Milan furniture fair

In Italy, while Venice and Rome may attract the majority of visitors, Milan succeeds in combining elegant historic architecture with a high quality of life that places contemporary culture at the heart of the city. As a fashion capital known for its influential Fashion Weeks, Milan is also a major hub for design in the broadest sense. This vocation comes fully to life each spring, when the city hosts the renowned furniture fair—taking place this year from April 8 to 13—alongside hundreds of exhibitions and related events.

During this annual celebration of design, the city’s palaces, museums, and showrooms are transformed into vibrant stages dedicated to contemporary furniture and interior decoration. Yet this creative energy extends well beyond a single week: design is embedded in Milan’s identity all year round. The city is home to leading European brands, renowned designers, and an emblematic design museum. For those passionate about interior aesthetics, Milan offers an ideal place to live.

Launched in 1961 to showcase Italian design, the furniture fair has continued to grow in scale and influence over the decades. The 2025 edition will place particular emphasis on lighting design, with installations by Oscar-winning Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino, French interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, and Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto.

While the fair remains primarily a professional trade event—held at the Fiera Milano exhibition center on the city’s outskirts—the Fuorisalone (“outside Salone”) brings the entire city to life with open-access events. Each year, this constellation of initiatives adopts a unique theme; in 2025, Connected Worlds will highlight a collaborative design approach that weaves connections between people, nature, technology, and cultures.

Even as it asserts its place at the forefront of contemporary design, Milan draws deeply from a rich legacy of creative innovation.

“Milan strikes a perfect balance between tradition and modernity,” explains Paolo Casati, co-founder and creative director of Fuorisalone and the design studio Studiolabo. “The blend of historic architecture, modern infrastructure, and a vibrant creative community provides fertile ground for design. The city has long been home to Italy’s most celebrated masters, whose work continues to inspire new generations.”
Among these figures, Casati highlights Ettore Sottsass, founder of the Memphis Group in Milan in 1980, whose playful and colorful creations came to define the spirit of postmodernism.

The Design Museum of Milan, housed within the Triennale di Milano at the Palazzo dell’Arte, opened its doors in 2007, continuing a tradition of international design exhibitions that have been held at the site since 1936. The iconic furniture brands that helped establish Italy’s global reputation—Kartell, Cassina, Molteni&C—are all headquartered in or around Milan, particularly in the northern region of Brianza. “Milan’s proximity to Brianza, an area renowned for its centuries-old tradition of artisanal excellence, further strengthens the region’s stature in furniture and industrial design,” adds Casati.

In a quiet, leafy district on the way toward Brianza, Villa Bassetti embodies Milanese elegance through its refined blend of history and modernity. Built in 1900, the residence draws inspiration from neo-Gothic, Baroque, and Art Nouveau references—evident in the intricate floral detailing that adorns its façade.

Closer to the city center, a nine-bedroom residence on Piazza Castello —a 19th-century semicircular extension adjoining the Sforza Castle—enjoys a prime location between the Triennale di Milano and Brera, a neighborhood renowned for its creative energy. Here again, refined historic details are paired with contemporary comfort to offer an exceptional living environment.

Milan also offers resolutely modern residences, such as a bright, open-plan townhouse built in 2002, distinguished by a spectacular two-story bookcase and a lush rooftop terrace. An ideal place to experience the city to the fullest—where, in Casati’s words, “creativity is celebrated.”