Oh my! I’m back from my first High Point Market and the Design Bloggers Tour with Esteem Media, and do I have the goodies for you!
First of all, I have to admit I was scared fairly out of my senses for this trip. Let’s review the reasons why:
- I’m an introvert.
- I’m claustrophobic and hate malls, let alone entire towns with the equivalent of mall, after mall, after mall…. (Why do you think we moved to New Hampshire???? We don’t even have billboards on the highways north of Manchester.)
- My days of corporate schmoozing are 10 years past. Could I even remember how to small talk for 3 solid days???
That being said, I really was excited so see the full gamut of offerings from my favorite vendors that I frequently specify for my clients — far more than those to which I usually have access at the Boston Design Center (which is still 80 miles away.)
And the opportunity to look around at totally new things and unfamiliar vendors made me feel like I was like Charlie looking for the Golden Ticket, only there were about a thousand tickets to be had!
Onward to today’s topic!
Flexibility: The #1 BIGGEST Trend from High Point Fall 2019
I’m not a trendy person. I look for longevity when it comes to designing the interiors of people’s homes.  However, the word “trend” doesn’t have to mean “the current style or preference.” Another meaning is “a line of development.” I like development.
And the “development” I witnessed was toward flexibility. Flexibility meaning the ability to be altered, rearranged, and bend around life’s daily challenges. And with the crazy hectic pace of life, I can get behind that sort of interior design development.
Below, I have 4 Flexible Decor Developments for you.
1. Flexible Fabrics — Ready for Life’s Spills
Performance fabrics have been a staple of interior design for families for a number of years now, but it was awesome to get an in-real-life demonstration of Crypton fabrics at work.
Above, we were shown how highlighter marker came right off with a solution of 10% cleaning solution and a little rub. My full video, including rubbed in wine can be found here.
Celebrity designer Kim Salmela, whose beautiful furnishings and upholstery are handmade by USA company Norwalk Furniture (gorgeous custom upholstery) covered all of her vignettes on the Norwalk showroom floor in Crypton fabrics.
Many items in Kim’s line are available here.
Daniel Stuart Studio produces an entire line of machine washable pillow covers and bedding in livable-yet-sumptuous fabrics.
He also makes pillow shams that are the height of a 26″ Euro pillow but long enough that only 2 are needed to fill up a king sized bed. See below.
2. Motion Sofas and Chairs — Swivel to See the View, Recline to Watch the Game
Motion upholstery was huge — motion that didn’t look like motion furniture, that is. Gone are the days of your dad’s La-Z-Boy. These motion pieces preferred to masquerade as sexy stationary furniture with hidden talents.
Can you believe that the below sofa from Huntington House (another venerable USA brand) is an automatic recliner sofa?
And the piece below by Hooker took the cake. An automatic sleeper sofa with hidden storage in the left-sided chaise.
Check out my YouTube video of it working here. It’s slow going, I admit, but it beats throwing out your back trying to get the darn mattress out.
Feeling no pain … and no bars. This would be awesome in a basement or rec room for sleepovers.
Oh my gosh, swivel chairs were EVERYWHERE. This is one design development I’ve been using a TON (like in this project). Swivels allow you to be the ultimate social butterfly without ever leaving your seat — chat a little over here, swing around and gab a little over there; they are one solution when a bridge is needed between multiple seating areas.
Some of my favorites below.
Sweet little chair above, relaxed looking like a slipcover, but isn’t.
Some mid-century menswear styling with a little fem animal print.
Harvest gold deco glamor.
And facing swivel CHAIR-AND-A-HALFS!
(Or is is “chair-and-a-halves??”) Anyway, your kids would have a field day in these. I can just picture Thing 2 with 5 of his friends lined up and swiveling around like a carnival ride!
3. Tiered Tables in Multiples — for the Hostess with the Mostess
Pretty much every showroom I went in had a number of vignettes where the typical coffee table or cocktail ottoman had been replaced by groups of tables of varying heights.
One of the beauties of this arrangement is, of course, aesthetic. Have a tough time figuring out how to style your coffee table because you don’t have enough tchotchkes of different heights? No problem! Your table will do that for you!
Above, Four Hands took a matching side table and cocktail table and combined them.
I LOVED the above rope and glass Hooker cocktail table when paired with a relaxed transitional sofa and hide rug. Great mix.
Groups of small tables also allow for one or more to be pulled over to chairs as drinks tables when you’re entertaining.
Dome Deco was a new vendor to me. It’s a brand promoting a cosmopolitan & contemporary lifestyle for cultured and well-traveled urbanites, with a catalog that changes every single season so that the competition can’t copy. In 4 room vignettes I counted 3 tiered table arrangements. So, if the cosmopolitan sophisticate says tiered tables in multiples are good for entertaining, I believe him!
3. Innovative Storage Pieces — the Collector’s Wingman
For a collector, part of the fun is displaying your finds. There were 3 innovative display pieces that took my breath away when it came to beautiful storage. I’d just never seen anything like them before.
The first was this free-standing shoe closet by Bernhardt.
The front was cool. A little Miami glam for most of my clientele perhaps, but all Bernhardt needs to do is take this set-up and put it into a few different styles and it will be a best seller, IMO!
I only own a few pairs of heels, but I know a few girls that would flip for this kind of thing.
The second was a large bookcase with a rolling ladder where you could tilt the shelf backs backwards in order to display open books or beautiful covers.
Those backs can go back to being vertical in order to display books in the normal way with their spines showing. Ingenious.
How gorgeous would it be to have art, architecture, or other design books displayed open?! Basically it would be an art installation!
The third was an enormous jewelry wardrobe by Hooker that was stunning in its own right.
Forget about whatever jewelry is inside! This gold leaf and chinoiserie wardrobe would be the crown jewel of a master suite or a feminine boudoir!
Ummmm…. I could fill up two of those storage pouches, maybe. đŸ˜‰
Anyway, it’s hard to see, but every compartment is so thoughtfully planned and lined. Really lovely … for the fashionista … not for the typical New Hampshire mom.
_______________________
Today was a “function” post, rather than one full of the pretty patterns and things I saw. But form must follow function for a comfortable home!
I’ll probably have 2 more posts from High Point interspersed with other stories over the next month or so — another twist-on-trends post, and probably one with my personal favorite finds.
We’re in the home stretch of our renovation. Probably another 3 weeks to go. Say a prayer the stove gets here in time for Thanksgiving! I know it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t, but the Handsome Husband is scheduled to work Thanksgiving weekend, which means the family comes here and I cook. Yikes!
See you next week!
-Amy
2 thoughts on “The SINGLE BIGGEST Trend from High Point Fall 2019 (and I Actually Like It)”
I really appreciate seeing what’s new at market through your eyes! It’s a great roundup from a what works for real life perspective.
Thanks, Lisa! I don’t believe that every room needs to be a free-for-all for kids, but grown ups need flexibility, too, sometimes. It was wonderful to meet you!
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