And while we’re doing all of these things, it’s impossible not to spot the trends as we walk through showroom after showroom. Some of them we embrace, others we enjoy from afar, and all of them we enjoy coming and going as the Markets and years go by.

I’m talking here about trends and the things we loved seeing the most at Spring 2024 Market in High Point, North Carolina.

Let’s kick things off with pastels! A throwback to the 1980s perhaps (and the ‘40s/’50s before that, and the ‘20s before that!)? A colorful yet soft palette, we saw sweet pinks, tender greens, serene blues, and gentle yellows all over market.

Within the pastels family, lavender was a standout color at Market. We spotted purples and plums frequently, but lovely lavender stole the show. Lavender started making an appearance last market and has been all over the world of fashion, but this spring it really was ubiquitous.

But if pastels are not your thing, fear not: Despite the popularity of pastels, moody palettes continued to make their bold statements, with blacks and plums reigning supreme.

Aesthetics

Cottagecore, a personal favorite of mine, was making its soft statement all over Market. This shabby chic reincarnation, which is zero percent shabby and 100% sweetly chic, creates soft, cozy spaces often incorporating florals, checks and ticking strips along with wood detailing, woven elements like wicker, and ruffles galore. It made us feel like spending the weekend in the English countryside. The look is a welcome contrast to clean lined, low patterned contemporary spaces and prioritizes warmth and comfort over all.

Mountain Modern plays up the neutral palettes mentioned before, bringing in cool leathers, plush furs, stained woods in varied hues, and accented with black elements. Whether you’re up for a run down the mountain or just here for the apre ski, this vibe will have you feeling like you’re perched in a mountaintop chalet.

In the world of design, it’s all about the layers. Whatever your aesthetic, it’s the layers of elements that pull a space together and give it the overall feeling you want to achieve. Perhaps it’s the resurgence of cottage charm, the return of pattern on pattern in general, or just our collective love of textiles, but ruffles, pleats and fringe were seen everywhere and we couldn’t get enough of them!

Whether it’s a pleated ottoman skirt, ruffles around a bench, bed skirts (I think it’s safe to say these have made their comeback) or a canopy bed draped in layers upon layers of gorgeous fabrics, these elements soften the spaces they fill and offer opportunities to add pattern, color and oh-so-lovely layers for which we are always looking.

In the same vein, while scallops are nothing new, we spotted them being used in fun new ways, including bed frames and furniture aprons and skirting. When a space begins to feel like it’s being overrun with straight lines, a sweet scallop addition is a great way to soften things up. Commit to the curvy lines of a scalloped furniture piece, or tuck in a scalloped tray on a tabletop or ottoman for just a dash of the look.

While we’re on the subject of making old new again, canopy beds are perhaps one of the things I loved seeing most at Market, and not only because they give us just that many more surfaces onto which we can apply color and pattern and use more textiles in general. This historic concept used to serve a purpose beyond their aesthetic contributions – they kept their occupants warm and cozy in a time when central heating didn’t exist, and offered a shred of privacy when privacy could be hard to come by. Today, this style and its many variations are getting plenty of attention and I just can’t get enough.

Mural wallpapers are still going strong and encompass a variety of aesthetics. From bold colors and graphic patterns to idyllic English countryside scenes to classic chinoiserie, they all make their own kind of statement and add large-scale personality to spaces.

While we often build a room from the ground up (if we begin designing around a rug), I’ll have to end this with what we spotted on the floor: hair-on-hide rugs and traditional rugs, both in all types of spaces. Hide rugs, layered or on their own, were featured in a number of spaces, and not just those with a rustic flair. Traditional rugs were also highlighted in settings that ranged from traditional to modern, serving as fantastic foundations to all.