(Photo: Aviation Triad)
The spring 2023 iteration of High Point Market once again made an indelible mark on the interior design community. With showrooms spanning an entire town and a full schedule of top-tier events, High Point Market delighted all of the senses every step of the way.
Design Manager’s Greg Palmer, Olivia Jakson, and Danny Bernard attended this spring’s event, and are here to share all of their favorite moments from the interior design extravaganza.
As Greg said, “the number and size of these showrooms is impressive and almost overwhelming,” so there is a lot to cover.
Let’s dive in!
2023 Trends on Display
We have covered the top interior design trends of 2023 and saw many of those themes expressed in distinct ways across different designers.
“It was my first time there and I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was great seeing the beautiful furniture and art in showrooms throughout the city, especially from brands I hear our designers talk about,” Greg said.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrWrpIbJc6D/
Taking nature as inspiration and highlighting the spontaneous curves of the organic form is definitely en vogue in 2023, as evidenced by many of the showrooms at Market. Hany Saad Innovations displayed an elegant interpretation of the trend, with a naturalistic chandelier fit for a palace.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrdsORQOhpA/
Patterns, patterns, everywhere! MIND THE GAP displayed a wonderland of richly patterned and textured fabrics.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/dte4furniture/
The woodworking genius on display at the SOBERON STUDIO showroom left us speechless.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrhTCbWtjAx/
The classic combination of blue and white could be seen dotted across the entire town of High Point, bringing a fun touch of prep to our step. The Design Manager team especially loved the display by Oodles of Wallpaper, which added a touch of whimsy to a sophisticated composition.
Learning from the Best
High Point Market attracts the best and the brightest in the industry to host educational events throughout the five days, all of which are far from dull.
“The organized talks, especially those involving business strategies and business coaching, were among my favorite things about Market; these talks really increased my understanding of our clients and topics that are relevant to their daily operations,” Danny said.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cra2nhrOlvt/
The Design Manager team had a blast at the live taping of the Business of Home podcast.
“We went to a live taping of my favorite podcast, Business of Home, hosted by Dennis Scully,” Olivia said. “He was interviewing Thom Filicia and we were able to meet with them afterwards. It was a fantastic experience.”
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/Crs0bC0uxHy/
Linda Holt was a featured host of the High Point Market Insider’s Tour, taking her followers on a guided tour of the best of Market’s showrooms.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrmAxmssowu/
Joshua Smith led the panel, “Why You Need a Sales Ecosystem” at the Universal Showroom, which was a big success.
Standout Showrooms
Because the showrooms at High Point Market are not just limited to break out spaces in a convention center, but instead occupy existing buildings across the entire town, there are some really special showroom spaces.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrUjwRwtpCR/
While every showroom had something special to catch your eye, the Studio 882 showroom in an old bank vault was an unforgettable experience.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/Crd9wnQuaBa/
The High Point showroom of lighting legend Currey & Co, is in the old town of High Point, which is a visually interesting place to walk around. This spring, the showroom included a special exhibition called La Vida es Bella: Mexican Modernist Textiles from The Marjorie Skouras Collection, featuring 24 vintage Mexican dresses from the 1970s.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrZnF4QOXGL/
The architectural drawings adorning the walls of the Taracea Furniture showroom really brought their designs to life.
Enjoying the Surroundings
The experience of walking through High Point to get from showrooms to events and back is a big part of the fun.
“High Point does a great job of organizing the schedule each day and getting people walking throughout the city,” Greg said. “It's such a different experience than most shows and conferences where everyone is packed into a single convention hall. You get to see sunlight!”
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrawveIuHPD/
With over 11 million square feet of showroom space, High Point does an excellent job of providing comfortable yet stylish places to rest in between stops.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/Crl86DvppSd/
The old town part of High Point is one of our favorite places to walk through. Toronto-based designer, Jillian Douglas, posted this photo showing off one of the architecturally interesting walkways that connect showroom buildings.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrjoB_VOCoN/
It’s not a trip to High Point without a picture in front of the Furnitureland South facade, featuring the world’s largest chest of drawers.
It’s a Social Event
High Point Market is so much more than a place to find new products; socializing with friends and colleagues and meeting new ones face to face is a huge part of the fun, as well as the professional benefit of attending.
“Seeing people in person that I usually only speak to on the phone or see using Zoom was one of my favorite things about Market,” Danny said.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/Crj6p_ysZW0/
Fashion designer Molly Mays, a graduate of High Point University, shows off her Market style.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cri-GO1uTpS/
No matter where you turn, you can always find a place for a fun social media photo at High Point Market. The showroom at Eastern Accents even had fun accent pillows that sent a message. The Betsy Edwards Design team is seen here having a blast.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrjCA0csfzB/
The HF Custom Furniture party was a hot ticket event at High Point Market - the perfect place to build your network.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CroOL0oNdg8/
With so much to see and do at High Point Market, we can’t wait to return in the fall.
And one thing we loved at this year’s spring event was spending much-valued face time with our clients, and we were inspired to hear how excited people are for the upcoming web version of Design Manager. Getting feedback from our customers makes us excited to keep delivering the best interior design project management and accounting software on the market.
Stay tuned for the latest updates from Design Manager and we hope to see you at the Fall 2023 High Point Market!