A trip to the concrete jungle for May’s big industry events might bring expectations of boxy minimalism. But rather than reflecting their surroundings, exhibitors at ICFF and NYCxDesign seemed eager to deliver quaint escapism. Many embraced an earthy palette of mossy greens and muddy browns that made a natural complement to sophisticated woodwork. Adding to the countryside spirit, bulbous proportions evoked the cozy hobbit homes that open The Lord of the Rings.

Other modern cottagecore designs engaged more directly with fantasy, eitherby depicting supersaturated realms or by referencing characters and themes from ancient lore. Forged bronze lighting and hardware offered yet another connection to Tolkien’s powerful ring. Is New York the one design week to rule them all? Not quite — but it had plenty of magic in store.

Using her patented Lamontage process of needle-punching hand-cut polyester fibres, textile designer Liora Manné worked with Rockwell Group to create Superbloom — a wall covering that served as the backdrop to ICFF’s feature exhibition, The Crossroads.

Long Island’s Stickbulb won Best in Show at ICFF for its lighting made from reclaimed and sustainably sourced wood. Its Pillar range assembles curved wooden modules into sconces, a pendant, a flush-mount and a chandelier, Colonnade (shown).

Making its debut at ICFF, new furniture brand Pern Baan partners with makers in both America and Thailand. The wooden 40 table by Bangkok studio Art Resources gets its mottled texture and “Thai art deco” stripes from an application of hand dyed parchment.

Orior stayed true to its Irish roots with a showroom party that served up Guinness and oysters. The big reveal? Eli, an armchair featuring a solid oak base and Dedar chenille upholstery with hand-stitched detailing.

Daniel Germani’s glass Ice collection for Bernhardt Design includes two round occasional tables, plus a third with a cantilevered top. Each one is offered in blue, amber and smoke colours that fade as they flow down the hand-blown base, which is accented by a playful internal bubble. 

For Memoir, her impressionistic collaboration with Calico Wallpaper, designer Jean Pelle used oil pastels to reinterpret her dad’s photos of the fruit farms and rice fields that surrounded her childhood home in South Korea.

Yabu Pushelberg took inspiration from aerial views of earth for its Terra rugs, launched at ICFF with Warp & Weft. Hand-knotted in India or Nepal in wool and silk, each one is made to order in custom sizes and colours.

To introduce his new lighting, Lee Broom reimagined his Tribeca penthouse as an intellectual study filled with antique globes and books like Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, which gives the collection its name. Designs like Mythos Duo (shown) speak to both mysticism and the transformation of metal into objects of desire. 

Originally designed in 2007 for another manufacturer, Josh Owen’s SOS stool is back in production with Heller. The brand’s ICFF booth took advantage of the drink holder hooks on the side of each table to hang a string of the designs from the ceiling in a display reminiscent of Barrel of Monkeys toys.

Monica Khemsurov, co-founder of Sight Unseen, held an NYCxDesign launch event for Petra, her online store dedicated to haute hardware from inter national designer–makers. For its Puddle knobs, San Francisco studio Hayesmade hand-pours molten recycled aluminum into craters of sand, resulting in unique shapes, sizes and textures. 

Made-to-order in solid maple, the new collection by Juntos Projects includes a bench, chair and desk, all with sculptural flair that strikes a balance between lightness and heft. Four finishes include purple-crimson, blue, yellow and green.

On display at design co-op Colony, this wardrobe by father-and-son duo Scheibe Design combines white oak, walnut, cherry, bleached maple, bleached ash, marble, and vegetable tanned leather, with central handles that line up to create a pill-shaped focal point.