My friends, do you know there’s a dream land, right in North Carolina, where all interior designers and shop owners visit twice a year to buy goods to showcase to you? This is the mecca of furniture and textiles…its known as High Point Market. I have just returned from stomping out 20,000 steps a day to shop for my clients and bring you the highlights of my trip. Buckle up, wait ‘til you see what I found!

Fabrics & Leather

Immediately noted was a greater source of high-performance fabrics being used on furniture, even the quick ship, high volume pieces. So many stools, chairs and benches are being covered in varying hues of white & beige fabrics to easily fit the bill for a project…but now the fabric on ready-to-order pieces can withstand a wine spill and ketchup drips. 

Linen fronted cabinets were a luxurious surprise both visually and tactilely. It’s beauty in a subtle way…adding a woven uniqueness that pairs well with a grass cloth walls or the simplicity of linear grained wood. And all that on quick ship items in lieu of custom pieces. 

Natural vibes definitely keep showing their best side in fabrics of lush botanicals. Large scale prints create drama and leave room for more subtle elements such as pillows or blankets. Don’t be afraid to add that one piece to set the tone in a room!

For Leather, cognac has been at the top in the last few years but we’re now seeing more pieces upholstered in navy blues. I love a good blue leather sofa, which I’ve traditionally custom ordered in the past. Now these classic leathers hues are being offered as an off-the-shelf option. And don’t forget, InsideOut fabrics come in a faux leather, meaning…you can have leather pieces outside or the durability of outside fabrics in leather indoors! I recently crafted a custom headboard with Arcata Faux Leather from Thibaut at a lake house. No worries about wet hair in bed but the look is so authentic! 

Wood & Case goods

Wood furniture is always going to be welcome in the home, however, we do cycle between different woods taking the lead as trends change…these days, walnut and oak hold our attention. This Market, I found more natural pieces with fissures and grain variations in ready to order pieces that create a custom look without the high-ticket price… There’s a continued return of beautiful woods, book matching and grain play which sings to my soul as a custom cabinet and furniture designer. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to make every piece for all my clients, but sometimes picking up a ready-made piece fits the budget and brings the project to completion ahead of schedule.

Green is also showing its force in case goods. Take for instance this beautifully detailed chest of drawers finished in a green stain with gold accents and tapered legs. The grain of the wood is just peeking through, giving this chest a sense of sophistication. Other playful colors on the scene were noted in a shagreen leather of green and chambray. Go ahead, be bold in your living space with a little contemporary flair! Okay, let’s pause…educational moment…

I know many of you have heard of Shagreen but have no idea what it is. Here’s the bottom line…Shagreen is a texture made of natural hide from mostly dogfish, shark and stingray. It’s sought after for its unusually rough and granular surface. But fear not my animal lovers, there are many faux shagreen items on the market today! 

Old world caning is back and I’m loving every weave! Indoor and outdoor pieces were abounding. This is a lost art. Many pieces are now woven by machine; however, the juxtaposition of delicacy and strength has always made it one of my favorites! 

Black, black & more black!

If you love black elements for your home, this market was filled with selections right up your alley! Whether black is a balance to green elements, a classic combination, or complimenting woven or wooden features, the composition is striking! It’s been said you need one piece of black in each room to ground it and focus your eye. Well, this year, there’s lots to choose from!

Lighting

In lighting, the natural element theme continues with woven rope beckoning me back to the days of macrame but with an elegant sophistication when mixed with a modern metal accent. Glamour through nature is also achieved in this stunning chandelier by fusing arching brass stems with small white glass leaves. The meticulous process alone mimics natures beauty of uniqueness in all things. French wired lamps seemed to be prevalent, in large and petite, shelf sizes. This means that the wire is extended directly from the bulb socket rather then being fed down into the belly of the lamp and out the back at table level. The cord is usually wrapped in a cloth offering a finished look complimenting the fixture rather than being an element to hide. Color is also strong in the lighting industry as manufacturers are beginning to offer a full spectrum of opportunity from the big paint companies, we all love and adore. Here colorful, floral pendants hang in an array of hues, showcasing their flair to the stem and ceiling canopy. In the same vein, outdoor lighting is brought to life by accenting the back plate in an endless palette of color adding personality to your home’s exterior! LED lighting has also opened avenues of possibilities for design. With the slightest of lights, glass can now be infused to echo a sculpture and create artwork where a fixture was merely purposeful. Dedicated LEDs are now becoming more of the standard in new light fixtures entering the market. These streamlined fixtures do not require a bulb…ever. You simply install them and they’re ready to go. Be sure to always review the kelvin, lumens and CRI values of the fixture before purchasing to ensure the illumination coordinates with your other lights in the house. If you’re not sure of these values, read my article “Illuminated” previously featured in Home & Garden 2022 starting on page 80. 

https://issuu.com/saratogapublishing/docs/simply_h_g_2022_issuu

With light bulbs slowly being replaced by concealed LED tape, technology is upping the ante at High Point Market as rechargeable & dimmable bulbs were introduced specifically for petite lamps. Use them on a shelf, add light on a side table where an outlet is not available or take them outside. Check out my Instagram post @cmcdesignstudiollc on April 23rd to see it working on the showroom floor!

And lastly for lighting, look at these modern outdoor lanterns that are rechargeable! WHAT?? They use reflective light to softly illuminate the outdoor spaces. If you’re anything like me, you have battery operated candles and lights throughout your yard that make the evening glisten in delight for firepit chats. But with the cost of batteries escalading, wouldn’t it be nice to simply recharge your power source when needed? 

Sphere Shape palooza

The sphere shape has been used in interior design for ages. This is not new but there seems to be an explosion since the ever-popular Kelly Wearstler Linden Lamp hit the market a few years back. High Point Market was filled with fun décor from sphere edged floor mirrors, to 3-dimensional Tic-Tac-Toe boards and a subtle sphere ring foot on this new ottoman introduction.

Hand woven rugs, Alpaca & Oversized pillows

I was in love! Being very partial to hand made everything, I couldn’t get enough of the woven products abounding at the Market. I was a nubby-aholic! Many of these area rugs were available in endless colors making my design possibilities endless! And to top it off, with the use of recycled materials, these soft weaves were also available in indoor/outdoor formats. I even spotted artwork created from the original study of designing a handwoven oriental with hand dyed wool fibers attached to express the depth of color suggested in the blueprint. And fun, fun finds with near life-sized Alpaca’s and the abundance of large scaled alpaca wool pillows and throws. 

Accessories & general overall finding

Other items that caught my interest were recycled hardcovered books from libraries that were repurposed into artwork. What a great conversation piece for an office or great room shelving! Sassy too! And what about these eye-catching marble carved dresses on a stand or the large scaled purse? Fabulous pieces to create a fun atmosphere in a large dressing room! Ceramic pieces also came to life as they echoed nature, embodying a delicacy that caused me to pause and desire to run my hand upon them. And a bit of a surprise hit me and my shopping companion, Stephanie Salway, as we made our way from building-to-building, finding references to Georgia O’Keefe works of art. It made us chuckle a bit like school girls at the abundance…but then again, this is what’s trending! 

I hope you loved this excursion from High Point Market! Keep your eyes out for these pieces to arrive in stores or call me if you just have to get your hands on something! And be sure to follow me on Instagram to see all my upcoming trips as I explore new areas of design in 2024!