The furniture industry is undergoing significant change. On the one hand, the concentration processes in industry and trade are continuing, while on the other hand, customers’ wishes, expectations and purchasing channels are evolving rapidly. This change also affects trade fair formats such as imm cologne. According to Koelnmesse, its wide range of offerings “from entry-level to premium/high-end” has become “increasingly challenging” in recent years “as the demands of exhibitors and visitors have diverged significantly and, from today’s perspective, cannot be effectively met by a single trade fair format”.

Following the last-minute cancellation of imm cologne 2025, Koelnmesse has now restructured its furniture and interior design fairs. From January 2026, imm cologne will ‘focus on a sharper and stronger trade fair concept for the consumer-oriented market’. In October 2025, Interior Design Days Cologne (IDD Cologne) will be launched as a new event format for the brand and premium segment, to be held every two years and tailored to the specific market requirements in this area. The combination of these two formats is intended to “offer all participants significant added value and create future-proof platforms for the development of the furniture industry”. This approach will adapt the fair to current market conditions and lay the foundations for the continuation of imm cologne’s 70-year success story. The future duo of imm cologne and Interior Design Days Cologne was developed in close cooperation with the furniture industry.

The imm cologne will now focus even more strongly on the international furniture trade by showcasing “in-demand and market-ready product trends from all areas of home living”. The first edition of the new, condensed four-day format will take place from 20 to 23 January 2026. In addition, the new Interior Design Days Cologne will create a targeted platform and set new standards “for premium brands in residential and hospitality interiors”. In addition to trade visitors, IDD Cologne will also target interior design professionals from the fields of interior design, architecture and project planning, as well as design enthusiasts interested in aesthetic room concepts. In addition to branded furniture, IDD Cologne will also feature brands from areas such as lighting and interior design. The inaugural event of this new trade fair concept will take place from 26 to 29 October 2025.