Isabel and I try to make it to the Market in Highpoint, North Carolina at least once a year. But it had been a couple years and so we were eager to go and catch up on the latest trends. We also brought my partner, Evelyn Jung, who has been working with The Design Network for several years to get our show, SKETCH, off the ground. 

We were also excited to be going to celebrate the kick-off to the new Spring Season of The Design Network and the launch of their new app on the new Apple TV. I encourage you to pick up an Apple TV box at the Apple Store and get connected. In addition to the fantastic content on The Design Network, there are so many other apps, networks, games, etc. that all allow you the user to interact and interface. The Design Network is no exception!

So, I would venture to say I am probably the only architect at the market every year….or so it seems. I have been to three markets now and I have yet to meet a fellow architect. So why do I go? Well of course, my wife Isabel is a designer and has her own store, Earth and Images, and she goes to restock, and select and shop for items for her clients and customers. I like to go for several reasons.

First, I love the South…. If you read my blog from a little over a month ago we were in Atlanta, and last year New Orleans. I love the Southern hospitality but most of all the Southern Cuisine and North Carolina has some amazing barbecue – my favorite being the the Midwood Smokehouse in Charlotte.

Second, I like seeing the trends in furnishing and where the colors, texture, scale, but most importantly, the style is going! I loved what I saw this year. Definitely a lot more of a sophisticated style starting to emerge. The rustic, industrial look seems to be losing a bit of its novelty and newness – although still very prevalent. I love understanding what is coming in terms of furniture and accessories as it give me a real clue as how to craft the spaces around these items.

Third, and probably most importantly, I love the time with my Isabel. We have fond memories of coming to Highpoint and our time and friends we have now made here – especially those from The Design Network, namely Jason and Jenny Harris and their entire team who now are simply family to Isabel and I.

It’s a real honor to be a part of The Design Network and we are so excited to kick of our second season of SKETCH with our premiere on May 19th!  We have eight episodes coming from homes in Arcadia and Scottsdale to three beautiful mountain homes in Coeur d’Alene including my first Candelaria Design project ever! I hope you download the Apple TV app or watch us on the website.

So back to the Market. Isabel and I put together this fun video of our trip this year and some of the celebrity designers we ran into including Alexa Hampton, Brooke Gomez, Mary McDonald, Thom Filicia, and Peter Sinnott. 

As I mentioned earlier, we spotted 6 hot trends and here they are:

1.   Community Hightop Tables: Definitely an item we are noticing in many of our homes. From more industrial style to now more refined and sophisticated styles, the community table seems to be taking hold in our homes. Originally the hightop community tables were big in restaurants and bars but I think so many of us love them that we have now started incorporating them in our homes. I see these pieces occupy that no man land between the Kitchen Island and the Family Room or outside on the patio to help link that inside outside connection especially with all of the indoor / outdoor bars we are now doing.

2.   Architectural Graphics: We noticed the use of architectural graphics and drawings on a number of products from whole wall panels and backdrops to pillow and chairs.

3.   Portable Bars: I like this trend. Take that bar with you wherever you go!

4. Indoor Ventless Alcohol Fireplaces and Firepits: These are very cool - now you can have the fire and not worry about the chimney! Check out this line from Brown Jordon Fires. 

5.   Sophistication is Back: We noticed definitely a lot more sophistication in all of the showrooms. I think the milleniums are growing up.

6.   Color: I tended to notice a lot more blue and creams. The orange from a couple years ago seems to have already faded.

My favorite showroom on the trip was Eloquence. Wow – what a cool place for sure. French sourced and inspired this showroom definitely caught my attention. Clean, elegant and definitely sophisticated but with a sense of casualness and country to the line.

Overall a really fun trip – fabulous showrooms, food, cocktails parties, dancing, and always new friendships. I look forward to returning – maybe this Fall!