I loved all the color in this Chelsea House room vignette.

Looking Back & Moving Ahead

Happy New Year! With 2022 officially now in the rearview mirror and the promise of 2023 ahead of us, I’m feeling that it’s been a long (but fast!) holiday season that really began for me in October with High Point Market. If you were to make a bingo card of the Traveling Designer’s blog, smack in the center’s free space would be High Point Market!

High Point Market is a biannual wonderland for folks in the trade, making it an interior designer’s answer to a week-long mountain retreat: rejuvenating, creatively reinvigorating, and populated by some of the most fascinating people you’ll find anywhere. Of course, High Point Market would take many, many mountains: it’s held in over 11,500,000 square feet of showroom space!

In between walking (so. much. walking!) and sampling the free food and drinks, I was in research mode. As a designer, I’m looking at what’s in front of me and what’s ahead: evaluating pieces for my clients’ taste and homes, as well as keeping a finger on the pulse of design trends. I’m eyeing what is fresh and experimental while finding imaginative new takes on classic design.

Throughout this post, keep an eye peeled for Ernie, who graciously served as a model and furniture tester during the week; how many Ernies can you spot?

Without further ado, I’m here to report back on what I spotted (and what I loved!); think of it as your 2023 forecast!

Passport Stampers

First up is a trend that felt right out of the Traveling Designer blog: globally inspired design!

So much to take in at a favorite High Point showroom!

I could have been stepping back into the Inn of the Five Graces with all the international references I spotted in the woodwork, wallpaper, and upholstery, as well as the room accessories that drew inspiration from craft culture from around the world.

Bright red klismos-inspired bench

Low seating in a traditional woven pattern

Greek motifs are always in style

Tribal design geometries update rugs

Including Gautam Buddha in home design is said to bring good luck and increase a room’s feng shui (or, as the Gen Zs might say: it increases a room’s “good vibes”). Buddhas were everywhere at High Point showrooms.

2. Au naturel

Inspiration wasn’t limited to human influences from around the world, but also included the natural world, too! Materials and furniture craftsmanship invoked forests, fields of flowers, mountains, and the deep blue sea: it was the National Geographic of design!

Shells, Feathers, Stone, and Wood

The sea, stone, flora, and fauna all made it into home design one way or another at this market.

I adore how this traditional Papua New Guinea shell jewelry was given a new life as displayed art!

Bowls clearly made from tree roots and trunks were displayed with modern and traditional furniture bringing in a beautiful handcrafted and natural element of wabi sabi.

The unique application of the wood grain in this table and the sleek chairs at this dining set at Alfonso Marina made me want to take it all home. I can tell you those chairs are really comfortable, and the curved wood arms feels like silk!

Flowers, flowers, everywhere!

Although it was the Fall Market, Springtime was blooming one way or another in all the showrooms.

It’s hard to tell from this photo, but these are porcelain flowers in this Corbett chandelier --- perfect for the most stylish home.

I had to give you a close up shot of these beauties!

A delicate chintz invoking a serene pond in the Chinese countryside

3. A World of Color

In a world of gray, beige, and–most nightmarish of all–greige (gray+beige, yikes!), using color feels daring, bold, and risky. I’ve always been a color crusader, and I’ve been encouraged to continue fighting the good fight by all the color I spotted around High Point!

For those that do not shy from color, this Spring green cabinet with its gold accents invokes Chinese imperial glamor. It would look right at home in the palace of a Tang emperor, especially with that sofa!

Each of these eye-catching glass pieces have enough personality to offset any greige backdrop.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen anyone gravitate to yellow dominating their color palette. But I absolutely loved this deep, sunny yellow on the walls, dining chairs and accent pillows. Combined with the oversized dark navy sectional and the bright gold fabric on the wing chairs it is a surprisingly relaxed and cheery setting. In the background, you can spy the chandelier with a collection of delicate shades that are reminiscent of paper lanterns. In combination with the jewel yellow and blues, and the bonsai silk tapestries, we could be at a Japanese Lunar New Year Festival!

This well-designed sofa, with its shimmery peacock teal fabric, invokes snorkeling through tropical waters. Next stop, the Great Barrier reef - I wish I could have brought this sofa home along with Ernie!

Yay for color! I see stars! This buffet captures a few trends: vibrant color, nature as a theme, and brass accents (coming up!). I love how color was used to capture the twinkling night sky in this piece.

4. A twinkle in my eye

And now on to lighter subjects let’s talk chandeliers and light fixtures. A major throughline I noticed was the prevalence of multiple-pendant chandeliers, all of which achieved different effects and atmospheres.

These two brass-colored chandeliers remind me of an industrial-chic bar, where impossibly cool twenty-somethings are sipping red wine and discussing jazz. Don’t we all want to feel that cool in our homes?!

