** This blog post was sponsored by High Point Market and the brands mentioned here. However, as always, all views are entirely our own!
Hello once again, dear friends!
Since our last post, May has completely sprung up on us. Can you believe it? The time is flying. The hot summer weather will be with us before you know it.
In fact, we can’t believe it’s already been three weeks since we visited High Point Market as part of their Design Bloggers Tour. We’re still on a bit of an inspiration high from the event. After all, each day was a total whirlwind of stunning showrooms and exciting new ideas and products.
In our last post (which you can read here) we told you all about the incredible performance fabrics we saw at Market that we believe will have a big impact on the design industry.
There was so much more to see over the three days. Here are some of the other brands and products we saw that we think you will love!
Bernhardt Furniture
I was excited to see Bernhardt Furniture’s showroom at High Point because this is a brand that I already love. Bernhardt is a great mid-range brand, and I’ve placed their products in a few of my projects over the years.
What I really love about Bernhardt is that they’re a real proponent of the arts. The company’s CEO, Alex Bernhardt Jr., often works with smaller-name furniture and interior designers to come up with some really innovative products.
Their showroom, which focused on their fun interiors line, really showed that commitment. It was full of gorgeous, glamorous products that showed the brand is really ahead of the trends. As you can see, their furniture is of great quality for their price point.
Exquisite Rugs
This was hands down one of my favorite finds at Market this year.
Exquisite Rugs is a relatively small, family-owned company that sells to the trade only. Their products are stunningly beautiful in every sense of the word, using only top-of-the-line materials.
I was so impressed with the quality and diversity of their huge line, which includes everything from tight-weave rugs and Moroccan shag-type rugs to high-end silk Persian rugs. A total dream!
Rene Cazares
I had never heard of Rene Cazares before Market this year, but I was glad to have found them. Their products are a great fit for our clientele.
Rene Cazares has a relatively modern aesthetic, with plenty of clean lines and tight backs. There’s not a lot of flourish in their line – just simple but incredibly versatile designs.
What I really loved is that all of their fabrics are Crypton (a performance fabric we talk more about here), making them great for family homes. Their sofas and chairs also have really comfortable arms – cozy enough to sit on and hang out – and their sectionals are designed in a way that they can go back-to-back or even be extended to float through an entire room. I thought they were just perfect for a family movie space.
Adriana Hoyos
Adriana Hoyos was another really cool family-owned company. Adriana is the brand’s main designer, and we were able to meet her daughter at the Market showroom.
What really stood out to me about this brand is that it gives a real female perspective – not necessarily in its aesthetic, but in the drive and passion behind the brand.
I particularly loved these fans they’d designed that emulated dancing skirts. The rest of their line was made up of some really beautiful, streamlined furniture that uses a lot of gorgeous wood.
Michael Dawkins Home
Michael Dawkins was originally an interior designer who started designing custom pieces for his clients. It became such a passion project for him that he launched a product line, Michael Dawkins Home.
This is a transition that we ourselves are going through, and it was so nice to meet someone who was further along on their journey and successfully producing such beautiful furniture.
Michaels’ style is very contemporary, and it’s not hard to tell that comfort is a high priority for him, all while balancing it out with a beautiful aesthetic.
Bungalow 5
I really like Bungalow 5 and their High Point Market showroom is always really well done. I’ve worked with them on a few projects before and I’m a big fan of their aesthetic.
Bungalow 5 has a bit of a glam-meets-bungalow type aesthetic – quite natural looking and elegant at the same time. As you can see in the photo, they focus a lot on case goods – cabinets, sideboards, side tables, dining chairs and so on. They had some really beautiful pieces on display.
Universal Furniture
Universal Furniture was another new brand for me at Market this year. The brand is owned by a Chinese family and all of their products are manufactured in China.
I simply couldn’t believe the breadth of Universal’s line – it was truly huge, and we were only able to see a small bit of it. Their merchandising and set design was spectacular, and they were even fundraising for breast cancer awareness at the event.
As for the products themselves, the brand has a more traditional aesthetic which I loved. Their showroom featured some really traditional pieces and some of their children’s furniture. They also have a modern line that wasn’t on-site but I’m really excited to check out.
Karastan
Last but certainly not least, Karastan is a wonderful family-owned company that was actually celebrating their 90th anniversary at Market this year. The brand is known for their wall-to-wall carpeting and rugs, with designs that look just like hand-woven Persian rugs.
The Karastan team were so sweet, treating us to hors d’oeuvres and deserts as we browsed the showroom. I knew about this company and their carpets before, but it was so cool to hear the story behind the brand and how it grew.
The first Karastan rug was produced in 1928 after Marshall Field developed the first loom capable of weaving a machine-made oriental-design rug. The brand made a huge public debut at the 1933-34 World’s Fair in Chicago, where 5 million visitors were encouraged to walk all over a large version of the rug. To this day, the company has that rug – half of it having been returned to its original vibrant beauty.
I just loved that story!
Until next time…
That’s not all folks! There were a handful of other wonderful brands that we got to know on tour at Market – but we’ll be saving that dose of inspiration for a future post.
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Thanks to all of these wonderful sponsors! Here are links to see more of their work and products:
