subscribe!Michael Wollaeger writes about the Spring Furniture Market in High Point, North Carolina
The spring furniture market in High Point, North Carolina, is a twice-yearly ritual for design editors of all stripes, and we’re no different. So publisher Jennifer Matthews and I flew in on Sunday, April 6, to attend a few of the kick-off parties and previews, which were both fun and informative. On Sunday evening, Baker had its gala, and the showroom looked glamorous. I was happy to be able to spend some time with designer Thomas Pheasant, whose new collection for Baker is a smart balance between traditional forms and modern lines:
Robin Richter was an ebullient host, maintaining her humor while juggling gaggles of competing editors and publishers (no easy task!), and it was good to see Rachel Kohler and family patriarch Herb Kohler there, enjoying the festivities. Jennifer and I then moved on to visit with Christian Plasman at his sleek Bolier showroom (below). Christian launched his furniture line five years ago, at about the same time we launched Western Interiors & Design, and his company has deservedly flourished.
After that, we drove out to the French Heritage party at the home of Henessy and Jacques Wayser, which overlooks a pretty lake. Their hospitality provided a relaxing introduction to what would be a hectic few days of appointments in High Point.
On Monday morning we took a deep breath and hit the showrooms. We said a quick hello to Jay Reardon at Hickory Chair, whose new collection by Suzanne Kasler has a fresh Euro-California feel:
We saw Allen Palecek, who was green before people were even talking about green:
At Oggetti we met Nancy Frehling, and we were pleased to show her how Oggetti’s dramatic lighting pieces are being used by designers and architects throughout the West.
Fine Art Lamps is also growing in leaps and bounds, and we had a chance to sit with Jennifer Torlone and Edward Lashansky to talk about the booming western market.
Heather Eidenmiller (no longer Bloom!) took us through the vast Bernhardt showroom, pointing out the new pieces (it’s amazing to see how the Martha Stewart collection for Bernhardt keeps evolving!). At American Leather we were greeted by the effervescent Jennifer Green, who showed us the Slink Chair (below), among many other wonderful introductions.
At Pearson, we were greeted by the talented Jennifer McConnell, who is responsible for the exciting fabric story that has given Pearson such a strong profile lately.
Then it was on to Ralph Lauren Home, where the new Rue Royale collection (think urban Biedermeier chic) looks like a winner; Laneventure (thank you, Teresa Buelin), whose Leeds Castle collection took on a fashion-forward look with colorful new fabric skews:
and Stickley, a company that keeps extending its unique brand in surprising ways:
By this time Jennifer and I were hungry and thirsty, and it was time to head to the Century Furniture press party for some sustenance (and to see Ed Tashjian, of course).
On Tuesday morning we dropped by Elite Leather, whose new collection by Los Angeles designer Nathan Turner is exciting:
Nathan is a true westerner, with both ranch and city roots, and I think Elite will get a great response to his line. Then on to another excellent California company, Fremarc, whose wide selection of tables and chairs have remarkable finish options:
We saw Greg and Lisa Harden at the new Harden showroom, which looks spiffy. Harden is another company that has been green forever, and Greg is the steward of his family-owned company’s legacy of doing things the right way (below). Inspiring.
I think Hancock and Moore has some of the best leather club chairs on the market (below), and they’re also introducing some very cool new leathers.
At Chelsea House, Pam Cain gave us a tour and spotlighted new pieces by designer Thomas Jayne:
(I was struck again by Chelsea House’s extensive lighting collection.) Then it was back to Century, where Ed Tashjian took us on a whirlwind tour that included their new eco-friendly upholstery collection, called Naturals (below top), and their new outdoor Metropolitan collection (below bottom) by the amazing Richard Frinier. (It’s always nice to have a chance to chat with Richard and Catherine!)
Then we went back to Baker for a more in-depth tour of the new collections, and also to see the new Jacques Garcia outdoor-furniture collection (below) from McGuire (amazing!)
At E.J. Victor we said hello to John Jokinen and saw the new Newport Mansions Collection, which has been freshened up by Thomas Jayne (he’s obviously much in demand!). I was also impressed that Jennifer was able to talk knowledgeably and personally about the glory days of Newport sailing, as her family has deep roots in that community. Then it was over to Marge Carson, where Igor Jukanovic took us through the unique bejeweled pieces by Mike Gohman and Christine Redino (below).
What next? Back to Harden for a cocktail party (excellent warm crab dip), and then out to dinner with Robert Maricich (formerly of Century Furniture) and Margaret Casey and Dana Andrew of World Market Center Las Vegas and Western Interiors & Design associate editor Amanda Dameron, who was also working the show with us. It was a lively evening, and we’re excited to be partnering with the Las Vegas Market, which has ambitious plans and the means to execute them.
Wednesday began with a visit to Drexel Heritage, always a highlight. At Henredon I was impressed by the Spring Lake collection (below), whose scale and textures are perfect for the California landscapes of Napa and Sonoma (and Los Angeles, for that matter), the big Spanish-style houses in Arizona, and the new hip mountain houses in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.
The Barbara Barry showroom is always a breath of fresh air, and this market was no exception. Barbara has changed things up a bit, though, introducing new colors and patterns that add a layer of interest to her classic pieces.
At French Heritage, Henessy Wayser took us through Paris Loft, a new collection with a more contemporary feel and scale that I liked very much. Paris Loft is also made with sustainable resources, an added bonus:
Then it was over to Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, who continue to offer great style at a great price:
We had a civilized (and absolutely life-saving) lunch with Charlie Holt, Evan Berenzweig, Ricki Burns and Eloise Goldman, who filled us in on Mitchell and Bob’s initiatives for the future. Exciting!
Then, rested, we set off for Natuzzi, whose extraordinary Italian leather furniture (below) is really taking hold in the western market (what looks better in a sleek contemporary house overlooking, say, Puget Sound?). Cam Creech took the time to give us a personal tour, which we appreciated.
At Phillip Jeffries, Michelle Daniels showed us some of the remarkable new wall coverings they’re bringing out.
And we wound up the day at Eastern Accents, where I forced myself not to consume three Krispy Kreme doughnuts. It was good to see owner Ridvan Tatargil, who hails from my old hometown, Chicago. Their new Vera Collection (below) looks sharp.
That night we dined with Susan Inglis, Bernadette Upton and Jeff Hiller, all with the Sustainable Furniture Council, with whom we’re partnering on the One Good Chair competition at the Las Vegas Market (for details go to sustainablefurniturecouncil.org).
On Thursday we stopped in at Emerson et Cie, whose selection of wood tables, chairs, chests and mirrors are superb (below).
Then it was off to Thomasville, where the new collection by designer Darryl Carter was generating some real buzz. Darryl’s wood finishes and muted fabrics give his traditional forms a very contemporary feeling, again perfect for the relaxed yet elegant lifestyle of the West:
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Everyone today wants a piece of that style (Jennifer calls it “western lifestyle envy”), so I think Thomasville is going to be pleased with the consumer response to the Darryl Carter collection.
After hitting a few more showrooms, we had to head for the Greensboro airport and our flight to Chicago (which of course was delayed a few hours) for the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS). More on that to follow! But on the whole, the High Point market looked strong, and most of the people we spoke with were cautiously optimistic about the year ahead. And clearly, furniture companies are moving full-speed ahead in terms of new designs, new ideas and new ways of addressing the marketplace. That in itself bodes well for the future.
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