My POV on HPMKT

Furniture + Market + Town that is A Mainstay on my Must Attends. My U.S. Home Furnishings Dance Card. The Great Inclusion.

An Industry Event that spans the Generations, the Styles, the Budgets and, increasingly, the Perspectives. This is High Point Market Authority , of course.

I came to the my first (of now 6) HPMKT after a decade of only European Shows. I know them from both a consumer point of view… visiting Première Vision and MAISON&OBJET since they were ‘just down the road’ from me in France. From professional POV, I worked on the Pantone stand for years - the trend forecasting stand, the newsstand, the meeting place of creative inspiration across fashion, home, interiors and graphics too. I presented Color Awards, Trends, Movements and participated in panel talks ranging from brand to trends to material achievability and more. The world of color is vast…

Un-digress, Abby. Un-digress.

What do I enjoy most about HPMKT?

Walking the streets, feeling the energy. The evolving showrooms. The improvements to the town of High Point, the event management & marketing prowess.

The budding and growing and transformative relationships.

The education. The food.

The flowers. The smiles.

That friendly phrase “How’s Market?”

My Top 5 Favorite Spots this Time?

313 Space = Best New Space.

Shoppe Object = Simply Beautiful. Differentiating. Supportive.

Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design = Outstanding use of space and elevation of a subject formerly seen as (my words...) green and brown and crunchy.

Pooky Lights = Smiles & Good Energy.

Gabby = Great Party, and a truly stand-out showroom experience.

What needs work? (IMHO)

Expression of intent around ‘sustainability’ even if the word has been diluted. Show me - showroom owners and manufacturers and marketeers and designers and consumers - that you understand the impact we and our businesses are making on the planet.?

But wait...

Universal Furniture's panel talk "Bridge the Sustainability Gap" was the best attempt I've seen in my 6 markets so far... to elevate the subject, to educate beyond the fear and invite open minds to try anew. Thanks to great moderation and questions by Diane Falvey at Furniture, Lighting & Decor and thoroughly thought-provoking discussion by Lucy Penfield (Lucy Interiors), Jerri Hobdy , Jules Haines (Haines Collection) and Janine Wagers (Universal Merchandising Team) we attendees left feeling inspired and that the needle towards circular development - or at least the seed of a thought about end of life might be thought about more and more. Amongst our many challenges.

And, always...

I love the Journalists. The Talkers & Sharers. The media teams and leaders that prep & guide us Beforehand, that dive in for us (and fly overhead with technicolor banner in two, it now seems Dennis Scully ) in the During and that Wrap it all up at the end. Thank you.

Business of Home. The wit, the wonder and appeal, in addition to the deep understanding, poking and prodding - to our benefit - of the business we adore.

ANDMORE. ALL the Bright Lights behind the scenes of this great event that gets better each season.

The Stumps. Stump & Company. Keeping us grounded in the Quant AND Qual and M&A and insight across our beloved industry full of movement.

See you in the Spring.