Wondering what the design world will be talking about next? Next month’s High Point Market is a pretty good place to start. Held twice a year in High Point, North Carolina, the sprawling trade event is essentially fashion week for home furnishings: More than 2,000 exhibitors fill 11.5 million-plus square feet of showroom space, unveiling new furniture, lighting, textiles, accessories and more to designers, retailers and other industry professionals. The fall 2026 edition runs Oct. 17–21.
Open to the trade only, the show attracts many of New Jersey’s top designers and pros, all of whom bring back ideas to use in their upcoming projects.
This season’s early previews suggest a market less interested in fleeting trends than in warmth, craftsmanship, sculptural form and rooms with a sense of history. Here’s some of what High Point guests can expect:
At Adriana Hoyos, couture makes its way into the furniture world with the debut of Privé, a 26-piece collection inspired by haute couture jewelry and tailoring. It includes softly channeled upholstery, layered silhouettes and a natural-stone cocktail table that treats furniture almost like a piece of jewelry.
Hickory Chair, celebrating its 115th anniversary, will introduce a fourth collection of sofas, chairs, ottomans and more by designer David Phoenix, a partnership defined by restraint, longevity and furniture designed to live beautifully over time. The brand is also bringing an exclusive collection of Liberty fabrics to its bespoke offerings.
Outdoor spaces are getting equally sophisticated. JANUS et Cie is introducing several new collections, including Besso, which pairs teak with handwoven fiber in a Japanese-influenced vocabulary; Vasto, with sculptural barrel-back seating; and Elaro, a series of solid-teak side tables with curving pedestal bases.
Then there’s color. The direction is decidedly warmer, with walnut, chocolate brown, olive, oxblood and verdigris bringing depth to interiors, while mohair, linen, chenille and other tactile materials add another layer of richness. Curves and organic edges continue to soften even the most contemporary silhouettes.
There is also a noticeable appetite for warmth and patina. High Point’s own fall 2026 product preview includes everything from richly brown upholstery and bedding to aged-looking finishes, textured rugs and hand-finished pieces. Among the more intriguing examples is Saba Italia’s Up-grade sofa, a 2026 restyling of its 2008 design that allows the backrest to shift from linear to enveloping, while Sarreid’s Verdigris Metal Bench deliberately evokes a treasured, weathered garden antique.
For homeowners, the takeaway is less about finding the next “it” piece than about a shift in sensibility: warm over cool, tactile over slick, sculptural over strictly symmetrical and personal over prescribed.
For more interior design trends, check out The Guide in the latest issue of NJ HOME.