We’re certain your time with us today will be a real “High Point” in your week. (*wink*) A couple of months back, we shared some of our favorite takeaways from the year’s furniture trade shows so far. And we teased out that one more was on the immediate horizon that we — here at the largest furniture upholstery fabric store online — were eagerly anticipating. Because (quoting from a certain market’s stellar tagline) late spring brought us “The only market that needs no introduction.” That’s right. Today it’s time to talk takeaways from the Spring 2024 High Point Furniture Market (aka HPMKT).
We’ve pulled together some of our favorite interior design tips and trends that got the industry buzzing, with a particular focus on ones that you can lean into through the upholstery fabrics you choose in your home. Let’s head to North Carolina.
What The High Point Market Is And Why It Holds Gifts For Your Home
Most of the year, High Point, North Carolina is a lovely small-ish city of around 115,000 people. Except for a week in October and one in April when it approaches double that size as it hosts the largest home furnishings industry trade show, HPMKT.
While High Point has long been the epicenter of furniture manufacturing in the United States, HPMKT has evolved to be the kind of event where if it’s not being featured or talked about, it likely simply isn’t a “thing” yet. And if it is, it’s about to be a thing. In addition to the 75,000+ trade-only attendees, there are roughly 2,000 exhibitors spread out amongst just under 200 buildings.
It sounds like we’re writing an ad for the market. We’re not. It’s just that — as even a quick Google search reveals — for folks passionate about the power of interior design, furniture, and furnishings, the marker experience lives at an intersection akin to a backstage tour of an iconic museum and a carnival. Magic is revealed here to find its way to you and help you make your home much more homier. Having set the stage a bit about why HPMKT might matter to you and your home, now let’s talk takeaways.
Let Your Personal Vibe Guide The Vision For Your Home’s Design Style
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, you’re in style. All the lessons the 2020s have taught us about the importance of truly feeling at home in our homes continue to be a dominant theme in interior design.
What that means for you and your home is that being stylish and trendy begins and ends with asking yourself how you need your home to function (work, play, hosting, etc.) and how you want your home to feel (bold, calming, minimal, etc.). That’s all that truly matters. And that’s what informs and becomes your compass for every design choice from there. You and your life are true north.
Having said that, there are, of course, a few styles that folks at HPMKT were vibing on that can work for a range of home design needs and dreams.
HPMKT Was Feeling An Elevated 70s Upholstery Fabric Design Groove
There’s a 70s theme being embraced this year. We’re seeing it, particularly in colors. It’s in the tones. Sometimes earthy, sometimes vivid, almost all the colors are somehow showing up simultaneously muted and yet bold.
It seems the special sauce is in the temperature which feels decidedly warm. And there’s a real celebration of color underway, so feel free to use them as accents or for large pieces. Try fabrics like a golden damask, ocean blue denim, plum purple chenille, or thyme green velvet.
Now, if what you love for your home is more of a neutral palette, exhibitors and trendsetters at HPMKT don’t leave you out, either. They do, however, want to encourage you to step free of all those gray vibes. The warmth theme expresses itself in neutrals with an emphasis on warm, earthy brown tones.
Almost like looking at a cross-section of the Grand Canyon. Layer in fabrics with different hues of that earthy brown. Like a combination of khaki linen, birch chevron pattern, rich taupe jacquard, and desert brown houndstooth fabric combining to add depth and comfort to a space.
Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’? HPMKT’s Rocking The Patterns Of The 80s
Perusing all the various post-market reviews, there’s a veritable thesaurus of synonyms all trying to offer seemingly contradictory advice. Namely, when using patterns to update your space, think of Grandma’s place — and turn it up to an eleven.
The through-line nods to the 80s, but the patterns feel surprisingly fresh. It’s about using patterns to bring an elevated and amplified sense of personality to your space through stripes, gingham and plaid, tapestry, and more.
That means you can now play with things like a sofa in a woven fabric with blue stripes. Or perhaps a comfy reading chair in wheat brown gingham pattern linen. Use a pattern bridging the 70s and 80s to add swagger to dining chairs with a warm and earthy prairie coral and green contemporary fabric. And this river blue foliage tapestry fabric feels like an excellent 80s homage donned by a living room loveseat.
The Trend-Line For Your Furniture Fabrics Is Soft And Curvy Comfort
Furniture is coming around. More like just round. It’s trending with softer shapes and edges and, interestingly, often swivels. The thinking is that this softens spaces visually and adds flexibility to their use and where the focal point lives.
This is all the more enhanced with pieces like ottomans and upholstered benches and coffee tables. And fabric trends are leaning softer, too. More precisely, they’re leaning more textured, meaning boucle, tweed, chenille, and more. Whatever evokes and adds softness for you.
So you might go with a sand tone boucle, a small-scale pattern cypress aqua and gold, a raspberry purple contemporary jacquard, or a navy blue textured striped chenille.
Whatever calls to you, the HPMKT trends all point to a freedom to be unrestrained in how and where you use various upholstery fabric textures. The focus is simply on adding layers of comforting and engaging softness to welcome and delight you and your guests.
The Real High Point: Making Your Home Boldly, Warmly, Comfortably You
Like any industry, the home furnishings industry has many conferences and trade shows. HPMKT is to all the rest as Beyoncé is to music. No matter what else is happening, when HPMKT rolls around, all eyes are focused on what magic is coming next.
The topline takeaways from our perusal of what emerged from the spring market come down to letting your home exude your unique style in a bold, warm, and comfortable way. Start with your life in mind. Play with earthy and warm tones whispering of the 1970s. Add playful patterns echoing the 1980s.
Let any new pieces be curvy and new fabrics soft and alluring. And give us a call as you do. Because helping you make yourself at home is our favorite.