Photos courtesy of High Point Market
High Point Market, one of the design industry’s largest events, wrapped its spring show in late April. More than 75,000 attendees gathered in High Point, North Carolina, for a week of showroom tours, keynote speeches, panels featuring top design talent, and conversations about the evolving world of interiors. Held twice a year, the market draws designers looking to source products, connect with brand representatives, and network with peers—and Minnesota designers are regularly among them.
Two such regulars are Kate O’Hara, CEO of O’Hara Interiors, and Tays & Co. Design Studios’ Founder and Principal Designer Laura Tays, who each make it a point to attend at least once a year and explore the products, brands, and styles leading the season’s trends. Of course, key takeaways shift every season, and this spring was no exception.
A Return to Tradition
“Overall, we’re seeing a renewed interest in traditional style,” O’Hara says. But don’t expect stuffy or outdated. Instead, picture tight upholstery, elegant silhouettes, and the resurgence of details like tassels and fringe. Tays noticed similar trends during her time at the market, seeing lots of ornate touches on furnishings, “such as the use of curves, fringe details, contrasting trimming on upholstery, and more unique legs and feet on sofas and case goods.”
Cabinetry played a key role in the traditional look as well, showcasing aged brass finishes that lend a “layered and lived in but never overly rustic or distressed” look, as O’Hara describes.
In Full Bloom
Springtime always brings a wave of florals and color, and this season delivered. Yellow, specifically, is making a comeback, both in soft buttery tones and deeper golden hues. “Earthy oxbloods, deep greens, and rich browns are also everywhere,” O’Hara says. And according to Tays, “Earthy tones are still highly desired, but we were seeing more saturated colors as well.”
On the softer side, blush and lavender took the spotlight, especially in what O’Hara calls “narrative wallpaper”—wall coverings that tell a visual story. “The patterns have this refined whimsy through painterly florals, classic damasks, and a sort of modern toile. It’s like we’re taking the nostalgic moments of traditional design and looking at it through a newly modernized lens that streamlines and focuses but still gives the space the coziness and comfort we love about traditional design,” she explains.
Vintage Chic
“Mixing old and new was a big thing we were noticing more of,” Tays says—whether it was brand-new pieces designed with an antique feel or actual vintage finds styled alongside contemporary elements. It’s a look that feels curated and intentional rather than matchy or overly polished. “This is a trend we’ve been utilizing for years.”
Product Picks to Watch
While design styles evolve, so do the products designers reach for. Benches and ottomans, for example, have emerged as a major trend. They’re the “new design darling,” O’Hara says, noting the uptick in smaller-scale, functional pieces like “benches with tailored welts and sculptural side tables.”
When examining trends in lighting, ceramic bases and heavy, smokey glass made a strong impact. These versatile, artful pieces can be used in both traditional and contemporary spaces.
Another notable trend? A rise in entertainment-friendly furnishings. Game tables were prominently featured by brands like Hickory Chair, Highland House, and Four Hands. “I think this speaks to the resurgence of the social life in the home,” O’Hara says. “These pieces are created for social interaction that doesn’t require a screen.”
