We recently headed south to North Carolina for a long weekend at the spring 2016 High Point Market, the largest home-furnishings trade show in the world. We spent 12-plus hour days visiting as many of the 180 buildings and 2,000 exhibitors as our tired feet could withstand. In these pages we present our favorite items and styles spotted at market, as well as picks from some of the Richmond decorators and designers we ran into along our journeys.
Jessica's Take
We had just arrived at High Point when we ran into Richmond artist and designer Dana Gibson, who invited us to take a look at her new art print collection for Soicher Marin. And so it went for the next few days, as we constantly crossed paths with Richmond design professionals. High Point is as much about relationship-building as it is about education and trend-spotting. The long days are capped by fun parties featuring famous designers (think Celerie Kemble, Thom Filicia and John Robshaw), food and drink — and plenty of furniture to relax upon. There also is entertainment. This year’s headliner was Donny Osmond, my first crush. I returned to the office reinvigorated and full of ideas.
Black + white
Clockwise: Beauford table, Highland House; A graphic statement at the MT Company; Demetrius wallpaper, Thibaut; Gottwald chair, Dana Gibson for the MT Company
Black-and-white décor is part of the minimalism trend popular with millennials in urban settings. This classic combination packs a graphic punch and plays nicely with bold colors such as emerald green, as spotted in the MT Company’s showroom in a sophisticated mix of patterns.
I loved the strong, masculine look of Thibaut’s Demetrius wallpaper in black from its Bridgehampton collection. It would imbue any room with standout style, and would look great in a variety of settings from classic to modern.
Highland House’s Beauford center hall table combines an eye-catching design with a positive-negative color scheme that highlights its unique architectural style.
Global nomad
Clockwise: John Robshaw's Sinan bed, Duralee Furniture; B. Pila Design's groovy showroom; Moroccan-inspired lights, Zenza Home; Mudcloth pillows, Cozy Nomad.
This well-traveled, bohemian look combines colorful prints and textiles with rough-hewn, natural materials for a comfortable and relaxed look.
John Robshaw’s new furniture collection for Duralee was a stellar example of this style. A master at blending cultural references, Robshaw nailed it with his dreamy Sinan bed.
Moroccan-inspired lights from Zenza Home Accessories also caught our eye. These atmospheric lanterns would look stunning grouped in a foyer.
B. Pila Design was our last stop at market, and one of the most fun with its groovy swings, kaleidoscopic acrylic tables and stunning dreamcatchers. It’s design to make you smile.
Disco deco
Clockwise: Roaul swivel chair, Shine by S.H.O.; Colossal chandelier by Clarence Mallari, Currey & Co.; Deco chic at World's Away; Deco-inspired sofa, Emporium Home.
Art deco-inspired geometric patterns and shapes are making a comeback nearly 100 years after the style first appeared before the start of World War I. Originally a stylistic homage to technology, it’s no surprise the style is reemerging during another period of technology obsession. This time around, the look is infused with a bit of 1970s disco glam.
Currey and Co.’s colossal, leaf-motif chandelier interpreted the deco trend in a big way. Emporium Home’s curvy sofas and soft, pastel palettes offered a fresh interpretation of the look. And Shine by S.H.O.’s ultrasuede and brass Raoul swivel chair incorporates strong geometry into its sexy silhouette.
Courtney's Take
I love going to Market, and this trip was a blast. What could be better than three days with Jessica in the home furnishings capitol of the world? I admit: I got a little manic. I’ve been to Market before, assisting designer Kathy Corbet, but this was my first-go as “press.” Without a list of clients’ needs (and swatches and design plans), there’s more time for serendipitous discoveries and trend spotting. I drink coffee all day, pop Excedrin Migraine and get lost a lot. There’s so much to see! What’s new? Where are the parties? Which showrooms have the best food? Who’s here? (That means Richmonders and all the celebrity designers I like to stalk.) I’ve captured three of my favorite design trends for you here.
Geometric
Clockwise: Gold nugget candle holders, Couture; "Roz" tin and antique mirror pendant, World's Away; Tangier cabinet, World Views; "Ziggy" dining table, Tritter Feefer.
Geometric patterns haven’t gone away; they’ve just burst out and fractured into faceted, energetic designs. Like Zaha Hadid’s architecture, forms wedge, mass and angle — check out the edges of the Ziggy table we found at Tritter Feefer. The mirrored pendant light from Worlds Away looked almost prismatic. Its geometric energy was exciting.
The bold, gold-leaf candlesticks we saw at Couture were exciting, too. Cloaked in clusters of gold nuggets, these candlesticks delivered dimension and drama.
Global Views’ Tangier cabinet, with its boastful fractal pattern, epitomized the Energetic Geometrics trend.
It was front and center in one of their galleries. Its vigorous gold lines carved in the cocoa-colored wood were really memorable.
New naturals
Clockwise: Printed agate pillow, ModShop; "Ariel" mirror, Arteriors; Chandelier, Currey & Co.;"Camp" bench by Katy Skelton, Keystone Designer.
The “New Naturals” trend celebrates nature’s intrinsic beauty, its irregularities and patterns. Rocks are still hot — marble, geodes and crystals. But it’s agate that’s everywhere, especially in art and fabrics. The agate-print pillows we saw at ModShop rocked.
Arteriors’ new “Ariel” mirror had lots of natural chemistry. Its stunning finish stood out in the showroom. The arty surface was achieved by mixing chemical solutions with raw glass bubbles.
Responsible manufacturing and a “hand touch” in design also define the New Naturals. A maple camp bench by Katy Skelton for Keystone typifies this, with clean design, pristine materials and impeccable craftsmanship.
Romantic
Clockwise: Removable wallpaper, Tempaper; "Agnes" console, Hable for Hickory Chair; Barrie Benson's Catbird chair; Highland House; Skinny "Bella" bench, Jamie Dietrich.
We saw oodles of elegant, curvy furnishings. Romance is on the rise. Get ready for plenty of “Pretty in Pink” in fresh, blush tones — a color captured beautifully on the tufted Lucite bench I found at Jamie Dietrich.
The legs on Susan Hable’s Agnes console bring sexy back. New Romantic design is in the details, and this console’s tooled-leather drawers impress. It stood out in Hickory Chair’s vast showroom, where we also got to meet the designer.
The Romantic trend brings a rekindled love affair with florals. At Highland House, Barrie Benson’s Catbird chairs were nostalgic but fresh. And the brand-new Chinoiserie fabric wallpapers by Tempaper radiated prettiness.
