Susan Dickenson

What they're buying in High Point this week
October 4, 2007

Our "Buyer-on-the-Street" interviews are a market tradition in High Point, Las Vegas and Atlanta. This week, we asked retailers and designers to share their shopping lists - are they here to restock, or looking for the next great thing?

I’m looking for a few specific things for custom clients and also stocking the showroom -- very eclectic, some rustic, contemporary, unusual accessories and large-scale pieces of furniture for large houses. All of our upholstery is made in High Point. Favorite vendors would include Hickory Chair and Jamie Young. Old Hickory Tannery has an interesting chair in the showroom made from recycled materials. It’s displayed as an open frame so you can see the fill of ground-up coke bottles, but when I sat on it, it felt like a down-wrapped cushion. – Hunter Dominick, Hunter Interiors, Whitefish, Montana

Restocking, especially contemporary furniture and accessory pieces … and lighting. A lot of our customers ask for unique, new, one-of-a-kind. They’re also beginning to ask about green products so we’re taking a proactive stance and sending designers to some of the green shows.  – Michael Rabatin, Gabberts Furniture, Minneapolis, Minn.

We’re interior designers with a by-invitation showroom, housed in a renovated brick church building. I’m here to do a little restocking, and to shop a list for clients, mostly case goods and upholstery, lamps and candlesticks. We’re more traditional with modern and neoclassical influences and I enjoy shopping Arthur Brett, Hickory Chair, Baker and Payne Street/Breece. I’m staying in close touch with clients while I’m here, sending photos and e-mails back and forth. And I have a thing for petrified wood accent tables – a couple of years ago there were only one or two companies with them; now they’re everywhere. – Sean Doherty, Bowles/Nelson/Powers, Inc., Roanoke, Va.

Designer linens and a little bit of furniture. Lampshades, small furniture and accessories …  and of course, something unique. -- Linda Blanton and Kelly Toney, Loopylu’s, Cherryville, N.C.

We’re here to find the newest trends and accessories, and looking for lamps. We have several stores, four in Virginia and one in N.C. Our beach market is more contemporary. Richmond, where we’re at, is more traditional. Topping my list of places to visit this market is Things From All Over, Global Views and Natural Curiosities. -- Christine Jones, Haynes Home Furnishings, Virginia Beach

This is my first time here. I look forward to seeing new things and getting new merchandising ideas to take back.  – Oikeesha Coles, Haynes Home Furnishings, Virginia Beach

We’re looking for sofas, end tables and lamps …  considering rugs but still leery. Most important, we’ve got to find window treatments for three projects due for completion in December, so delivery is the major buying factor right now. Our style is a mix, but especially heavy on 18th century; and we can sell transitional right now to any age range. – Jo Heard, Interior Designs, Durham, N.C.

I’m sourcing new products for design clients and looking for fresh new things for my retail store -- for January delivery. I’m in love with the new Interhall and will be buying from at least 10 of those vendors in the next six months. It’s the overall feeling, the product, beautiful pieces and more courage from the designers – they’re taking more risks that will definitely pay off. – Lynni Megginson, L&M Designs, Potomac, Md.

We’re shopping for individual clients, and keeping in close contact with them by computer at night while we’re here. We’ve found everything we were looking for already -- artwork, transitional furniture and outdoor furniture with sleeker lines. Our Charleston clients range from homes on the Battery to beach houses. They favor traditional styles, but in the past few years we’ve seen a slow steady movement toward transitional. Green is on the horizon, so we’re looking at a few things to stay ahead of the curve. – Shay Simpson and Jennifer Ferrell, Riverside Designers, Charleston, S.C.

Posted by Susan Dickenson on October 4, 2007 | Comments (0)