High Point Market, the world’s largest trade show for the interior design industry, attracts design professionals from around the world. It is a must-attend for designers looking to curate unique and inspiring pieces for their clients and home decor stores. Renowned manufacturers, emerging vendors, and designers converge in this bustling marketplace twice a year to showcase their latest collections.
Pacita Wilson, an award-winning interior designer based in Woodstock, Georgia, founded Pineapple Park in 2010 to offer a client-specific atmosphere that encompasses their feeling of home and to provide one-stop shopping for all their home decor needs. Pacita is passionate about helping clients live well by design, and attending the top markets in Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and High Point, North Carolina is essential to her business. Seeing her clients’ pure joy when they see their newly transformed spaces is Pacita’s favorite part of her profession. In this article, Pacita shares the interior designer experience of exploring High Point Market: the process of finding exquisite furniture and decor items, purchasing strategies, future trends, and preparation strategies for prospective inventory demands.
Pacita describes how attending the Market offers a myriad of opportunities for decorators to plan and purchase pieces to refresh their showrooms as well as discover unique finds that set them apart. It is the ultimate destination for strategic buying, providing a foundation for creating a retail space that constantly evolves with the ever-changing trends and demands of the industry. With multiple buildings and showrooms spread across miles, Pacita explains the importance of wearing comfortable shoes to keep your feet happy. She walked 32,000+ steps in one day!
High Point sets the stage for outstanding inspiration. It is a place where you can explore an extensive range of styles from classic to contemporary and everything in between. Showrooms are meticulously designed and curated, allowing designers to gain inspiration and envision how each piece could contribute to their store and delight discerning clientele. Pacita loves to see how different showrooms layer their collections and draws inspiration from many vendors’ pieces to create her vision. Pacita says the most intriguing aspect of High Point Market is observing how each showroom artfully layers its new products. Not to mention how fabulous it is to see the spectacular floral arrangements and enjoy signature cocktails. Whether it’s a sprawling showroom or a cozy boutique space, the arrangement of furniture, accessories, and decor items is awe-inspiring. It enables designers to embrace fresh concepts and reimagine their own store layout and inventory focus.
Vintage finds are the first things Pacita looks for when she begins her five-day adventure. Finding vintage statement pieces is her favorite part of holiday buying, and she says they are key to curating a memorable and enchanting atmosphere for her 15,000-square-foot showroom during Christmastime. Timeless treasures add a touch of nostalgia, elegance, and personality. Combining vintage elements with modern decor allows you to create a beautiful holiday display. Clients wait an hour in line before the doors open for the annual Pineapple Park holiday season reveal during their Christmas Open House!
Pacita discusses the importance of building good relationships with her vendors and how High Point fosters a sense of community within the industry. She looks forward to connecting with her furniture representatives twice a year and says how neat it is to run into the same designers from all over the world each year. Even though Pacita has her favorite vendors whose quality and designs align with her own vision, she always allows for time to seek out new vendors in high design. Pacita loves talking to knowledgeable representatives who have an in-depth understanding of the materials, craftsmanship, and design philosophy behind each piece. By conversing with them, she gains valuable insights into the manufacturing process and customization options. Thus, when she recommends products, she tells her clients that she knows the craftsmanship of every item she sells, having sat on it, felt the fabric, and analyzed its design.
With a forward-looking vision, Pacita approaches High Point to obtain her carefully curated showroom collection and anticipate clients’ needs. As a strategic buyer, Pacita buys six to eleven months in advance and offers a wide array of art, rugs, case goods, soft goods, and accessories. Refreshing a retail showroom involves considering every aspect of the space, from the large statement pieces to the smallest accessories. High Point is the perfect platform for staying ahead of emerging trends; Pacita says that fur and velvet are trending bigger than ever.
Both art and lighting can transform a space, which is why they are Pacita’s favorite categories. Art sets the tone in the room. Pacita loves the art within high design because everything is new! In the lighting showrooms, vendors usually hang the new pieces lower with a discrete “new season” tag. Lighting plays a vital role in interior design, as it can transform a room’s mood, functionality, and overall aesthetics. From creating a welcoming ambiance to highlighting architectural features, lighting allows you to craft visually appealing and functional spaces. Different types of lighting fixtures, such as chandeliers, pendant lights, wall sconces, and recessed lights, offer unique ways to highlight focal points, artwork, or specific areas within a space. To create a desired atmosphere, Pacita will strategically position lighting fixtures and choose the correct intensities and colors.
Pacita also explains that the term “HFC” at the Market means “hold for confirmation.” Pacita prefers for items to be shipped immediately when available. She says it is such a fun treat when her finds are delivered before she even gets back home.
High Point Market is truly a treasure trove of inspiration, where designers can acquire the perfect pieces to transform client homes and showrooms into havens of elevated style.
