High Point Market: The Design Wonderland

As many of you know, I’ve attended the High Point Market for the last 23 to 24 years – and it never gets old! High Point Market has been a staple event for interior designers and furniture enthusiasts worldwide, and I can attest to the importance and excitement surrounding the event. Even better, I got to bring along Kara, my Indy designer, with me to also sit and test furniture! After returning from the Market, I am eager to share my biggest takeaways.

As the largest furniture show in the world, High Point Market attracts companies and buyers from all corners of the globe, offering a diverse mix of products and trends. For designers like myself, it's the ideal place to work hard – don’t forget to play hard! Over the years, the event has increasingly become a social scene, with influencers and designers mingling and exchanging ideas.

Attending High Point Market allows me to meet people worldwide, making it a melting pot of ideas and styles! This condensed amount of time is where designers discover the best mix of everything. The market offers fantastic products, companies, and reps, making it an essential event for anyone in the industry. It's a hub where designers can explore new trends, network with like-minded individuals, and expand their knowledge base.

The planning process for the market begins approximately six months in advance. It involves a categorization system prioritizing companies based on their relevance to my work. For instance, we prioritize companies with mutually beneficial relationships or friendships. To select which brands to visit, I establish connections with them through networking and events – something I genuinely enjoy! I am selective about which brands to promote and support, as I want to ensure that I can maintain a meaningful relationship with them.

I recently met Alyssa from Eichholtz in Paris at Mason Object, and we had talked about this visit for months! I wanted to be a part of that story, so I visited her brand at the market. While we do have companies that reach out to us at GreyHunt, we are selective about who we want to work with. There is so much going on, and it's impossible to be in too many places simultaneously.

The planning process for High Point Market requires strategic thinking and a clear understanding of our goals for the event. I always want to make the most out of my time at the market and come away with valuable insights and connections!

When it comes to mapping out my weekend at High Point Market, I have a particular strategy in mind. For instance, I might do an offshoot building, in this case, starting with the Bank. Then I move on to the Show Place, where I find it is the fastest way to get through everything. I make sure to check off everything on my list so that I can see all the important brands and products! Staying organized is key while also staying inspired.

The most important thing for me to do for myself and our clients is to see the furniture and trends firsthand. As designers, we must be our clients' eyes, hands, and bottoms - everything. Our job is to try every piece out and determine if it's comfortable and well-made – to ensure satisfaction. More importantly, we want to provide clients with exclusive access to unique and bespoke items!

We must be selective because there are so many great pieces at the market. Some companies make everything well and comfortably, while others are not up to par. It's our responsibility to weed out the less desirable options and only recommend the best to our clients.

I became an influencer at High Point Market through active involvement in the industry. I've been nominated and have led the walking tours for a while now. I've also spoken on panels and done interviews at the market! It’s genuinely a ton of fun.

When a designer is launching a new line, like Ben Johnson or Kendall Wilkinson, I make sure to go in and support them. I use my knowledge and expertise to share our perspective on my social media accounts as well, letting other designers know where they need to be. I was them once, and I know what it is like to just be starting out in this business. Whether it's a local or national designer, I want to promote the best in the industry and help them get the recognition they deserve!

The best part, for me, of being a cheerleader/supporter for all these incredible brands is seeing their passion and enthusiasm for what they do. I love working with companies that are genuinely dedicated to their craft!

This year, for example, Sage Brook Homes reached out to us, and they are starting a design ambassador program. This is an excellent opportunity for us to use them as a resource and work more closely with them.

Ten years ago, when I was still attending as a buyer, shows didn't always love working with designers as much. But times have changed and now they are missing out on boutique buyers. They want to attract designers and are changing their formats to make it easier for us. Dealing with trade has become so much more evolved! I know that I'm being taken care of, but more importantly, my clients are getting taken care of too. I get to see products that my clients may need access to, and sometimes these items are bespoke, which means the brand is the only way to get them.

I think the industry has realized that they need to make it easier and more accessible for designers to do their job and source the best products for their clients. And I'm excited to see how things will continue to evolve!

When we go down to market, we're looking for more than just items to present to clients immediately. We're also thinking about how certain pieces could fit into a project and how they could work within a client's budget and design style. It's like creating a memory bank of all the great products we've seen that we can draw from when we're back in the office and working on designs. It's about getting the creative juices flowing and using what we've seen at market to inspire us and create the best designs possible for our clients.

In terms of trends, I'm seeing a lot of natural finishes and warmer earth tones this year. The woods are more yellowed and there's a pull away from cooler tones. We're also seeing a lot of olives, terracottas, warm creamy colors, and black and white, but the white is getting softer and creamier. More browns are coming in, too, along with black woods. There's a lot of alabaster in lighting, and we're seeing more traditional designs and florals, but with new twists and mixing of patterns.

Another trend we’re seeing is “what’s old is new again” and we’re seeing a reemergence in recycling of trends– because there's nothing really new, so it's about taking a step back and finding beauty in past time periods or to quote Taylor Swift “Eras.” We see something we love and think, “Hey, I love that, but I think I can make it look better. hold my champagne glass.”

As for pieces we've already picked for clients, we're excited about some ottomans and chairs that were presented this week.

I always look forward to attending the Market, as it's an opportunity to continually educate myself and bring that knowledge back to my clients and team. It's not just a fun trip where we sip champagne and look at pretty things but also a chance to work and learn. Plus, it's always exciting to see design friends like Christopher Kennedy and Traci Connells! We can learn what's working and what's not, and there's a real sense of community that has turned into a collaborative effort of getting to fill our design juices.

As for 2023, I'm excited about the trend of creating bespoke pieces that are more one-of-a-kind. It creates character and differentiation, which I love. I'm also thrilled to see a return to traditional styles, which is where my roots are. I love the juxtaposition of mixing something old with something new; seeing that becoming more prevalent is fantastic. It's all about being timeless and understanding the difference between timeless and classic, so a space can look just as good in 20 years as it does now. I've had clients who have loved the things we picked out for them 20 years ago, and they've become like family.

I adore what I do because of the way people live their lives and how they live in their homes. It's a fantastic feeling to see the joy and happiness on a client's face when they see the finished product!

As for this Market, I loved the broader scope of styles showcased. There was something for every eye, from traditional to the latest and most modern designs. A beautiful antique drops our jaw… but we also love lamps that have USB cords!

Overall, the design community is becoming more collaborative and focused on creating bespoke one-of-a-kind pieces. It's an exciting time to be in the design industry, and I can't wait to see what the future holds! Til next year.

XOXO,
Sallie

See the whole conversation between Sallie and E. Holtz on our YouTube page here.