High Point Furniture Market Spring 2022

Sarah and I spent both Saturday and Sunday at the High Point Furniture Market, her first one ever, and the first time I have spent two whole days there. We took a lot of photos, and talked to a lot of people taking far more time than my usual one day trips. That means we have a lot to tell you about and will do in posts over the next one to two weeks as time allows.

The Market is so huge, and so vast, that I would estimate we covered only 5% of it in two days. Just got back at 11 pm this evening and we walked 5.3 miles at Market today alone. How Sarah managed to do that in fashion high heeled boots I will never know…lol.

We bought no new lines, though we looked at several. Quite frankly, I think we have some of the best ones in the industry already, and much of what we saw as “new” was either repetitive to what we already carry, just flat out boring, or cheaply made.

Sarah enjoyed talking with professional designers, while I really liked chatting with the people from Moore & Giles leather, who expanded my leather knowledge even further. More on that later.

We also spent nearly two hours talking with Phil Brown, who runs Hancock and Moore day to day. Great stuff, swapping plans and ideas, and I was so comfortable in this Milo Swivel Recliner I almost napped in it. Of course we bought one for the floor. Love the way this sits:

https://www.hancockandmoore.com/Prod...ail?SKU=ML4-PR

More later in the next few days…..

Great, glad you both enjoyed it. Can’t wait to see some pics and hear more from both of you. I am a bit team Sarah here, would love chatting with a few professional designers. 🙂

We are a bit slammed right now catching up and will post as time allows. Here's a little teaser from the Hancock and Moore Showroom that was fun. # 5852-S Traveler's Swivel Chair in Hyde Park Brownie Burnished with a custom hand-painted "Yellowstone" scene. This chair is compact so it fits in a lot of places, but it has a full-size sit, very comfortable and easy to live with. It's also in the Town and Country promotion so priced very well in program leathers. We ordered a floor model just as shown, except without the custom artwork. BTW, this chair in the photo is available to purchase if you can't get enough Beth Dutton.

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Want another "fun" chair? Here's another one we both really liked, so much so we ordered one exactly the same build specs.

This is the Hancock and Moore "Boomerang" Chair # 5908 done in several materials. Jessica Charles Mayan Natural fabric on inback and outback, Fenny Espresso on Seat (this is a natural shearling), Hyde Park Earth Burnished on remainder, TTT nail, Frame Builder's Premium Maple finish. These are tricky to put together from samples, but they turn out unique and handsome, and of course, it has a dreamy sit. Spectacular accent chair. Our floor model will show up probably around December.

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Hancock and Moore "Peron" Bench # 6254 in Cameo Canvas Burnished, Rainier Premium Finish, "H" Nail. We debated on ordering this, Sarah thought it too expensive, I thought it so unique, and such a good sit, plus great to look being tufted that I know there are a few of our customers that would not balk at the price point, sure you can put it in a painted Chinese leather - but why would you?. So we ordered one, and if no one will buy it, I have a just the spot in my own house for it (the ultimate fall-back position on floor stock purchases). At 68" long, its a real piece of furniture - not an accent piece. Perfect for a foyer or at the foot of a King bed.

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One of the things we did at Market was to go look at other leather upholstery manufacturers to see what they may offer, can we get something to offer customers other than Hancock and Moore / Bradington Young / Century / Taylor King that may come in at better price points? One of the concerns we as dealers have is the costs increasing on our primary brands we carry, we owe it to our clients to see if we can find a better value in high quality product.

