We’re back from High Point with lots of unpack — tariff conversations have taken an unexpected turn, many vendors unveiled impressive product introductions and specific new trends carried throughout market indicate the aesthetic shifts that will define the next several years of American interiors. Let’s get to it:
Tariff talk
We’ve been hesitant to publish too much about tariffs out of fear that the news will change as soon as we published it. For the most part, that has, indeed, been the case, and while tariffs were top of mind at market, conversations about them were generally brief. Furnishing company leadership teams’ general attitude was an anxious shrug. Well see.
One can only act upon available information, after all, and when that information is changing daily, well… ’News Now Group publisher Rick Harrison wrote that he’s never heard of executives adopting wishful thinking as strategy before and yet, here we are. That is not to say, however that there has been inaction. Far from it!
Most of the vendors I spoke to in the custom/designer space, like Sean McFadden VP of Sales at Interlude, are, luckily, not heavily China-dependent, and had already moved what little manufacturing they did have in China to Vietnam. They also anticipated Trump’s tariff volatility and stocked up ahead of time, ensuring they would be fine to ride out at least a few months without any pay increases. But after that? Hopefully this blows over.
What can market foot traffic tell us about response to tariffs?
Market attendance has been a contentious conversation topic now for years, and tariff turmoil has only intensified it. The pressure to increase foot traffic is leading vendors to open showrooms earlier and earlier, and has lead to the overwhelming over-programming of panels and talks during market in hopes of keeping designers in their showroom for longer.
This market, companies relying heavily on imports generally reported lower—or ‘patchy’ — foot traffic, while many designer-friendly domestic upholstery companies were exceptionally busy. Norwalk’s new president Tim Newlin was all smiles, reporting consistently high foot traffic throughout the market.
Amongst designers placing orders at market, there was certainly a sense of urgency to get orders in now, before prices rise due to tariffs or before their clients scale back their budgets entirely. DNN Executive Editor Julie Palm reported on the attitude of designers placing orders at market here.
But honestly? I don’t want to overstate the panic. Overall, buyers were in good spirits. The surprise of this market was how little space the tariff conversation took up relative to everyone’s expectation. Many furnishing executives shared this surprise and reported it was “Business as usual, for now.”
How tariffs will affect the designer/custom market remains to be fully seen. For a myriad of reasons, the past serval years have seen design-build firms running out of budget before they get to the furniture piece and that is expected to intensify. For the client who is just getting a project started this year, a more immediate indicator of how their project budgets will be affected, rather than furniture orders placed this past market, is the increased cost of building materials and potential labor shortages in the building sector.
The foot traffic off the beaten path…
Natural light, unique aesthetic curation, and off the beaten path – together these elements create the perfect vibe at the 313 Space. Open for it’s second market, the building still feels as though you have to be ‘in the know’ for it to be on your radar, and yet, traffic was robust throughout market.
Vendors in the building, including domestic casegoods manufacturer Ross Alan, reported that the quality of the buyer coming through the 313 Space is unmatched. In this building, the buyer genuinely appreciates craftsmanship and doesn’t have as much sticker shock.
Once you’re in the 313 Space, you don’t want to leave. Owners Rudi Nijssen and Dominique Sente have cultivated a sense of discovery – similar to the antiques design center – but rather than feeling like you’re lost in the catacombs, you’re flanked by floor to ceiling windows inviting you to explore the indoor-outdoor space, kicking your feet up at on one of their patios and indulging in a wine tasting or a wood-smoked cocktail presentation.
The impressive product breakthroughs at High Point Market Spring 2025
Who has their finger on the pulse? Some of this market’s impressive product breakthroughs came from Arteriors, Baker-McGuire, Century and Made Goods.
First, the contemporary heavy-hitters: Arteriors and Baker
Arteriors’ design manager Kayli Roswell took her design team back to arts and crafts class with their latest collection: Particular stand-outs included lighting with elaborate beading and nods to tribal crafts, deco-glam fringe and pieces with subtle equestrian-inspired detailing.
Susan Ferrier for Baker McGuire (which we wrote about as part of a larger feature on Baker here) did not disappoint! Dramatic and detail-oriented, the tempered-bronze dining chair is Susan’s personal favorite, “It feels like the thesis statement of the collection,” she said, noting its earthy, handmade texture and contemporary-glam lines.
Playing the hits and revisiting the classics
A common theme this market was brands revisiting their archives to remix old best-sellers for a new generation of designers. There has been a yearning for vintage, for traditional, but the way we live has changed. Perhaps pieces from Thomas O’Brien’s latest collection for Century, like his bed modeled after a vintage one from his grandmother’s lake house, can help us forget– even temporarily– that we live in a time with more outlets and screens.
Made Goods is first and foremost a materials company and having accessories brand Pigeon & Poodle under their roof enables them to carry material themes across product categories. The stand out this market was their range of game tables along with corresponding game sets, also a nostalgic nod to the tangible– to offline leisure time. Over the next several markets, I’ll be keeping my eye on their evolving partnership with sustainable California-based upholstery company Burton James.
In conclusion, here were the winners of High Point Market, Spring 2025:
- Domestic upholstery
- Sweet, earthy palettes: browns, dusty pinks, sky blue and green (leather, specifically)
- Contemporary curves
- Traditional crafts, handmade feel
- Remixes of classics
- Spaces that cultivate a sense of discovery, uniqueness and play
