Follow the Trend - British Design at Masion&Objet Janaury 2011

The twice annual event ‘Maison&Objet’ at the Parc d’Expositions in Villepinte near Charles de Gaulle is one of the most important and successful European events for all sectors relating to interior design including furniture, home furnishings, lighting, tableware and high end gifts as well as consultancy services.

In the home furnishings market the percentages account for 70% accessories and 30 to 35% furniture. More than 5 million different products from 300 000 different brands are usually presented at any edition of the trade fair.

"Maison&Objet is France’s most important trade event for home furnishings, interiors, retailing as well as residential and contract commissions."

There are about €100 million worth of sales exclusive of tax done on a business-tobusiness level at each event. As this includes the export business generated during the five-days of the fair, these sales do not necessarily reflect only the French but the international markets reached via Paris as well.

The fair – part owned by the British Reed Exhibition Group – has been carefully built up over the years and is strictly vetted to guarantee a maximum of exhibitor quality. It now also incorporates the former Salon de Meubles giving it a monopoly over the entire French interiors sector.

Maison&Objet attracts the most important international target audiences with a very strong emphasis on the big national chains and the smaller but very high-end buyers from the French speaking countries of Europe, who do not normally attend either the German or Italian fairs.

For the design-led British SMEs (small and medium sized companies, design studios and design professionals) in the Creative Industries, the participation at Maison&Objet also accesses the very important potential client audiences of French architects, interior designers, specifiers and manufacturers interested in commissioning bespoke products for individual contracts or consultancy services.

For British SMEs in classic tableware, home furnishings, home textiles, giftware and jewellery Maison&Objet is the key fair in continental Europe.

The British European Design Group Contingent will be in Hall 8 ("now! design a vivre"), stand i1-j2

Have you been to Maison&Objet January 2011? Ad your comments below and let us know what you thought of the show.