A WOW moment at ICFF 2025: inspired by Jeff Koons’ iconic balloon animals, Keff Joons, a spectacular installation of immersive seating/sculpture by New York-based Australian artist CJ Hendry.




ICFF 2025 Delivers Sales and Networking Galore


by Benjamin Genocchio 

Photography by Jenna Bascom



The 2025 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), one of America’s most important platforms for global design, was very clearly tighter and more experimental this year. The focus was more on discovery, with a greater portion of the show devoted to the work of new makers and designers. Exhibitors were invited to address the theme “Designing in Harmony.” This meant different things to different designers but overall there was a consistent note throughout — attention to craftsmanship, artistry, poetry, and sustainability. The future of design, based on this year’s fair presentation, will be about respecting people and places rather than dominating spaces with design.


You saw it here first at ICFF: new concepts and prototypes in the Launch Pad at WANTED section.  


The booths and immersive exhibits by nearly 400 brands and design makers from over 35 countries were laid out in a new, far-improved floor plan and it definitely made a difference. Wider aisles and better signage significantly improved the experience and visitor navigation of the cavernous Javits Center while defined, distinct sections for the exhibitors helped to create more focused and contiguous presentations.


Morpho by Tomorrowland’s contemporary Art Nouveau aesthetic is beautifully interpreted in the Volita dining chairback inspired by dragonfly wings, and the flowing lines of the Vime lounge chair.




Larose Guyon was a multi-award winner at ICFF 2025, including the highly coveted Best of Show. Here, their Abysse lighting, handcrafted in Quebec.

Many brands and makers stood out, and I found myself constantly returning to stimulating and beautiful booths by Gaspare Asaro, Winkle, Lauren Goodman, Cicil, Larose Guyon, Natuzzi, Molo, Juniper, and Morpho, the brand collaboration between Ethnicraft and Tomorrowland.


This year marked Canadian brand Larose Guyon’s 10th anniversary and they went all out with a series of small, intimate cubicles defined by scrim walls and filled with signature examples of their lighting designs from the past decade — artistry, craftsmanship, and raw poetic flair are the hallmarks of this extraordinarily creative brand.


The new layout helped to define differences between emerging makers and established, core ICFF brands. The expanded WANTED area was a highlight —Winkle, Lauren Goodman, and Cicil were a part of this section, as was some outstanding lighting from Streicher Goods. Cuff Studio, also from WANTED, won the Best Furniture Award, which is extraordinary given the volume and quality of the participants. 


The Brazil pavilion exhibited contemporary furniture crafted in wood and other organic materials such as cane, with designs drawing upon the country’s distinctive spirit of easygoing warmth.


Pavilions from Brazil, France, Italy, Romania, Mexico, Japan, and Portugal, among others, are always inspiring and enable a deeper dive into diverse cultural design sensibilities, materials, and sensibilities. Italian craftsmanship in wood and marble is legendary and continues today in the designs of many outstanding Italian brands. Brazil produces superbly crafted furniture in wood with an exceptional quality/price ratio.


The Equilibre Chandelier from the Planets Collection by Semeur d’Etoiles. Rock powder from quarry waste is layered with mouth-blow glass to create the celestial effect.


The French makers section was a terrific new addition sponsored by the French government. A standout presentation by Mercœur Edition showcased a diverse assortment of bespoke furniture and lighting and the use of unusual, innovative materials, notably a papier-mâché covered plywood console. Sculptural lighting with an eco-design approach from Parisian maker Semeur d’Etoiles was another top find at this edition of the ICFF.


An ancient oak root, carbon-dated to 3,200 years old is the base for this monumental 4-meter long table, was the centerpiece of the Romanian Pavilion. Designed and produced in Transylvania by Masara, created exclusively for ICFF 2025.


Masara from Romania delivered a booth containing a massive dining table with a base carved from a single piece of 3,200-year-old silt oak, a form of subfossil wood found in ancient riverbeds where it is naturally preserved. “The mineral-rich, low-oxygen environment helped fossilize the oak, giving it a dense structure, deep tone, and striking visual depth,” said Alin Risnita, founder of the brand. The top is carved from Class A ash wood.

 

“We are thrilled with this edition of ICFF. The quality of the exhibitors and the effort they put into creating thoughtful, creative, and inspiring presentations truly stood out. Their work beautifully aligned with our goal of offering a unique, elevated, and positive experience for all attendees,” said ICFF brand directors Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat. 


Designs from students at Pratt Institute, including Best of Student’s Winner the flat-pack Pivota Swivel Chair by student Zhiwei Xie, bottom row, third from left.  



ICFF EDITORS AWARDS WINNERS

Furniture: Cuff Studio

Outdoor: Morpho by Tomorrowland

Lighting: Streicher Goods

Flooring & Rugs: JD Staron

Kitchen & Bath: Hale Betül Güleç for Heartmade Furniture

Materials & Surfaces: Habitat Matter

Craftsmanship: Cicil

Exhibit Design: Larose Guyon

Body of Work: Winkle

Emerging Designer: Lauren Goodman

American Brand: Opiary

International Brand: molo

Sustainable Design: Rarify


BEST IN SHOW

Larose Guyon


BEST OF LAUNCH PAD

Furniture/Home Accessories: estudio PM

Lighting: Riccardo Toldo

 

BEST OF STUDENTS WINNER

Pivota Swivel Chair by Zhiwei Xie, Pratt Institute

 

BEST OF SCHOOLS WINNER

Icon Design + RIT, Rochester Institute of Technology