Milan Design Week, also known as the Fuorisalone, is more than just a calendar event—it’s a movement. Over the past 40 years, it has quite literally redesigned Milan, transforming forgotten neighborhoods and underused spaces into hubs of creativity and innovation. As intelligent real estate developers ourselves, we couldn’t help but admire how design in Milan has acted as a tool for urban regeneration. It’s a model that aligns with our own values: transforming homes, one thoughtful detail at a time.
The Spirit of Milan: Where Design Meets Purpose
The Fuorisalone is not the work of a single institution or brand—it’s a grassroots celebration, a "scientific form of party" as some describe it, built by passionate people: designers, architects, entrepreneurs, and yes—real estate visionaries. It was interesting to learn that there isn’t one “inventor” of the Fuorisalone. Rather, it's a patchwork of many minds and many years of collaboration.
It should not be forgotten that the Design Week would have never existed without the Salone del Mobile which is the iconic furniture trade fair. The Salone del Mobile is the lifeblood that has always sustained the Design Week, for many years it was not an independent event, but a series of “side events to the Salone del Mobile.” And the fact that since the mid-seventies the city of Milan has been attracting a cultured public interested in design is due to the Salone del Mobile.
Milan itself is uniquely positioned for this kind of creative explosion. Surrounded by Brianza, known as “the region with the highest creativity rate in the world,” Milan thrives on industrial design, craftsmanship, and a deep-rooted culture of making. This is what Italians call the “Italian factor”—a unique blend of heritage, skill, and vision that turns good ideas into timeless design.
Behind the Doors: Secret Courtyards, Noble Palaces, Living Inspiration
For us, one of the most exciting parts of Design Week is the rare opportunity to step into Milan’s hidden interiors—elegant courtyards, historic palazzos, and private showrooms that usually remain closed to the public. As real estate professionals, we are constantly thinking about space: how it flows, how it feels. Seeing how international designers curated these temporary installations inside real apartments reminded us just how powerful good design can be.
It was a masterclass in storytelling through space. We saw historic architectural elements merged seamlessly with futuristic materials. We walked through rooms that were not just beautiful, but emotionally intelligent—spaces that made us reflect on comfort, creativity, and the role of a home in our daily lives.
These experiences will directly influence how we renovate apartments here in Budapest. Whether it’s using bold color, refining layouts for better livability, or incorporating sustainable elements, Milan reminded us that design is always evolving—and that great homes are never just about looks. They’re about how you feel when you step inside.
The Power of Design as a Networking Platform
With more than 1,000 events and over 400,000 visitors, Milan Design Week has also become one of the most powerful global platforms for networking in the design and real estate industries. But even more importantly, it’s a platform for connection—between disciplines, between people, and between past and future.
This mirrors our own approach: we don't just sell apartments—we connect people with the spaces that will shape their lives. We don’t just renovate—we create homes that inspire. And we don’t just follow trends—we look for meaning in the materials, layouts, and stories behind every renovation.
Looking Ahead: Bringing Milan Home
As we return from Milan, our notebooks are filled, our imaginations sparked. We’re bringing back not just new ideas for interiors, but a renewed commitment to thoughtful, forward-thinking design in everything we do. Milan Design Week reminded us that real estate is not just about square meters—it’s about vision, collaboration, and creativity. It’s about building spaces that matter.
If you’d like to see how design meets real estate in our world, reach out. Whether you're buying, selling, or renovating, we’d love to help you create a space that’s not just stylish, but truly extraordinary.
The locations we loved the most during the design week:
Conte Casa, Palazzo Melzi di Cusano
Casa Ornella, by Maria Vittoria Paggini
Interested in exploring more about the Fuorisalone? Visit fuorisalone.it for upcoming events and inspiration.
