It’s been about three weeks since returning from High Point Market (HPMKT)- the world’s biggest furnishings industry trade show that meets twice a year with more than 75,000 people in attendance. Interior designers, architects, retail buyers all come together over the course of 5 days to see more than 2,000 vendors all showcasing their latest and greatest. To sum it up- it’s like a trade style conference in Vegas for the design industry. Our bodies were so sore from being on our feet all day and I think we’ve finally recovered (though it really got us thinking we that we seriously need to get back in shape so we’re ready for the next one!)
Attending Market has been on our radar for quite some time, but with the pandemic and an uptick of work over the last year and a half, we had to put it on hold...but it was 100% worth the wait!
It’s impossible to see everything at Market- but we sure tried! All of downtown High Point is full of home furnishings buildings (more than 180) and there is over 12 million square feet of showspace. The International Home Furnishings Center (IHFC) is twelve floors! Needless to say, we didn’t even get past the first 5 floors. We were overwhelmed with all there was to see, so we started off finding our favorite vendors that we’ve been working with to see and test everything out in person. From there, we discovered different exhibitors that we instantly fell in love with.
View from the Showplace Showroom to the center of HPMKT and IHFC:
We returned from HPMKT with a long list of vendors we really loved and can’t wait to offer to our clients.
Here is a rundown of some of our faves!
Lighting
Hinkley Lighting
Hudson Valley Lighting
Regina Andrew
Made Goods
Gabby Home
Upholstery
Vanguard
Lee
Rowe/Robin Bruce
Art
Wendover Art Group
Shadow Catchers
Accessories
Accent Decor
Global Views
Made Goods
Rugs
Jaipur Living
Surya
Loloi
Bedding
Classic Home
General Vibe + Aesthetic
Virellen
Dovetail Furniture
Noir + CFC
Nuevo Living
Four Hands
Of course, what’s Market without a few cocktails? We spent all day shuffling around but we were able to conquer the many miles of walking (we didn’t take advantage of the shuttle until the very last day-rookie mistake!), the constant up and down testing of sofa “cushiness”, and the aisles and aisles of art gallery gazing with a few libations along the way.
We also connected with other designers from all over the country- from California, Wisconsin, and South Carolina to some fellow designers in the Northern Virginia area. It was great meeting them in real life after only ever knowing them through social media! It’s so refreshing to know other local designers who also believe in “community over competition” in the design industry. We had such a great time chatting, sharing tips, and collaborating on all things design. We hope to connect with them more back in VA!
And that’s a wrap! We learned SO much at our first Market, and we feel seasoned enough to return to more. It was an amazing opportunity to delve deep into design and surround ourselves with a community of like-minded, creative people. BD+Co continues to grow and develop and we have taken so much from HPMKT that will be beneficial for both our clients and our business. We can’t wait for the next one- we’re already talking about visiting again in the Fall!
Be sure to follow our HPMKT journey on Instagram and check out our highlights from our trip!
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