And the crew returns for part 2 of High Point Furniture Market Trends and Favorites. Within part 2 you will find our remaining trends and also a few pictures of some iconic people: Thomas O’Brien and Mariette Hines Gomez. Lets begin!

Trend #4 – Neutrals and browns will never go away.

Below are shots in the Lee Industries Showroom of

some classic pieces that scream versatility and style.  

Market wouldn’t be the same without testing the comfort-ability of recliners and sofas. Ashley is lounging in one of the relaxers from Lee Industries.

The bed has a classic and romantic feel while the sofa and coffee table display invites a family for a cup of ice tea on a Sunday afternoon.

Shots below are from the Hickory Chair  Showroom.

A pillow line we saw in Inner Hall called Ankasa. Ideal for bedrooms, sun-rooms and/or family rooms.

We also had a chance to check out some lamp companies:

Jamey Young (left) and Barabra Cosgrove (right).

Trend # 5 Purple is still around! All the way from grape juice to wine colored tones.

Shots below are from Hickory Chair Showroom.

Below: Judy admires the nail head detailing on an upholstered cabinet in the Hickory Chair Showroom.  Need a dining chair, take this cream one below, one of Hickory Chair’s most popular choices (right).

Often times when the team goes to High Point, it isn’t unusual to run into  interior design icons. Hickory Chair had Thomas O’Brien on hand as he signed copies of his first book, called “American Modern.”You might have seen Thomas’s name on collections in Target, a lighting collection with Visual Comfort and  his interior design studio called Areo in SoHo which he opened in 1992. Here is an article on him in the New York Times.

The team also stopped to take a photo with Mariette Himes Gomez. Mariette has a design studio  in New York City and also a designer collection with Soicher Marin.  Mariette and Thomas both design furniture for Hickory Chair. Along with Alexa Hampton and Suzanne Kasler who were also in the showroom showing off their collections with Hickory Chair.

It was nice to see you again, Mariette! Thanks for taking a picture with us.

Trend 6# Floral sofas are a breath of fresh air.

Below: is a shot from the Lee Showroom of a banquet with a Duralee print.

Left Above: Lee Industries and Right Above: Hickory Chair.

Trend # 7  Trellis is popular.

What is a trellis ?  A lattice like pattern inspired by a lot of cultures, they can sometimes be graphic and organic. Below the bed in fabricated in a trellis fabric giving the room life.

This is taken from the Century Showroom and also seen on Apartment Therapy’s review of High Point Furniture Market. 

Above are shots from Hickory Chair Showroom.

Trend # 8 Animal Inspiration

Animal influences were in every showroom that we visited. Here are some of the things we saw.

Shots Below are from Hickory Chair Showroom.

And last but not least, we had to share one of the coolest discoveries that Marty from Lee Industries showed us. Lee did an experiment putting one of their chairs they manufacture into a lake for two weeks. The actual chair is below on the left and you should definitely click on the YouTube video to see for yourself. We were amazed at how clean the chair looked after being in the lake. It was amazing!

Twice a year the team heads to High Point Furniture Market. It is just like Fashion week in NYC or Paris but with furniture. For a week High Point is the mecca capital for all things furniture, fabric and every home accessory you can think of. On Monday we spotted many trends. Here we have narrowed it down to our 7 favorites for 2010!! Lauren was our official trend-spotting photographer. 

The team on the High Point shuttle.

Trend # 1 – Turquoise & Shades of Blue as predicted.

(Lee Industries High Point Showroom) 

Trend # 2- Painted Furniture in brightly colored hues.

(Stanley Showroom -Coastal Living Collection)

Trend #3 Unique Wood Finishes

Ashley, Judy and Brittany experiencing a wood finish on a tri-fold table from Stanley’s new European

Farmhouse Collection (think Michael Thonet)

Above: Stanley’s Modern Craftsman Studio Collection, we especially love this sawhorse table.

 Here Brittany sits on a sofafrom the McAlpine Home collection-perfect for a formal living room while a MacRae table graces the floor.

Tomorrow we’ll share more from our market trends. Expect purple, animal influences, trellis and floral sofas (yes, you heard us) In the meantime here is a review on Market from:  Apartment Therapy.

We are expecting to see shades and tones of turquoise this spring at High Point Furniture Market. That’s right, take a back seat beige and brown and let the royal and sea-foam blues take the spotlight!

