Work, Play & a Refilled Cup: My High Point Market
The Play: My People, All in One Place
Then there is the part nobody puts on the itinerary. Market is where I catch up with designer friends I usually only see in my DMs. We trade vendor tips over dinner, compare notes between showrooms, and laugh about the projects that tested us.
It is also where new relationships begin. A conversation in a showroom turns into a trusted rep. A seat at a crowded table turns into a collaboration or a referral. These are the people I call when an order goes sideways or I need a second set of eyes.
That network is an asset, and I bring it to every project. When you hire me, you are not hiring one designer. You are hiring everyone I can pick up the phone and call.
Why I Come Home With My Cup Refilled
Here is the honest part. Running a design firm on your own takes a lot out of you. I am the designer, the project manager, the sourcing agent, and the person answering emails at 10 p.m.
Market gives that energy back. For a few days I am surrounded by people who understand this work, and by beauty in every direction. I remember why I fell in love with design in the first place.
I don't come home tired. I come home inspired, clear-headed, and ready to pour into my clients' homes again.
What This Means for Your Home
Every trip to High Point shows up in the work I do for my clients. Here is what you gain:
Exclusive pieces. Trade-only furnishings and finishes you won't find with a quick online search.
Hands-on vetting. Pieces I have seen, touched, and tested before they ever reach your home.
A trusted network. Vendor and maker relationships that keep projects moving when timelines get complicated.
A designer at her best. Someone who comes to your project inspired, not depleted.
Your home should feel like the best memories of your life, not a page from a catalog. If you're ready for a space that tells your story, I would love to hear it.
Why I Never Miss High Point Market
Twice a year, the entire design industry descends on one small city in North Carolina. High Point Market is the world's largest home furnishings trade event, held every spring and fall, and it is open to the trade only. This year's Fall Market ran October 17–21, debuting the collections that will shape homes in 2027.
People assume Market is all business. Most of it is. But some of my best sources, partnerships, and ideas come from the moments in between. And I always walk away with my cup refilled.
The Work: Access You Can't Get Anywhere Else
Much of what I see at Market never shows up on a retail website. Some lines sell only through the trade. Others have no storefront within hundreds of miles of Atlanta. At Market, they are all in one place, and I can see them in person.
That matters more than most people realize. My design approach is memory-based and grounded in neuroscience, so I care deeply about how a space feels. I want to know how a chair holds you, how a linen drapes, how a lacquer catches morning light. A screen cannot tell me that. My hands can.
Market is also where I do my homework:
Vetting quality. I inspect construction, finishes, and fabric in person before I ever specify a piece for a client.
Meeting the makers. I learn who is behind a brand, how they build, and how they handle lead times and problems.
Seeing what's next. New collections debut here first. I don't chase trends, but knowing what's coming helps me guide clients toward pieces that will last.
I leave with a notebook full of sources and a camera roll even fuller. Every one of those discoveries becomes an option for the homes I design.
