At the 63rd edition of Salone del Mobile, Arper returns to Milan with a new chapter titled Spaces and Solutions for the Project of Living. The brand explores how space can support people’s shifting daily experiences, working, pausing, travelling, and living, without interruption or friction. Arper frames these spaces as fluid systems, designed to meet people where they are.
The company focuses on intuitive environments shaped by real needs. Its exhibition introduces not only products but also reflections on how materials, design, and human behaviour intersect. With a long-standing focus on responsibility and design precision, Arper uses this edition of Salone to present ideas that evolve with contemporary life.
Redefining Beauty Through Use and Material
Arper uses the phrase “Redefining Beauty” to describe its approach in 2025. Rather than chasing trends, the brand leans into authenticity. This idea informs its entire exhibition, from technical updates to existing icons, to speculative prototypes shaped by sustainability goals.
Visitors enter the central installation where the material research unfolds into the new collections. Every item carries a message: meaningful design can coexist with better environmental outcomes. This approach doesn’t rely on dramatic shifts, it comes from refinement, from adjusting production methods, and from thoughtful choices in assembly and material sourcing.
Material-Driven Innovation with Familiar Forms
Among the most notable updates is Catifa Carta, introduced in 2024 and now available with a four-leg wooden base. This change, although subtle in appearance, results in a 20% reduction in CO₂ emissions when compared to the metal version. The team also eliminated adhesives entirely by replacing them with a screw-in fastening system. This adjustment simplifies disassembly, allowing for easier recycling at the end of the product’s life.
Arper continues its work with recycled materials through Catifa (RE) 46, an evolution of its 2004 classic. Made from 100% recycled plastic, sourced from both post-consumer and post-industrial waste, the new version reflects a material palette grounded in honest textures and architectural finishes.
Two concepts also appear at the fair. One features a PaperShell shell prototype for Catifa 46, which will be named Catifa Carta 46. The other introduces a fully PaperShell base for Catifa Carta 53, developed in partnership with the Swedish startup PaperShell and supported by the Nco2Factory project.
Situational Design: Five Spatial Scenarios
Arper structures the exhibition around five scenarios that respond to human needs: pausing, participation, focus, inspiration, and reconnection. Each area referred to as “Spaces To” uses furniture not as fixed installations but as elements that support interaction, rest, or work.
Spaces to Pause introduces Pausit, which reshapes how waiting functions in shared environments. It creates a place where time between moments becomes meaningful, whether for focus or rest. Spaces to Take Part features Shaal, the updated Mixu 02, and Lepal. This area encourages openness and engagement. It reflects how spaces can welcome creativity and shared use through soft structure and thoughtful color.
Spaces to Focus presents options for informal meetings or quiet conversation. Catifa Carta 53, Catifa (RE) 53, and Ghia 74 work together to create calm, unobtrusive zones that support ease and comfort. Spaces to Inspire uses Ghia 74 and Kinesit Met to build out an environment for decision-making and collaboration. It keeps focus and productivity front and center, while still allowing room for adaptability.
Spaces to Reconnect turns attention outdoors. Using pieces such as Onemm, Leaf, Juno 02, Duna 02, and Ralik, Arper creates a frame for open-air use that prioritizes modularity and relaxation.
Designing Forward
Arper uses Salone del Mobile 2025 to show more than new products, it offers a strategy for building with attention and care. Through updates, prototypes, and rethought classics, the company pushes design to do more with less.
Arper never fails to impress… but this years booth was a bit underwhelming at salone del mobile