Currey and Company had so many multi-pendant chandeliers to choose from.

I must admit, I was not a fan of these string lights, it must play against my sense of order and balance.

Looping back to drawing inspiration from the natural world, these chandeliers use clear crystals to invoke ice and whimsy. Either as dripping icicles or a forest frozen by frost, these chandeliers will bring a Winter Wonderland to your home all year round!

But don’t let lighting go over your head! How about putting a bouquet of flower lights on the wall?

Or how about a little bit of sunshine with these art deco sconces? If you are a regular reader of the blog, you know I love Art Deco anything!

A Baaaaaaaaaaaaa Break!

Another throwback to a previous Traveling Designer post! I loved seeing my wooly friends! The humor and irreverence François-Xavier Lalanne hoped for with his flock of sheep back in 1965 continues to win over hearts.

5. Brass isn’t just for marching bands

Much like wedding band trends, finishing metals for furniture come and go, but it seems like brass is here to stay! But not the brassy mcbrass of brass bands, it’s been infused into furniture to invoke subtle elegance and refinement. Think of brass as the metal equivalent to seasoned professional athletes’ mature, quiet confidence: understated but commanding.

The delicate brass metal work works well with the chunky acrylic top in this table’s construction, while the metal’s gentle glimmer makes it both beautiful and dignified.

I love the clever combination of honeycombed brass and wood in this buffet.

Another delightfully delicate instance of brass construction. The thin legs with the flared feet remind me of fancy ropes and tassels, perfectly complemented by the white stone top.

We’ve seen brass and acrylic, brass and stone, brass and wood, and now brass on leather!

Brass really shines in this brass and glass table. The pattern of the magazine shelf has me dreaming of Morocco. Dreams do come true – you’ll be reading about our upcoming trip to Morocco in 2023!

This wall-mounted brass demi lune table is another Art Deco winner in my book!

6. Cozy up with Boucle

As we head into chillier weather, you may have noticed people breaking out their boucle sweaters. In the fashion world, boucle was a favorite fabric for Fall 2022, and the interior design world agrees!

To me, boucle, which is already a variation on textured fabrics, is the latest remix on mod-era classics.

Ernie wasn’t the only one testing out chairs! This boucle-covered swivel chair was super cozy!

The knotted fabric of boucle makes for comfy sitting and easy transitions into comfy napping, too! There was a lot of boucle in the Bernhardt showroom. Throughout the market I saw boucle paired with shearling furnishings, they do play well together!

Lattice take a pause for a trellis wall!

I’m beginning to think I have some devoted blog readers who attend High Point Market, because what should I find but a trellis wall!

7. Circular thinking

When it comes to tables, circles have been the name of the design game. However, designers are beginning to cut corners (literally!) to create circles and gentle curves on every type of furniture imaginable. The result is a softer, warmer space that feels part mid-century modern and part future-facing home.

How many curves can you find in this seating area? I saw a lot of versions of these rod-like table legs. Clearly, it’s not hip to be square!

Detailed curves and circles are shown here in lighting, furniture, and mirrors using brass, stone, and glass. Did you spot the craziest thing in this photo? Look at the demi lune table’s legs: curvaceous, yes - but yikes!

The softened edges of this chaise lounge at Alfonso Marina’s showroom are designed with daydreaming in mind; the half-back allows for luxurious reclining to coast through lazy, happy afternoons.

Is this, perhaps, taking the curve one curve too many?!

8. Into the Woods

Reeded and rattan wood furniture are timeless pieces, used in many early civilizations including Ancient Egypt, they’ve remained a mainstay of classic design, but that doesn’t mean they’ve gotten stale or fussy! Designers are constantly innovating, inventing fresh takes on these classics.

I adore this console table and the movement captured in the bundle of wood. The branches look like they were knotted together only a second before! I would love to see how this table base is made.

Lighting didn’t escape the rattan trend either! How fun are these pendants?!

Painted furniture is all the rage now and pale blue adds a new spin to a classic bamboo chest.

In an unassuming blonde wood, this vintage-leaning reeded cupboard from Sarreid is perfect to squirrel away a vinyl collection!

If you are looking for bohemian reeded furniture Woven has it. I love the ‘70s vibe of this collection.

9. A Bone To Pick

As you can probably infer from the name, bone in-lay furniture historically involves working animal bone, usually camel, into the design or pattern of a piece. Nowadays, camel bones are used exclusively from certified ethically sourced suppliers, who get the bones from animals who passed away from natural causes. The advantage of using bones in pattern work is the creation of delicate motifs and subtle color variations. This type of furniture always adds a global flair to a room.