Early last Saturday, Tina and I flew to North Carolina to attend High Point Furniture Market, the largest international to-the-trade furnishings industry show in the world. Located in the central part of the state of North Carolina, the city of High Point is 70 miles north of Charlotte and 70 miles southwest of the Raleigh/Durham area. High Point Market encompasses 180 buildings in the downtown showroom district of the city of High Point, and draws more than 75,000 people for the show’s six day duration every Spring and Fall. It’s Disneyland for designers and it’s so much fun.
These are 10 of my favorite new offerings in the world of design from the show:
Caracole
Coined after “an equestrian dressage term indicating a half turn to the left or right, executed by a horse and rider,” the Caracole brand is all about mixing it up and changing directions with design. Each piece speaks for itself, including a clever name. The Hocus Pocus Armoire entails smoke and mirrors, with scene-stealing smoked glass doors, inset brass door hardware, and generous interior storage.
Emporium Home
Creative director Ashley Childers spent over six months perfecting the curves and comfort of the Delia Chair. Upholstered in white leather and wrapped in 0ff-whwhite shagreen, the chair transcends the label of traditional or modern, like the Emporium Home aesthetic itself. As a native Arkansan, Ashley embraces gracious living and southern tradition in a chic and modern way, evident in her equal focus the form and function of this piece.
vanCollier
Created in 1995, vanCollier began as an antique and design company. Husband and wife Beth van Dorp Collier and Chris Collier have since taken their vision to the next level, designing a line of custom furniture, lighting, and accessories. The Elbert Sconce, like each vanCollier piece, merges modern design with classical details, and is manufactured by artists and artisans in North Carolina. The sconce was in fact inspired by the agricultural heritage of eastern North Carolina. Made of hand-crafted steel, the light fixture is accented with hand-stained tobacco sticks, reclaimed by Beth and Chris from former tobacco barns.
Worlds Away
Founded in Memphis Tennessee in 1992, Worlds Away specializes in transitional furniture that relates to today’s interiors, yet hints at the past. Inspired by the resurgence of “Hollywood Regency” style, the Werstler Dresser in navy blue lacquer provides a fresh interpretation of a greek-key motif four-drawer dresser in an unexpected hue.
AERIN for E. J. Victor
Classicism with a modern point of view is the hallmark of the AERIN luxury lifestyle brand, and her collection for E.J. Victor. Based on the premise that living beautifully should be effortless, Aerin has newly introduced rattan as a material in her home furnishings line. The Ogden Bookcase in Chestnut Rattan with brass feet has a warm, rich color and organic texture that seamlessly brings the outdoors in.
Gloster
Renowned for its quality teak furniture and timeless designs, Gloster is equally exceptional when it comes to customer service. It comes from the top, as Gloster CEO Randy Wells not only greeted Tina and I, but chatted with us at length and even showed us that he was following us on twitter (ha!). It was the Dansk Chair, however, that initially captured our attention. The chair’s clean, tapering lines reflect classic Danish design, and it is smartly upholstered in marine-grade vinyl.
Bernhardt
While 2014 marks the 125th anniversary of family-owned Bernhardt Furniture, their aesthetic is anything but antiquated. The Kensington Upholstered Poster Bed, one of their newest releases, is 100% shiny 70s chic. The frame, posts, and canopy are highly polished plated brass, while the headboard is upholstered with crisp buttonless tufting. It’s a knockout.
Mariette Himes Gomez for Hickory Chair
Like Mariette Himes Gomez herself, her signature collection for Hickory Chair has the characteristically clean lines she’s been articulating since founding Gomez & Associates in 1975. The Grace Wicker Console table is Mariette’s perfectly distilled, modernist take on trompe-l’oeil.
STUDIO A
Acclaimed for their eclectic mix of unexpected materials, classic silhouettes, and handcrafted finishes, STUDIO A offers organic, design-driven furniture and accessories. The curvilinear Wayne Headboard in Alvaro Grey is finished on all sides so the bed can float in a room.
Bungalow 5
Inspired by Eastern as well as Western archetypes, Bungalow 5 furniture is designed to feel comfortably familiar, yet strikingly fresh. The new Pagoda Shelf does just that, in a Chinoiserie silhouette, but painted in white with gold accents.
And there you have it – hope you enjoyed my highlights. Leave me a comment and share your High Point Furniture Market favorites.
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Continue reading 10 Favorites from High Point Furniture Market Spring 2014. This post appeared first on Live The Life You Dream About.