The 82nd Brussels Furniture Fair has once again drawn to a close, after 4 exceptional days with outstanding visitor numbers. What’s more, everyone noticed that the fair has again been upgraded, with beautiful and commercial collections of furniture and home accessories and some breathtaking stands. Following last year’s fall, visitor numbers increased again this year.
This is a highly encouraging result, given that sales in the furniture trade in Belgium and in the majority of our neighbouring countries were pretty disappointing this year. Not only did the Brussels Furniture Fair see a visual upgrade, but once again it also became more international. This year, our visitors came from some 52 countries, including 18 outside Europe. Foreign visitors climbed to more than 65%.
For the 2019 edition, there were 274 exhibitors of 18 different nationalities. With one exception, all came from Europe. There were 6 more names on the exhibitor list than in 2018, and the leased surface area also increased slightly. 63 manufacturers were presenting their wares in Brussels for the first time this year. For them, but also for the exhibitors that have been attending the fair for many years, there was a great deal of news to pick up. There were some absolutely fabulous collections on display. Year upon year, the upgrade of the fair is clearly visible and the same was true this year. The campaign image perfectly matched today’s trends: fresh, young, sleek and cheerful. This image was consistently adopted in the design of the entrance halls, the reception desk and the various bars, right down to the name boards on the stands. The trend passages made for an inspiring walk through the corridors between the various halls. All in all, it solidified the impression of a fair that had been perfectly organised right down to the finest details.
Last year, there was a fresh new concept for the trend passages. As for every edition, Art Director Siegrid Demyttenaere has once again developed three themes around the central question “How are you?”. The key concepts are harmony, physical and mental wellbeing, and spirituality as a counterpoint to technology.