Years ago we were a Leathercraft dealer, and revisited that line as well, spending an hour with the Rep in our store the week before Market, and also an hour in the showroom at High Point. They have some interesting programs including a real 6-week Quick Ship in selected frames and leathers, and their price points are very good. As Sarah and I moved through their showroom and tried out different pieces I could see Sarah was unimpressed with the line. It was somewhat plain-looking, a bit uninspiring, and neither of us really liked the sit on several of the pieces. And it dawned on me that one of the reasons I dropped Leathercraft a dozen years ago was that inconsistent sit. Even though it was her first Market, Sarah said "After coming from Hancock and Moore's showroom to this one - its a let-down". I had to agree with her, and we left without putting in an order. We went to half a dozen other leather furniture suppliers at Market, and there was nothing interesting. There are at least two hundred leather upholstery makers at Market, and they all pretty much look the same and are all price-point companies. Even Bradington Young looks better than the majority of the other suppliers. At the end of the weekend, it came down to "We have the best already, especially with Hancock & Moore products, why even bother looking at others, they are in a league of their own". There is no one doing it like H&M. No one. If there is, I haven't seen it.

BTW, Speaking of H&M, they re-opened their Solid Wood Frame Factory and are going back to that for a number of frames. One of the issues is the multi-layer plywood they are using in the CNC machines is that material no longer available and they cannot find a replacement of that quality. Luckily, they stockpiled a considerable quantity of that specialty plywood so there will be no slowdowns in production. They also opened up another upholstery line in Plant 3 to fully produce there. There continues to be a worker shortages on all levels, and they are investing in hiring young workers that bring with them no bad habits learned at other companies, and will spend the time to train them. It takes about two years of apprenticing before they are qualified to work on their own in frame-making, sewing, trimming and spring-up. I like this approach, because - quite honestly - they work different at Hancock & Moore and workers with bad habits and poor morale are not a good fit at their company. For those of you that have toured H&M, you notice there is a buzz all the time in the factory, everyone moves with purpose and you get the sense of teamwork, pride and urgency. Walk into another one of the Carolina factories and it seems like a different industry, all that is missing and its more workers just doing what has to be done.

For that reason, we are staying with Hancock and Moore as our lead brand. Yes, its more expensive. Yes, we realize not everyone wants to pay the price - its not for everyone. We ordered more stock from H&M at Market than from any other supplier and will continue to floor fifty pieces or more at all times. It's still the best, by a wide margin

Some pieces from the Hancock and Moore Showroom:

# 6731-3 Dante Sofa: Tiburon Doe GR 3 leather, Buck Finish, Welts in Tiburon Stone, G & H nails. Pillows 20" x 20" in Jessica Charles Fabrics.

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# 6620-ET Cami Ottoman Embossed: Carver Leather GR 6, Cottswald Ivory on top, Cottswald Acorn on Remainder

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# 5580 Faulkner Chair: Cottswald Ivory GR 4, Fleecy Fog on Seat and Front Border (shearling). Cottswald Camel on Gimp and Welt. Black Nickel nail

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# 6682-3 Aviator Sofa in Hyde Park Tan Patina, Java wood.

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# 6784-3 Murphy Sofa in Cottswald Burlap GR 4, Wood is Bark, Nail trim Black Nickel. Pillows 20" x 20" in Jessica Charles fabric and Shearling.

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more.....

# 6593-1 Louie Chair in Tiburon Cognac (GR 3) with Tiburon Truffle on Welts and Gimp. Espresso wood.

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# 6195-S Parker Swivel Chair in Shearling Taupe GR 6

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# 6195-S Parker Swivel Chair in Finery Granite GR 4, C nail. (See how the same chair can look totally different in a leather vs a shearling?)

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# 6807-1 Myles Chair in Finery Mahogany GR 4, Espresso wood finish, S nail trim. (Great sitting wing chair, btw)

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HM1217C Belloir Cocktail Table, Walnut End Grain Veneers over Mahogany Solids. (matching end tables available - not shown)

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# 6638-3 Danvers Sofa in leather Belfast Stone GR 2, with Reptilia Graphite on Front Arm Panels. Black Nickel Nail, Java wood finish

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# 6580-3 Parisian Sofa in Pelham Almond Patina Burnished, Java wood, Black Nickel Nails

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# 6715-T Ellis Tufted Ottoman in leather Hyde Park Brownie Patina Burnished. Side Panels in Ostro Mocha, Premium wood finish Chickory. Big ottoman @ 49" x 49"

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# 6806-1 Jameson Chair in leather Tiburon Truffle GR 3, wood finish Espresso, nail trim is DD. Matching Ottoman.

