors.
But few, in indicating their tastes on the subject, refer to the white that I, however, promptly and stubbornly propose, perhaps in combination with other shades.

Because, in the common conception, white is understood as a non-color. As if it were an anonymous shade with no personality. An easy and obvious choice.

Nothing more wrong.

Suffice it to say that white has always inspired architects, designers, stylists and the whole art world in general since its beginnings because it is synonymous with purity and elegance but above all with brightness and vitality.

And it is certainly no coincidence that world-renowned designers such as Patricia Urquiola, David Chipperfield, Stefano Boeri, Marco Piva, the Zaha Hadid studio, Daniel Libeskind , just to name a few, have decided to participate in White in the city , born from an idea of ​​Claudio Balestri, president of Oikos, main sponsor, and the famous designer Giulio Cappellini, artistic director, on show in Milan from 4 to 9 April in the most evocative locations and fascinating buildings of the Milanese city, such as the Pinacoteca and the Accademia di Brera, the former church of San Carpoforo, Palazzo Cusani and Class Editori Space.

An evocative and fascinating itinerary to discover white in all its innumerable artistic facets, ranging from the world of architecture and design to that of art and life style.

In short, given the premises and the prominent personalities involved, as I never happened to see in all these years of attending the Salone del Mobile in Milan,

What to say? There will be a reason why so many personalities of such a high level bother to celebrate a color such as white!

The 2017 house is dressed in green or, better, greenery ! In fact, this is the hue of the year according to Pantone , a leading company in graphics and color cataloging, the only one able to dictate the law all over the world in terms of color trends: a bright green, fresh and energetic, which recalls the vitality of the always fascinating and mysterious awakening of nature in spring. I dedicated my article to this color in March’s Rm Magazine .

Well yes, after a 2016 that saw the prevalence of pink and blue , declined in a dusty pastel version, colors that are certainly reassuring because they are capable of instilling serenity and tranquility according to an intimate model of conceiving the house as a nest in which to take refuge and protect oneself from adversity of the outside world, the opposite choice of such a lively and jaunty color, such as greenery green , markedly reveals a renewed desire for reaction, positivity and optimism.
A warning of encouragement and a message of trust and hope for a better future than the particular moment we are experiencing.

In short, 2017 seems to be finally the year of rebirth and renewal, at least in terms of colors. A simple way to recharge and receive a boost of energy to face the thousands of daily tasks starting from the home.

A trend that, as Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, explained to the New York Times, first surfaced on the catwalks of the biggest fashion houses such as Gucci, Balenciaga and Prada, before arriving in the world of design and furniture .
Because, as always, fashion and design go hand in hand, influencing each other: two worlds that are apparently so different but in fact so close, capable as no other of carefully and introspectively interpreting the moods of the moment and the common feeling.