HIGH POINT MARKET.
A WORLD OF DESIGN.

Before a collection appears in a furniture store or a designer’s project, someone has to see it, sit in it, inspect the finish, and imagine where it belongs. For generations, High Point, North Carolina, has been one of the places where that conversation begins.

High Point Market—often shortened to HPMKT—is a meeting place for the home furnishings trade. Its showroom district brings manufacturers, brands, retailers and interior designers into the same rooms. The city’s story helps explain why a showroom sample can be more interesting than an ordinary piece of inventory: it was selected to introduce a collection and show what a room could become.

HOW DID HIGH POINT MARKET BEGIN?

The roots are in manufacturing. North Carolina’s nearby lumber resources helped High Point develop into a furniture-making center around the turn of the twentieth century. Local producers needed places where buyers could compare their goods. What grew from that need eventually made the city a destination for the industry. The North Carolina historical marker account traces the Market’s establishment to 1909.

It was not an uninterrupted rise. The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s historical timeline describes early showroom ventures in 1905, formal markets in 1909, modest attendance, renewed attempts, and interruptions during the world wars. The Market developed through repeated investment in bringing buyers and manufacturers together.

The landmark moment came on June 20, 1921, when the Southern Furniture Exposition Building opened. The ten-story building offered 249,000 square feet of exhibition space and was financed without outside capital, according to the state’s historical account. Its scale expressed a belief that the region could attract buyers to a permanent furniture center. Read the building’s history.

By the late 1980s, the name International Home Furnishings Market reflected the event’s growing international identity. Today’s HPMKT continues that role: a place to introduce products, meet business partners and see collections in context. Explore the Market’s evolution.

WHO ARE THE EXHIBITORS?

The exhibitors are the businesses presenting the products: furniture manufacturers, home furnishings brands and specialist suppliers. A showroom may bring together upholstery, tables, lighting, rugs and accessories so buyers can understand a complete collection. Across the Market, the range extends from bedroom and dining furniture to outdoor living, textiles and decorative objects.

The Market Authority currently describes approximately 2,000 exhibitors and 11.5 million square feet of showroom space. Its official Market overview and searchable exhibitor directory are useful starting points for finding a brand, product category or showroom.

AICO / MICHAEL AMINI

Its exhibitor profile spans case goods, upholstery, lighting, bedding and accents.

VIEW EXHIBITOR PROFILE ↗

THEODORE ALEXANDER

Furniture, upholstery, lighting and accessories, with collections presented at its Hamilton Street showroom.

VIEW EXHIBITOR PROFILE ↗

These are examples of Market exhibitors, not a list of confirmed October auction consignors. Brand names and logos identify the companies discussed; individual auction listings establish what is available.

For retailers, a Market visit can help shape the next store assortment. For designers, it is an opportunity to evaluate scale, materials, comfort and finishes in person. Exhibitors also use showroom presentations and programming to explain their collections and build relationships. The official Market guide describes a district spanning 13 city blocks, with showrooms, education and events woven into the visit.

WHY SHOWROOM SAMPLES MATTER

A sample gives buyers something tangible to evaluate. The curve of a chair, the depth of a cabinet and the texture of upholstery are easier to understand when a piece is on display. Those same qualities can make a sample appealing to a homeowner furnishing a room or a designer completing a project.

As collections and room settings change, showrooms may sell selected display pieces. That creates a different buying opportunity from ordering new production through a retailer. A sample may have handling marks, display wear or a configuration that cannot be changed. Price, condition, availability and delivery all need to be considered together.

At International Manufacturers Showroom, or IMS, this showroom-to-buyer connection is part of an established public auction program. Industry reporting documented the showroom concept and twice-yearly sample auctions in 2018. Our IMS auction history follows that story and the later catalogs. It is a related chapter in the High Point furniture economy; it is not the founding story of HPMKT itself.

TWO OCTOBER EVENTS. TWO WAYS TO PARTICIPATE.

The dates and admission rules matter. High Point Market is a trade event. The World of Decor auction at IMS is separately advertised as open to the public. Registering for one does not register you for the other.

The auction venue is IMS, 4250 Furniture Avenue, Jamestown, NC 27282. World of Decor operates the event. Use its official auction details to confirm the schedule and terms, and the live catalog to research individual pieces.

TURN INSPIRATION INTO A PRACTICAL PLAN

1. Start with your space. Measure the room, doorways and delivery route. A showroom can make a large piece look smaller than it will at home.
2. Study the actual lot. Review every photograph, dimensions, materials, quantity and condition. Ask about details that would affect your decision.
3. Plan the total cost. Include the buyer’s premium, applicable tax, packing and transport. Request event-specific answers before bidding.
4. Register and follow the live sale. Read the World of Decor terms and follow the webcast. A leading prebid becomes a purchase only when the item is sold to you through the auction process.

For a closer look at the venue, the October auction guide includes a Matterport showroom walkthrough. Use it to explore the setting, then return to the current catalog for available merchandise. Our guide to buying Market samples covers the practical questions behind the excitement of finding a distinctive piece.