Twice a year Win and I venture to North Carolina for the High Point Fabric Show called “Showtime”; the total “candy store” experience for anyone who loves textiles.
The fun begins in Market Square Tower – a converted mill.
It is however, serious business running from showroom to showroom to meet for ½ hour appointments with the different mills and vendors.
Our first stop this season was the Regal Fabrics showroom. Our Rep, Jim Hixon, showed us the newest introductions.
Regal’s 100% polyester fabric called “Taxi” is a Chameleon favorite.
Our Chameleon Fine Furniture™ in the PK Lifestyles Showroom was dressed this year in fabrics from the new fabric collection by HGTV star, Genevieve Gorder.
The most dramatic fabric at the show was the beautiful black flocked peacocks on ivory background displayed on our Chameleon Fine Furniture™ Parson’s Chair.
Textures made a big statement this season.
PK Lifestyles always puts together fabulous storyboards featuring inspirations for the newest textiles.
Golding Fabrics is another favorite showroom. Pictured below is our Rep, Steve Rexford, showing Win some of the latest coastal-look fabrics…”and look, it goes with Chameleon Style® Bridge Color™, Poppy.” (More on Poppy later)
The Kravet Showroom was decked out in cool blues this season.
Ed Paulsen of the Kravet Showroom in California displays one of the new Kravet introductions. It’s a crisp linen with fresh blue tones accented with our Bridge Color™ “Poppy”!
This show we had the opportunity to meet a few of the textile designers themselves. I had the opportunity to sit down with Chari Voehl of Covington fabrics in front of a cute puzzle display of the new fabrics as well as a great new floral with berry and rose on a grey background.
Woven textile Designer, Terri Anne O’Sullivan, showed Win and I the latest designs from Sunbury Mills. Sunbury is one of the last American mills and it’s always a treat to see their innovative designs. Terri also was particularly entertaining with her East Coast accent and witty comments. It was like watching a late night comedy show, only with fabrics as the star! So much fun!
Robert Allen Home always has a great showroom.
Jennifer Seri is our new Rep for Robert Allen fabrics. Pictured below is Jennifer showing me a great new floral from the Madcap Cottage Collection…”and look, it goes with Bridge Color™ Poppy!”
Always “Best in Show” are the showrooms designed by Ray McKinnon of the American woven mills, Keystone and Seven.
Each vignette displays luscious use of textures for which Keystone is famous.
Ray’s unparalleled creativity is a signature of innovation in use of fabrics.
Keystone’s Textile Designer, Cindy Smolek, displays the newest introductions.
The adjoining showroom for “Seven” is always a splash of color with intriguing and innovative displays.
This season Blues were “King” in many displays.
One of Seven’s Textile Designers, Soo Young Yoon, shows off my personal favorite of the show; a brightly colored leaf woven with the perfect combination of sophisticated whimsy. It incorporates several of our Chameleon Style® Bridge Colors; “Indigo”, “Pumpkin”, “Saffron” and yes…wait for it…”Poppy”!
Matt Underwood of King Textiles shows Win the newest fabrics in a display of patriotic reds and blues.
What would a fabric show be without a great rooster fabric? A new company, Stof, from France featured a rooster of a calmer palette that I just couldn’t pass up!
The true highlight of the Show was meeting Jaclyn Smith in the Fabricut-Trend booth where she introduced her newest fabric collection for Trend.
There are many celebrities that attach their names to various products but few devote the time and attention to detail that Jaclyn Smith does. Pictured below, I am showing Jaclyn photos of some of the Chameleon Fine Furniture™ pieces we have created over the years with her first collection.
Jaclyn autographed one of the pictures of the furniture. Because she lives in the Santa Barbara area she commented that she might pay a visit to Chameleon. She could not believe our furniture is a slipcover.
The new Jaclyn Smith Fabric Collection will be arriving late Summer, early Fall and I have to say it is as timeless as she is. They say she is 70….! She was as gracious as she is beautiful. I do hope she will come to Chameleon to see her fabrics in action!
My notes on the trends and colors at the High Point Fabric Show
Although my pictures from the show do not portray it, what I observed “trending” were the following:
- Yellow is making a comeback in more contemporary constructions
- Bling is very “in” from cowhides to rhinestones
- Blues are classic and have enduring place in the market
- Greys are still the favored “neutral” – (unless you’ve been “Chameleonized” and know that any color can be your personal neutral color).
We anxiously await the arrival of our samples to show you the newest and best fabrics at Chameleon!
“It goes with our Chameleon Style® Bridge Color™ “Poppy”
This is my way of gently teasing our team member, Margaret. In her home, “Poppy” is her Bridge Color™ that pulls all of her different looks together. She is always on the lookout for new fabrics that have Poppy in them. Her home is decorated beautifully, and since she uses our Chameleon Style™ Decorating technique, she can have a refreshing change throughout the year. So, if you find a fabric that goes with “Poppy”, be sure to let Margaret know!
