Designers discuss the importance of attending the home furnishings mega-market and how to interpret trends for their clients.
By NKBA Staff
With open-concept design trends dominating new construction and major renovations in recent years, the kitchen has become a bigger gathering hub and a greater part of a home’s overall living space. As such, kitchen and bath designers are finding themselves increasingly immersed in whole-home design.
This evolution played a critical role in NKBA’s decision to form a strategic partnership last year with the High Point Market Authority (HPMA), which produces the twice-yearly High Point Markets held in April and October in High Point, NC. This is one of the world’s leading destinations for interior design professionals, and a key place to forge bonds between the kitchen and bath sectors and overall interior design.
In a NEXTStage presentation at KBIS 2026, Tammy Covington, HPMA president and CEO, led a panel of three pros who discussed the significance of attending the April market and the cohesion among the design disciplines.
Dwayne Bergmann, principal and CEO of Dwayne Bergmann Interiors; Arianne Bellizaire, designer and CEO at Arianne Bellizaire Interiors, and Jeanne K Chung, principal and creative director for Jeanne K Chung Interiors and Cozy Stylish Chic — all High Point veterans — talked about interpreting inspiration from the April 25 to 29 showcase and turning it into practical applications for clients.
“High Point is an invaluable resource, especially since I’m in a smaller market,” said Bellizaire, who is based in Baton Rouge, LA. “At High Point, I’m immersed in interior design, so I can bring all that back to my clients.”
Bergmann added that the market is an ideal place to network and allows designers to “cultivate relationships, share stories, wisdom and camaraderie. We create and deepen connections with our own vendors, and our clients see the trends.”
He noted that storytelling is a key part of the design process, and High Point helps designers learn about product origins, which, in turn, engages the client. “At High Point, you start with the finishes, textiles and colors that translate to cabinets and metals. This ‘show and tell’ means a lot to the client.
Noting that K&B has experienced significant extension into the rest of the home, Covington asked the panel why it is so important for K&B designers to take advantage of this development.
Chung, who started her design career in the fashion industry, said that by knowing all aspects of interior design, a designer can develop a cohesive vision. “It’s like putting an outfit together. Understanding all aspects allows you to make the whole space cohesive.”
Bellizaire, formerly a marketing and PR executive, said entering the design field on the “soft side” — more on the aesthetic side — is easier, and mistakes are less costly. “Then you come to KBIS and learn about what goes on behind the walls, more of the ‘hard side,’ like plumbing, electric, cabinetry and appliances. The confluence of High Point and KBIS lets you bring it all together. The wonder and discovery are fascinating, too. I always leave time for discovery and always find something new. I put these new resources, products and ideas into a ‘someone’s going to get this’ file — I know I’ll want to use them in a project one day.”
Chung added that attending a mega-market like High Point or a comprehensive expo like KBIS helps to train the eye.
“You have to learn and soak in as much as you can,” Chung said. “This way, when a project comes along, the info comes out effortlessly — proportion, scale, etc. There are so many educational opportunities that can help you learn, especially for customized designs. You can create a piece or a solution for a specific space. You can explain with confidence why you’re choosing a particular item or texture for your client, because you’ve been there to feel it, touch it, see it, sit in it, and try it out.”
When asked by an audience member whether it’s worthwhile to show furniture in a K&B showroom, the designers concurred that it makes no sense to leave money on the table.
“Absolutely, show furniture,” said Chung, “This is how your client can customize, and often, they end up buying it all.”
Bergmann added it’s a big business booster to showcase, for example, the bar stools, wallpaper, lighting over the islands, and other elements and accessories — and High Point is a great place to see and learn about new products and resources not necessarily specific to kitchen and bath. “This all adds to the whole-home experience, and the client realizes that they don’t have to go elsewhere,” he said. “You become their resource.”
Offering another strategy for attending the spring market, Covington suggested that designers take advantage of the tours, which help make navigating the market easier, and said planning your time at market is a key strategy to getting the most out of it.
“Schedule your days and time and understand that you won’t see everything,” she said, and because the market can be overwhelming, “It’s important to plan some downtime, and networking time, too. Networking is so important to meet other designers and share experiences in a non-competitive way.”
Bellizaire noted, “You encounter people to whom you can relate, whom you can mentor, or who can be a mentor to you.”
Chung concurred that taking a tour first is important, especially for first-timers. “A tour will take you places you might not find on your own. This will be your best investment of time,” she said, adding that after a “cut-throat fashion career, the interior design industry was so embracing and willing to share.”
NKBA partnered with Cosentino to create a significant presence in historic Broad Hall last October. Additionally, brands participating with NKBA at Spring Market include Kichler Lighting, James Martin Vanities, Sherwin-Williams, Ferguson Home, Fabuwood, BlueStar, Signature Hardware, Miele, Urban Bonfire, FreePower, Lutron, Blanco, Azenco and Feeney, as well as Codarus, which owns Broad Hall and is a collaborative partner in this venture.
NKBA and its brand partners will again bring an array of insightful programming, panels and presentations, with refreshments, networking opportunities and designer engagement, all aimed at reinforcing the growing confluence of K&B design and whole-home interior design.
High Point Spring Market, April 25 to 29, is accepting online preregistration through April 10. Learn more about High Point Spring Market here, and learn more details about NKBA’s High Point activations here.
