HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, HIGH POINT, NC: Day 2

First of all I want to wish my friend Manju, a wonderful birthday today! Happy birthday Manju!

Day 2: More emerging trends and confirmation of others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trends continue!  Yesterday I talked about fabrics in soft blush pinks, grayed lilacs, soft grey, ivory lacquered casegoods with “dirty” silver-leaf details, crème parchment (leather) covered tables, beds and cabinets, and gesso finishes.   Now at the end of Day 2 we’ve see some confirmation of these trends as we discovered today throughout the marketplace. Today’s post will cover the categories in relation to these trends.

First we’ll cover colors and finishes, then metals used for hardware and accents on furniture and lighting. Next we’ll talk about some of the most interesting furniture we are seeing: Occasional Chairs, Slipper Chairs, a great Chaise Lounge, Tables, and the cool factor of some other special pieces of furniture. We’ll end on Worst in Show, where there is never a lack of candidates!

 

 

 

 

 

Color and Finishes: Ivory was the most prevalent color lacquered on furniture at Henredon, Council, and at Baker.

 

 

 

 

 

The look was shown at opening price point lines like Noir, and at mid-price lines such as Bernhardt. Ivory paint was often used in combination with other stained wood details on a cabinet, and sometimes the entire piece was painted. Occasionally the painted piece would include all three finishes: Ivory paint, stained wood, and silver detailing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other pieces of furniture were entirely silver-leafed in either “mat” or “dirty” silver leaf finish like the new oval silver leafed cocktail table, and a silver legged Ottoman upholstered in ivory leather.   And a fabulous new bed style covered in Ivory colored parchment (leather). All of these pieces were new intros by “Barbara Barry as Realized by Henredon”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soft colors were evident in decorative accessories like the Table Lamps at Baker in a soft greyed-Lilac blown glass; top of Bed and decorative Pillows featured the softest Blush Pink, Lilac, and Grey.

 

 

The cool factor was most evident today in seating. We loved the new Chaise Lounge and Bench by “Barbara Barry as Realized by Henredon”.

 

 

 

 

 

Sensuous lines prevailed in most all of Barbara’s pieces, though she may prefer I call them feminine!

 

 

 

 

Bernhardt Interiors, of late a trendsetter with their Bernhardt Interiors line launched two years ago, which is often featured on the pages of Elle Décor and Veranda Magazine showed two interesting chairs: One was an occasional chair whose frame was made of ivory colored resin which realistically captured the details of some type of exotic animal horns. This chair was upholstered in ivory hair-on-hide for an incredible white on white look --- a brilliant combination of textures and materials. You will see this chair in mid-January at Cabana Home stores in Santa Barbara and Mill Valley, CA.  

 

 

 

 

Also at Bernhardt was a stylized French Dining Arm Chair, upholstered in all of this season’s colors. It featured an unusual back of chair detail--  where fabric is usually inserted in the outer back side of this style chair, this one featured a chalk board, where a hostess might opt to write the guests names on the back of the chair to mark that guests place at the table, or perhaps some other clever message! So long place cards at the formal dining table!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metal detailing on hardware and furniture ornamentation were notable, with even the jeweler David Yurmans name invoked to describe the etched hardware on several chests and cabinets at Henredon. Polished nickel versions of last year’s brass cocktail and end tables were front and center in a number of showrooms.

 

 

 

There was a classic Georgian chair at Bernhardt Interiors that featured polished nickel arms and stretcher base which traditionally would have been in stained mahogany wood!

 

 

 

There was a fab textured metal top center table in the Entry Hall at Baker Furniture’s luxe showroom, there for their semi-annual cocktail party, which was a statement piece by designer Thomas Pheasant for Baker! 

 

 

 

The Baker party was a real snooze of a party, so I took a self-guided tour of the showroom where I spotted a new cast bronze framed cocktail table by Barbara Barry for Baker (the gal does get around), and a chandelier with gold textured detailing by Thomas Pheasant for Baker. 

 

 

 

A faux branch cast in metal was the base for a large glass topped cocktail table at Henredon, and a cast brass 3-light sconce at Noir was quite wonderful and organic.

