High Design: Rethinking the Old & Inventing the New

The high cost of living well doesn't matter if there are no limits on your pocketbook. While some people choose to do their flaunting with clothes and jewelry, others will splurge just as readily on ways to outfit their roosts.

In January 2012, the AmericasMart in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, showcased home items from across the board. You could find hardwood floors, chandeliers, rocking chairs, designer flower pots and so much more all across the massive exhibit space. You could turn into a spacious showroom on the first floor where dozens of vendors displayed a range of items that sometimes went beyond practical to merely pricey.

Some examples were a $1,400 banana leaf weave bed, a $1,500 dining-room table with black lacquer finish and a $2,500 palito sideboard. You could also consider a $6,000 English credenza or a $6,700 cupboard with a "roast marshmallow with truffle" interior finish.

Basically, buyers had little concern for sticker shock in that flashy corner of the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market.

“Sometimes it’s all about buying what you love,” said Tiffany Jeremiah, an interior designer from Richmond, Virginia. “Kind of like art.”

Staying true to an artistic theme, Jackson, Mississippi-based designer Nancy Price unveiled a new collection at the show that combines new and vintage pieces with tastefully ornate touches. The Design Legacy for Nancy Price showroom placed heavy emphasis on merging traditional items with contemporary themes.

Price pointed toward a collection of chairs and made note of a royal blue one with a fanned, winged back. It would have looked at home in a living room with an antique collection or sleek modern pieces.

She said clients and buyers have clamored for that sort of look in recent months. Much of the increased interest in their products, Price said, came on the heels of being recognized as "Best in Show" at the show in July.

“Our designs now are really geared toward taking something and making sure that it can work in any environment,” Price said. “I want to make sure these pieces have longevity. I’m not a trendy designer, and we’ve seen a great response to that.”

High Design Equals High Sales

Finally emerging from an economic recession that deeply hurt their lower-priced competitors, luxury outlets and high-end vendors said they were again enjoying brisk sales.

"Business has been very good," said Michael Beaver, president of Modern History in High Point, North Carolina. "And that's really across the board. The last three markets give me confidence that things are getting back to normal."

That means people are still willing to pay top dollar for a top design.

"It's the reason we [continue] to come to here," said Cina Montoto, a sales associate with Moderna by Roberta Schilling in Miami, Florida. "The customers are still here for us. ... We've done fine."

Of course, high-end designs weren't the only ones enjoying success; market officials said sales were up throughout the marketplace in a number of areas.

"Record sales reported by showrooms and temporary exhibitors alike -- with many sales goals reached and doubled in the market’s opening days -- give evidence to the Market’s vitality across all product lines," Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., president and chief operating officer of AmericasMart, said in a statement.

Buyers and sellers in the show said high-end customers were looking for versatile items, much like everyone else in the market for furniture and other household accessories. That generally means standard fixtures such as couches, love seats, coffee tables, mirrors and bed frames with mostly neutral colors.

A number of sellers at the market said buyers were now looking for medium-toned woods and lighter finishes, particularly those with a gray and aged quality.

But for those willing to spend more, brightly colored accessories and highly ornamented accent pieces are used for a complementary effect.

"It's about a study in contrasts," Price said. Buyers "are looking for a more unique product."

The Modern History show area featured a number of off-white furniture items with gold trim. The exhibit included tables, beds, end tables and a collection of mirrors. Many featured what the president of the High Point, North Carolina-based company termed a “Starburst” design, which resembles a series of gold leaf colored sun rays and shows up on no fewer than a half-dozen mirrors.

“Brown furniture is out,” Modern History president Michael Beaver said. “Now it’s more like off-white with a teensy bit of gold. People are looking for something a little more edgy but with sophistication.

“Our goal is to achieve a modern edge with historical furnishings.”

Some vendors were touting a shift to more modern designs, with the primary influences coming from South America -- particularly Brazil -- and western Europe.

Over at the Roberta Schilling display area, big-money buyers could peruse the “Moderna” collection that included the striking palito buffet, which closely resembles a sleek mini-bar or cocktail table. Customers could choose from a range of colors for the lacquer interior.

The new collection from the Miami, Florida-based furniture company featured smooth metal, exotic woods and delicate fibers cut into clean lines and unique shapes. Lacquer was also prominent in Roberta Schilling’s impressive selection of “Boss” tables, which showcased brightly colored glass tops. The one in the showroom was aqua blue.

“This is what our clients really like,” said sales associate Cina Montoto, “Business has been very good.”

That was a common refrain throughout the high-end showroom. Unlike some other sellers at the AmericasMart show, most of the high-design vendors said they managed to survive the economic downturn because of a clientele that was generally unaffected by money troubles.

Most important, Jeremiah said, buyers were looking for quality items that withstand the latest trends. Echoing the theme of the week, Jeremiah reiterated that flexibility and a slightly more modern look mattered more than the price.

Aged wood is out. Antiques with modern touches are in. So are colorful accents. Those elements showed up in designs across the price spectrum.

“You’ve got to stay fresh to catch [the buyer’s] eye,” Jeremiah said. “That’s what the buyers love.”