Back From High Point: The Furniture Industry Is Heading in the Right Direction

My colleague and I just returned from the largest furniture market in North America. High Point, North Carolina is where over 80% of furniture manufactured in the USA originates, and with more than 8 million square feet of showroom space spread across several miles, just navigating between buildings is an adventure in itself.

I always say that High Point Market is the epitome of "the good, the bad, and the ugly." Not everything in the world of furniture design is worth celebrating, and at High Point you see it all. But that's also what makes it invaluable — you feel the heartbeat of the industry. You see the latest trends, learn who's merging with whom, who's left one company to lead another. It's fascinating.

My Honest Assessment After This Market

After this last visit, I'm more encouraged than I've been in years. Our industry is finally heading back in the right direction after almost eight years stuck in a bland, gray, industrial rut.

For the first time in a long time, I'm seeing real diversity. Lately it had become harder and harder to find furnishings that are warm, colorful, and natural — pieces that fit our casual, rustic lifestyle here in Montana. That's been genuinely frustrating.

What's Changing

After what I saw at market, I'm finding new, exciting products that work beautifully within our western vernacular. Here's what stood out:

Warmer wood tones are back. The cool gray-washed finishes that dominated the past decade are giving way to richer browns with more texture — wire-brushed surfaces, subtle color washes, and finishes that feel organic and grounded.

Softer fabrics with deep, rich colors. Deep greens, dark blues, warm reds, and buckskin tones are appearing across upholstery lines. The fabrics themselves are moving away from coarse linen toward softer, more inviting textures — often with simple, nature-inspired patterns.

Contemporary is becoming more transitional. This is significant for our market. Contemporary furnishings are shedding their "urban" edge and becoming more flexible — easier to mix with transitional and rustic pieces. That kind of versatility is exactly what Montana homes need.

Softer curves are returning. Not the heavy, ornate curves of traditional furniture, but a gentler, cleaner version. It's an old-world sensibility, refined for today.

Why This Matters for Montana Homes

I've always believed that a thoughtful mixture of styles — when done well — produces the most interesting and personal interiors. It allows the owner's individual taste and personality to come through rather than defaulting to whatever single look happens to be trending.

With our long winters and the natural beauty that surrounds us here, warm tones and natural materials aren't just aesthetically pleasing — they're genuinely appropriate to the way we live. A home that reflects the landscape outside its windows, that feels as comfortable as the land itself, is a home that endures.

After years of watching the industry push furnishings that felt foreign to our lifestyle, I'm genuinely excited about what's coming. We're back on the right track — and I can't wait to bring these new finds into our clients' homes.

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Carina Russell is the principal designer at Rocky Mountain Design-Interiors, serving Livingston and Bozeman, Montana since 1978. Contact us to schedule a design consultation.