I can hardly believe it’s been over a month since my marathon tour of High Point Market with the Fall 2017 Design Bloggers Tour! The great news is, the inspiration hasn’t left me, and today I’m sharing my final roundup of some of my favourite categories of design love, including: tidy, sexy little drink tables; velvet EVERYWHERE; my obsession with Crypton; and all things wrapped furniture! Come find your favourites as I share some of mine.

Rumour has it, this is the philosophy of design legend Bunny Williams, and I love the way she thinks. The beauty of these tidily dimensioned tables is they each make a huge statement while offering a tiny footprint, and they are super flexible, allowing you to move them around a room as needed to accommodate guests and your own daily living. Let me give you the rundown on some of my favourites from this Fall 2017 Market:

ONE/  There’s something so 80’s glam about this triangular lacquer and brass Emmet Bunching Table from Highland House. In keeping with Highland House’s high value on customization, the table can be personalized with an endless array of colours to choose from, and it’s even shown on their site with a shock of pink on the inside. To me, though, the simple white and brass is perfection.

TWO/  You know I love me some marble, and the black and white drama of Bernhardt’s Jax Drink Table had me at hello. This piece is timeless yet bold, and I heart it pretty hard.

THREE/  To me, there’s something about belying the natural qualities of one material by mimicking another that is so engaging and sophisticated. That is most certainly true of Bunny Williams’ Mini Skirt Drinks Table. The hand-carved wood designed to look like draped fabric is truly unexpected and offers a quiet yet rich texture that is refreshingly whimsical and light.

FOUR/  More marble, more gorgeousness, more Bernhardt. At 12″ in diameter, the Cade Drinks Table could fit almost anywhere while guaranteed to stand out with fashion-forward class and style.

FIVE/  There’s a quirky charm to me about this incredibly tiny, textural wonder from Century Furniture. The solid feeling of its bronze construction is the perfect juxtaposition to the delicate proportions on the Artides Martini Table, and it’s whimsical shape will ensure your parties are never too serious.

As you can see from photograph of the Highland House showroom at the top of this post, Velvet was spread like frosting, in doses small and large, literally everywhere at High Point this Fall. I have always been a lover of velvet and I always will be, so I was delighted to see that it’s available at literally every price point imaginable. These are just three Low, Medium and High end examples, but expect to see velvet coming on very strong across the board in the months ahead.

ONE/ A simple, velvet-upholstered, Midcentury Modern-inspired dining chair from Scott Living Home is the perfect choice for furnishing a first apartment at an entry level price point that definitely won’t break the bank.

TWO/ I honestly fell in love with the story behind Younger Furniture. Now owner Meredith, daughter of her engineer father who founded the company, turned his utilitarian-looking line into something fresh and current while maintaining his efficiencies in the US-based factory to maintain an incredibly reasonable price point for their large retail customers. That mint green velvet shelter sofa really is as comfortable as it looks.

THREE/  Marrying the luxury of exquisite design with outstanding craftsmanship and attention to detail, Michael Berman’s citrine velvet Plaza Sofa for Theodore Alexander is an absolute showstopper. I love how the etched texture of the bronze frame supports the floating drama of the luscious velvet seating.

Don’t you love these fresh and simple plains from Crypton? I’m particularly enamoured with the subtle herringbone, but I chose the white sample as our test subject because it really is the ultimate experiment, isn’t it? Most designers these days are already head-over-heels for Crypton, but there are a few hold-outs who have decried the notion that a white sofa could possibly be liveable for real families. Well, I have a white Crypton sofa in my own home, so I already know how true it is, but I thought I’d conduct a little control test for all the Debbie Doubters in the crowd. So let’s see how Crypton holds up to crayon, ketchup and soy sauce, shall we?

Channeling my inner toddler, I got busy doing my worst. I think we can all agree that the site of this kind of scene on a beautiful white sofa would invoke nothing short of terror. I’m here to talk you off the ledge. If you’ve got Crypton, there’s no need to panic.

STEP ONE

Start by using a paper towel or absorbent cloth to soak up as much of the spill as possible. You’ll notice that Crypton’s nanotechnology repels moisture, so spills just bead up on the surface, making it much easier to take care of half the mess right away.

STEP TWO

Apply a mild soap or laundry detergent to the stains, and remind yourself not to panic. Things aren’t as bad as they look. Using a very soft bristle brush if necessary, water and a colour-safe cloth that won’t transfer colour onto the fabric, gently pat and lift the stains from the fabric. Be patient and don’t rub too hard. All that anxiety you’d normally have in this situation doesn’t apply. I promise.

STEP THREE

EXHALE. Crisis averted thanks to Crypton! Just sit back and wait for the fabric to dry, and then VOILA!

The last category of design love from Market I’d like to share is really about showing off true craftsmanship. Fully wrapping a piece of furniture, whether upholstery or casegoods, is not only beautiful but also requires incredible skill, and these pieces truly exemplify outstanding workmanship.

ONE/  I hope you can see the details of this fully upholstered canopy daybed from Highland House. The beautiful Matelassé Crypton white cotton fabric covers the entire piece, from the posters to the deck and legs, creating a refreshing statement, especially when floated in the middle of a room.

TWO/  This gorgeous grasscloth-wrapped 3-drawer chest from Thibaut uses texture to make simplicity the ultimate statement. The incredible thing about this piece is that it can be customized with countless wallpapers from Thibaut’s collection, and the piece is then finished with several layers of indestructible varnish, making these pieces just as real-life-tough as they are fresh and beautiful.

THREE/  Highland House had me at pink leather with this fully wrapped Keener Ottoman. It’s tidy dimensions make it the perfect piece to pair up and layer into almost any space for extra seating and a touch of feminine appeal.

FOUR/  Currey & Co’s Kaipo Two Drawer Chest takes texture to a whole new level with it’s artistically wrapped abaco rope finish. I love this piece for its totally fresh and unexpected take on coastal-inpsired design.

FIVE/  Details are clearly a love language for the team at Tomlinson Furniture, as evidenced by the fully wrapped base on this contemporary Caruso swivel chair from their Directional division. We had such a wonderful time touring their showroom with the delightful Barry Darr Dixon who truly inspired us with his vision for design collaboration.

SIX/  I’ve had a design crush on Thomas O’Brien for forever, and this piece is just a tiny glimpse into why. His leather-clad Terri Desk for Century features drawers that are seamlessly integrated into the tooled leather wrapped apron. Timeless modern luxury at its finest, this desk is definitely on my wish list for my next office.

I had SUCH a wonderful time connecting with my fellow DBT-ers and our fearless leaders Adam and Luba of the Design Bloggers Tour. Thank you so much for having me and for making the experience so fun and memorable. You are incredible people and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with you!

And I have to say, I am so excited that I’ll get the opportunity to share more design inspiration with all of you from both the Spring and Fall High Point Markets in 2018 as a Style Spotter! I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing the best of what’s inspired me this year, and I can’t wait to bring you along for the beautiful ride as I discover all the best and most beautiful pieces to be found at High Point Market!

Pop back to the blog soon for ideas on how to ensure you’re designing a home that’s as healthy as it is beautiful. I’ll have lots of inspiration coming at you soon. In the meantime, make it a beautiful day!