Systematic: furniture that grows on you

It was all systems go at this January’s imm cologne. Sleek, modular furniture programmes that inject a healthy dose of the architectural into the interior, helping to define the way space is encountered, used and enjoyed, were in plentiful evidence.

In these economically uncertain times, planners and end consumers are thinking even more than ever about the longevity of furniture, as a long-term investment – which is, of course, no bad thing. Beyond their ability to respond to the needs of their users in a tailored way, such furniture systems are, at least in theory, always a work in progress, the option of adding to them or reconfiguring them at a later stage built into their design.

Like a programme of our own, here are some product highlights from the Cologne fair.

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