THE LIGHT BETWEEN in surface design
During Fuorisalone 2026 in Milan, Italy, the city becomes a working canvas for design. Fuorisalone is part of Milan Design Week, where showrooms, studios, and installations open across the city, turning everyday spaces into places of experimentation and exploration.
For Novacolor, this year’s focus was not just on what we see, but on what often goes unnoticed. The Light Between centers on the idea that light is most powerful in the spaces we do not immediately recognize, where it moves through material and reveals depth, texture, and subtle detail.
Presented at the Novacolor Brera Showroom under the artistic direction of architect Michael Vincent Uy, the 2026 Signature Collection was designed as more than a display. It was an experience built around observation, movement, and material interaction.
Light as a Design Element
In many applications, light is treated as a finishing touch. Here, it becomes part of the process.
Light does not only highlight smooth or perfect surfaces. It moves through variation. It settles into texture. It shifts across edges, depth, and irregularity. It is in these in between moments that surfaces begin to feel dimensional and alive.
This concept invites a different way of thinking about finishes. Instead of aiming for uniformity, it encourages a focus on movement, contrast, and the relationship between light and material.
The 2026 Signature Collection
The collection is expressed through six distinct surface studies. Each one explores a different way light interacts with texture, finish, and form.
Radiance
Radiance focuses on broad, diffused light that spreads across a surface and enhances its energy. These finishes reflect light in a more continuous way, creating a sense of openness and brightness.
Materials include Archi+ Big, Archi+ Concrete, Metallo Fuso in brass, copper, and bronze, and R-Stone in pearl and red tones.
Gleam
Gleam captures small, unexpected moments of light. These are the subtle reflections that catch your eye as you move through a space, revealing details that are not immediately visible.
Materials include R-Stone in gold, green, and pearl, along with Eclat Wall Painting.
Hive
Hive introduces pattern and relief, using repeated forms to interact with light. As light moves across the surface, it highlights the raised areas, creating depth and rhythm.
Materials include Verderame Wall Painting Fondo and Metallo Fuso in copper.
Interlude
Interlude explores the quiet space between layers, where light filters through and softens transitions. It is less about reflection and more about subtle diffusion.
Materials include Archi+ Concrete and Novalux E.
Weave
Weave brings a more organic approach, where texture feels embedded within the surface. Light follows these natural grooves, creating a sense of movement that feels both structured and irregular.
Materials include Archi+ Concrete and Africa.
Facet
Facet focuses on angular planes and defined surfaces that catch and redirect light. As the viewing angle changes, the surface shifts, creating a dynamic visual experience.
Materials include Marmur Fine and Calcecruda Tinta a Stucco.
A Study in Light and Material
Across all six collections, the common thread is the relationship between light and matter. Each surface is designed not just to be seen, but to be experienced as light moves across it.
The photography, led by Matteo Imbriani with creative direction by Freedot and styling by Studio Salaris, reinforces this idea. Each image highlights how texture, material, and light work together to shape the overall effect of a surface.
What makes this collection especially relevant is how it translates into real applications. These finishes offer a range of possibilities, from subtle, layered textures to more defined, light-reactive surfaces, depending on the needs of the project.
If you are interested in exploring how these materials and finishes can be incorporated into your own work, we are happy to walk through options, samples, and application approaches. Reach out anytime to start the conversation.