 

 

Interesting tables and casegoods included a saber leg occasional Table with silver leaf base and wood stained inlay top, and  a round chairside Table with Pen Shell top on tapered Brass base both by Barbara Barry as Realized by Henredon. 

 

 

 

Bernhardt Interiors weighed in with two offerings: An interesting hexagonal Game Table, fully clad in a narrow gauge hemp rope, for an organically inspired look; and a round, Brass clad Cocktail Table with black glass top.

Several Occasional Chairs were stand outs today: A Shield Back Chair by Barbara Barry

 

 

 

A leather chair with simply turned bleached legs from Hancock & Moore, another chair at Hancock & Moore that was a cross between Egyptian, Moorish and Santa Fe style!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A great looking take on a Barrel back chair with a channeled barrel back by Designer/Stylist Linda Lane Design for Jessica Charles.

 

 

Notable Slipper chairs (an armless upholstered chair with short legs, sits lower to the ground) were seen throughout the market place, particularly of not was the slipper chair with the hint of winged shoulders at Jessica Charles (also by Linda Lane Design), a slightly barrel backed chair at Bernhardt Interiors, and a hard edged upholstered model trimmed in wood at its base supported on four sabre legs at Council. All three slipper chairs fabulous!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Council furniture, two standout occasional chairs: A red lacquered contemporary take on a classic fauteuil chair (a fauteuil is an open-arm chair with a primarily exposed wooden frame originating in France in the early 18th century) --- such a hottie!

 

 

 

The other, also at Council, a contemporary wood framed bergere chair (a bergère is an enclosed upholstered French armchair (fauteuil with an upholstered back and armrests on upholstered frame). Almost deco in style, with a simple wood frame that was simple in execution but long on style! Elegant lines with great proportions were supported on tapered front legs and sabre back legs.

 

 

Two fresh takes on the classic Klismos chair (a Klismos chair is a type of ancient Greek chair): One was executed in wood with a woven rush seat, and the other was in polished Nickel with an upholstered seat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worst in Show: Well today’s pic’s include several from one important vendor that should have known better. I won’t name them, but the colors were on the edge while the company is not.

 

 

 

I happened by a market sample sale room in one building and saw the purpose of a market sample sale room when I spotted a pink trimmed zebra wing chair.

 

 

 

There was a sculptured table with a face made as a console, and an ornately carved hall chair with a built-in umbrella stand.  

 

 

 

You see, there really is something for everyone here!

Please join me tomorrow for Day 3!

 

Goodnight moon.

 

High Point Furniture Market, High Point, NC: Day 1

Greetings from North Carolina, the “Furniture Capital of the World”!

I know, I know, I posted on the New York show yesterday, and today I’m writing from the High Point Furniture Market in High Point, NC. So, now that you know where I am, here we go!  

 

 

 

I’m going to start with the end of the day where we were introduced to the hottest design duo in the marketplace, Mr. & Mrs. Howard. This couple, really married to one another, is an interesting design team: She’s an interior designer, and he’s an architect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their upholstered seating was “pitch perfect”! Not in the sound way, but in the way it felt, sat, or to use industry lingo “it had a great ride”.

Likewise the casegoods were beautifully proportioned and finished. The upholstery was shown in a soft color palette for their debut in the “Furniture Capital of the World”, which was indicative of the emerging color trend at this show: Fabrics in soft blush pinks, and grayed lilacs, soft grey, ivory lacquered casegoods with “dirty” silver-leaf details, parchment (leather) covered tables and cabinets, and gesso finishes, all in-line with trends here.

 

 

 

 

 

One of the most interesting things was the walls in the main salon. What looked like beautiful Gracie wall covering, turned out to be hand painted walls in the Gracie style. I talked to Phoebe Howard and she said she had her painter come up from Atlanta to do the wall painting. In another room he created the look of aged wood paneling, in paint! The work was fabulous!

 

 

 

 

 

The Howard's have offices in Atlanta, GA, Jacksonville, FL, and Charlotte, NC. but you can buy it as both Cabana Home stores beginning mid-December!

