What is the High Point Market?

​While we typically think of there being four seasons weather-wise and activity-wise, there are really only two grand seasons in Interior Design:  Fall Market and Spring Market in High Point, North Carolina. The High Point Market is the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world, meeting for a week in April and a week in October every year.  What a feast for the eyes and inspiration for your decorating soul!   At Market, manufacturers, artisans, and purveyors of the perfect bring their very latest designs and products to showcase to designers, retailers, and the world…fabrics, furniture, lighting, rugs, accessories, you name it, if it goes in a home, it’s all there.  Well, maybe not sheetrock…that’s what the International Builder’s Show is all about. But you get the idea – the High Point Market is THE place to be to see what’s new in residential furnishings.

This fall’s High Point Market runs Oct 14th-18th  2017 and will involve over 2,000 exhibitors and over 75,000 attendees across 180 buildings.  Sorry to say it’s “To the trade only”, but you (and me, since I’m staying in MA this time) can take a peek at the trends and new products via their website (http://www.highpointmarket.org/) and the many bloggers who write about the event.

Here’s a press release that lists the lucky bloggers that were selected for the Design Bloggers Tour of Fall High Point Market:

High Point, NC, September 6, 2017 – “The High Point Market Authority (HPMA), in partnership with Esteem Media, is pleased to announce the participants and sponsors for the Design Bloggers Tour for Fall Market, October 14 – 18, 2017.
Returning for its fifth Market, the High Point Market Design Bloggers Tour program will bring ten (10) leading design bloggers to High Point Market for a 2-day tour of sponsoring showrooms. Participating bloggers will visit each sponsor for an up-close look at the exhibitors’ company, showroom and products during a 45-minute presentation and tour, after which they will then feature and discuss their inspiring finds on their individual blogs and social media accounts.”

The bloggers for the Fall Market include:

• Kristie Barnett, The Decorologist, www.thedecorologist.com
• Cecillia Cannon, Home with Keki, www.homewithkeki.com
• Brittany Chinaglia, The Vintage Rug Shop, www.thevintagerugshop.com/blog
• Deborah von Donop, dvd Design, www.dvdinteriordesign.com
• Cheryl Kees Clendenon, In Detail Interiors, ​www.indetailinteriors.com/stories 
• Courtney, French Country Cottage, www.frenchcountrycottage.net
• Lori Dennis, Lori Dennis, Inc., www.loridennis.com/greenblog
• Jana Platina Phipps, Trim Queen, www.trimqueen.com/trim-queen-chronicles
• Ann Sage, annsage.com, www.annesage.com
• Sarah Walker, The Curated House, www.thecuratedhouse.com/journal 

​I had the opportunity to meet Jana Platina Phipps, the “Trim Queen,” last year at an event at the Boston Design Center, and she is a wonderfully stylish designer and artisan who designs passementerie (trimmings such as tassels, borders, braids, gimp and fringes) and directs their manufacture in Europe.  Can’t wait to read her blog from High Point Market, as she is sure to feature fabrics and trim as well as case goods.  

So, how does Market affect the purchasing public?  Well, you can be assured all your favorite high-style brands will roll out new products in Fall and Spring to introduce at High Point.  My favorite art, mirror, and occasional table manufacturer, Uttermost, just introduced about 25% more products this week, all in preparation for High Point.  Check them out…they are beautiful and well-crafted pieces, some trendy, some timeless.

As and aside, I just love Uttermost mirrors and art, and when you need a really large piece, Uttermost is perfect.    When I saw their products in person at the Las Vegas Market last year (another market held twice a year), I was struck at the large scale of their pieces.  Love, love, love Uttermost.  You can see more at: https://www.uttermost.com/default.aspx

​In fact, during the past two weeks I have been busy setting up a design center showroom for a luxury residence community in Needham, MA (I’ll talk more about that in a future post), and I have used Uttermost artwork and lamps as shown in the photo below.   

Hopefully you now know a little more about what your designer means when they say “I’m going to Market.”  Or, very possibly they could mean the “Stop and Shop”, but I doubt it….. High Point Market with a capital M!