Home agenda: Grand Designs Live

(Grand Designs Live)

The final stage of the 109th China Import and Export Fair comes to a close on May 5. In London the latest household products and design trends will be on display at Grand Designs Live until May 8.

109th China Import and Export Fair
April 15-19; April 23-27; May 1-5
China Import and Export Complex
Guangzhou, China
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Founded in 1957 the China Import and Export Fair (or the Canton Fair) is held twice a year in spring and autumn. The fair covers an enormous range of products - ranging from furniture to office goods, clothing and cosmetics. Originally conceived for the purposes of linking up Chinese businesses from the country's provinces, the fair, like China itself, has expanded at breathtaking speed and last year attracted visitors from over 40 countries. According to the organizers, in 2010 more than 200,000 people visited the fair and the event accounted for 21 billion euros worth of trade.
http://www.cantonfair.org.cn/

7th Grand Designs Live
April 30 - May 8
Excel London
London, UK
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This UK-based home design exhibition combines practical with more cutting-edge design. The products on display here are more applicable to the mass market than the edgy designs at France's Maison & Objet for example. However the event does showcase the latest technologies as part of the House of the Future exhibition. In 2010 the event attracted around 103,000 public and professional visitors. In contrast to Maison and Objet (September 9-13) for example, Grand Designs Live is aimed squarely at those looking for designs that serve a functional role in an average household rather than those looking for unique or 'statement' pieces.
http://www.granddesignslive.com/
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23rd International Contemporary Furniture Fair
May 14-17
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
New York, USA
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Billed as a 'global summit for design,' the International Contemporary Furniture Fair or ICFF attracts exhibitors from 40 countries and around 23,000 attendees. Designs in the field of furniture, seating, flooring, outdoor furniture and lighting and other categories are represented at the show. Designers from the annual BKLYN design event will also be showcasing their creations at this year's ICFF. The ICFF represents a much broader spectrum of household design than the Australian International Furniture fair (February 2-4), but in turn is overshadowed by home design events such as Tendence (August 26-30).
http://www.icff.com/page/home.asp

Interior life style Tokyo
June, 1-3
Tokyo Big Sight 
Tokyo, Japan 

A design-oriented trade fair for the high-end Japanese interior market, last year's event attracted upwards of 80,000 visitors. Interior Life Style is a combination of two other Messe Frankfurt trade fairs - Ambiente and Heimtextil. Focused on Japanese, rather than international trends, the event showcases the latest designs for the kitchen and dining area as well as home accessories and textiles.
http://www.interior-lifestyle.com/en/about.php