Pantone even has “Lagoon” named one of the top colors for the 2010 Fashion Color Report. This color trend is even splashing into both the fashion and home industries around the world.

Below are two ways to incorporate shades of blue into your home from House Beautiful.

You can also accent areas in your bathroom or kitchen with shades of blue tile.

Image from Toast.

This kitchen from Traditional Home  uses a navy blue tiles to accent the wall behind the stove. 

I love this kitchen picture from Coastal Living. Those chair seat covers are so creative!

The HFB 2010 eMarket Preview  says this year it is about making a statement and people are looking to infuse their rooms with color, while not having to redo the entire room. Naturally color stimulates your mood and this is exactly what fabric and furniture companies are trying to achieve this spring market. This is also referred to as the Lipstick theory, which means that people want to buy something inexpensive to spice up a room, create a calming mood or buy a pillow that is just plain fun!

So, check back next week as the Design Lines team gives you the 411 on this years Spring Market. We will be sure to give you everything you need to know about the top trends in the home furnishing and interior design industry!

Judy, Ashley, Brittany, Lauren and Hilaire traveled to High Point, North Carolina yesterday to hear a talk on “The History of Luxury” by James Caughman, who is currently the senior marketing executive for the Kohler Interiors Group, responsible for the Baker, McGuire, Ann Sacks, and Kallista brands. This event was an ASID Carolinas CEU Community event. Thank you to the team at the Baker Knapp & Tubbs Showroom for hosting such a wonderful event!

The talk was very informative and further explored the history of luxury. Below are four great takeaways that we thought you might be interested in knowing from the presentation.

• What is luxury? Luxury is about good design, wonderful materials, crafted by artisans but most importantly luxury is about an experience.
• In the world of luxury we (Americans) look to the so called “captains” for aspiration and emulation.
• In the past, luxury was reserved for the court, but today luxury is much more accessible. It’s changing from conspicuous consumption (buying because I can) to conscientious consumption.
• “We live in an opaque world. We need to create transparency.” As in, it is our role (interior designers) to educate on quality and to share our knowledge.

What is your perspective on interior designers and the history of luxury? To you, how has luxury evolved over the years?

Lee begins with a selection of rugs, each as beautiful as the next, and then size the ottoman to fit the pattern. I have certainly seen the idea in the past, but usually the Best Arabian Kilims are used on the furniture and only as accents.

This design uses these gorgeous aged looking rugs, bringing the pattern, color, and texture onto a different, unexpected level. It could make a plain room “jump” and would surely be a durable surface for a living area.

Check out our other Fall 2009 High Point Market Posts here and here.

Last week, all the designers traveled to High Point to experience the latest and greatest of the design industry. We’re lucky that we can arrive after a short drive – many designers and retailers fly in from around the country! Here are some of the highlights from our trip:

Century Furniture had a lot to show off – a beautiful showroom and an extensive line covering many different styles! There’s something for everyone! One of the new color trends uses vibrant colors, while another design trend is all about a tribal style. The showroom photo on the above right features both!

We then ventured to the three-story Lee Industries showroom to see their “earth-friendly” upholstery line. The space below is another with bold colors showcasing one of their upholstered beds.

Brittany and Judy pose for a picture in the McApline Home section.

With beautiful furniture, fabrics, and an eco-friendly mission, I don’t think you can beat Lee for the price! For pictures from their outdoor line, check out this post.

I tested one of their curule stools – and it was surprisingly comfortable! Form meets function.

That wraps up our morning at Market, but look for Brittany’s post next week on our afternoon adventures in High Point!

Some of our favorite postcards shown below:

Read about our previous trips to market here & here and look out for our post market perspective later this week.

Bungalow 5: Hip Accessories & Furniture

Cyan Designs: Unique Accessories

(Notice the over-sized Monopoly pieces)

Lee Industries: Eco-friendly furniture

Pearson : Great upholstery pieces

Hickory Chair: Made, not Manufactured

Hickory White: Classic pieces for the home

Natural Curiosities: A lot of great prints


Pine Cone Hill: Awesome Bedding

Trends: In several showrooms we spotted groupings of pendant fixtures. Here are a few! My favorite is the top left one.

At High Point Furniture Market yesterday Judy, Brittany and I had the opportunity to get an autographed copy of Donna Warner’s, Editor-in-Chief of Metropolitan Home, newly published booked called “Glamour.”

What a great way to end the day!

Click here to order a copy.

Stay tuned for more posts on our awesome finds at Spring Market.