With very little persuasion I was back in Milan last week for the annual design fair Salone de Mobile. Now in its 55th year, it is bigger than ever. Launch events are sprawled across the city taking place in elegant palazzi and modern showrooms. For me, it's as much about the new things on show as the context in which they are shown, reminding me how much I appreciate beautiful interior design, plus there's a real buzz in the city which is infectious. Here are a few pics with captions that sum up my week.

Off the plane and into a palazzo. The courtyard at Palazzo Francesco Turati was filled with beautiful tulips for Masterly, The Dutch in Milano exhibition.

Milan has a magnificent cathedral, the Duomo

Danish modern furniture brand Hay had an impressive product launch at the vast La Pelota space.

Mette and Rolf Hay gave a presentation. Quite fascinated by married couples who work together.

They'd even set up a temporary café and brought over their favourite chef from Denmark, Frederik Bille Brahe. — They'd even set up a temporary café and brought over their favourite chef from Denmark, Frederik Bille Brahe.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec's Palissade Collection of outdoor furniture for Hay looked good.

Beautiful desk by British designers Pinch. Incidentally, also a husband and wife duo Russell Pinch and Oona Bannon.

Some of the presentations were very conceptual such as the MindCraft Exhibition based on the workings of the human brain with objects on rotating discs.

Spectacular interiors at Atelier Clerici

Bold shapes: the New/Old Divider by KIMU from Singapore-based design company Industry+ — Bold shapes: the New/Old Divider by KIMU from Singapore-based design company Industry+

High-end design on show at the Nilufar Depot

Fabio Novembre's glitzy, mirrored, womb-like room inspired by Milan Kundera's book 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' part of the 'Rooms: Novel Living Concepts' exhibition at La Triennale di Milano. I love the way the Italians are comfort… — Fabio Novembre's glitzy, mirrored, womb-like room inspired by Milan Kundera's book 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' part of the 'Rooms: Novel Living Concepts' exhibition at La Triennale di Milano. I love the way the Italians are comfortable philosophising about interior design, not saying I always understand it though.

Also part of the 'Rooms' exhibition, this one by Francesco Librizzi caught my eye. I like the way a metal framework is enough to create a sense of an enclosed space, ie without walls.

Monochrome madness, also part of 'Rooms'.

The Takeo Paper Show: Subtle was exhibited upstairs at La Triennale. It was thoughtful and almost meditative, everyone was taking pictures of this incredible paper creation above.

Fantastic quote about travel from the Takeo Paper Show expressed through paper-wrapped sugar cubes: "The excitement of travel arises from coming into contact with an exotic atmosphere hidden in daily objects". Explains my love of foreign superm… — Fantastic quote about travel from the Takeo Paper Show expressed through paper-wrapped sugar cubes: *"The excitement of travel arises from coming into contact with an exotic atmosphere hidden in daily objects"*. Explains my love of foreign supermarkets.

Stunning ceramics by Kueng Caputo created using a specialist technique of airbrush painting called 'fukitsuke' which allows for soft gradients of colour and texture to be applied to the surface. Part of an exhibition to celebrate and promote the 400… — Stunning ceramics by Kueng Caputo created using a specialist technique of airbrush painting called 'fukitsuke' which allows for soft gradients of colour and texture to be applied to the surface. Part of an exhibition to celebrate and promote the 400 year old history of ceramics from Arita, Japan organised in partnership with Scholten and Baijings among others.

Love this cover on an Italian magazine featuring designers Patricia Urquiola and Hella Jongerius.

Fondanzione Prada in Milan is very gold and very Fashion. And Bar Luce, designed by Wes Anderson, does have a Life Aquatic pinball machine :)