With spring only weeks away, members of the home furnishings industry are getting ready to attend the first High Point Market of the year.
Much goes into planning to attend, whether as an exhibitor or visitor. The same can be said for coordinating the biannual exposition.
For months leading up to the world’s largest home furnishings trade fair, High Point Market Authority is steeped in preparations to ensure everyone gets the most out of the highly anticipated event.
Returning April 25-29, for its usual five-day run, High Point Market will kick-off with its keynote. For the first time ever, its focus is specifically residential kitchen design. The trending topic will be explored in a panel discussion featuring distinguished interior designers Benjamin Johnston, Alfredo Paredes, Caren Rideau and Sarah Robertson, moderated by Design Leadership Network editorial director Hadley Keller Lloyd.
In entertainment, R&B supergroup Kool and the Gang will be featured at the main concert. The band will perform hits like “Jungle Boogie,” “Summer Madness,” “Get Down On It” and its most recognizable song, “Celebration,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Kool and the Gang’s honours include two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Returning to High Point Market is the signature trendspotting program that includes five ‘style spotters,’ who identify top products in showrooms and share them on social media. This year’s team is comprised of Rhobin DelaCruz, Juliana Ewer, Amber Guyton, Kathy Kuo and Isabel Ladd.
DelaCruz founded his eponymous design business nearly two decades ago with a focus on residential, commercial and short-term rental projects. Linking his clients’ lifestyle narratives to bold choices for their interiors, he is recognized for creating globally inspired and joyful spaces.
Ewer started J Squared Interior Designs in 2018, growing a portfolio of client projects that include staging, remodelling and vacation home design. She serves as president of the Houston chapter of the Interior Design Society (IDS) and is an IDS national committee member.
Guyton is the originator and creative force behind Blessed Little Bungalow, an Atlanta-based design firm and content creator transforming residential and commercial spaces since 2018. Driven by her mission to make beautiful and meaningful interiors accessible for all, and inspired by her first career in branding and marketing, she coined the term “soulful maximalism” to define her design philosophy celebrating bold colour, layered textures, personal storytelling and the beauty of Black culture.
Kuo is the founder and CEO of Kathy Kuo Home (KKH). She launched her then-online retail business in 2012, with the mission that everyone should be able to love where they live. With more than 20 years of design, manufacturing and global distribution expertise today, KKH is a leading destination for high-end home furnishings and decor.
Ladd launched Isabel Ladd Interiors in 2015, showcasing her confident style featuring curated maximalism, vibrant colour palettes and eccentric pattern mixing. The firm’s highly ‘instagrammable’ interior projects reflect Ladd’s educational background in fashion and textiles.
As HPMA continues to announce programming leading up to spring High Point Market, Home Goods Online will showcase new product introductions. If you would like to participate in this editorial preview, please contact the magazine’s editor for details. To be considered for inclusion, products must be available to Canadian retailers.