High Point Furniture Market in Greensboro, NC: A Local Insider’s Visit

Living near Greensboro, NC makes attending the bi-annual High Point Furniture Market especially convenient. For anyone not familiar, this is the largest home furnishings trade show in the world, with millions of square feet of exhibition space and thousands of exhibitors spread across numerous buildings. As a local, I’m lucky to be only about 30 minutes away.

Who Can Attend and What to Expect

The Market is open only to retailers, designers, and members of the media. Products and displays seen at Market typically start appearing at retail locations in the months after each show, so it’s a great place to preview emerging trends and gather ideas for decorating your home. As a blogger I’m able to register as media, which gives me access to many showrooms I wouldn’t otherwise see.

One-Day Tour with Friends

The Market runs five days, but we spent just one day exploring, visiting two of the largest buildings and a smaller one. I went with two blogging friends who were visiting from out of town, and we snapped a quick photo on my front porch before heading out—left to right: Rhoda from Southern Hospitality, Kate from Southern Home & Hospitality, and me. Both friends have beautiful blogs if you want to see their full home tours.

Variety of Styles and Wholesale Access

With so many exhibitors, the variety of design styles is enormous. Some displays leaned very contemporary or unusual, while others presented updated versions of traditional pieces. A few vendors offered accommodation orders to media or small-volume buyers at wholesale or reduced prices, but many showrooms only sell to retailers. Several vendors mentioned that large retailers carry their lines, so you may spot items in popular catalogs or stores in the months following Market.

Trends and Inspiring Finds

Here are some of the things that caught my eye and felt like trends worth noting:

• Updated traditional furnishings: Many vendors reinterpreted classic silhouettes with modern finishes and details.
• Luxurious textiles: Velvet and supple fabrics appeared frequently—perfect for elegant, tactile pillows and upholstery.
• Statement accessories: I loved colorful, shaped cutting and serving boards that feel fresh and playful compared to the usual wood and marble options.
• Bulb planting in decorative bowls: Innovative styling ideas—like using a dough bowl to plant bulbs—sparked creative project ideas for home décor.
• Wall murals and large-scale wall art: Murals are back in a big way, often paired with layered accessories for a dramatic look.
• Pillow abundance: There were countless pillow vendors, offering an extraordinary range of fabrics, textures, and patterns.

Notable Showrooms and Favorites

Bramble remains one of my favorite showrooms for its signature mix of classic design and relaxed elegance, though some showrooms leaned very neutral in color, favoring natural palettes and subtle finishes. Bernhardt, for example, showcased meticulous craftsmanship and clean lines but chose a quiet, neutral presentation. I also admired a blue painted chest from a vendor—its finish inspired me to try a crosshatch painting technique on one of my own pieces.

I also enjoyed inventive displays like a basket wall installation and decorative fretwork on furniture fronts—these small details can radically elevate a piece. There are companies that sell decorative fretwork overlays you can add to furniture or walls if you want a similar look at home.

Beyond Furniture: Accessories, Lighting, and More

The Market isn’t only about case goods. You’ll find bedding, rugs, lighting, artwork, and myriad accessories that complete a room. Lighting displays ranged from traditional to contemporary, and gallery wall setups showed how to mix scale and frame styles effectively.

Final Thoughts and When to Visit

Visiting High Point Market is energizing and sometimes exhausting because there is so much to see. If you’re ever able to attend, plan your time and prioritize the showrooms and categories that matter most to you. Market is held twice a year—typically once in April and once in October—so it’s easy to plan a trip around the season that best fits your schedule. If you’re local or visiting Greensboro, it’s a unique opportunity to see where trends begin and to gather ideas for home projects and sourcing.