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# 6681-3 Amari Sofa in leather Tahoe Oyster Burnished GR 4, Wood finish is Espresso TTT nail Belt Gimp in Dark Brown, "J" Stitch on seat and back Cushion covers.

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Good Boy! A top seller for Maitland Smith (There is also one with an Alligator) alongside the Hancock and Moore Swindon Chair. Pretty cool piece. # 8144 Labrador Accent Table. Metallic Bronze in Cast Resin,

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Really enjoying these photos, thanks for sharing, especially so late when you worked all day!

Prepare to be blown away by Hancock and Moore's new leathers for Spring.

They have gone in-depth with Moore and Giles leathers and increasing their presence with them. Moore and Giles is out of Lexington VA and have the world's finest hides in their inventory, predominately from Europe. We spent two hours talking with the Moore and Giles Executives and I have a lot to share on that, but that will be for a later post. H&M and most companies are moving away from China for leathers and focusing more on South American and European leathers. Cost of shipping from Asia is becoming prohibitive, and the region is not as stable as it once was due to the political situations and no producers want to get stuck relying on a line they may not be able to get. So you will be seeing changes in the leather lines over the next year or two. Married covers will be done in South America or the Caribbean in the future and that transition is ongoing now.

Now for the fun. This new leather from Moore and Giles comes out of Germany and is named CARVER. I didn't know what it was called at the time, but as soon as we walked into this room my eyes locked onto these pieces because I could tell from ten feet away this was hot stuff. Its the finest leather Moore and Giles has ever imported. It's also a GR 6, so that puts in on average $ 1,000 more on a recliner or chair than the prior champs (Capri and Markle, both GR 4). This is for the serious leather enthusiast. The purest of the pure anilines, it is as soft as Markle, but has more drape to the crust to it tailors better on furniture, that helps it hold its shape better. The water coming into the tannery from the Bavarian Alps is pure spring water rather than treated "city" water and I'm told that makes the leather appx 5% softer. I believe it, its spectacular. There are (5) Colorways in CARVER. Walnut, Acorn, Oat, Aegean and Olive. If you want the best the industry has to offer, this is it.

Shown on these new frames

# 6790-1 Declan Wing Chair, Carver Walnut, Rainer Premium Finish, H nail trim

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# 6696-1 Oliver Chair, Carver Acorn with Welts in Carver Walnut, Java Finish

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# 6805-1 Kinsley Wing Chair in Carver Olive, Bark wood finish

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New leathers from the Spring Market, photos are already on the H&M website

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Moore and Giles handed out 30% off Coupons for their website - they have some good stuff. I have been carrying a Moore and Giles Men's Wallet in Brompton for a year now, its tough and holds up, and its properly made, the equal of men's designer wallets costing $ 500. Best of all, its made right in Lynchburg Virginia. When is the last time you saw an American made wallet?

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More from Hancock and Moore's showroom, This sofa was beautiful and very large. Too big to order for our floor, but in the right room and in the right house it would be a statement piece.

# 6823-3 Grandview Sofa in Pelham Mist Patina Burnished (GR4), Hamlin Walnut on Borders, Belt Gimp on base, "J" Stitch on pillows, Espresso wood finish

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# 6599 Framework Ottoman in Hereford Roan (GR4) Ostro Java in Center, Old Gold Nail, Espresso wood finish Welts in Dodson Tobacco

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# 6684-1 Ace Chair in Leather Ostro Java (GR4), combo with Keenan Molasses. Wood is Espresso. This is a great sitting chair, I came back to this twice to consider ordering, however most in-store customers want cushioned arms, so for that reason I didn't.

