One of my favorite places to visit here in North Carolina is Bryson City, located in the western part of the state. Bryson City is home to the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, a very popular attraction for locals and tourists alike. I absolutely love riding on the train, especially in the fall or spring of the year when the colors are bold and bright. It’s something that my family and I try to do at least once a year. 2013 marks the 25th anniversary of the GSM railroad, and during each of those years, 200,000 visitors have enjoyed the beautiful scenery of North Carolina’s mountains by taking a ride!

During the holidays there are special excursions like the wintertime Polar Express, or the upcoming July 4th Freedom Train, which will include one of the biggest fireworks displays in the state. All throughout the year, though, there are 2 main excursions to choose from when you visit the railroad. You can choose the Tuckasegee River Excursion or the Nantahala Gorge Excursion. Each one takes off in Bryson City and each trip is packed with amazing views and entertainment.

Green, green, green! Peaceful NC countryside. Photo Credit: Great Smoky Railroad

The Tuckasegee River Excursion takes you through some of the prettiest countryside in the state. It’s a relaxing and peaceful 4-hour trip that seems to go by way too fast! I’ve been on this trip twice and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. The main stop on the excursion is in the picturesque town of Dillsboro. Dillsboro has been a popular tourist town since the train started rolling through back in the late 19th century. If you’re looking for a vintage, nostalgic town, this is the place. There are lots of old-timey stores and restaurants to enjoy while you’re there and many local artists who work with clay, glass, metals and gems. And just like our coastal area is known for being a popular movie filming location (all of Nicholas Sparks’ books are based in NC and the movies are filmed here), the mountains have a claim to fame too! While you’re on the Tuckasegee River Excursion you’ll pass right by the movie set where The Fugitive (with Tommy Lee Jones & Harrison Ford) was filmed.

Foggy Nantahala Gorge. Photo Credit: Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

The 2nd main trip, The Nantahala Gorge Excursion, is another fantastic ride. You travel alongside the beautiful Nantahala River, while listening to Appalachian stories being told and bluegrass music being played. It will definitely put you in the country spirit! The Nantahala River area is a dream for anyone who loves the outdoors and outdoor activities. There’s canoeing, kayaking, hiking, biking, waterfalls and much more to do while you’re there. You’ll also cross over the historic Trellis Bridge, which will take you across Fontana Lake. The lake is held in place by the Fontana Dam, the highest dam east of the Rockies. It holds back around 30 miles of water!

Fontana Lake. Photo Credit: Tripadvisor.com

No matter which excursion you take, you’re sure to have a great time. I think the GSM Railroad is really one of the best ways to take in all of the beauty that the NC mountains have to offer. I’m a mountain girl at heart, so I always feels right at home sitting back in the open car of the train, feeling the wind and enjoying all of the stunning scenery as the train drifts on down the tracks.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Holly

As my trend report from High Point Market comes to a close, we end on a very primitive trend and a very futuristic scientific trend: Mo’ Molecules was a trend that definitely had a space, science, or chemical vibe. It’s not just a trend in motif, but it’s also about the choices of materials,…mirror, shiny brass, translucence or iridescence.

Dreamwalls Trend High Point Market Spring 2013 - Mo' Molecules

Cyan – The Orion mirror wasn’t new this market, but it has caught my eye for few markets now,….maybe it was just ahead of it’s time. Does that mean it’s from the future?

Phylum Designs – had some interesting art pieces in the Nuevo booth. Little planets and satellites, or molecular designs? I don’t care, because the wood and steel had me at first sight.

Gabby – Their Molecular Table was the thing that made me say, “Hey! That’s exactly what this motif should be called!” But I love the translucent glass and steel in such a delicate balance.

Emissary Home – Their “Crystal Finish” was available on a wide variety of shapes in both white and mint. It was a chemical reaction that happened during the glazing process, so each piece turned out completely unique and random.  I loved them!

Industrial Age Antiques – Pat Linthicum of Looking At Glass  always finds the coolest things, and these “flash mirrored” laboratory glassware was no exception. How great would they look clustered on a mantle or holding the pens at your desk?

Arteriors – The “Zanadoo” chandelier looks like an updated sputnik light. The delicate golden rods emanating out from the tiny orbs of light were like a beautiful star exploding

Worldly Goods - The glass mirrored balls were beautiful and like little molecules clustering together for interesting table top pieces.

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Last but not least,…skin was in at High Point. “Seeking Hides” showed hides being used unusual ways, lots of shagreen in a variety of colors, and metallic and unusual manipulation of skins and hides.  While this trend is reaching back to the most primitive of materials, the execution was anything but.

