We’re Back! Here’s Our High Point Market 2024 Roundup

Twice a year, our team at DesignDash descends upon the largest furnishings industry trade show in the entire world. At High Point Market, we peep the latest trends, explore new collections, marvel at pieces by beloved furniture manufacturers, hobnob with our fellow designers, and inspire our MasterMind cohort. No matter where we stay in North Carolina, we always have a fantastic, fulfilling time at Market. If you missed it this year, read on for our roundup of High Point Market April 2024.

Not Familiar? Here’s Why Designers LOVE High Point

High Point Market is the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world. The market is held twice a year by the High Point Market Authority in (you guessed it!) High Point, North Carolina. With this market, High Point has evolved from a sleepy town into the furniture capital of our nation. It’s a sprawling event with over 11 million square feet of showrooms spread across 180 buildings, featuring thousands of exhibitors from interior designers to manufacturers from the furniture industry.

Tens of thousands of designers, retail home furnishings buyers, architects, retailers, and industry professionals from around the world flock to High Point Market biannually because it is one of the very best. You’ll always find us there! It’s a great resource for discovering the latest trends, sourcing new products for our stores or projects, and connecting with designers and manufacturers.

Designers like us love to visit High Point because it’s a one-stop shop for everything in the home furnishings world, providing direct access to manufacturers and an opportunity to feel and experience products before placing their orders. In both Spring (April) and Fall (October), the fair also offers valuable educational opportunities, new product introductions, trend forecasting sessions, and networking events to visitors.

DesignDash’s High Point Market Review — April 2024

Exploring the market with our Mastermind cohort, DesignDash Co-Founders Laura Umansky and Melissa Grove made stops at Vanguard, Bernhardt, Hudson Valley Lighting Group, MadeGoods, and Four Hands. They adored Hudson Valley Lighting Group’s new Corbett collection, Thom Filicia’s latest pieces at Vanguard, the playful accessories line at MadeGoods, and the feminine, bejeweled hardware at Modern Matter.

After their daytime adventures, Melissa, Laura, and the Dasher Network attended the Four Hands party, where they met famous interior designer, Amber Lewis. The team also chatted over cocktails and celebrated all the progress they have made in the Mastermind this quarter!

Trends We Loved from April’s High Point Market

Fresh Takes on Traditional Patterns

This season’s High Point Market highlighted a renewed interest in classic patterns. Designers skillfully infused these traditionally masculine motifs with a fresh, contemporary flair, transforming them into elegant and striking accessories, upholstery, and other soft finishes.

Thom Filicia’s newest collection at Vanguard featured so many stripes and plaids but they were in no way overwhelming or old-fashioned. They were modern, handsome, and of course, so comfortable. I love a new take on something more traditional and he’s leading this trend. He does a great job of playing these more masculine prints against organic, modern shapes, and we saw that in chairs, sofas, and even desks.

Melissa Grove, DesignDash Co-Founder, LUDC COO

Our team noticed lots of stripes and plaid patterns, executed very handsomely in a modern way. We were excited by this really fresh take on something more masculine. This contemporary twist on classic patterns demonstrates a growing trend toward reimagining traditional designs in a way that resonates with today’s aesthetic sensibilities. From fashion to interiors, designers are repackaging these patterns with a sophisticated yet familiar charm that appeals to a broad audience.

Bold, Colorful, and High-Contrast Pairings

The use of bold and vibrant colors in high contrast pairings was another prominent trend observed at the market. This approach not only adds visual drama and excitement but also allows for dynamic interiors that are both striking and inviting.

The deliberate pairing of stark contrasts with rich, saturated colors creates spaces that are undeniably modern and energetic, capturing the essence of contemporary, post-modern design. In particular, MadeGoods’ new collection of accessories was a delight with its bright rainbows of colorways set against the classic black-and-white we’re all used to seeing.

Sustainability in Sourcing and Manufacturing

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Sustainability continues to be at the center of the international design community, and this was evident at the latest High Point Market. More designers and brands than ever before are embracing eco-friendly practices, showcasing furniture and decor items made from sustainable materials and produced through environmentally conscious methods. This trend reflects a growing commitment within the industry to reduce environmental impact and cater to consumers who prioritize sustainability in their purchasing decisions.

For example, Cisco Home, Lee Industries, Greenington, Copeland Furniture, and JIMECO have all focused on sustainability while exhibiting at High Point. The Antonia en Bleu collection from JIMECO—exhibited this Market at Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting’s showroom—captured the company’s continued commitment to sustainable sourcing. We recently sat down with JIMECO’s Design Director Antonia Caicedo to discuss this approach and the inspirations behind their newest collection.

From lighting to case goods to upholstered pieces, many of the Art Deco, Mid-Century, and Post-Modernism-inspired pieces within this collection feature sustainably-sourced goat skin parchment that is a byproduct of the meat industry in Colombia. Their heritage pieces are meant to last and are distinct from the many fast furniture offerings found in big box stores today. With more than 50 years supporting artisans in Colombia and the US, JIMECO also prioritizes social sustainability by preserving traditional craftsmanship.

Femininity in Full Force!

As many of our readers already know, we took our all-women Mastermind cohort to Market this year! With our focus on female empowerment at DesignDash, we were thrilled that femininity was so present and celebrated at multiple showrooms, particularly in the Antonia en Bleu collection and the exquisite hardware from Modern Matter. With ornamental settings, floral motifs, and sleek gemstone-like inlays, the latter resembles fine jewelry.

These designs feature soft, elegant shapes, tactile surfaces, and intricate details that exude a delicate, sophisticated aesthetic. This trend highlights a shift towards more graceful and refined design elements that celebrate femininity through form and function, offering a counterbalance to more traditionally masculine designs.

Where We Stayed

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This year, our team stayed in Greensboro at the Courtyard Marriott. While it might not be the fanciest of digs, this High Point hotel is in a great location just a short 20-minute drive to the market. Food is within walking distance, there’s a Starbucks in the lobby, and the hotel offers a full kitchen. DesignDash Co-Founder Melissa Grove actually stayed up late chatting and drinking cocktails in the hotel bar with two of our Dasher Network members.

Highlights from Our Trip to High Point Market

• Corbett’s new lighting collection from HVLG.
• Thom Filicia’s new collection at Vanguard.
• Feminine, floral-inspired hardware at Modern Matter.
• Chatting with CEO Alexander Bernhardt, Jr. about the family-owned company’s history and its impressive, attractive new collection of motion furniture.
• Meeting celebrated interior designer, Amber Lewis, at the Four Hands party.
• Discussing this quarter’s progress and dancing the night away with our Mastermind Group!

We hope to see you all at High Point Market in October 2024!