As you may know, I recently returned from five days at the world’s biggest furniture show in High Point, North Carolina. 180 buildings, back to back trade seminars, numerous showroom parties and furniture introductions, but I made it. Last week marks my second trip to High Point, and I must say that I’m beginning to learn the lay of the land and maneuvering myself around the city is getting much easier. As they say the 3rd time’s the charm, so the next time I go, I’ll be a pro!
Without a doubt, the biggest observation I saw was that brass and gold have taken over the marketplace. Satin, polished, or wax rubbed brass (my favorite of the three, because it has such a beautiful, worn patina) were huge as well as was gilt gold.
In addition to all the warm brass and gold, here is what I saw to be the biggest High Point Market trends for Fall 2013.
High Point Market Trends, Fall 2013
• Fresh New Approaches to Fretwork •Bright, Saturated, Complementary Color Palettes •Colorful and Whimsical Lighting •Wallpaper – fresh new patterns and textures •Chains and Chain Maille – new shapes, exaggerated proportions •Emphasis on Wood Grain Lines •Hair on Hide Rugs in Innovative Colors and Patterns •Accents from nature: Branches,Geodes, Agate, Petrified Wood, Skulls •Glass Table Tops to Show Off the Fancy Metalwork Below •Big, Bold, Geometric Prints in Bright Colors
•Fresh New Approaches to Fretwork
Manufacturers are getting fancy with their fretwork. Now, not only is one able to find fretwork (furniture, upholstery, and wallcovering) in every color under the rainbow at High Point, but as the trend evolves, non-traditional shapes are being introduced.
There was color at every turn at High Point, but it is now getting brighter and bolder, and now manufacturers are playing with colors from opposing sides of the color wheel for more tension and drama. Orange was an especially popular color choice.
Lighting is now seen as “jewelry for the home”, and gives us that opportunity to show off our more flamboyant side. New shapes, materials, and bold color allow the home to shine and show off our true personalities. No more holding back here!
Wallpaper has been gaining popularity over the last few years. With today’s technology, we are seeing textures that seem so realistic (see Thibaut’s paneled wood and shagreen textures below) yet have the added bonus of being washable.
With the advances in printing technology, custom wallpaper houses are popping up everywhere and have the capability of printing large scale murals that are even washable and removable! Custom is huge.
I love Thibaut’s fresh approach to chinoiserie by simplifying the pattern and using only the silhouette and leaving the rest of the details to the imagination.
The texture and finish on this metallic shagreen textured vinyl wallpaper is divine. And to think that it is washable, which makes it ideal for homes with children and a lot of traffic makes it even better! With this it is possible to have kids AND a beautiful home without fingerprints (and in the case of my boys, footprints) on the wall.
•Chains and Chain Maille – new shapes, exaggerated proportions
Casegood manufacturers are paying more attention to grain lines and integrating them into the design of the furniture they produce. In Spring 2013 I saw a big push towards bone inlay, which closely resembles the same techniques used in marquetry and parquetry, the art of applying pieces of wood veneer to form a decorative pattern. Could the market be moving in this direction with these radiant sunburst patterns being the precursor?
This piece from Stanley Furniture was from the Heritage Collection, a collection of 40 midcentury pieces originally manufactured by Stanley and painstakingly restored. I heard about this collection when I visited Las Vegas Market back in July and seeing the pieces in person was one of the highlights of my trip last week. I’ll be doing a separate post on this at a later date, so keep posted.
•Hair on Hide Rugs in Innovative Colors and Patterns
While regular cowhide rugs are still hot, the new variations on hair on hide rugs are even hotter. As noted earlier, the market continues to evolve with new techniques, variations, and new plays on color.
•Accents from nature: Branches, Geodes, Agate, Petrified Wood, Skulls
Items are nature are glammed up to add pizazz to the home. Branches in shiny metallics, petrified wood that is honed to a high gloss finish, cow skulls in bright and saturated colors. Nature is dialed up a notch to cater to today’s home.
•Glass Table Tops to Show Off the Fancy Metalwork Below
Table manufacturers are experimenting with different metals, shapes, and manufacturing techniques. With all the beautiful metalwork, what better way to show off than by adding a glass table top?
For more on High Point, check out the High Point Style Spotter Board on Pinterest, where you can see what the 9 recruited top home fashion trendsetters have showcased as their favorite products and top trends.