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HM1008 Tack Console. Steel Base, Stone Top. This we did order, Great size and look. Practical.

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Is there a list of new leathers they are adding? I wonder if they are on their site yet. They don't have an option to filter leathers by new additions or newest first or something like that.

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Originally Posted by SueCT

Is there a list of new leathers they are adding? I wonder if they are on their site yet. They don't have an option to filter leathers by new additions or newest first or something like that.

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Yes, look at Post # 13

Thanks, don't know how I missed that post. Well some of them are there, No Catalina or Holman, I didn't look for all of them. I am sure they will get them all up eventually.

Some leathers shown at Market do not make it into the line, about 1/4 of them fail to generate enough interest from dealers to be added.

We did get a handle of the new hides in the store today (04/09/22) and are likely the only dealer to have them this soon. A video will be up of them shortly.

I spent a good two hour talking with Trey and Bo from Moore and Giles leathers, who are highly involved with Hancock and Moore for this Market and moving forward beyond that. They are all in the pure aniline camp, for sure, as am I. The natural beauty of pure anilines just cannot be beat, and they will - over time - last longer and look better than "Protected" leathers or Finished leathers. We had a long discussion on how these "Protected" leathers are understood by consumers and many salespeople as being more appropriate for hard use than "Unprotected" leathers (pure anilines). You know what? It's not true. A "Protected" leather is nothing more than a painted leather, simple as that. Same for "Semi-Anilines", they all have a pigmented sprayed-on top coat. As Trey explains it, all topcoated leathers have a bonding agent to the hide that will eventually fail over time, it's not a matter of "If", but "When". And that is true of any paint when you think about it, from the paint on your house, or on your car. It's a sacrificial topcoat that gives way. One of the issues there is to overcome is the language used on sales materials. "Unprotected" gives the impression of being fragile, and that term ultimately should be replaced with "Natural", which would be more appropriate.

Aniline leathers can stain with hair and hand oils, but that is cosmetic only and doesn't damage the leather. That can also be prevented by cleaning and conditioning. Almost all spills on aniline leathers should be left alone. Blot them up, don't rub them - and don't scrub on them. The leather itself will absorb the stain over time and will eventually disappear. If you damage a finished leather, it stays damaged because it was typically something done to the painted top surface.

Only 5% of hides worldwide are clean enough to be pure anilines, so they tend to be more expensive. The cattle from England, Belgium, Germany and Italy generate the finest and softest leathers, because they tend to be "pampered" in those countries and the hides are not banged up. Once you get into "real" leather, you will likely only buy aniline hides for your furniture. They will fade quicker than painted leathers in direct sunlight, however. Good leather furniture can last well over 50 years, so my advice is going to be to continue to buy pure anilines. YES - you will pay more, but you will have these pieces for a lifetime.

At the Hooker Showroom, we were astonished to see the # 1 selling item they have in their entire line, including not only Hooker Furniture, but also Bradington Young, Sam Moore and MARC. This is a motorized reclining Chesterfield sofa in leather, and Hooker actually holds a patent on it, so its not copied anywhere else. Two recliners, motorized, not too hard to deliver as its in two pieces....OK....we ordered one! See Sarah in the video I took of her trying it out at this link.

https://www.facebook.com/keeproom/vi...75849456985736

Wow that Chesterfield is amazing. Do you have a larger picture of it or any of the back? Not in the market for a sofa but I am very curious how it works. I would assume it needs to be against a wall. Does the back remain open when it rises up to become the headrest? Awesome.

We took that video rather than a photo. It can float or be a zero clearance wall-hugger, either one. Yes, the back can remain open if you wish, its fully controllable with the buttons. There are probably plenty of photos of it around, as its the number one seller for the entire company, I'm told many stores order half a dozen of these at a time. We are not that bold, and will start with just one. It is pretty slick and solves a lot of issues with dual recliner sofas.

