Why Wait When You Can Have It Now?

As we prepare for our big trade show, the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, North Carolina, it always lights a fire of enthusiasm for what our collaboration can achieve. The show is the largest home furnishings show in the world and attracts designers, furniture stores, department stores, boutique stores and to the trade showroom professionals to see the latest fabrics, finishes, leather and furniture pieces. These buyers must be overwhelmed with the thousands of new things being introduced during the show.

While the show is open only to the industry and not to the public, it is the result of a successful market experience that will be seen in the coming weeks and months after market. These professional buyers select carefully the pieces from their favorite manufacturers that are appropriate for their area. Most manufactuers require 4-5 months to produce the pieces and ship them out to the stores. Our employees knew this was frustrating for buyers who wished they could immediately enjoy these fresh fabrics, leather and furniture pieces. They wanted to update their displays now.

Our employees examined the process and have created a process where we can ship new upholstered pieces in just 2 weeks from market. We can ship new wood introductions in just 4 weeks from market. By Thanksgiving, most of the new pieces from market have been received by these buyers allowing them to update their displays for the holiday season and not have to wait until Spring!

Plan to visit your local Hickory Chair dealer later this fall and see the amazing new pieces by Alexa Hampton hand made by the craftsmen in Hickory, North Carolina. Let us make a one-of-a-kind piece for you!

Mariette Himes Gomez

Mariette Himes Gomez is one of the industry's most respected designers. We at Hickory Chair have had the great honor of working with her since the launch of her colleciton in 2002. The Mariette Himes Gomez Collection is a wonderful assemblage of pieces inspired by her travels and antique shopping all over the world. A large introduction was launched at the Spring 2009 market and the pieces are in stores now.

She will be the speaker at the International Home Furnishings Center on Sunday, October 18th at noon. She will be speaking on Design Today outlining the foundation of her great design - the influence of architectural character of a space along with scale and proportion. The presentation will be held at the IHFC, 11th Floor, Green Wing in Ballroom B. For more information contact Holly Allred hallred@ihfc.com.

To see her collection in person, visit the Hickory Chair Showroom at IHFC, Space CG800.

Book Signing! Re-De-Sign by Cathy Whitlock

October is here and for those of us in the home furnishings industry that can only mean one thiing... the International Home Furnishings Market is coming quickly! We have many exciting events planned. For example, we have posted just within the past week three events. First a CEU Credit course being taught at the Hickory Chair Showroom on Saturday, October 17th at 8:30 am. On Sunday, October 18th from 3-6 pm we will hold a book signing by Suzanne Kasler for her first book, Inspired Interiors.

On Tuesday, October 20th from 3-6 pm we will be holding a book signing for Cathy Whitlock (pictured above) and her new book re-de-sign - New Directions for your Interior Design Career. Cathy's new book chronicles the many directions an interior designer can take in their career from a residential designer to a commercial designer; from an educator to a furniture designer; to store display designer to a designer with a TV show; and more! In her book Alexa Hampton is interviewed about her journey into interior design. Jay Reardon, president of Hickory Chair is interviewed as well as Cathy Mitchell Parker, Vice President of Product Merchandising and her journey from graduating with an interior design degree to where she is today.

For more information about these events, contact press@hickorychair.com!

A Wonderful Reunion of HCC University Alumni

One of my favorite things about the High Point Market each spring and fall is the reunion with our HCC University Alumni! I can not even count how many HCC University Alumni that came to the showroom over the past week. It was wonderful to catch up and share stories.

I was thinking about all of the HCC University wishes that came true this market and as I realized how many had come true, I thought you would enjoy reviewing the list!

• I wish you made some modern swivel chairs, low profile swivel chairs and swivel chairs without skirts. We have developed with our supplier a new mechanism which allows us to keep our custom engineered 8-way hand tied spring system and provide you 9 low profile swivel chairs!





• I wish you had a sleep sofa. Our Silhouettes Upholstery program has a queen size sleep sofa with an exclusive tri-fold mechanism and Air Dream mattress.
• I wish that you had more fully upholstered scale sofas with exposed legs. Our Silhouettes Upholstery program offers your choice of 17 exposed legs!
• I wish that you could change the arms on your sofas and chairs. Our Silhouettes Upholstery program includes 13 arm choices!
• I wish that you had more high back sofas. We offer an extended height option to Silhouettes Upholstery.
• I wish you had deeper sofas. Silhouettes Upholstery offers an extended depth option.
• I wish you had more chaises in your line. Silhouettes Upholstery offers a variety of armless, 2 arm or single arm chaises.
• I wish that you could change the back construction. There are 5 back choices in Silhouettes Upholstery.
• And we offer Made To Measure lengths on most of the pieces as well!

These and other wishes were granted at the Spring Market. We are in the process of posting all of the price lists and pictures on Homebase. Keep sharing your wishes. You know we listen and we will make them come true!

Looking For Some Fresh Thinking & Products In High Point?

The Spring Market Is Almost Here!

Contact your Hickory Chair Sales Representative for an appointment today!