From Market to Home: How High Point Market Inspires Timeless, Client-Centered Design

Design Insights from High Point Market: Inspiration, Education & Connection

There’s truly nothing quite like High Point Market. It’s difficult to capture the full magnitude of this event. Five incredible days filled with vendor showroom tours, product debuts, design tours, and educational panels that spotlight emerging trends and business insights. It’s the ultimate gathering place for designers, retailers, and manufacturers. It’s the ultimate destination for designers, retailers, and manufacturers seeking fresh interior design inspiration and professional growth. 

For me, attending Market is both exciting and intentional. Before attending, I carefully plan my schedule to balance current client needs, ongoing projects, and the areas of design I want to deepen my expertise. Every season brings a new focus. Last spring, I focused on furniture construction and the quality of upholstery. This fall, it was all about textiles and the craftsmanship behind area rugs.

In an ever-changing industry, there’s truly no end to learning. Products evolve, materials advance, and every visit to Market keeps me inspired and informed so that I can continue to bring timeless interiors and innovative solutions to my clients. 

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The Value for My Clients

While Market is filled with inspiration, the greatest value lies in what I bring home to my clients. Experiencing furnishings and lighting in person allows me to evaluate quality, comfort, and craftsmanship firsthand, from the feel of the fabrics to the durability of the finishes. 

Conversations with vendors and manufacturer representatives offer valuable insights into product performance, customization options, and lead times, enabling me to make well-informed recommendations for my clients. This ensures that every piece I specify for a client is both beautiful and functional, and built to last.

By understanding what defines quality at each price point, I can educate my clients and set realistic expectations, leading to confident design decisions.  In many cases, I’ve already tested that very piece: I’ve opened the drawers, sat in the chairs, examined the stitching, and asked the detailed questions.

And when questions arise after Market, I have a direct line to the manufacturer reps, providing my clients an inside advantage when it comes to sourcing, problem-solving, or customizing their selections.

Ultimately, each visit to High Point Market enhances my ability to deliver a more thoughtful and personalized design experience, one rooted in expertise and integrity. 

Timeless Design Meets Fresh Inspiration

One of my favorite aspects of Market is seeing how timeless design and modern innovation coexist. I tend to gravitate toward classic forms, layered textures, and neutral palettes that never go out of style, yet I love discovering fresh interpretations of sculptural lighting, warm metallic accents, and organic materials that add depth and character to a space.

This season, brands like Arteriors, Regina Andrew, Hudson Valley Lighting, Four Hands, Sherrill Furniture, Johnathan Charles, Gabby, Dovetail, ART, Universal Furniture, and Rowe offered incredible inspiration. Each showcased exceptional craftsmanship and creativity that affirmed for me why thoughtful design matters. It’s not about chasing trends, but about curating pieces that feel authentic, lasting, and personal.

Learning and Connection at Market Events

Beyond the showrooms, High Point Market offers countless opportunities to learn and connect through designer tours and educational sessions. This year, I had the opportunity to join the Hot Spot Tour with John McClain, exploring showrooms that exemplified design excellence and innovation. Each stop provided an insider's education on the product and company, and served as a reminder that creativity thrives in collaboration.

One highlight was "The Art of the Sit – How to Choose the Right Fabric and Fill for Upholstery," sponsored by JP Home Furnishings. It offered a fascinating look at what makes a chair truly comfortable, from construction techniques to fabric selection. As designers, understanding construction details reinforces our appreciation for the craftsmanship that makes a piece exceptional. 

I also attended “Building a Financially Fit Studio”, moderated by LuAnn Nigara – one of the leading voices in the interior design industry,  and featuring panelists DuVäl Reynolds, a prominent luxury designer in Northern Virginia (who has also personally mentored me in my business!), Brooke Stoll, and Dalia Soles. They offered honest insight into the business of design and the importance of building a financially strong and sustainable design business. 

Another inspiring event was ”The Secret Sauce: What Makes a Designer Desirable”, hosted by DuVäl Reynolds with acclaimed interior designers and TV personalities Rasheeda Gray and Michel Smith Boyd. It was a truly inspiring conversation about authenticity and the power of intentional design. It was wonderful to reconnect with Rasheeda after attending a full-day High Point Tour with her last year! It reminded me that collaboration and shared learning truly are at the heart of great design. 

Bringing It All Home

Every trip to High Point Market leaves me reenergized, full of new ideas, resources, and relationships that elevate my approach to my work and enrich my clients’ experiences. Seeing new products, connecting with industry leaders, and engaging in thoughtful conversations all influence how I create spaces that feel timeless, functional, and deeply personal. 

High Point Market isn’t just a destination; it reinforces why I love what I do, and it’s a reminder that while design is ever-evolving, it always comes back to connection, craftsmanship, and care, the foundation of every project at Joy Edwards Design. I believe that I return each year as a better designer for the people we design for.