I have given up on ordering 1-piece dual recliner sofas that are not modular, they are simply too heavy and too hard to deliver. Appx half of them are returned because they will not fit in the customer's home and they can physically hurt a two man delivery team due to weight What the company executives don't see and understand is when they handle those units in the plants and showrooms, they have dollies to roll them on and four men to lift them, with no doorway restrictions. When they are delivered to a customer's home, its two guys and a 36" doorway, plus obstacles that may be in the home. Forget about going up and down stairs with them or twisting them this way or that, or standing up in freight elevators. Either the crew gets hurt, the sofa damaged or the walls torn up, none of which is satisfactory. For that reason, we are moving to sectional units such as this Hooker piece that comes in two pieces - these we can delivery without too many issues.

Here is the link to the video of the new Hancock & Moore leathers: https://fb.watch/chsFefffZD/

We can't believe we got a handle of these so quickly! I have to agree that Carver is a standout, as someone who thought Capri was the softest leather to exist, I was blown away by Carver. Finery is also beautiful, and I loved all of the new embossed leathers.

Thank you Sarah.

From the factory to the showroom...it's always fun to see the behind-the-scenes of a new frame being made.

We got to see Hancock and Moore's new Gina Sofa #6706-3 going into production at our trip to the factory in November and then its debut at Market.

Displayed in the new Moore & Giles Tiburon Smoke Leather with Carver Walnut Welt and Rainer Finish, the Gina Sofa is a stunner.

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Here is the final sketch from the designer. I saw it laying on the workbench in the factory and was so glad I asked if I could take a picture of it to have to look back at now. I wasn't sure if the new market designs were proprietary information, so I was surprised I was allowed to snap a photo.

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The original frame...the sofa looked massive on the workbench but it's really only 86" W and 35.5" tall.

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The debut at Market in the newest shade of Tiburon, Smoke.

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This part of the showroom was inspired by the Ritz Hotel in Paris and gives a nod to the classics with couture silhouettes.

Let's talk about the Hancock and Moore YOUR WAY dual recliner sofas, since they are confusing. I purposely took photos at Market of them to try to show the differences. Your Way 1 is the older generation unit. Your Way 2 is newer to market. What's alike? What's different? Let's explore them both.

What they have in common:

*Both are very heavy and hard to deliver. Appx 380 lbs, two men cannot easily deliver these. They are too heavy to go up and down stairways, be lifted overhead or over a kitchen counter. and require a 35" or better doorway.

How are they different?

Your Way 1 has a "Split" where the back reclines that you can see if the unit is floated out into a room. The seat height is taller on Your Way 1 and it sits fairly upright when closed up. I did not photo the back of this Your Way 1 because it was up against the wall and too hard to move out.

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Your Way 2 has the recliners built into the shell, there is no visible "Split" in the back when viewed from the rear. A newer frame style by Ultra-Mek, the motion part stays fully within the shell Seat height is lower, and the closed-up sit is less upright than Your Way 1.

Leather on the YW2 is Kismet Pewter, Java Wood, Wide Track Arm & Base, Split Back.

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Which do we prefer? Neither - we think the smart way to order this category is modular units and join when in the home.

A few photos from the Woodbridge Showroom. It was so crowded in here that I didn't get the opportunity to take many photos of their product. With three world-famous designers in the space taking appointments to talk to people, it was a madhouse.

# LL301-06 Maker's Console. I liked the style and look of this piece, in a country / mountain home with the right decor - great! Has a drawer on each end

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# O-501-36 Bellevue Tasting Table / Bar. Sitting up "high" is the new "in".

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# 733609 Kiawah Lounge Chair. Stylish/ Comfortable sit

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Sarah talking with Lauren Liess, well-known designer and decorator. Behind her at the next table is designer Corey Damen Jenkins who Sarah also sat with. He will be doing much of Hancock and Moore's designs the next four years starting with the Fall 2022 Market.

