High Point Review – Where the ‘Wild’ things are!

Last week I returned from my buying trip to High Point, North Carolina.   The town welcomed me with their well known southern hospitality where most referred to me as ‘Mame’.  It also seemed every small town in that area ended with ‘Ville’, and even the local fast food drive through is called Biscutville and serves the local favorite of Pimento Cheese (eeeeeks).

I try to attend this bi-annual show as often as I can to catch up with all the new trends, visit with new furniture suppliers, meet reps face-to-face, and to just generally enjoy some time with fellow designers.  Then there is the almighty ‘rear-end’ test.  I sit in every chair, sofa, and bed where the style appeals to me or is perfect for a client I’m working with it.  It’s one thing to look nice, but if it’s not comfortable, no one is going to be happy.

My first day at market, I met with the Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott.  They led a presentation for attending designers on creating value for our clients.   I will write about the fun morning in another post, but let me tell you, these guys are not only good looking, they are smart business men!

Because many of you are unfamiliar when we designers say, “We are going to ‘Market”,  here is a general over view.   First, just a few pictures.

Market is massive! It begin 108 years ago and is held twice a year.  Why in North Carolina?  It’s because that is where all of the fine woods for the higher end furniture are grown.  The area of Market covers about a five mile radius around the city of High Point. It’s a lot of walking for the five days I attended.

There are many large buildings with many floors to walk, and all of the suppliers do whatever they can to get you to visit their showrooms.  This year I even witnessed a doorman dressed in a tuxedo, flanked by ballerinas dressed in black attire dancing on floating stages (see above photo).  Now, if one of these vendors could just do something about sore feet, we would be set!

What is fantastic to see is that the small town of High Point hires many retirees to run all the shuttles, hand out fliers, check your luggage, etc.  I got the feeling that the mayor must put out a message that it’s “All Hands On Deck” for these short couple of weeks during the year.

Then there are those products (AKA – ‘Wild Things’)  you always see in High Point, where you try to pass the showrooms without laughing.  As a designer, I can’t imagine putting these products  into A N Y O N E S home.  Oh well, different strokes for different folks.

I’ll be back High Point, thank you for your Southern Hospitality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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