Design Trends Spotted at the Spring 2022 High Point Market—BYHYU 252

The High Point Market is the largest furniture trade show for design professionals in the world.  Twice a year more than 75,000 designers, furniture buyers, retail store owners and architects go to High Point, North Carolina to see what’s trending in furnishings.  Unfortunately, the show is not open to the general public, but many designers report on what they see each year at High Point.   If you didn’t know,  North Carolina is known as the furniture-making capital in the United States.    It’s where most quality furniture manufactured in America is made.





In today’s episode we’ll go over some of the most popular design trends spotted at the recent Spring 2022 High Point Market.  The information in this show comes from a couple of articles on Houzz.com.  Most of the designs features we'll talk about have been around for 2-3 years and are still trending.  Others are emerging trends. As we go through the list, remember, you don’t have to incorporate all of these, or frankly any of these features into our new house, but it’s always nice to stay on top of what’s currently in style.  


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Alright let’s get into to that list of trends.

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​1.  A Warm Color Palette

Warm, cozy hues of tans and browns continue to be big in design. Cognac, warm taupes and butterscotch were especially popular, edging out the cool grays and stark whites that dominated decors just a couple of years ago.  Grays and whites were still found, but they didn’t monopolize showrooms like they once did and grays and whites are now warm with tan, not bluish undertones.

2. Circles and Curves

Rounded silhouettes became popular a few seasons ago.  They give a more relaxed, sometimes whimsical feeling to a space that helps balance all of the seriousness we’ve encountered during the pandemic.  Not only do sofas and chairs include more curves, but so do lighting fixtures, in the form of scalloped shades and arched shapes.

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3. Nature-inspired Design

Organic shapes and earthier warm colors, like I just talked about,  are examples of nature- inspired features that were seen all over High Point Market this Spring.  Nature-inspired design is sometimes called biophilic design and it's where natural elements are brought into our indoor environments and give us a greater connection to nature.  Other biophilic design elements seen at High Point were leaves and floral patterns on upholstery, wallpaper, art and accessories.  Even lighting fixtures included things like sculpted leaves and flowers.
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​4. Sustainability.

Interest in sustainability has been a thing for many years now. Furniture made of fast-growing  bamboo, recycled plastics and vegan leather were spotted all over High Point.

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​5. Wicker and Wovens

This is another natural element category that's been around for a few seasons now and remains popular— designs with wicker, rattan, caning, and other woven textures.   These wovens were found in furniture and lighting fixtures and were sometimes painted and mixed with other materials, giving them a fresh look for Spring 2022.

6. Stone and Crystals

Natural stone like marble and limestone, stone-like plaster, and natural quartz-like crystals had a strong presence at the market.  Here’s that nature theme again. Stone side tables and natural crystal lighting fixtures made several appearances at High Point.

​7. Three-Dimensional Designs

3D patterns which were slighted raised, or dramatically elevated, were spotted in wall coverings, artwork and tiles.  Not every surface was raised, but 3D patterns were scattered among smooth surfaces to add interest and contrast.

8. Blond Woods

There was a general shift toward lighter woods across furniture styles.  From dining tables to bookcases to counter stools, blond woods were readily seen.  Medium tone and darker woods were also present, but lighter, blond woods were more prominent than we’ve seen in the recent past.
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9. 70’s Sensibility

Some of the trends that we’ve already covered on our list today give a nod to the 70s— from the warm brown hues to the woven wicker furniture.   Don’t worry, though, there weren’t many exact replicas of 70s furniture, but several pieces had a subtle 70s vibe. Large globe lighting fixtures made popular in the 70s made a resurgence several years ago and were still seen at High Point a few weeks ago
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10. Art Deco

Another era that was represented at High Point Market was the 1920 and 30s.  Art Deco designs made popular during the 20s and 30s were found in velvet furniture, arches and scalloped details and brass elements.  It doesn’t seem like brass is going anywhere anytime soon.

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​11. Traditional Style

Although clean lines are still around, furniture designers are mixing in traditional elements like rounded, turned feet/legs on tables and chairs, curve rolled arms on chairs and fringe.  There is increasing interest in adding antiques into spaces alongside more modern styles.

12.  Pops of Color

Deep colors like blackberry and smoky blue were paired with vibrant shades like coral. Shades of purple, especially mauve , vibrant blues and greens are also being used in furnishings.  So this trend of deep and vibrant colors, along with the trend of earthy warm colors lets me know that just about any color palette goes.  If you like neutrals, go for warm neutrals. If you like color, add in dark colors and bright colors.   Bottom line is do what you like.

13.  Inside-Out Fabrics

Indoor furniture was sometimes covered with outdoor fabrics which are resistant to stains, fading and mildew.  Outdoor and performance fabrics on upholstered furniture are especially helpful for spaces where small children and pets will hang out

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14.  Multifunctional Furniture 

There were coffee tables and consoles that transform into desks, modular sofas that can be configured for everyday living or special events, and ottomans that can be used for extra seating.  Multifunctional furniture is another trend that became more popular as a result of the pandemic when people were working from home and living in spaces in ways they hadn't before..

15. Oversized Lighting Fixtures

Large lighting fixtures have been around for a while now.  Slimmer linear pendants and bar lights are also popular, but classic designs in extra large sizes add a fresh take to familiar styles.  Think oversized lanterns and giant dome pendants.

16. Mixed Materials and Metals

Matte or antiqued brass and gold,  plus black, continue to be the dominant metal tones in both traditional and contemporary lighting designs. And this season, many lighting fixtures paired brass and/or black with other materials and textures for an updated look. Fixtures might combine metals, marble, wood, and/or glass or acrylic.

17. Leather Accents

Part of the mixed-material and warm color trends, is the addition of leather accents.  Leather accents were found in lighting fixtures, on upholstered chairs and on wood furniture pieces as leather straps that function as pulls on drawers.
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​So those were some the design features seen at the spring 2022 High Point Market.  Take a look at the show notes to see examples of some of these trends,  Thank you for joining me.


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