Top 3 Interior Design Trends Spotted at High Point Market, Fall 2018 : Annie Elliott Design

“Have a good market!” That’s what the drivers say when you step off the shuttle buses at High Point Market. What I love is that they really mean it.

Transportation terminal with busses — Transportation terminal at High Point market. Photo by StyleBlueprint

Everyone at High Point wants you to “have a good market.” The drivers, your fellow designers, the caterers plying you with bubbly water (and bloody Marys), and especially the vendors. It’s a feel-good operation, especially meaningful given the recent hurricane, which left many High Point staffers — and our would-be hotel — still without power upon our arrival.

A busy, crowded mall — Inside one of the (several huge) buildings at High Point. Photo by The Chaise Lounge Podcast. Thank goodness for the folks who have the presence of mind to snap these crowd pics; I’m always too preoccupied to think of it!

Nonetheless, it was a great time and highly educational, as always. I don’t bill myself as a “trendspotter,” but this year, 3 design trends were so in our faces that I feel you should know about them.

1. Huge pillows

I mean LARGE. Like 22″ square. I’m always a fan of larger pillows — usually 20″ rather than 18″ — but let me tell you: 22″ is a lot bigger than 20.” They were everywhere, and they looked great.

Family room with pillows on dark brown leather sofa — Extra large accent pillows at CR Laine

Green and white pillows on white sofa with art in the background — More

Family Room with neutral sofa and blush pink and green accent pillows — More large pillows at Woodbridge Furniture

2. Green

Intriguingly, we’ve had several clients in the past year who just didn’t like green. Any shade of green. Isn’t that interesting? I’m glad their projects are safely completed, because we’ll have a hard time avoiding green in 2019.

So green is here in a big way — and not just on walls. You’ll see green decorative objects, upholstery, and painted furniture, also.

Dark green painted dining room vuffet credenza sideboard — Amazing green painted buffet at Selamat

Fireplace mantel with dark green ginger jars and gold starburst mirror — Green ginger jars at Century Furniture

Room with dark blue walls, green painting, neutral sofa, glass coffee table — CR Laine

Large accent pillows, green velvet sofa, AND green painted table! — Threefer! Large accent pillows, green velvet sofa, AND green painted table at Century Furniture

Light green painted chest of drawers at Woodbridge Furniture

Dining room with green trim and accents — Green painted woodwork, lamps, and dining chair upholstery at Woodbridge Furniture

3. Granny chic

Get ready for a flash of granny style this fall! We saw it in the form of vibrant multicolored floral fabrics and — get this — fringe trim! It’s like chicken pot pie on a blustery day: comforting at first, but potentially sickening if you have too much.

Round ottomans upholstered in light green floral fabric with fringe trim — Fringed ottomans at CR Laine

Rectangular ottoman upholstered in blue floral fabric with fringe trim — Another one

Neutral cream rounded sofa with mustard fringe trim — A fringed sofa, even!

Purple toile wallpaper with white tufted sofa and purple and cheetah pillows — Wait — what?! Purple toile?! I’m going to be honest: I kind of love it. Please note the matching settee in the mirror. Amazing

As always, one of the big takeaways from High Point is DETAILS. Leave no pillow untrimmed, no furniture unwelted, no surface without decorative objects. Is it the devil who’s in the details, or the other one? You decide ;)

Large rectangular blue leather ottoman — Yellow contrast welt on a blue leather ottoman at Highland House

Annie Elliott | bossy color is a design firm based in Washington, DC. This Wednesday, October 17, come hear Annie participate in a panel discussion on the team approach to home remodeling hosted by Meridian Homes. The seminar and discussion also will feature builder Michael Lerner, realtor Marjorie Dick Stuart, and architect George Myers. Here’s the link to RSVP. I hope to see you there!