Dezeen Dispatch Returns for Milan Design Week
Dezeen Dispatch, a 44-page newspaper-style publication, is making a comeback for Milan Design Week 2026. It features exclusive interviews, highlights of the event, and is available in print at various locations in Milan and digitally worldwide, offering comprehensive coverage of the latest design trends and insights.
Lex Pott's Multifunctional PS 2026 Lamp for IKEA Unveiled at Milan Design Week
Dutch designer Lex Pott introduces the PS 2026 Lamp, a highlight of IKEA's latest PS Collection, at Milan Design Week. This innovative floor lamp, patented for its unique 45-degree hinge, effortlessly transforms from an uplight to a spotlight or reading light. Pott's design emphasizes "playful functionality" and democratic design principles, offering an interactive and adaptable lighting solution available in three distinct colors at an accessible price point.
IKEA's "Food for Thought" Exhibition: Merging Culinary Arts and Spatial Design at Milan Design Week
IKEA's "Food for Thought" exhibition at Milan Design Week showcases how cooking and eating shape domestic spaces. The exhibition features five room sets, each based on a unique recipe, designed by creative duos of interior and food designers. These immersive installations explore diverse culinary traditions and dining rituals, from communal cooking to solo dining, illustrating the dynamic interplay between food and interior design. The event also introduces new products from IKEA's PS collection, highlighting a trend towards interactive design experiences.
The Vea tapware collection, a collaboration between German industrial designer Christian Haas and Villeroy & Boch, reimagines bathroom fixtures with an aesthetic rooted in classic perfume bottle geometry. This innovative series of taps aims to blend sculptural elegance with functional simplicity, offering a sophisticated addition to modern bathrooms.
Haas's design philosophy for the Vea collection centers on what he terms "sensual reduction." He sought to create a product that is both distinctive and adaptable, capable of harmonizing with diverse architectural environments. The taps are characterized by their precisely cut facets, which not only define their edges but also expertly refract light, casting intricate shadows and highlighting their slender profiles. This play of light and shadow is a direct nod to the visual qualities found in traditional glass perfume bottles, a key inspiration for Haas.
The collection offers the Vea taps in two primary finishes: a sleek matt black and a polished chrome. A notable departure from conventional tap design is the inclusion of a central ceramic control button, available in black or white. This ViPush system replaces the typical lever, providing a more refined and tactile method for adjusting water flow and temperature. Haas noted that removing the lever allowed for a cleaner, more essential form, aligning with his vision of a reduced yet sensual design.
The designer elaborated on his inspiration, stating that the elegance of classic glass perfume bottles served as his initial reference point. He perceived a timeless, almost luxurious quality in these everyday objects, which he strived to translate into the Vea tapware. The result is a collection that is both highly independent in its aesthetic and discreetly versatile, making it suitable for a wide range of interior designs.
Ultimately, the Vea tapware collection by Villeroy & Boch stands as a testament to thoughtful industrial design, where everyday functionality meets refined artistry. By drawing inspiration from an unexpected source like perfume bottles, Christian Haas has crafted a series of bathroom taps that are visually captivating and offer an enhanced user experience through their innovative control mechanism and minimalist aesthetic.