Well, it has been just over a week since we returned from an
incredible experience at High Point Market, High Point, NC. It has been busy at the office catching up on
projects but now it is time to reflect on our experience. Trends in furniture
and lighting became evident even though we only had time to explore a fraction
of the 2,000+ exhibitors covering 11.5 million square feet of Showspace. It was
wonderful to see the attention to detail and experience sitting in some of our
favourite furniture lines. However, the best part was discovering new and
unique products not seen in Winning and being inspired by clever details.
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| Taracea - stunning showroom and product craftsmanship |
During the two and a half days at High Point market, a few
trends became apparent. Natural Walnut was seen everywhere, in contemporary,
transitional and traditional furniture. We use a lot of walnut in our furniture
and millwork so it was good to see that we are in tune with the trends. The return of gold was also evident. However,
not the 80’s brass, but a deeper gold leaning towards bronze. One final
trend to mention was distressed wood / reclaimed wood / barn board. We are seeing
this not only in furniture but also in wood flooring and ceramic tile/vinyl
tile mimicking wood.
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| Ion Design, AD-14 Media Unit - Reclaimed Wood and Iron |
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| Ion Design, Pasadena Credenza |
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| Scovby, #39 Dining Table - Walnut (Scovby has clever extending mechanisms and techniques that function extremely well) |
Sourcing furniture we haven’t personally seen is always a
little unsettling. We use manufacturers from whom we have seen sample pieces or
turn to trusted retailers or reps to advise on quality and comfort of various
lines of furniture. However, it is not the same as physically seeing and
experiencing the furniture. It was fabulous to finally sit in chairs or
sectionals, etc. that we have looked at online. Fortunately, the furniture met
and exceeded our expectations!
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| Cattelan Italia, Storm desk |
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| Huppe, Up Collection, Cita Lounge Chair |
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| Nuevo, Jakob Lounge Chair |
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| Nuevo, Valentine Dining Arm Chair |
In Winnipeg, much of the product in retail spaces as been mainstreamed
with nothing really standing out as unique. After a while, many of the
showrooms at High Point Market also started to look similar. Therefore, we were
freshly invigorated when we came across truly unique items. The Nick Alain
showroom was one of those spaces. The Nick Alain website portrays it so much
better than I can, describing it as, “Nouveau
Chic, mechanically elegant and vintage with a contemporary flair are a few
phrases used to describe the signature look of Nick Alain.” We made several connections with manufacturers and can be source of fresh and unique products to our clients.
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| Nick Alain, Greco Table Lamp |
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| Nick Alain, Lautrec Sconce |
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| Oly, Muriel Cloud, Chandelier |
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| Oly, Lyra Dining Chair |
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| Devina Nais, M.15 - Live edge table top with glass base |
We were fortunate to be accepted by IDC for this trip
including a tour of Canadian manufactures with other fabulous designers from across
Canada. Overall, the trip was inspiring, informative and a lot of walking! Now
we just need projects where we can incorporate all our fantastic finds and
ideas.
