But Create’N’Connect at Domotex is more than a unique opportunity for global flooring aficionados to connect and exchange through history and traditions; the theme enables opportunities to see into the near future of design and rugs. Designing for connectivity is a megatrend for 2018. This ‘connect’ trend reflects an increased demand for objects that are modular and portable, versatile and flexible—the very attributes that rugs inherently possess, and the must-have attributes for all forward-thinking designers. These attributes, combined with continued materials, process, and technological experimentation, will enable designers to create rugs that become ever-more experiential and thus essential not only for domestic environments, but for commercial and hospitality environments. Conversely as design and technology continue to connect and merge, the once dominant minimalist design aesthetic has been eroded by the new iteration of ‘anti-design’ that merges a maximalist look with veneration and emulation of the natural world. Allied to connectivity, this shift creates an exciting new design climate. As connectivity expands inexorably and creation remains an essential part of the human psyche, the future for rugs through Create’N’Connect is undeniably exciting.
COVER asked Thilo Horstmann, Project Director of Domotex, to explain how the Create’N’Connect theme relates to the handmade halls: ‘The new DOMOTEX keynote theme—Create’N’Connect—relates to the halls of hand-made carpets and rugs in many ways: ‘connectivity’ is the fusion of traditional manufacturing techniques and hip designs, but it is also the interplay between classic patterns or elements in modern interiors. Also, due to their enduring popularity, high-quality handcrafted carpets create a permanent connection to the present time, in which digitisation and modern production techniques play a major role. Furthermore, carpets are a central element in the room, an element that connects us to the floor.’
DOMOTEX 2019 will be held on 11-14 January in Hannover.