HIGH POINT, N.C. — At the fall edition of High Point Market, casual furnishings companies gave attendees plenty to see. And though overall show traffic appeared down because of tariffs and economic uncertainty, outdoor showrooms stayed busy.
“We’ve seen a lot of existing customers and a lot of new visitors, so it has been consistently good,” said Brian Blakeney, vice president of sales and marketing at Kingsley Bate. “With the concerns over tariffs and everything, we weren’t sure what to expect.”
Kingsley Bate showcased its Soho deep-seating collection this market, which features a teak frame with a woven rope seat and back that give the chairs flair when cushions are removed.
Telescope Casual President Henry Vanderminden IV reported a similar situation in their showroom, located on the first floor of Showplace.
“We’ve been busy,” he said. “I’ve heard it has been slower overall, but we’ve had good traffic. We have great traction with this space.”
Telescope highlighted designer-friendly pieces in on-trend neutrals and outdoor leather upholstery at market.
NorthCape returned to High Point Market after a successful first showing in April, and company President and co-founder Tom Murray said the show allows them to connect with interior designers and full-line furniture retailers.
“We had a good April here and an even better October — we’re building momentum,” Murray said. “We’ve had a lot of designer contact, and some of the larger furniture stores are here, so that’s been good.”
To cater to that audience, NorthCape highlighted its custom capabilities, showing the range of frames, arm styles, cushions and other components that can be tailored. And Murray said that the company has moved much of its production to Vietnam and India — which are subject to lower tariff rates — making customization more economical.
“We can bring in a basic frame that we make in India, and it can come in different colors, different arms, different arm treatments,” he said. “This customization is the next thing for us.”
Licensed lines
Sunset West and parent company Hooker Furniture made a big splash this market with the launch of their Margaritaville collection, inspired by the music and lifestyle of the late Jimmy Buffett. But while Buffett’s music conjures the spirit of island living, the Margaritaville furniture line offers a more varied style approach.
“The collection is multifaceted,” said Jane Chero, senior vice president, The Media Matters. “Some pieces are more moody in darker colors, but we also have the lighter finishes and wicker looks.”
The collection includes multiple seating and dining groups in synthetic wicker, teak, Sunbrella upholstery and more.
Four Hands also introduced new outdoor designs as part of its collaboration with celebrity designer Amber Lewis. Lewis approached the collection with the idea of balanced maximalism through more structured materials, mixing and matching eras, and subtle color play.
Like Four Hands’ existing outdoor collections, the new pieces from Lewis are designed to bridge the gap between indoor and out, working in either environment.
“You can’t tell the difference between our indoor and outdoor anymore,” said Josh Jarboe, senior vice president of sales, Four Hands. “It’s not distinctly one or the other anymore.”
Indoor to out
Outdoor has been a major growth category for Bernhardt Furniture, according to Heather Eidenmiller, the company’s director of brand development.
“We’ve seen growth of almost 50% for outdoor,” she said. “It’s a great category for us.”
Bernhardt launched a number of new outdoor pieces, including the Rialto collection, which was designed by Alex Bernhardt Jr. Bernhardt drew inspiration from seeing luggage tape on a suitcase, translating it to furniture by wrapping and sewing together thin straps of woven material resembling the tape on the collection’s rounded sofa, dining table base and seating.
Full-line furnishings source Universal expanded its casual offering this market with several introductions, including an outdoor version of the Pebble accent chair from the company’s Coastal Living line. The frame features a distinctive openwork pattern that resembles the shape of pebbles.
“They made it in a swivel with three finish choices — a taupe, white and charcoal,” said Mary Leigh Howell, public relations representative for Universal. Howell said the chair illustrates how the company’s outdoor collections are influenced by and can work in interior settings.
And whether it’s traditional outdoor furniture in teak or aluminum, or a fully upholstered piece from a full-line company, the introductions at High Point Market proved the versatility and the value of the casual category.