Dreamwalls Trend High Point Market Spring 2013 - Seeking Hides

Norwalk - This easy wearing fabric, “Udder Madness” wasn’t real hide, but was extremely convincing.

Regina Andrew Designs – This rug was hexagonal, pieced, and had metallic accents to the cowhide. Stunning.

A&B Home – A whole wall of faux fur pillows and throws was so inviting for a snuggle.

Arteriors – The Kelli Violet Hide table lamp reminded me of a My Little Pony. You could not stop petting it!

Mr. Brown – I’ve shown you a lot of shagreen in some of the other trend slides, but this one was burnished and so beautiful, it won the most luxe shagreen for me.  Their parent company, Julian Chinchester, also had some lovely vellum pieces made from a hide that were lovely and had a luminous quality about them.

Nourison – A pieced patchwork of cowhide was a lovely contrast with lovely mirrored furniture by Bradburn Company

Made Goods – They were doing shagreen years ago, before it was cool; in a variety of colors, too. But this hide desk took my breath away. To see the fur on the actual work surface was so unusual, and unexpected. (I’d put a glass top over it of course)

Design Accents, LLC – this small booth in Pavillions on 3rd used hides with metallics, brilliantly dyed colors, and unique piecing to create pillows and ottoman cubes that could work in many different environments.

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And for our other trends, check out >> Great Gatsby and Post Preppy , Man on Wire and Urban Nomad , Hi Honey , and Color Trends . And don’t forget to check out our Pinterest board,…where I put additional items that don’t necessarily fit into the “trend”. We’ll look forward to keeping you abreast of trends and colors again in the fall!

Today’s two trends from High Point market are interesting to me because they’re all about privilege, rising into a new social class, and a pursuit of the finer things in life. After coming out of such a recession it’s actually pretty nice to see these aspirations in the furniture industry. It doesn’t hurt that the movie remake of “The Great Gatsby” is poised to come out in a few weeks, either. This first trend, “Great Gatsby” is all about tailoring, sparkle, and luxe materials. Accessorize your space with pillows like flapper dresses, barcarts like steamer trunks, and rich materials like velvet, metallic linen, and gold.

Dreamwalls Trend High Point Market Spring 2012 - Great Gatsby

Wesley Hall – The tailoring on this simple sofa was impeccable, like a fine suit. With a waxed-linen type of metallic finish, it felt a bit above it’s humble beginnings.

Thumprints – The “citron” family of lamps was brassy and beautiful. With a gold metallic shade and travertine base, this table lamp, along with the floor and sconce versions, made me think about them days afterwards.

Aviva Stanoff - Like one of Daisy’s flapper dresses, the ornamentation and manipulation of the fabric was over-the-top beautiful. Which is to say, just right.

Serge de Troyer – The shagreen steamer trunk gives way to a hidden bar with loads of room. Bars were plentiful at market this year, and several made stylespotters lists.

Gabby – This antique mirror featured gold line that referenced a frame, but also referenced the facets of a gem, or art deco lines. One dimensional, but acting as if it had more depth.

Bungalow 5 - The vanity mirror with curved mirror profile featured bright – not antique – mirror, and a blue velvet cushion. Vanity never looked so good.

Viz Glass –  A complex tangle of glass knots with metallic gold elements throughout dangles precariously from above. So beautiful.

Norwalk – The Edinburgh chair and ottoman are big and roomy, with a metallic fabric that glitters and instantly brightens the corner of any well-appointed room.

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The next trend is all about a pre-school vibe. An easy-going type of refinement that references some preppy trends from the 80′s but also some varsity sporty motifs. Bright emerald, navy blue, yellows and reds all cheer up any room, with a solid grounding of white, menswear patterns, and fine tailoring that keeps it all very grown up. But there is the 80′s palm beach feeling in here too, with a touch of chinoiserie and asian-inspiration to keep it well-traveled.

Dreamwalls Trend High Point Market Spring 2013 "Post Preppy"

Regina Andrew Designs – The bamboo base of this table lamp in a bright white is not kitschy in the least. A bold shape for reading those heady novels and texts.

Brodarick Design – a tempered glass foosball table with real heft. I can see the gang all gathered round for some spirited matches.

Wesley Hall- This vignette had it all, a linen-colored menswear motif of plaids in a cozy pile of pillows. The velvet structured sofa in deep navy blue. Striped accents and white porcilan lamps keep the funky artwork “well-bred”

Lucy Smith – these funky metal table bases were very varsity in bold color choices

Worlds Away – plays with the asian influence with pagodas and lacquer, but the glimmers of gold and fine tailoring keeps the fun in the ladies bridge game above board.

