From tree to veneer – this is the focus of the first post of the month. We take the presence of veneer for granted in our everyday lives. In the car, on the floor and, of course, in furniture – its uses are almost endless. Only the best trees get to be processed to create this high-quality surface. Clearly, it comes at a price … The “Initiative Furnier + Natur” (Veneer + Nature Initiative, or IFN), one of interzum’s partners, explains the manufacturing process and the uniqueness of the material in the blog post: each veneer is unique, just like the tree from which it was made. Of course, this also applies to the final product: the door, panel or furniture also takes on an individual character. It is only natural, therefore, that products made of veneer are particularly popular. After all, individuality is the goal we’re all striving towards in our society.

interzum exhibitor Halemeier’s focus is not on the manufacturing process, but rather the finished piece of furniture – individuality is no less important here, however. The company offers a service website, where the specialist in lighting systems for furniture and shops presents new lighting ideas. You can let your creativity run wild thanks to the versatile range of possible applications, which can be realised with the help of the technicians listed on the website. It is a well-known fact that the right lighting creates an atmosphere and provides a sense of well-being. With the services offered by Halemeier, you can achieve this effect in a way that is precisely tailored to your needs – it doesn’t matter whether it is a living area that needs an optimal design or whether individual shop-lighting projects are required to put the products in the spotlight and thereby turn shopping into an experience.

Katrin de Louw from the consultancy Trendfilter is convinced that shop design not only requires the right lighting but also “emotional materials and surfaces, which are compatible with the message and invite you to linger”. The trend expert and interior designer is not only responsible for designing both piazzas in the “Materials & Nature” segment at the interzum, but also answered our questions in an interview this month. For her, the theme of “individuality” not only plays a supporting role in the design of living spaces, but also in the choice of materials. Katrin de Louw finds the mix of materials particularly important, since it is precisely this mix that ensures endless possible combinations and the individuality we need in times of mass production. Made-to-order production also plays its part in expressing one’s own personality. Personalised products make us stand out from the crowd and boost our self-esteem. Our homes are our calling cards, in a manner of speaking. They display who we are – or at least, who we would like to be.

Sylvia Leydecker also works with materials and surfaces. The expert in new materials assesses the whole spectrum, from wood to carbon through to adhesive foil, in order to realise her ideas. In an open discussion, she tells us about her expectations with regard to interzum and the outlook for developments within the industry. The interior designer sees innovative technologies as the most significant new development in the field of materials, because digitisation is making advances in all aspects of life. According to Leydecker, environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and 3D-printing technology have opened up new design possibilities. Sylvia Leydecker is particularly looking forward to innovations “that provide scope for my visions and expand my creative freedom to rethink things and express them”.

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