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My sister (Melissa Hart of Colorado-based Melissa Hart Interiors) and I attended High Point’s Fall Market this year. High Point is North Carolina’s – and probably the country’s – epicenter of furniture manufacturing and design. The High Point Furniture Market happens twice a year (Spring and Fall) and features hundreds of furniture companies, decor vendors and antiques dealers showing off their latest lines and best sellers to members of the trade and wholesalers. I like to think of it as the Fashion Week for interior design, because believe it or not furniture companies introduce new pieces seasonally, too!
Following are some of the trends I noticed at this season’s Market and what I think about them.
Trend 1: Waves and scallops
Waves and scallops as a design element were in a lot of showrooms this season, whether featured in furniture pieces or in decorative items. We saw both incorporated into headboards, coffee tables, chairs and more, sometimes in big ways and sometimes more subtly.
I think of waves and scallops in design as a historically preppy or boho design element, but brands are now taking them and modernizing their look. A great example is the recently launched furniture line from Light & Dwell featuring waves. My prediction is that the wave trend will eventually spillover into mainstream furniture brands, so keep an eye on this one!
From left to right: Moving Mountains Wavy Sofa by Good Colony | Percy Floor Lamp by Life Interiors | Beatrix Fabric Bed Head by Life Interiors | The Montreal Writing Desk by Sara Levitas Design | Scallop Rattan Side Table by Serena & Lily | Paris Fabric Pendant by Soho House
Trend 2: Burl wood
When I think of burl wood, I think of the 1960s when this style was wildly popular in mid-century designs. I was surprised to see this at Market since it’s been so long since it’s been in the spotlight!
I categorize burl wood as a re-emerging trend. It was featured in select pieces in about 20% of High Point showrooms this Fall. I’m uncertain though if it will make it into mainstream design because in my opinion it is one of those wood finishing methods that people either love or hate. But, maybe some of the images included in this post will convince you that there are beautiful ways to use burl pieces.
If you like this style of furniture and want to incorporate it into your home, antique stores, Facebook Marketplace and other second-hand shops can be great places to source burl wood pieces from if you don't want to buy new.
From left to right: John Street Residence Design by Phoebe Nicol | SV Residence Design by Pernille Lind Studio | Long Island Residence by Colin King Studio
Trend 3: Metal lampshades
We saw a ton of metal lampshades – most of them done in brass – at Market. In fact, Visual Comfort, which is one of the larger lighting vendors, had a whole row of metal lampshades in their showroom.
While I love the look of a brass lampshade, my sister and I agree that they’re not practical: metal is non-light filtering, so lampshades made of this material are really only good for rooms with low lighting or purely decorative needs, making them challenging to incorporate into designs. Given this, I think metal lampshades are a trend we’ll see this year, but it’s a trend that probably won’t stick due to the impracticality of it.
From left to right: Halcyon Accent Table Lamp by Visual Comfort | Archard Brass Table Lamp by Arhaus | Gigi Polished Brass Table Lamp by CB2
Trend 4: Sage green
Just as amber red was the color of 2021 for interior design, this year’s color is sage green. It was in most showrooms, mostly on upholstery. I personally love this color, whether it’s on a piece of furniture, paint or in my wardrobe. Likely, we’ll continue to see this in designs for the next year, at least until the design community picks its next color to obsess over.
From left to right: The Paige Chaise with Fringe by River & Bord | Bungalow Sofa in Capital Verde Nubuck Leather by One for Victory | Emerson 3-Drawer Dresser by Room & Board
Trend 5: Boucle (again!)
Boucle was a trend we saw in some, but not all High Point showrooms in 2021. If you thought boucle was a momentary trend, think again because it’s here to stay. Boucle was everywhere at market this year. If a showroom didn’t have at least one boucle piece, it was unusual.
What I noticed this year is that boucle use is evolving beyond just upholstered chairs. We saw full sofas, bed frames, coffee tables (yes, tables!) and even mirrors upholstered in boucle. Boucle fabric use is still mostly focused on whites and creams, but we saw some boucle fabrics in gray, black and other neutral colorways. I’d be on the lookout in the year ahead for more unexpected uses of boucle (which I adore).
From left to right: The Fringe Armchair by Studio Ashby | Lola Lounge Chaise by Verellen
Trend 6: Chenille sofas
The use of chenille on select upholstered items at this season’s market was…interesting. We saw chenille upholstered sofas in just a handful of high-end showrooms, including Gabby. But, try as I have to visual this as a luxury fabric choice for furniture, I can’t. Chenille is soft and comfortable as a fabric, but it doesn’t look luxury no matter how you manipulate it. Therefore, I can’t see chenille taking hold and multiplying throughout luxury design. In fact, I am hard-pressed to find quality photos of chenille sofas to include in this post! Maybe 2023’s Market will prove me wrong on this, in which case I’ll happily issue a mea culpa to the design world.
Which trends are you interested in incorporating into your home this year?
Happy nesting!
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