With less than a week to go before High Point Market officially starts, exhibitors are putting the finishing touches on their showrooms before the curtain goes up. While the showroom set-up process begins way in advance of market, there are always those last-minute changes and adjustments that generate a big flurry of activity. We informally polled manufacturers about what aspects of showroom set-up they love and which they dread. There was a lot more in the “love” column, but there are a few who just hate the thought of getting on a ladder. Here’s what they said:
“I love the creative side of showroom set-up, and this year feels particularly special as we celebrate Skyline’s 80th anniversary. The process of bringing a concept to life, seeing how product, color and detail come together to tell the story of our brand is incredibly rewarding. It’s one of the few moments where you can fully express who you are in a physical space, and when it all comes together, it’s truly impactful.
“What I dread is the compressed timeline and logistics. There’s always a lot happening behind the scenes with shipping coordination, last-minute changes and making sure every detail lands exactly right under tight deadlines. That pressure also adds to the excitement of the moment.”
Meganne Wecker
CEO
“I love seeing our rugs in full display with beautiful raking light, presented more as art pieces than home furnishing accessories. As a self-proclaimed “rug nerd”, it’s a real THRILL! I try not to live with too much ‘dread’ but not packing the right shoes for market would be a nightmare!”
Ned Baker
Client Liaison Sales & Marketing
Tamarian Rugs
“All of them! Until you’ve been knee-deep in showroom set-up it’s impossible to imagine how taxing the job can be, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Maybe the most fun part of it for me is the camaraderie that we enjoy at the end of the night when we head out to enjoy a quick meal and talk about all the wonderful work we’ve done and how much we’ve still got to do before the show opens.
“Kalalou’s designs are creative, unique, and meant to make people feel good and have fun, and it’s really gratifying to see it all come to life. (But boy, the worst part is always hanging lighting. I don’t like getting on the ladder!)”
Josh McKay
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Kalalou
“Love: That magical moment when it all clicks — the lighting hits just right, the finishes start flirting with each other, and suddenly the space has a point of view. It’s like directing a movie where the cast is brass, alabaster and a slightly overconfident mirror. Or three.
“Dread: The 48 hours before that moment.
“When: The fixture or pallet you need is on the truck or airplane you don’t have
“Someone says, “It looked bigger on the zoom” — or worse, “It looked better on the zoom”
“Also, ladders. Too many ladders for original equipment hips.”
Ron Henderson
Founder and Design Lead
Varaluz
“Honestly, I love it all. Developing new products energizes me, and there’s nothing quite like seeing everything come together in the space.”
Coley Hull
Founder
Coley Home
“What I love is we are done a month of head of time. It’s probably the same thing that we dread. Within the space we’ve created several Instagram-worthy areas and our jewelry and vintage cash and carry space is always a must stop. We’ve also added educational events through our Fireside Chat series, with seven total sessions. Within the showroom, we’ve also invested in technology that allows customers to scan items directly in the showroom and convert those scans into a quote that automatically populates their cart when they log into their account on reginaandrew.com. Customers can transact onsite or return to complete their purchase at a later time.”
Neil MacKenzie
Chief Marketing Officer
Regina Andrew Detroit
“I love seeing the vision come together with designs that have been in process for months or years. That excitement for unveiling the designs and experiencing customer reactions.”
John Hart
CEO
Arteriors
“I love the storytelling, bringing a vision to life through lighting, materials and atmosphere. It’s where everything we’ve been working on finally becomes tangible. What I dread is the compressed timeline. There’s always a moment where it feels like controlled chaos but somehow, it always comes together.”
Nancy Lonoff
Principal & Designer
Crystorama
“I really enjoy building the booth that we planned out over the previous months. Logistics planning is something I wish we had a magic 8-ball for. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it because the showroom needs to represent Loll — the company and the people behind it — and wow the audiences visiting us.”
Eric Swanson
President
Loll Designs
“We love the creative process of bringing a space to life, translating our brand into a physical experience where materials, textures and storytelling come together. Since we launch new collections twice a year, it’s always exciting to work with fresh settings and new perspectives. We also aim to inspire our customers through these environments, creating a warm, home-like atmosphere where they can truly connect with the pieces. At the same time, we make a conscious effort to approach each set-up as sustainably as possible, reusing and repurposing walls and materials wherever we can.
“The more challenging side is the time pressure and logistics, making sure every detail is in place within a tight timeframe. That said, it also pushes us to think creatively and find smart solutions, which ultimately makes the process even more rewarding.”
Axelle Moncarey
PR Manager
“I love the problem solving and space planning of my showroom setup. Reenvisioning an existing space into a new plan is always so rewarding to me. The part I dread is when I am finally done, and I see something that I could have done better. I’m that person who will take it all down and start again to get it just right!”
Christopher Todd
Principal
Christopher Todd Design
“Seeing the collective effort of our entire team — from design and manufacturing to marketing — come to fruition and having the opportunity to share that work with our clients in the form of new and exciting products.
“No matter how much is planned there is always a last-minute scramble to have the finishing touches in place.”
LaVern Herschberger
President and Creative Director
Abner Henry
“What I enjoy most is shaping the brand experience — ensuring that every element of the showroom clearly communicates our DNA and vision. That coherence is critical. I don’t approach showroom set-up with concern; in business, every challenge is part of the process and must be addressed with clarity and discipline.”
Eduardo Perez, Sr.
CEO
Adriana Hoyos Furnishings
“I love seeing new products living alongside assortment classics in the space. There’s a level of pairing and styling that best happens when you physically play with pieces in a room. Every showroom setup gives us the chance to experiment with those combinations and see how they translate into real project specifications. It’s always exciting to watch pieces come to life after starting as ideas on mood boards in the years before. The hardest part is deciding what to take out. There never seems to be enough space to show everything we’d like, so choosing what to trim from the floor is always the toughest decision.”
Patrick Troy
CEO
Dedon USA and Gloster Furniture U.S.
“I love putting the pieces together to create a harmonious environment for our customers. Hopefully we will delight them in some way and show we have a sense of humor. Personally, I love the run up to the show more than the show itself. As an introvert it can be difficult at times!”
Cecil Adams
Vice President and Creative Director
Currey & Company
“I love seeing our visual team create compelling vignettes that inspire our clients. I dread when anything breaks during set up.”
Pamela Burke
Global Sales Director
Blue Pheasant
