I was thrilled to be selected as a 2019 Style Spotter for the High Point Market - it’s Fashion Week for home furnishings! As a Style Spotter, I look for trends and fabulous new products that I think are noteworthy and on the cutting edge. I had the chance to get an early look at what’s coming for the April Market, and I chose 5 amazing new products that I think will be showstoppers! Let’s take a look…

Modshop

Known for my use of colour and moments of eye candy in each room I design, I have now fallen head-over-heels in love with textures. Adding another component to my designs means that this incredible tufted green couch by Modshop ticks all the boxes. Traditional in its shape, colourful in the perfect shade of green to balance the sophisticated lines of the furniture. The eye candy is a tie between the textural tufting and the killer brass kick plate. This piece is the perfect foundation for a phenomenal living room!

Streamline Art

Art is a big part of the finishing touches for any room design. Abstract art is a favourite of mine because it can be many things to many people. You can also find abstract art more readily from up-and-coming artists, which means you might be able to purchase more pieces! This piece by Streamline Art is fantastic because of the use of colour and scale. Perfect as the statement piece in a hallway or hanging over a couch or bed.....I might even be tempted to hang it vertically to mix things up!!

vanCollier

The art work of Wendy Concannon has always been a favourite of mine for obvious reasons....colour!! Now available as tables from vanCollier? I mean, come on!! In my mind, no design concept is complete without a small cocktail table that is more art than anything else. The accent, the fun, the eye candy these tables would bring to any room are a home run and definitely the piece that will start conversations! 

Robert James Collection

I am having a love affair with natural wood at the moment. Always one to build a dining room centred around a wooden table, the textural elements of the rough-sawn or quarter-cut tables on the market today have me swooning! This design by Robert James Collection is the perfect table in my opinion. The simplicity of the design allows the transition from modern to transitional depending on the chair selection. It is a statement piece to itself and the warmth of the wood colour is fabulous in any setting!

Robert James Collection

With my obsession for draping curtains on beds, the potential for this incredible four-poster bed is what caught my eye. Needless to say, the beautiful wood treatment, the square posts, the incredible brass details.....this bed by Robert James Collection is one serious bed! Drape sheer white panels around the edges, drape it in colourful sheets, and I am never getting out of bed!!

What do you think of my 5 picks to preview from Market? You can see it all in a video I’ve created for High Point Market on my Instagram account here! And stay tuned - I’ll have more fabulous looks from Market Week April 6-10!

Until next time,

-Cynthia

Whether you have a lot of overnight guests, or you just want to create a better oasis in your own bedroom, there is an art to creating a bedroom that will send you off to dreamland! I’ve designed literally hundreds of bedrooms, and here are my 4 tips that work every time:

Cynthia Ferguson Designs

1. Create Calm.

Did you know that your blood pressure will actually go down by looking at the colour blue?! It’s true, and that’s why it’s such a fabulous colour to use in a bedroom, like the one I designed above. Use the most calming colours you can, like white, gray, pale green. And create a little oasis by adding flowers, books, and maybe even a candle to the bedside table. Whatever makes you feel happy and relaxed!

2. Layer the Light.

When interior designers like me use this term, we’re talking about having a lot of light sources in a room, from bright to quiet. Bedside lights – like this amazing sconce I saw in a hotel in the Bahamas – give you just enough light to read, but not enough to make the room too bright.

Cynthia Ferguson Designs

3. Invest in the Best.

There are 2 things that are so important to invest in when it comes to a bedroom: your mattress and your linens. You will spend one-third of your entire life in bed, so you’d better be comfortable while you’re there! How the mattress feels is entirely up to your body type and your sleeping style, so be sure you test-drive as many as you can in the store. And get the linens that feel the way you want them to! For example, if you get too warm when you sleep, then be sure you go for natural fibers like bamboo, silk, and cotton to keep you cool.

Cynthia Ferguson Designs

4. Block It

Most everyone sleeps better if you can block a lot of the light in the room. I like to use light-blocking draperies floor to ceiling to really get the room as dark as possible in the evenings.

Try these tips to create welcoming rooms for your guests, and to help you create a quiet respite from your stressful day!

Until next time,

-Cynthia