What to expect at imm Cologne 2024 | Germany’s biggest Interior Business Event

From 14.01- to Thursday 18.01.2024 I will be visiting imm cologne again. Reporting from the imm fairground and sharing my finds with you on the blog and my Social channels is something I really love doing. I always feel at home at imm, and am happy to be invited to work with the fair again in 2024.

The fair’s new opening days, from Sunday to Thursday, are aimed at accommodating the schedules of industry professionals. This shift caters to a more business-oriented approach, with a focus on business, inspiration, networking and B2B interactions. As a fair exclusively for trade visitors, and now with a shorter duration, imm cologne 2024 is set to be a highly efficient business event.

Connecting Communities

No better way to start the new interior design season than visiting interior fairs at the beginning of the year to network and discover new trends and innovations.The fair will be organized across 7 different halls, each offering a unique theme and style. This new arrangement aims to enhance the visitor experience by providing a more organized and focused exploration of the interior design world.

Central meeting points will showcase innovations in home living and demonstrate how the boundaries between art and design are blurring. ‘The Circles’ are a new unique concept across all exhibition halls and tie the entire event together giving the trade fair halls a distinct look. They will combine inspiration, networking and enjoyment in new dimensions. This inclusive approach mirrors the central theme of the trade fair, which is all about ‘Connecting Communities.’ It encourages a sense of unity within the industry that goes well beyond your usual trade fair encounter.

A Sneak peek at the different Circles and Events

Circle Café and Club
In the Circle café with integrated studios you will find the opportunity to listen to curated speakers in cooperation with partner Architonic, , taste culinary highlights, find entertainment and the best networking opportunities. (Sunday, 14.01.2024, Hall 3, C26 from 1PM)

At the Circle Club you will find exclusive specialist lectures by selected speakers in collaboration with imm partners H.O.M.E. and Architonic. (Monday, 15.01.2024, Hall1 , C26 from 1PM)

Inspiration Circles
Fellow bloggers Elisabetta Rizzato, Stefan Nilsson, Claudia Böttcher and Igor Josifovic-Kemper have selected pieces of furniture and decorative elements from various exhibitors to curate installations on the themes of “Supernatural” and “In Contrast”. (Hall 1 B47 & B49)

Brand Circles
Next to the regular exhibition stands, a notable change in imm 2024 is the way brands will present themselves in a new format. Through shared areas exhibitors will have the opportunity to collaborate and exhibit together,fostering creativity and facilitating exciting cross-brand interactions.
The fair will highlight the change in living styles with traditional boundaries between living areas disappearing and homes being transformed into versatile spaces that function not only as places to live but also as places to work. While kitchens are evolving into indoor gardens, and gardens are becoming extended “green living rooms”.

A host of exhibitors will be presenting innovative solutions, including multifunctional furniture for both living spaces and working spaces, weatherproof sofas for indoor and outdoor use, and flexible, modular furnishing concepts suitable for all manner of spaces and budgets.

Pure Talents Contest
In the past I showed you lots of the work and ideas of the Pure Talents Contest and the many young designers I discovered at the fair. Pure Talents Contest offers design talent a unique springboard into the interior design industry. The twelve most outstanding works have been nominated (Hall 4, A020/B025)

Sustainability

Shared areas will encourage exhibitors to showcase only their latest collections. This means less vast stands filled with old collections we have seen for years. This approach aligns with the global movement towards more sustainable practices in the design industry.
Six Dutch companies – Arco, CS Rugs, Gelderland, Label van den Berg, Lande Family and Leolux – have themed their special exhibition area around the pursuit of a more sustainable lifestyle and finding a balance between ambition, challenge and innovation! (Hall 4, Stand B20)

Pure, Home and Sleep – Three distinct areas

With its Pure, Home and Sleep segments, imm cologne showcases all that the interior design world has to offer. The Pure section has always been a favourite of mine. Here you will find stylish interior concepts and inspiring design in high-end quality. Exclusive brands in the high-end area present their authentic design, philosophy, workmanship and their signature styles.

Home – furnishing solutions that suit any lifestyle
From on-trend interior design solutions for young lifestyles, flat-pack furniture, children’s furniture, specialised product ranges and accessories through to modern interior design ideas for superior living comfort such as sofa and chair suites, living room furniture, shelving systems and much more, the Home interior world is where consumer-oriented brands present a wide range of furnishings intended to meet all manner of needs.

Sleep – the modern world of sleep
Thanks to its Sleep themed area, imm cologne is the most important event for specialist mattress and bed retailers in Europe – a unique business platform providing one-stop access to the German and European markets. An extensive selection of sleep furniture complemented by high-quality accessories and textiles that impress all round with their functionality, haptics and visual design.

Take a tour

Not sure what to see first? Join a 45 minutes guided tour to get an overview of the trends and highlights of imm 2024. With the focus of the tour on the Pure exhibition segment as well as the top-class event program. You get the opportunity to discover new products for the upcoming furnishing season and the event highlights of the fair.

Written in collaboration with imm
images courtesy imm, Artifort, Montis, Ethnicraft and Mobello