Our intern Whitney made her first trip to Market this month. We asked her to write up a short blog about her experience there, and judging by what she wrote, it’s safe to say she loved it!

From everything I heard the week leading up to High Point Furniture Market, I expected it to be fast-paced, exciting, busy and fun. Well…I was right! From the very beginning I realized the scale of this six-day event when I ended up having to park my car several miles away at a shopping mall (along with probably hundreds of others)!

After my long bus ride in, I met up with Dana and Josie at the International Home Furnishings Center, and we began our journey up to the showrooms of Clairemont’s clients, Thomasville and Drexel Heritage. At first I thought the showrooms on the ground floor were big….But that was before I saw the size of the showrooms on the eighth floor – those of Thomasville and Drexel! This year’s Market had an unbelievable 2,000 exhibitors. Judging by the size of some of the showrooms, that’s a whole lot of furniture to see!

Throughout the day I was fortunate enough to spend time interacting with film crews, magazine editors and Thomasville and Drexel Heritage representatives. I even “starred” in a clip about my favorite furniture piece, a funky yellow sofa (not to be confused with a “couch”). Receiving the grand tour by our very own Josie Butler, I had a better understanding of how everything comes together for Market and all of the different people that visit during the day.

I also took time to take notes of the several new trends I spotted in the showrooms. From upholstered tables to retro designs to eye-catching colors, I had a hard time picking out my favorites, but there was one specific room that I just loved. I don’t know if it was the bright pink and deep purple paints or the large-print floral fabrics, but this room had such a unique vibe – definitely an inspiration for my next design project!

Overall, I had a great time learning the ins and outs of Market and am so thankful I was able to witness the excitement first-hand.