High Point Market is not for the faint of heart. Held for six days in April and six days in October – in the downtown showroom district of the city of High Point, North Carolina -– the trade-only market encompasses more than 10 million square feet of space in 180 buildings, home to 2,000 exhibitors. Picture miles of aisles of furniture and furnishings of every description.
With a mere three days to cover what the High Point Market Planning Guide bills as “the next six days that matter,” and taking as a challenge a statement inside the guide (“You will not be able to see everything even if you stay the entire week”), I decided to take in as much as humanly possible. Aided by an extraordinarily efficient system of hotel, downtown and “go anywhere” shuttles, I did just that – feeling both exhilarated and exhausted at the end of each day.
What saved me in the end from sensory overload were the calming shades of grey and silver my eye gravitated toward – a relief from riotous colour and pattern. Following is a selection of items that not only caught my attention but held on tight.
1—GREAT GUS
Canada’s own Gus Modern introduced a number of handsome pieces to its 2012 furniture collection. These included the Harbord Loft bi-sectional, featuring blind-tufted upholstery, flanged arms and tapered wood legs (a) – a sofa version is also available; the Glacier end table, created from brushed stainless steel (b); and the Thatcher sofa, with a diamond-quilted detail on its integrated seat and back (c). gusmodern.com
2—ALL SYSTEMS GO
The Atlante System – encompassing storage units and open elements in various permutations – is from Italian company Gruppo Tomasella, shown here in grey open-pore lacquer, with mother of pearl open-pore lacquered shoulders and cladding. gruppotomasella.it
3—THE ART OF LIGHT
SkLO’s new Lasso lighting collection was inspired by the California manufacturer’s Lasso sculptural object. Shown is the table light, made of thick, vertically stacked Czech glass lasso components, supported by a steel base. Pendants and a wall light are also available. sklostudio.com
4—BERNHARDT, SOFT
Based in western North Carolina, the Bernhardt family has been creating fine furniture since 1889. Introductions for 2012 include the Belgian Oak collection, constructed in rustic oak solids and veneers, lightly cerused, brushed and waxed; shown (a) is the Crested Bed with a finish called French Truffle. Also notable is the Adele Sofa (b) with a classic arc back, roll arm and tapered square leg, with woven body cloth in mini-scale indigo and white. berhardt.com
5—WELL TAILORED
From the Fall 2012 Calvin Klein Curator Collection (as smart and streamlined as the famous designer’s men’s clothing line): the Framed Lounge Chair, with chamfered edges, architectural structure with a side profile view, and coal-black ash finish. calvinklein.com
6—BY STRAUSS
Ohio-based John Strauss has 20 years of experience creating and manufacturing furniture for designers and architects. His Sheridan Road Armoire – made of rift sawn oak, with a steam bent base -– is from JS@Home by John Strauss Furniture Design. straussfurniture.com
7—EIGHT IS ENOUGH
Variér Eight, designed by Olav Eldøy, is a barstool/high kitchen chair that can be tilted forward and backward, as well as swiveled 360 degrees; it’s also height adjustable. The footrest follows the rotation in the chair, providing support in any position. vavierfurniture.com
8—CITY LIVING
Based in Atlanta, City Collection specializes in fine leather furniture – using such materials as large Italian cattle hides, solid stainless-steel bases and kiln-dried hardwood frames. Members of the family include the Kingsley chair (a) – a loveseat, sofa and large sofa are also available; and the Barcelona small sofa (b) – a standard sofa and club chair are also available. citycolllectionfurniture.com
4-COCKTAIL, ANYONE?
California-based Allan Copley Designs introduced the Surina Cocktail Table, made of polished cast aluminum. allancopley.com