Phew. We spent two jam-packed days at High Point Market last week, and our feet still hurt! We’re excited to give you a recap of what we saw, but first, a little background on the market.
In spite of the fact that High Point is not necessarily a household name outside of the design industry, the twice yearly show is a massive event, occupying over 12 million square feet of showspace with 2000 exhibitors. The market has been taking place in and around High Point, North Carolina, in some capacity for over 100 years. It began in 1909 as the Southern Furniture Market, and while it has evolved over a century into the largest home furnishings trade show in the world, the primary purpose remains the same: provide an opportunity for those in the interior design trade to see the tools of the trade live and up close in beautifully styled vignettes.
This year, our two senior designers, Joanna and Vanessa, spearheaded our High Point trip. We are excited to have this opportunity to introduce them on the blog, and get their key takeaways from our trip!
Joanna
Background: In addition to her experience in residential interiors, Joanna’s extensive background designing for large hospitality groups gives her a unique perspective on creating a home environment that is welcoming for guests and built for entertaining. Originally an art major before turning to interior design, Joanna has an artist’s eye and loves to draw on her creative background when working with P&O clients.
Signature Style: Historical. Elegant. Give her all the vintage.
Thoughts on High Point: “Wear sensible shoes! We walked over 6 miles each day. The scope of High Point is hard to grasp until you are there…it literally spans several city blocks. But, the ability to see and touch so many different pieces is invaluable. There is just no substitute for sitting on a sofa or other furniture piece in real life; feeling the weight of the fabric, the quality of the seat, seeing the scale in person…this all contributes to a more positive experience for clients later, when we can choose a piece confidently to fit their overall design.”
Favorite Showrooms: Gabby, Ralph Lauren, Chaddock
Vanessa
Background: Vanessa is one of our most tenured team members. Her previous background working with commercial architects and contractors has been priceless to our clients undergoing large scale renovations and new build projects, alike. Before making a career change to interiors and subsequently earning her interior design degree, Vanessa’s specialty was marketing and communications. She has an easy rapport with clients, and her diversified experience makes her input valuable in many areas of our growing firm.
Signature Style: Classic. Preppy. Give her all the plaid.
Thoughts on High Point: “I love re-visting a showroom we’ve seen before at High Point. You can easily get a sense for which design houses are really putting some thought into their product designs. The best makers will always have something new and fresh: an unusual fabric, a new sofa configuration, maybe a subtle trim detail. In the Wesley Hall showroom, they were using the hide side of leather as the trim on a leather sofa. It’s such a simple, but brilliant, change from what is typical. I always come away from High Point newly inspired to create unique spaces for our clients.”
Favorite Showrooms: Gabby, Mr. & Mrs. Howard
Some of our Favorites…