Norwalk – the leather chesterfield is stuffed and deep, with velvet seat cushions and metallic patterned pillows.  The faux – yes it’s Trompe-l‘œil – wall treatment keeps the library refined.

Moe’s- part ottoman, part handbag,….it’s all practical for moving your pouf around the room where it’s needed most.

Bungalow 5 – the pros at mixing asian and contemporary, the emerald green of this diamond faceted mirror feels modern and would be funky in any bachelor pad.

Finally a little time to catch my breath and organize my photos from last week’s High Point Market. This week I’ll try to get the remaining trendboards posted, I promise. Meanwhile, I’m be traveling more for some new interesting trends and inspiration, but more on that later. Let’s discuss the first trend of the week. I entitled this one “Man on Wire” (which was also a riveting movie from 2008 if you’re Netflixing one night). This trend mixed up industrial elements with natural wood, bright pops of color, or refined accents that give it a relaxed living feel. The wire style ranged from birdcages, to chain link, to retro 50′s legs, and line art scribbles; but they all keep the spaces in which they are placed light and airy.

Dreamwalls Trends from High Point Market Spring 2013 ~ Man on Wire

Gabby - Chain link dining chair created an instant garden party inside.

Nuevo – I am smitten with these simple, colorful wire and wood adjustable stools. The line quality reminds me of Picasso’s continuous line drawings,…making the most economical gesture to speak to our familiar ideals.

Palecek - These stools featured retro wire legs which also acted as display stands for the beautiful, organic piece of wood.

Arteriors Home – Chain link creates a chandelier that could feel modern farmhouse, steampunk industrial, or simplicity loft.

Phillips Collection – Life-sized forms created by scribbles of wire in male and female versions were just the kind of unexpected that you expect from Phillips. Weird and engaging.

Three Hands – These pop-colored tables can work inside or out.

Regina Andrew Design – The seeded blown glass base of this lamp feels a little bit country, but the bare bulb wire shade is definitely a bit rock n’ roll.

A&B Home – This birdcage lamp has an organic base and wire “branches” for the artificial feathered friends. And just so you know, there isn’t any top or bottom to this cage,…so the birds are choosing to be there for you.

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Which brings us to our second trend of the day, “Urban Nomad“. This takes materials and textiles with a global beat and refines them with unexpected elegance. Glass, velvet, gold, and historical shapes get a wink and embrace with the patterns and textures of the wild.

Dreamwalls Trends from High Point Market Spring 2013 - Urban Nomad

Ryan Studio – “Park Avenue Python” was beautiful in this pillow with a subtle texture and sheen.

Phillips Collection – Yep. A sabertooth tiger skull. But it had gold accents, and its presence could make guests wonder for a moment if you had a secret past or are an eccentric heir. Plus, skulls are always cool.

Norwalk – “Gabbana” fabric in a an embossed velvet surface and bright turquoise color would give an unexpected feel of luxe and faux skin texture to any upholstered furniture.

Serge de Troyer - A shagreen coffee table slides open to reveal a beautiful backgammon playing surface. I can totally see people getting together and playing backgammon and drinking martinis.

BonTempi USA - “FuFu” stool looks like an alpaca that a rebellious sherpa would own. It was SO soft,…it felt like angora and was available in a wide range of colors (including pink).

Emissary Home & Garden – natural dark brown and ecru tones make these ginger jars a bit more funky and able to go more casual and relaxed than their blue porcelain cousins.

Go Home Ltd. – a simple armchair gets a bit of funk with cowhide. Hides were everywhere. (more on that later this week)

Cyan Design – Glass vases were deeply etched with a faux bois pattern that referenced zebra or tiger stripes.

Dransfield & Ross – Their global-inspired collection has all the modern-day high quality that you’d expect from this luxurious house.

C.R. Laine - The hexagon gets a global twist by this NC company, with a more updated vibe than the ikat patterns of the past few seasons, while still retaining a casual ease.

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I hope you’re finding our trend boards useful. Look for more on Wednesday and Thursday of this week to accompany the trends Holly and I presented last week on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. It is very natural to me to see things from a macro level and have patterns emerge almost instantly as I walk the floors and showrooms. It’s always fun to see those that deviate from the trend of course; but it’s important to know what will be covered editorially, what to expose your customers to in the future, and how to meet the demand for your clients expectations. On trend and upward, that’s what I say!

