High Point Market: The Fashion Week of Home Furnishings.

The spring edition of High Point Market located in North Carolina has come to an end. “Market” as referred to by designers, was full of new and interesting products and design ideas. For the interior design trade, Market is a gathering of designers and home furnishing professionals to come see, touch, feel and purchase products. High Point is to home furnishings what Fashion Week in New York City is to the garment industry. New colors, fabrics, and collections are launched here. Follow along as I take you on a “Roads less traveled tour” of High Point Market: The Fashion Week of Home Furnishings.

Themes from High Point Furniture Market

I am not a big trend spotter, but I do look for design themes. Here are the standout themes from High Point Market this spring.

• Made in the USA
• Responsible and local sourcing
• Using reclaimed and natural materials
• Curves are still sexy
• Luxurious indoor/outdoor and performance fabrics
• Mixed metal materials in furniture and lighting
• Color is back and bigger than ever

Makers, Artisans and Made in the USA 

Made in the USA is trending. With lead times extended and container ships sitting and sometimes sinking at sea, domestically sourced and produced products and materials are in high demand. Charleston Forge is a furniture line I happen to love and have in my own home. The pieces are made in Boone, NC, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Charleston Forge has a strong commitment to using recycled materials and working with suppliers within a 100-mile radius of the factory. This image from their High Point showroom features one of their new collections.

Charleston Forge Furniture Photo by Thyme & Place Design

Woven Sustainable and Natural Materials

Woven and natural materials in furnishings and light fixtures are still hot. This living room at Red Egg features their woven furniture collection.  Red Egg is a local showroom founded and run by women. “It is their mission to craft heirloom pieces that bring you joy” They are a wholesaler which means you must purchase through a design professional.

Artisanal Fabrics and Textiles

Another member of the Red Egg community is Jill Seale who produces the most beautiful textiles which can be used for drapery, pillows even clothing if you like. Her marbleized patterns combine inspiring color combinations.

Jill Seale fabrics & pillows

Nothing says sustainable like vintage and antiques. Long lead times for furnishings have created a renewed interest in vintage and antique furniture, accessories, and textiles. There are several spots for treasure hunting at High Point Market. Golden Oldies is one of my favorites.

Hands as art. Golden Oldies

Curves are Still Sexy

Curves were sexy at the National Kitchen and Bath show in February, and they are still sexy in the home furnishings world. Soft sumptuous boucle (a type of yarn used as a textured fabric) fabrics are still hot too. These chairs from American Leather are super cute and so very comfortable.

American Leather Boucle Chairs

Let’s Talk Lighting

If hardware is the jewelry of a furniture or cabinet piece, then lighting is the jewelry of the home. Innovative lighting design was everywhere. Not just beautiful to look at, the lighting was energy efficient with LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamps and incorporated natural materials like hemp, string, leather, and even slate.

Slate and LED light fixture.

Performance Fabrics

Our furniture has been working overtime as living, working, schooling, and playing have become full-time at-home activities. Many families have welcomed four-legged members to their homes. The need for soft, luxurious, beautiful easy-care fabrics has not gone unnoticed.  Gone are the days of limited patterns and colors in fabrics that felt like cardboard. From cotton and linen to boucle and velvet the selection of performance fabrics is outstanding.  This display from Inside Out gives you just a small sample of the variety of fabrics and colors.

Colorful performance fabrics for every room

Mixed Metals

I love to mix metal materials and colors. I have always said, “if it is good enough for Cartier it is good enough for me”.  American Leather showed a chair that “floats” on a cantilever burnished bronze base. Century Furniture also showed interesting metal design detail on their sofa.

Century Sofa metal detail

The Hudson Valley Lighting Group showed many mixed metal finishes in their light fixtures.

Mixed metals beautifully displayed by Corbett Lighting

Let’s Talk Color

In addition to this colorful wall covering from Fenwick Bartel in Hollywood, Florida, fabric, floor covering, as well as vegan leather is available.

Colorful fabrics, wallcovering, and vegan leather

Art is another place where color abounds. I think my best Market find was at SPLASHWORKS. This gallery where art meets technology is a fabulous source for anyone looking for interesting art, artists, and home décor accents all on fabric. The work featured is of local and up-and-coming artists.  Again, all the materials are sourced locally from the wood used to make the frames to the labor to produce the products. They have an extensive online catalog and ship anywhere. You can find them at www.splashworksart.com

Tom from SPLASHWORKS Gallery

I hoped you enjoyed the tour of my finds from High Point Market. If you are interested in purchasing any of the items please let me know, I am glad to help. 

ABOUT SHARON:

Sharon is the founder of Thyme and Place Design, headquartered in Wyckoff, New Jersey. She’s been practicing kitchen and bath design for the past 40 years and is a Past President of the American Society of Interior Designers – New Jersey chapter. 

Follow her on Instagram by clicking this link: https://instagram.com/thymeandplacedesign

Her award-winning designs and editorial comments have been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, Design Milk, Bergen NJ magazine, Kitchen & Bath Design News, Woman’s Day, Country Decorating, Design NJ, New Jersey Home Magazine, 201 Magazine, The Best of Bergen, Savvy Living, The Vue, The Record, The Star-Ledger,  and Aspire as well as several books.

Her blog “Tips from the Trade” appears in digital form on DesignNJ.com and KBBonline.com. She has also appeared on HGTV’s My Big Amazing Renovation and episodes of House Smarts with Lou Manfredini.  In 2022, she was a featured *Voices From The Industry* speaker at the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s international convention and is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Kitchen Bath & Business magazine.