Bubbles, bubbles

Year 2019 was filled with emotions and bubbles at the Signals house. Signals is the Official Trend Exhibition of Habitare Design Fair in Helsinki. Again Sisse was curating this exhibition with Trend Analyst Susanna Björklund. Signals is a multisensory exhibition of interiors and design with four different themes. Signals is mixing design, art, culture, societal megatrends and phenomena.

Again this year, creating Signals was an inspiring process: How to transfer the thoughts and ideas that we had with Susanna in our endless conversations, into interiors, colour schemes and experiences. The most rewarding moments are when the last sleepless nights are over and we get to meet with Signals visitors and hear their thoughts and how we moved them with ours.”

This year Signals themes were:

EMPATHY AND EMOTIONAL DATA – We make up to 80% of our decisions with emotions. Empathy and emotional data are in high demand. Without eye contact there is a bigger chance for misunderstandings, particularly in digital communication. Voice is also getting acknowledged as an important factor. What kind of home raises positive emotions and encourages us to be present?
IN THE BUBBLE – We explore our world through our own biased perspective and think our truth is the only truth. It is surprisingly hard to understand people with different world views and values. Diversity is richness, however. In interior design, round shapes are back.
THE ILLUSION OF TIME – Time is running but it goes slow when you wait. We are often in a hurry, either because we create hassle in our lives or because some things just cannot wait. Climate change is one such thing. We are running out of time with it. Rushing makes us stressed out. Home is a haven for calm. But how to make our homes stress free environments?
WATER – Water is part of our lives more than we think. After all, human bodies are 60% water. According to predictions, there will be fresh water shortage in the future. This provides also business opportunities. Watching water is soothing. How can water be present in our homes?

Habitare’s official trend exhibition Signals has become “a thing” that people talk about, a driving force that attracts people to visit the fair, an inspirational bath for many inside and outside the design field. Signal’s two most important matters for Habitare are, that it communicates much deeper phenomenons from our global society than just the latest colour on pillow cushions. It should communicate important movements with a simplified and inspirational language. Most of today’s phenomenons and trends are based on challenging situations, serious threats, extremely difficult subjects around all of us. Signals filtrates and curates the most relevant from all this into one annual exhibition through interior lenses. I hope that all visitors would pay attention to the annual themes of Signals and what do all those beautiful objects, colours, patterns and materials tell us.  Laura Sarvilinna, Creative Director, Habitare design, interior and furniture fair

As a first timer in the Signals team, I was intrigued by the layers of ideas and insight that underlie the Signals exhibition. These insights are transformed with uncompromising vision and talent of the curators, Sisse and Susanna, into profound visual experiences that leave no visitor cold. Sisse’s exceptionally warm personality, strong drive and talent of reaching others acted as an engine through the process and influenced the numerous visitors to play, stay and enjoy the exhibition. And trust me, you could stay there for the entire day to dive deep into the thought provoking themes and delicious details that the temporary walls of the Signals house treasure inside. Emilia Kiialainen, Designer, Marketing & Communications Specialist of the Signals 2019 team