High Point, North Carolina, the “Furniture Capital of the World”, has been overflowing with new & upcoming design trends this week. Over the last few days, Mandy has shared many of the trends she spotted while at the High Point Furniture Market. If you’ve missed any so far, you can read her posts  here and here. While I wasn’t able to take in the sights in person, I’ve been following along through Twitter and various blog posts, keeping up-to-date with all of the great finds that everyone is posting and I’m loving what I’ve seen so far. Today, let’s take a look at some of the trendy colors Mandy found at the market this year!

One of the hottest and most prevalent colors this year were the blues. Monaco Blue (one of Pantone’s 2013 fashion colors), Indigo, shades of turquoise, and my personal favorite of the moment, a deep & smoky navy, rounded out the various shades of blue at the market. I really like how these pillows by Design Accents paired the blues with neutral shades, which were another popular color trend this year. The soft creams and taupe colors are clean and simple. I think they add a sense of calmness to a room as well.

Citrons surprised as a strong base this year. What do you think of this retro color combo? I think it gives off a cool, throw-back kind of “Mad Men” vibe. And I wouldn’t mind having that Della Robbia sectional in my house at all!

My brother and sister-n-law are preparing to be first-time parents. If the baby turns out to be a little boy, I think the combo of mint and pale blues would be a soothing color palette for the nursery. Soft mint shades always make me feel rested and peaceful, which is exactly what you want in a nursery!

I’ve been accenting my room with pops of coral recently, and I LOVE the spicy Fireworks color in our picture above paired with the Argyle. These colors are fun and they give life to a room!

And of course Emerald Green, Pantone’s 2013 Color of the Year, was out in full force, popping up in everything from tables to artwork, but I think my favorite was the use of the various shades of emerald used by Rowe Furniture to accent this room:

Rowe Furniture, High Point Furniture Market 2013. Photo Credit: Jamie L. Alexander. http://www.jamiealexander.com/

The little shots of green here are there are perfect! Check out our “How-to” blog post on how to incorporate emerald into your interior here.

What color trends did you spot at High Point this year and which were your favorite?

Have a great weekend everyone

- Holly

The irregular tesselation shapes of last Spring’s market have become more orderly. 6x more orderly, in fact, because High Point Market was literally buzzing with hexagons. The new warm-weather optimism saw these bee honeycomb shapes everywhere. The modernity of geometry, the rebirth of Spring; it was a shape that was easy to appreciate in upholstery, floor coverings, lighting, textiles, casegoods, and accessories of all kinds.

Featured:

Wilcox – this new venture by Natural Curiosities’ Christopher Wilcox had a rock and roll edgy vibe. The “infinity hexagon” modular shelving units are a modern take on a curio cabinet for containing collections.

Tourmaline Home – Deep indigo blue collided with the hexagonal trend.

Regina Andrew – showed a cowhide rug with metallic accents pieced together into a unique rug that was far too pretty to walk on.

Mr. Brown – The matte white gesso finish on the honeycomb cabinet contrasts so nicely with the mirror to create a beautiful statement piece.

Noir – How does a black steel bookcase makes one love it? 6 sides of love,…I’m telling you.

Lucy Smith – Steel tables in a wide variety of colors and finishes are whimsical and cool at the same time.

Made Goods - The flat white base and simple drum shade can go casual or dressy depending on the room. Such a flexible piece.

Gold Leaf Design Group – small hexagon cups in black, white, or gold for some interesting wall opportunities with flexibility.

Della Robbia – Not only the hexagonal rug, but the subtle quilting on the sofa was also a tiny little honeycomb. Quite lovely.

Cooper Classics – The copper hexagonal set of 4 mirrors was chunky and rustic for a little bit of country cool.

Today is just the first of very several posts that will try to share the patterns and themes I saw from the ongoing High Point market. It’s a slow start but I have at least 6 other trend boards in the works that I will unveil over the next several days. However, be sure to continually check our Pinterest page that will have these trends, as well as other things that may not fit into any one specific trend; but they delighted me, dazzled me, or were so unique I had to share them. We’re adding to the pinboard just as fast as we can, and hope you enjoy it.

But that’s not all! I was able to meet some personal heroes, and heard others speak at some of the educational events; and I will share some of those highlights as well. So the next several weeks will be loaded with goodies in case you couldn’t be there, or couldn’t see it all,…and believe me when I say no one human can. What is more interesting: Coverings is next week in Atlanta, so there is no slowing as I go-go-go.

Overall, the vibe was noticeably upbeat, optimistic, and super-friendly. Traffic seemed strong the days I was there, and while there were probably fewer “giveaway” promotions  or crazy parties; there appeared to be more service than ever before in flexibility of terms, minimums, and shipping.

