Designer picks for High Point Market

High Point Market located in North Carolina is held twice a year and is the fashion week to the interior design community we all wait for. The newest lines are released at market, and trends are set! Believe me when I tell you there is so much loveliness overload that if we are searching for that special something for your project, if it doesn’t exist in High Point, well it probably doesn’t exist. I have often referred to it as Disneyland for designers. The cocktails are running (day and night) and appetizers and specialty foods laid out to entice us to linger in almost every showroom. Parties and live music events run each night.

Designer Picks for High Point Market

This year, I had the honour of being invited by the Interior Design Society to preview the market offerings and select a group of “Designer Picks” to represent what is new and exciting that caught my eye on the design horizon. A daunting task considering market occupies 12 million square feet of showroom space, spanning 13 city blocks, covering the equivalent of 201 football fields with drop dead gorgeous home furnishings.

But I finally narrowed it down to the requisite ten picks (well, I may or may not have thrown in a few extra – market is NOT about restraint!)

So here are my finds from market this year:

Fall 2019

Overall theme, liveable luxury – furniture gets its sexy on!
At a quick glance. here are few things that caught my eye.

Stylish, sleek, sexy, here are a few more:

Here’s a closer look at some of the favourites:

Boho grows up! A global aesthetic with strong graphic interest has been growing on Instagram and this collection picks up where that leaves off blending modern edge and chic sophistication. It caught my eye right away for its clean lines and bold graphic interest. This vignette from Reagan Hayes for Codarus showcases geometric form while introducing a disciplined curve to soften the overall appeal.

Add a bit of romance to your room with a piece like this chair from StudioA Home. Metals are still going strong along with timeless Asian influences. This bamboo-esque frame can add a note of Palm Beach flair to any space.

Acrylic and Lucite accents have been on our radar for a while. Now, more than ever, we love how they bring fresh sparkle to a space. We are seeing more and more creative ways to integrate these materials. This colorless material is modern and classic at the same time, adding some serious sparkle to design.  Paired with chrome hardware and honey-toned burl and I’m smitten!

I love the mix of antique brass and clear acrylic in this untraditional chandelier. It’s silhouette with modern sensibilities and warm brass finish will add a note of unfussy glamour and will work with many room styles. Light cast upwards and downwards will allow for maximum illumination with rod lights as modern stand-in for more traditional candelabra lights.

The delicate pattern detailing these vases caught my eye at first glance! I love a fresh take on an old idea and I learned these pieces were inspired by and adapted from a large and important collection of salt glazed, blue and white German stoneware, known as Westerwald. The originals date to the 18th century and are in the collections of the Museum of International Folk Art. Details with modern sensibilities get me every time!

Ladylike elegance in a chair form. With metals still playing a leading role in interiors, this graceful piece by Kelly Hoppen struck a chord of sleek modern elegance with its disciplined proportions. Nothing superfluous but every inch considered to add up to a classic piece.

Glass Art

Artistry in 3-d form! Glass art gets me every time but this is extra special! Glass artisans on the island of Murano, Italy, developed this unusual glassmaking technique by spinning molten glass in a centrifuge. Drawn to the colours in this piece, I learned their closely guarded formulas achieve unparalleled hues and iridescence in each and every piece. No two are alike.

 

This sweet piece, decidedly feminine would be so pretty at a vanity or bedside. The twig frame is an example of the unique uses we are seeing in metal and particularly as brass gains even more traction in home décor. I love how the use of muslin for the seat keeps it from seeming too precious.

I love this stylish scooped bench for its versatility. The curved body in high gloss lacquer will add a note of glamour to any room.  With a very subtle Asian profile, it hits the sweet spot for me of updated traditional sensibilities with clean elegant lines. The supple nubuck leather cushion will ease into any style.

A strong profile brings new eclecticism with this Scandinavian-inspired series of tables, crafted from an unusual blend of materials. The fiberglass bowl, finished in white lacquer, and graphic, powder coated steel base juxtapose beautifully with a reclaimed Peroba solids inlay top. I really enjoy the sculptural yet functional form this piece could add to a room.

This twelve light cluster chandelier adds a bit of whimsy with its nod to modernism in antique brass and matte white shades. It would add a bit of “pretty” to any room. I would love to see it in a room with colourful wallpaper.

So there you have it! My round-up of pieces I would be super excited to see in a project soon!