Top Design-Forward Events in New York City

The design set is about to descend on Manhattan for NYCxDesign, which kicks off Thursday and closes May 20.

The calendar of events includes debuts, design-forward collaborations and installations that showcase contemporary living through an urban lens. The week will, for the last time, be anchored by International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). After 37 years, its organizers announced that it will be moved from its original May date to Nov. 7 next year. The New York City version of the fine art, antiques and design fair Tefaf will also run concurrently at the Park Avenue Armory.

Here, a look at the fashion-ready events throughout the city.

The New York Edit: Design Hotels

With the spotlight on the hotel industry and the contract business boom, indie hotel collective Design Hotels is gearing up to return to NYCxDesign with “The New York Edit,” a public exhibition showcasing collectible works by local designers. Open from Friday until May 20 at 11 Howard, SoHo’s design-forward hotel, the exhibition was developed in partnership with luxury online retailer Lumens and curated by Milan-based creative company Simple Flair. The showcase will explore the nature of light and will feature designer pieces from In Common With, Roll & Hill, Sin, Pelle, Rosie Li Studio, Forma Rosa Studio, and more.

Harry Nuriev x Oui Design!

The Oui Design! Festival will kick off Thursday and bring together a new generation of French craftspeople and designers. Organized by cultural association Villa Albertine at the Payne Whitney Mansion, the showcase will include immersive scenography by Crosby Studio‘s founder Harry Nuriev, highlighting the evolving dialogue between French and American creative communities. Villa Albertine creates a network for arts and ideas spanning France and the United States. Designers on show will be Lily Alcaraz & Léa Berlier, Atelier Monnier, Yassine Ben Abdallah, Nicolas Pinon, Céline Salomon, Sophia Taillet, Juliette Tellier, Frantz Wehrlé, and Xolo Cuintle.

Apparatus x Puiforcat

Gabriel Hendifar’s lighting and furniture studio Apparatus, which is known for its seductive lighting and furniture, is getting ready to showcase its collaboration with the French cutlery to silverware house Puiforcat. “Peepshow” is an immersive exhibition of sculptural precision and playfulness that is part of Apparatus’ Episode series of furniture, which includes robotic-inspired designs like the Hall chair. Located at Apparatus’ New York gallery, it will reflect a fusion of heritage silversmithing and contemporary design.

Spotlight on Scandinavian Design

NYCxDesign will also afford the design curious a chance to take a peek into the Swedish consul general’s private home. Organized by the Scandinavian Design Embassy, a “Meet the Makers” exhibit scheduled for Monday will shine a light on design from Iceland, Sweden and Finland, featuring brands like Hem, Photowall and Kula by Bryndís.

Sea x House of Finn Juhl

Danish furniture brand House of Finn Juhl and fashion label Sea New York will unveil a reimagined edition of House of Finn, Juhl’s iconic Japan Series, blending Danish midcentury modernism with contemporary textile design.

The Japan Series has been crafted at the firm’s Danish workshop and upholstered in richly embroidered fabrics, featuring the Flower Embroidery pattern designed by Monica Paolini, creative director of Sea New York. The motif was inspired by colorful drawings from Finn Juhl’s archives.

Rimadesio’s 70th Anniversary

Italian design brand Rimadesio will celebrate its 70th birthday at its New York flagship on 102 Madison Ave during NYCxDesign. On show will be its sleek Becoming 2026 collection that was originally unveiled during Milan Design Week. The 70th anniversary celebration is packed with a year-long cultural program exploring the luxury furniture maker’s evolving identity through history, design, art and architecture.

The Future Perfect Unveils Studio Athena Calderone’s Assembler I

Los Angeles design gallery The Future Perfect will host a series of exhibitions at its West Village townhouse. The highlight will be the unveiling of Assembler I, Studio Athena Calderone’s debut furniture collection, marking the designer’s foray into collectible design. The Future Perfect will also present the first collaborative collection by South Korean ceramicist Jane Yang-D’Haene and the late Francis D’Haene, an early supporter of The Future Perfect and founder of D’Apostrophe Design. In collaboration with Bocci, radical design collective Dudd Haus will also bring together 120 artists to reimagine the night light as a site of experimentation across sculpture, design and personal narrative.

At Home With Jessie Schuster and Paul Morehouse

On the occasion of the fine arts and design event Tefaf, interior designer Jessie Schuster and sculptor Paul Morehouse will debut Phoebe, a 15-piece collection of new, sculptural works installed in Schuster’s newly completed SoHo loft. Named after the Eastern Phoebe bird, the exhibition reflects a return to spring and a sense of renewal, exploring material contrast and the tension between raw and refined within a real, lived-in setting.

Afternoon Light Design Fair

The fair curated by Deirdre Maloney and Minya Quirk will unfold within the WSA creative hub at 161 Water Street from Sunday to Tuesday and will spotlight the latest from over 75 brands, including Carl Hansen & Søn, Anglepoise and Humanscale.

Nina Takesh x BelarteStudio

Also at WSA, interior designer Nina Takesh will launch her Eastern Blush wallpaper collection inspired by Persian heritage, European classicism and Parisian fashion. The collection, created through close collaboration with BelarteStudio, features seven designs, including the chinoiserie-inspired “L’Air des Jardins,” showcasing botanical mural-scale motifs.