 

Okay, so now we will go back to the start of the day and our first appointment: Bennett Galleries. Rick Bennett is an art dealer and owner of a furniture store in Nashville, TN. He also designs and imports handmade furniture from Italy.

His furniture is truly some of the most wonderfully designed and made furniture that we sell. The waxed finishes include simple to complex wood inlays, ebony and blonde wood stains, and simple lines.

We talked about just how incredibly accurate the finishes were on the pieces that replicate antiques, and he said that some antique dealers by these pieces and resell them as antiques. That's how good they are.
Expensive?  You bet! Worth it? Absolutely!
See these newest acquisitions at Cabana Home Santa Barbara in mid- November.
 

Next was a mad dash in the Antique & Design Center. Here we bought a vintage wood surveyors stand made into a floor lamp; a large vintage wood gear wheel, which I will make into a cocktail table; huge rusted vintage chains made into a table lamp, and a pair vintage lamps made from dies, one etched with an Indian head and the other etched with an eagle.  we also fond a great pillow lady, who specializes in vintage Fortuny pillows. we bought several pairs of them and you can see them in about ten days at Cabana Home- Santa Barbara.

 

There were a few things that we found and liked, but passed on (you can’t have it all!). We didn’t buy a wonderful Cheese making table with the most beautiful burled wood top which had developed a wonderful old patina; and a glow blower who also makes lamps from old gears and then mouth blows the glass shades, he also builds tables from reclaimed steel factory equipment in combination with reclaimed wood.

On the way out of the building we stopped and bought a few mirrors from Carvers Guild. We met the owner/artist, who actually hand carves the original herself. See the mirrors picture below, and the detail picture. Beautiful work and we are excited to have found these mirrors and look forward to receiving them at Cabana Home Santa Barbara.
 

Also in the mirror showroom which was kind of random, was designer Sarah Canner who was showing her line of “day into evening” girly biking clothes, Vespertine. Her shtick is that her clothing offers reflective detailing, and was great looking. This is not biking clothing that you change into, this is clothing that goes from bike to the office. She may be doing for bikewear what lululemon did for work out clothes.

Picture above, one of the jackets in the line without any bright light on it.
Picture below, the same jacket with a flashlight shining on it.

We did a cursory walk through of another upholstery manufacturer who was showing some wonderful Moroccan textiles on ottomans, and Dining chairs. Really fabulous, not too organic, and great colors. They also showed a slip covered dining chair that had an exposed zipper in a high contrast color on the back of the chair; very electric and fun.   

 

        

Next stop was the hip Dwell Studio line, which showed some mid-century inspired leather furniture:

A leather clad cocktail table printed in a shagreen pattern, above; A chaise lounge with a channeled leather seat, and a great looking Chair and ottoman in channelled Grey leather.

 

Our last appointment was with a vendor who manufacturers a large line of casegoods. We’ve been feeling like we wanted to add more selections in a mid-priced line of furniture, without sacrificing either the styling or the quality (shown below). I think we found it, and you will love the pricing, and especially the styling. We found well priced and unique Dining chairs and tables, occasional tables, mirrors and even some great pieces for the bedroom. More on this later!

 

From The Old Wood Company (shown below), a great looking line of tables made from reclaimed and naturally fallen trees. The table, show here, had a “live edge”, and sits atop a tree truck base with exposed roots of cast metal.

 

WORST IN SHOW:

Okay, today was all in all a day in good taste! However, there is always at least one thing or person that makes this category and today we have one of each!

A very “done up” woman with jacked-up hair, severe eyebrows, and a sequined top that looked like it tangled with a weed eater, was in a showroom as a designer, assisting her customer with some selections. This woman had on Chanel everything (glasses, hand bag, brief case…), CFP (her heels), a black stud encrusted wide belt (aka an Elvis Belt), and about 50 bracelets on each arm… need I say more!

And then…. and then, as if it’s not enough that we have Restoration this, and Pottery that, chock full of reclaimed junk made into other things, this thing takes the cake: An army gas can made into a lamp! Neat. Really?

Obviously by the above entry, this has been a very long day. So much so that when we finished the last room in the last showroom that we worked, the sign read: “This is the end”, and I agree.

 

 

Good night moon.