Saudade Collection — design by Marcus Camargo for Decoralle

North America’s largest contemporary design fair runs May 17-19 at the Javits Center under the theme “Common Ground”

NEW YORK — The International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) opens Sunday, May 17, at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, featuring 450 brands from more than 35 countries, a first-ever partnership with Habitat for Humanity and the fair’s first exhibition to bring together an active manufacturer with the official Bauhaus archive. The event runs through Tuesday, May 19, as part of NYCxDESIGN, the city’s largest design festival.

Under the theme “Common Ground: A Global Dialogue on Design and Shared Values,” this year’s edition presents initiatives that expand the fair’s social and curatorial reach. Programming includes talks, exhibitions, editorial launches and a new floor plan designed by RADS (Rodolfo Agrella Design Studio), with clearly defined zones to help visitors navigate among exhibitors.

First-ever partnership on affordable housing

For the first time in its history, ICFF has partnered with Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester. A portion of fair registration revenue will support the organization’s mission to expand access to permanently affordable housing in New York City and Westchester County. The collaboration also includes material resources and in-kind support.

Aligned with the edition’s central theme, the initiative positions design as a tool for social transformation — not merely a market or aesthetic discipline.

Bauhaus at the Javits Center for the first time

American company Rarify presents the edition’s most anticipated exhibition, in official partnership with German manufacturer Tecta and the Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin. For the first time in ICFF’s 37-year history, museum-quality archival material from the Bauhaus arrives at the Javits Center.

Tecta × Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin — archival piece exhibited for the first time at the Javits Center. Photo: ICFF 2026

Original drawings, prints and artifacts from the Berlin archive are brought together with contemporary furniture produced by Tecta, which has spent decades preserving and developing the ideas of the German design school. The exhibition presents modern design not as nostalgia but as a living system in constant evolution.

Known for democratizing access to design education and historically significant furniture, Rarify also assumes exclusive representation of Tecta in the North American market. It is the first time an ICFF exhibition has united an active manufacturer with the official Bauhaus archive.

Brazilian design makes its mark in New York

With two brands that have solidified the recognition of Brazilian design in the North American market, Brazil arrives at ICFF 2026 with a strong presence: furniture manufacturer Jaderalmeida and handcrafted rug maker Decoralle.

Jader Almeida — the brand’s showroom, making its NYCxDesign debut in 2026. Photo: ICFF 2026

Marking its seventh consecutive appearance at the Javits Center, Jaderalmeida’s participation carries special significance this year. In November 2025, the company opened its first U.S. flagship at 124 Hudson St. in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York, and this week will make its NYCxDesign debut. Founded in 2004 by Santa Catarina-born designer Jader Almeida, the brand has accumulated more than 1,200 products and 120 national and international awards, with a design language rooted in Brazilian modernism and refined by Bauhaus principles. This edition features the Node Line, a wood table collection exploring ideas of growth and connection, along with two new lounge chair launches: the Berg Lounge Chair and the Lume Armchair.

A Brazilian reference in the production of custom handcrafted rugs and carpets since 2002, Decoralle Tapetes is defined by its entirely manual process: from design to final finishing, every step passes through the hands of the factory’s artisans, ensuring full customization of each piece. A pioneer in Brazil in the use of ECONYL — 100% regenerated nylon made from landfill and ocean waste — the company combines craftsmanship with sustainability. At ICFF 2026, the brand’s highlight is the Saudade Collection, designed by Marcus Camargo and Tiago Curioni.

Saudade Collection — design by Marcus Camargo for Decoralle

Saudade Collection — design by Tiago Curioni for Decoralle

Bespoke Salon: craft and architecture

Presented in partnership with Hospitality Design magazine and the Mayfair Design District in London, the Bespoke: The Art of Making salon brings together craft and architecture in an environment designed by Post Company. The central space, the Bespoke Salon, offers an area for conversation, presentations and material exploration, sponsored by Andree Putman, Atelier Viollet, Ferreira de Sa and Frama.

Ferreira de Sá_ Talha_Photo: ICFF 2026

“In a world of mass production and digital images, we are drawn to the antithesis: the bespoke. Our Bespoke Salon for ICFF 2026 celebrates craft and handwork in a space where the contemporary and the ancient coexist,” said Jou-Yie Chou, a partner at Post Company.

Talks programming

Housing, healthy materials and design media are the central themes of the talks schedule. Amit Gupta of STIRworld will discuss how cultural exchange can build consensus. Dwell Editor-in-Chief William Hanley will lead the session “Can There Ever be an Affordable House Again?” on the U.S. housing crisis.

Industrial designer Todd Bracher will launch his Phaidon-published book “Observations, Research, and Design” at the fair. Julie Lasky of The New York Times will moderate a panel on how city government can support New York’s design community. Journalist Tiffany Jow, editor-in-chief of Untapped, will lead a discussion on the past, present and future of the design press with editors Lila Allen, Dan Rubinstein and Jill Singer.

Emerging talent in the spotlight

Now an annual initiative with a monthly editorial series, the Emerging Designer Spotlight (EDS) program highlights three to five international emerging designers per edition, selected by the fair’s curatorial team. At the 2026 edition, five chosen designers will present live on the main stage. Amy Devers, host of the Clever podcast, returns to lead the program.

Featuring more than 70 North American design studios, the Look Book counts Dezeen as its editorial partner. Sponsored by American Standard and presented with WantedDesign and Dwell, the Launch Pad brings together more than 80 emerging designers with prototypes in furniture, accessories and lighting. The Schools Showcase features more than 20 schools, with Design Milk as editorial partner.

Anna Dawson. Photo: ICFF 2026

Curators and new voices

Julia Haney Montanez, co-founder of The Design Release, joins the ICFF team as curator of the Look Book program for this edition. Writer and curator Adrian Madlener serves as a consultant for the talks program. The partnership with the Mayfair Design District brings a British perspective to the fair’s programming.

Jonsara Ruth, design director of the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design, will present an exhibition on material responsibility, with details to be announced.

Permanent spaces and programs

Sponsored by Moroso, the Mainstage will feature international speakers on material innovation, sustainability and technology. The Oasis, sponsored by Ethnicraft, Leon Speakers and Mohawk and presented with Architonic, offers conversations on human-centered design. The Welcoming Lounge at the fair entrance is designed by Ligne Roset.

Moroso — Photo: ICFF 2026

Focused on sustainable water use and new materials, the Aqua Atelier by Grohe occupies the kitchen and bath pavilion. Dedicated to networking, the Juniper Recharge Lounge features expanded lighting programming. In partnership with Be Original Americas, the Rarify Dining Lounge proposes shared meals as a setting for conversation about authenticity and contemporary craft.

Collaborative studio ROOM x OFS returns with live discussions as part of the “In the ROOM” podcast and will launch a new episode of the Designers on Design series on the main stage.

On the fair’s opening day, May 17, at 5 p.m., the ICFF Editors Awards ceremony will honor excellence across product categories and design disciplines.

On the eve of the opening, Thursday, May 15, ICFF Night Out will animate showrooms and creative spaces in the NoMad, SoHo and Flatiron neighborhoods, in partnership with NYCxDESIGN and Interni.

ICFF will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 17 and 18, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 19, at the Javits Convention Center, 429 11th Ave., New York.

ICFF 2026 — Javits Convention Center, 429 11th Ave., New York
May 17 & 18 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
May 19 — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More information at icff.com