This week in design, a new exhibit in Milan highlights one of the late midcentury designer Piero Fornasetti’s favorite motifs: cats—or, as he called them, “ancient philosophers cloaked in soft fur.” Stay in the know with our weekly roundup of headlines, launches, recommended reading and more.
Business News
Italian design fair Salone del Mobile announced plans to debut a satellite edition in Saudi Arabia next year, Dezeen reports. Scheduled to take place in the capital city of Riyadh during the fourth quarter of 2026, the fair will showcase the work of Italian design brands to the local Saudi community. While the event won’t mark Salone’s first international edition—previous offshoot events included Moscow and Shanghai—it’s the first major event to emerge from the larger strategic partnership established earlier this year between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and the Italian Federation of Woodworking and Furniture. The Saudi market for furniture, fixtures and equipment is expected to increase by nearly a third by the end of the decade, to a value of $9 billion.
Williams-Sonoma and Dupe.com have reached a settlement in the case filed by the homewares retailer last year, The Fashion Law reports. The lawsuit alleged that Dupe.com committed copyright infringement and false advertising by listing knockoffs of Williams-Sonoma products and allegedly posting disparaging videos on social media that suggested the retailer was benefitting from a “furniture price scam.” While the terms of the agreement remain confidential, both parties dismissed the case with prejudice, prohibiting the claims from being refiled in the future. Meanwhile, Dupe.com hasn’t given up on its mission: Last week, the platform announced the launch of a new mobile app that allows users to utilize an AI-powered search engine to upload a photo, insert a link or search for an item, and immediately receive results for look-alikes at different price points.
Hearst is making cuts. Last week, five editorial staffers across House Beautiful and Elle Decor were let go, including longtime Elle Decor executive editor Ingrid Abramovitch and House Beautiful assistant market editor Catherine DiPersico. In a statement, a Hearst magazine spokesperson told Business of Home, “As we continue to invest in our digital growth and uphold the exceptional quality of these two brands, we’re making strategic decisions to position them for long-term success.”
1stDibs has released the results of its annual Designer Trends Survey, collecting insights on tariffs, AI and aesthetics from more than 400 design professionals worldwide. The report found that AI usage increased among designers in 2025, with 29 percent utilizing AI tools (and an additional 20 percent indicating plans to use them in the future), compared to 9 percent in 2023. In terms of global trade, 92 percent of respondents said that tariffs had negatively impacted business, reporting a decrease in international sourcing to 28 percent, from a peak of 32 percent in 2024. Elsewhere, designers provided insights on rising aesthetic trends, citing maximalism and eclecticism as the styles most requested from clients, along with a growing interest in collectibles from the 1920s to ’50s and antiques (and a decline in popularity for pieces from the 1970s).
The hidden costs of homeownership—insurance premiums, maintenance fees and taxes—has reached an average of nearly $16,000 annually, according to a new report conducted by Thumbtack and Zillow. For the typical U.S. homeowner, average costs break down to $10,946 on maintenance, $2,003 on homeowner’s insurance (which has increased 48 percent nationwide since 2020), and $3,030 on property taxes, all together representing an increase of 4.7 percent over the past year. In contrast, household incomes only rose 3.8 percent.
In trade news, the Trump administration announced several deals last week, including the removal of tariffs on some food imports from Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador, Reuters reports. Switzerland also negotiated an agreement with the U.S.: It reduced its 39 percent tariff—among the highest rates resulting from Trump’s sweeping rollout—to 15 percent, The New York Times reports.
British furniture brand Another Country has taken a majority stake in bespoke furniture design studio and fellow U.K.–based brand Goldfinger as part of a new strategic partnership. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but according to a statement released by Another Country, the arrangement brings together two brands with similar business practices, each certified B Corps with an emphasis on sustainable craftsmanship. Following the acquisition, Goldfinger co-founder Marie Cudennec Carlisle will hand over the company’s leadership to Another Country founder Paul de Zwart.
J&K Home Furnishings has acquired fellow South Carolina retailer Infinger Furniture in a $4.16 million deal, Furniture Today reports. At the conclusion of Infinger’s going-out-of-business sale, the space will be converted into a J&K Home Furnishings showroom, joining the company’s seven other locations across the state. The new store is expected to debut in early 2026.
Following the tragic UPS cargo plane crash that took place earlier this month in Louisville, Kentucky, the Federal Aviation Administration has temporarily grounded all McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft for an unspecified period of time, NPR reports. Though MD-11s make up only 5 percent of UPS’s total fleet and 4 percent of FedEx’s, the suspension could lead to shipping delays depending on how long the aircraft are grounded. In the design industry, British fabric brand Sanderson has already communicated with customers about delays in orders, despite the carriers’ contingency plans.
Launches and Collaborations
Ruggable teamed up with Rixo for the British fashion brand’s debut rug collection. The assortment includes four styles that bring Rixo’s maximalist prints to a new medium, complete with its signature palette of bold colors, floral prints and vintage-inspired geometric patterns.
Building off of the success of its recent collaboration with the “Wave House” in Palm Desert, Design Within Reach partnered with Piaule Catskill in upstate New York to outfit the hotel’s spaces with an array of iconic designs, new debuts and pieces created exclusively for the hospitality destination. Curated alongside Piaule founders Nolan McHugh and Trevor Briggs, the resort’s collection of new furnishings reflect the serenity of the site’s natural surroundings, with a focus on organic materials like cashmere, wool and solid hardwood from brands like Herman Miller, Fritz Hansen, Louis Poulsen, Vaarnii and more.
London–based home decor brand Buster + Punch collaborated with Grohe on a new bathroom collection encompassing fixtures, plumbing, hardware and lighting. Designed for customization, each offering is available in one of three coordinated finishes: Brushed Warm Sunset, Brushed Cool Sunrise and Matte Black.
Recommended Reading
Purchasing art at auction can be intimidating to outsiders—because of the spectacle, of course, but also due to the massive exchanges of cash at play: The venerable “Big Three” auction houses (Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips) processed a whopping $4 billion in art auction sales in 2024. For The New York Times, Julia Halperin explains how buyers of any budget can penetrate the daunting scene with a guide to navigating its “unique rituals, rhythms and hierarchies.”
Many luxury hotels today embrace a utilitarian aesthetic, valuing nondescript design schemes and sturdy furniture over style and, well, luxury. In her latest column for Elle Decor, Rita Konig extols the virtues of hotel rooms that replace beige decor, functionless furniture and flat screens with colorful furnishings and decadent displays of local treats for a look that feels like home.
Cue the Applause
French Heritage Society has announced the appointment of interior designer Timothy Corrigan as its board chair. Founded in 1982, the nonprofit operates 10 chapters across the U.S., along with an outpost in Paris, working to conserve historic homes, buildings and gardens across France and the States. Jean-Guillaume de Tocqueville will become president of the organization, with both assuming their roles at the start of 2026.