Dreamwalls Trend: High Point Spring 2013 ~ "Feather Light"

These are largely accessories with a common theme. And to be fair, some of them were technically “leaves” instead of feathers. But it always strikes me as unusual when so many very different showrooms have the same general motif. Sometimes it’s French Bulldogs,…this year it’s feathers. Read what you will into it about having fewer problems weigh on you, your creativity taking flight, or having a soft sell method. But a gracious thank you to all these amazing showrooms that had such stunning objects.

Dransfield & Ross ~ While they are known for their amazing linens, this convex mirror with real wooden and feathered darts was expertly crafted.

Global Views ~ This little pillow mixes gold metallic threads, bold color and applique.

Aellon ~ This new exhibitor has really beautiful pieces and their big graphic wall art captured my heart,…just like their take on the windsor chair, AND their reclaimed wood desk. (Thanks Jason!)

Mr. Brown ~ While not a new mirror this show, but the gesso finish made the feathers pop from the purple wall more than I remember.

Made Goods ~ This cool metal pendant lamp is industrial with a bit of global vibe,….but pretty glamourous too. A very difficult combination to pull off.

Worldly Goods ~ This Charlotte, NC based company had some really innovative glass pieces. Their stacked glass stone sculptures were super-cool. But their glass “leaves” came in a wide variety of color combinations.

Interlude Home ~ From a distance, the pillow and throw look like pheasant feathers, but are really a synthetic fluffiness that you can’t stop petting. The tabletop piece is simple with a sensual curve that kept it light.

Natural Curiosities ~ This unique art house could have done their own collage of feather motifs with all the different pieces in their showroom. But I love a simple silkscreen, and the blue was so popular I picked this piece. Ben was screenprinting various pieces while I was in the booth. I lingered longer than made him feel comfortable, but I just really like the smell of ink. Reminds me of long nights in the art lab.

Cyan Design ~ This actually combines another trend to be named later, but I like the simple shapes and barbs. (Yes, barb is the correct term. For more feather terminology to dazzle your friends and family, click here.)

Chandra – While this isn’t specifically a feather, the design is an inspiration, much like their whole showroom. Located in Showplace, it was a lovely experience that made me a little light-headed. Go see Shashi there. He’ll let you draw on the big wall.

It's Merlefest time again here in NC! Photo Credit: kjab.com

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” – Plato

High Point Market is always full of inspiration, but this year seems more optimistic and energized than in recent years. Maybe it is my attitude, but showrooms seem more friendly to the independent designer than ever before,…easier to work with through their business policies, more focused on creating fun with their pieces. I realized this year, that I’ve been going to Market in various roles for over 20 years now; temporary spaces, permanent showrooms, as a product designer, as an interior designer, and as a blogger/style spotter. As one of my friends said, “You really know how to get around!” So, yeah,…I guess I finally do.

Here are a few things that I’ve gotten right over the years:

1) Park at Oak Hollow Mall and take the shuttle. You never have to wait more than 5 minutes and you might meet someone interesting on the ride over. Plus, you avoid a huge number of stop lights, and it’s free.

2) My Teva slip ons are the only shoe that have worked for me. I broke my foot last year, so I make sure to baby them even more now,…but they even work better than running shoes, my converse, or flip-flops.

3) Do the seminars. The vast majority are free, and many will also feed you. You might get to make some real connections with the speakers, the people at your table, and gain some insight into design processes, business models, and buyer psychology that you’ve not ever thought about before.

4) Smile. Smile big. Smile often. You are very lucky to be there, and the people who man the booths work extremely long, hard hours. Make their day a little brighter. Don’t flirt, but be positive.

5) Take a big bag, but don’t fill it all the way up. If you do it right, you’ll gather more small postcards and business cards than big catalogs; but if you happen to find a catalog you MUST have, it’s nice to have the room. It’s also a good place to put your cardigan, your phone charging cord (believe me), your sunglasses/umbrella, and a bottled water that you should take everytime it’s offered to you. (gotta stay hydrated people)

6) The women’s bathrooms on 11th floor of the IHFC building outside of the ballrooms are the nicest ones.

7) Take business cards. Yes, almost every showroom has a scanner, but they want to write notes and immediate reminders about you. Take more than you think you need.

I realize my choice of footwear is not the most stylish (see #2). That being said, still try to dress up a bit. Show some style, take some pride, and be respectful to the opportunity. I’m Southern, so dressing nice = respect.

9) Leave the kids at home. Seriously. The rules say no one under 15, but I always see a number of kids there. It’s distracting to see young ones so unhappy, and they’re always unhappy to be there.

10) Think about your elevator pitch in advance. When people you meet ask you about your business, what will you say?