Review

Back with a bang

Brussels Furniture Fair returned to visitor and exhibitor acclaim

‘Who’d have thought at the end of the Furniture Fair 2019 that we’d have to wait two years for the next edition? Over the four days, the patience of exhibitors, retailers and us as the organiser was finally rewarded. We can now look back with relief, and above all with pride, at an exceptionally successful edition. We of course knew in advance that there would be fewer visitors. Travelling is still not easy, and many visitors remain distrustful of events. But those who did attend were wildly enthusiastic about the result,’ says Lieven Van den Heede, Brussels Furniture Fair general manager.

‘No one was worrying about the fact that visitor numbers were down. No one found it a problem, in fact. The quality was there, and there was an exceptionally high number of orders. Almost all the large purchasing groups from abroad were present. We had a total of 16,171 visitors from 38 countries. This is 2,823 fewer, or 14.86% less, than in 2019.’

Some 146 UK and Irish buyers visited the show, down from 502. There were also noticeable drops in buyers from France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

‘Surprisingly enough, visitors from “other countries” increased. In this segment we saw an increase of 30%. Of course, these are chiefly visitors from the European Union, but we were also visited by a number of buyers from America, Africa and Asia. As a result, the share of overseas visitors held steady at 60.9%,’ says Van den Heede.

‘The offering at the Furniture Fair 2021 was less extensive than we are accustomed to, but still varied enough to be interesting for our international trade visitors. Of course the 

reasons for this are well known, so no one held that against us. Also, it certainly did not give the impression of being a lesser edition. On the 2021 exhibitor list were 161 names from 11 different countries. That is 107 fewer than in 2019, or almost 40% fewer in total. In terms of surface area, after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic we were pleased to have rented out 76.1% of the same number of halls as in 2019, when the occupancy rate was 93%. Given that the number of visitors fell by almost 15%, the number of visitors per stand surface area ratio was still positive. This also partly explains the positive vibe and the sense that there were a lot of visitors.

‘Our main aim is to focus on a European offering for a west European market. As a result of the pandemic, this role chimes perfectly with the current mood. Disrupted supply routes, high transportation costs and rising wages in China are causing manufacturers to realise that it is perhaps time for them to bring their production back to Europe.

‘Literally every exhibitor was enthusiastic. This is almost unprecedented in recent years. Visitors came into the fair with a broad smile, absolutely delighted that they were able to attend a “normal” trade fair again. Reconnecting with business contacts – or should we say friends? – was clearly a real pleasure.

‘We can’t emphasise enough that this is precisely the point of a trade fair like ours. The lack of a 2020 edition, and all the other cancelled trade fairs, was more than compensated for here. Moreover, the rising number of coronavirus cases gave a feeling of “now or never”. Who knows how long this pandemic will last…? So the Furniture Fair was also a commercial success. The seeds have been sown for a successful spring.’ www.furniturefairbrussels.be

BALTHAZARS 2021

A record number of companies entered the Balthazar awards.

l BEST OF BELGIUM: Toon De Somer’s Ton sur Tooon divider (pictured below). ‘It’s astonishing how a single metal element can make a world of difference. How it adds new dimensions to the spatial architecture, multifunctionality and acoustics. The uprights have a rounded, L-shaped design. They offer an asymmetric picture, of open compartments on one side and closed surfaces on the other. Even the space inside the uprights offers a wealth of possibilities,’ says the judging panel. LAUREATES: Theuns’ Izola and Saunaco’s Cas collection. l LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: Passe Partout’s Tulip (design Axel Enthoven). ‘The elegant, slim armrests are open like the petals of a tulip in bloom. It is exceptionally inviting and heartwarming. Come, take a seat. The cushions are both playful and comfortable. Take note of the detail in the finish. Tulip is an original, elegant interpretation of the omnipresent organic trend.’ LAUREATES: WR Inspired’s Mona and Moome’s Lala. l BEST INTERNATIONAL: EgoItaliano’s Bebop. ‘An archetypical and symbolic model, a metaphor for the post-coronavirus era. A re-design of the retro style, with Italian flair. The bi-stretch fabric provides a contemporary twist. The yin yang pouffe and the combination of black and red are a perfect reflection of the current times. Bebop marks the beginning of a new roaring Twenties.’ LAUREATES: Kluskens’ A-Table and Calia’s Milla. l INNOVATION: Revor’s Circular. ‘The time to act is now. The Circular is the perfect solution: a 100% circular pocket spring mattress. Composed of just two circular mono materials: steel and polyester. These can be completely separated and endlessly reused, with no loss of quality. Raw material waste is eliminated. A QR code facilitates the path to the circular future of your mattress.’ LAUREATES: LS Bedding’s Ergosleep Cocon 2.0 and Otium Care’s Hector.

Four bar Hexham

This variant to the established eight bar Hexham spindle aims to give a cleaner, more contemporary look yet remains also able to cross over into traditional. A winner with painters.

Hexham Eight bar

Our highly popular eight bar back plain spindle back chair is where modern meets the best of Victorian simple. Equally at home in town or country dining settings. Available in beech or oak.

Hoop back

An enormously popular and stylish hoop back with elegant good looks and features, robust enough even for contract. This is a quality beech chair that fits many bills.

Windsor Hoop Carver

We have taken a classic Georgian style an adapted it for modern living. The ageless lines evoke their traditional background but also harness a more modern edge. Great as a stand-alone chair in its own right or a carver complement to our hoop or Hexham’s.