BTW, Sarah has enrolled for course with the New York Institute of Design and is on her way to become a Certified and Accredited Designer, using the same path that Lauren Liess chose. https://www.nyiad.edu/design-article...s-lauren-liess. Once she completes this course (appx 18 months) and is certified, The Keeping Room will begin in-home design projects with our clients.

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That is awesome, Sarah! Sounds like you are planning to be at the Keeping Room for some time in the future. Honestly, that makes me feel even better about ordering from the Keeping Room. It has crossed my mind that your father might want to retire some day, and I hope the Keeping Room keeps keeping on, lol. Love both of those two pieces.

We've been living with our Yourway series 1 recliners for a bit now. We really loved the way the Yourway2 prototype sat at the H&M factory, but ultimately think the series 1 was a better choice because of the walkway we needed. The split back though isn't quite as attractive but such are the tradeoffs (and first world problems I recognize).

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Originally Posted by sam_g

We've been living with our Yourway series 1 recliners for a bit now. We really loved the way the Yourway2 prototype sat at the H&M factory, but ultimately think the series 1 was a better choice because of the walkway we needed. The split back though isn't quite as attractive but such are the tradeoffs (and first world problems I recognize).

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I have yet to see a Yourway2 in person but the difference in dimensions between the series 1 and 2 is something I'm looking at closely. Can you speak more to the "walkway" concerns....is this related to the increased depth of the series 2?

Do you have a sofa or a recliner?

Cheers!

We have 3 series 1's. It's not really the depth of the series 2 but rather a difference in the way the chairs recline. With the series 1, the reason there is a split back, is as the chair reclines, the back moves backwards and the feet come up in the front. So when it's fully reclined, you have space taken out of walkways in front and in the back of the chair.

The series 2 is a one shell, when you recline, the entire mechanism moves and slides you forward. The back is fixed and does not move at all. So the full reclining length is taken out of the walkway in front of you. In our case, that would have closed off completely walkways in the front so it didn't work for us.

Though for aesthetics, having a fixed back is a lot more attractive if you have an open area since they can do designs/scalloping like a regular fixed chair. Also, the series 1, depending on the design, will have some elements that are fixed and some that move. So when the chair is reclined there may be some fixed part of the chair sticking up.

Thank you for the insight. I had not considered the change in the extension on the front side....was obsessed with how the chair/sofa would look from the back. I badly want to sit in a series 2 just to feel the difference in seat height and seat depth compared to the series 1. But who knows when any dealer will get a floor model given the supply chain issues in mechanisms.

Cheers!!

The lower seat height of the Your Way 2 means most women, who tend to have shorter legs than men, will prefer it. That drop in seat height makes a difference.

Here's furniture no one buys anymore. The Classics we saw at Kindel / Karges / Councill at the High Point Market. All made in Grand Rapids Michigan. It's expensive, and finely done

Look at these two chairs - same identical chair with two different finishes. I think the painted one was spectacular. And look at his gorgeous Slant Front Bombay style desk. This is a very difficult piece to make and requires a high level of craftsmanship. Beautiful finish on it as well.

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This Kindel Double Pedestal Table was wonderfully made, a work of art with a more modern flair

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A few photos from the Taylor King showroom at Market. End of the day, our phones had very little battery left in them and we were tired, so only a handful here.

This was kind of wild / interesting / far out. A Home Theater setup using chaises and consoles. I anticipate we will get exactly zero orders for this item, but you have to give them credit for imagination. It's built on the Sausalito series sectional components.

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This I thought fun, a curve to a conventional sectional adds a little style. TK # 4015-39BL Vesper Sectional in fabric Mila Flannel

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Banquettes custom made to your size, the # 2921-2 Harmony series in fabric Newville Linen

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Taylor King also does leather. I found this model to sit very well when I tried it out. Model K1722-HMA Hall Recliner in leather Stargo Lacy

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