I’ve been reveling in this gorgeous weather we’ve been getting! From dining en plein air to exercising my green thumb, I’ve been spending loads of time out on my patio this season. I don’t know if it’s the sunshine or the blooms, but it’s made me reminisce on the time I designed an outdoor living space for High Point Showhouse.

In the fall of 2019, myself and 20 other extraordinary designers had the honour of working with the High Point Preservation Society and the Junior League of High Point to help with the restoration costs of a stunning Craftsman-style home by designing a charity showhouse. Each designer was given a separate space of the home to design. Full independence! Full autonomy! Full fun!

Living in Toronto, we don’t get to spend a ton of time on our patios, so when I learned I would be designing an outdoor living space that could be used through October and November, I was thrilled! The weather, however, was still something I kept in mind, as the last installation I did at High Point (which happened to be the same time of year!) got soaked by Hurricane Michael. You can bet this played into my decision making when I chose the pieces for the space!

My inspiration for the room was simple outdoor living. I wanted to create a chic yet casual space that would be perfect for cocktails and conversations. With that in mind, I had three pieces that I wanted to use as soon as I learned I was creating an outdoor “living room.” The cabana striped drapery panels were an immediate go-to for keeping the hot daytime sun off and helping keep it warmer in the evenings. In a nod to the gorgeous outdoor setting, I used natural materials like cane and rattan, while layering in pops of green and pink for play and texture. And at the end of the porch, an oversized painting of blooms by Canadian artist, Laura Dick, brought it all together! 

After completing the porch and strolling the rest of the home, I have to say...this was the first showhouse that I have been a part of where all the individual rooms really felt like they were actually designed collaboratively — such a spectacular surprise to all of us designers! It was truly an amazing team to be a part of and no matter how challenging it was designing from Toronto and organizing in North Carolina, all my sponsors and supporters made it feel incredibly easy. I couldn't have done it without them! A huge thank you to Summer Classics, Gabby Decor, Kravet Inc., Red Egg Furniture and Laura Dick Art. And to my fellow designers of the house...let’s hope 2022 is our year to get back to High Point!

XO,

Cynthia 

If you follow me here or on social media, you know how much I love High Point Market – it’s the highlight of my spring and fall!! If you’ve always thought about attending High Point but felt overwhelmed at the idea, or if you’re a first-time attendee, let me help you navigate the Market by signing up for my tour! I will break it down, help guide you through Market and hold your hand all day Saturday, April 25, as a tour guide for the fabulous High Point Market Insider’s Tour for Spring 2020! Keep reading to find out how YOU can be a part of this fun tour with me….

First, the tour is for new buyers. High Point Market can be overwhelming for someone who has never been – or who hasn’t been in a long time. It’s so much better when you have someone to show you the ropes AND to give you inside tips! And I’m ready to spill the secrets!

We’ll visit some of my favorite showrooms and resources – the places where I really do buy for my clients! I’ll show you where I go to spot the up-and-coming trends and – this is my favorite part – I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite people at market, too!

So how can you be a part of this tour with me?! Here are the details:

• High Point Market Insider's Tour - Spring 2020 is free for new buyers. You just have to meet the qualifications for a buyer pass and you can’t have attended more than one of the previous four Markets (Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, and Fall 2019). 

• The deadline to apply is April 3, but you should definitely apply as soon as you can so you’ll be able to make your travel arrangements! 

• You can apply here to be approved to participate on the Tour.

• A maximum of 2 people from the same company can be on the Tour.

• The Buyer/Applicant is ineligible if he or she participated in a previous Insider's Tour.

• Buyers are responsible for their hotel and travel arrangements to High Point. High Point Market will provide a concierge to help in their travel arrangements and will contact the applicant after they have been qualified to attend as a Buyer for the Insider's Tour.

• Buyers must be available to attend High Point Market on Saturday, April 25, from 8:30am until 6pm and that includes a mandatory orientation breakfast.

That’s it! Come learn how I do High Point Market – it’s the greatest show on Earth!

Until next time,

-Cynthia

I am so excited to head to High Point Market next week as an official Style Spotter for the show! The Market is like Fashion Week for the home business, with gorgeous new furniture, lamps, accessories, rugs, and more! I’ve always loved going to this huge trade show because it’s inspiring and exciting, but this year is going to be even better since I’m now an official tastemaker for High Point Market. I’ll be spotting the best trends, colours, and ideas at this 11-million-square-foot show. That’s a lot of ground to cover, right?!

Pearson Furniture

A couple of weeks ago, I gave you a very early sneak peek at new products that will debut at High Point Market next week. And if you follow along on Instagram with me, you’ll get to see what I’m loving in real time as I walk the show! I love spotting trends before they actually make it into homes - like the incredible array of pink I saw everywhere at last October’s event!

Highland House

I’m also giving other designers a tour of my favourite showrooms at market, and our first stop is definitely going to be Highland House! They create the most gorgeous furniture, and their colour story is always ahead of the curve.

Denise McGaha table for Replacements

As if that wasn’t enough to do, I’m also thrilled to be creating a custom tablescape for Replacements, an incredible resource for new and vintage tabletop. I’ll share the big reveal of my design next week on Instagram - but I had to show you this amazing creation by Denise McGaha from last year’s table design event. How incredible is that floral arrangement, too?!

Antique Curiosities

One of my favourite things about High Point Market is finding new resources for my clients’ homes! I was so charmed by these framed prints from Antique Curiosities - perfect for a child’s room I designed for one of my clients!

Highland House

Time to start packing, especially those comfortable shoes! It’s going to be a great week - stay tuned as I share my favorite new products and inspirations from High Point Market!

Until next time,

-Cynthia

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

I was so excited to be asked to participate in a HUGE project at High Point Market this week! The Market is like Fashion Week for home furnishings – it’s the largest trade show in the world for furniture. Alden Parkes, one of the exhibitors, asked 7 design teams (including me!) to create an actual showhouse in their showroom at Market. Each of us was assigned several rooms and a theme – mine was Modern Glamour.

My moodboard for one of the spaces in the Showhouse in a Showroom

Using Alden Parkes’ furniture, we were tasked to create any look we wanted! We also were able to choose products from major sponsors like Replacements, Eastern Accents, and Capa Rugs. You can see my mood board above, and an initial sketch below!

Cynthia Ferguson Designs

I was also SOOO lucky to have sponsors in my own spaces, including Lee Jofa, Hot Skwash, Kravet, Kayce Hughes, Hot Skwash, and Circa Lighting.

Cynthia Ferguson for Alden Parkes

The final result was a colorful and sophisticated space that was so much fun to put together! I think it says Modern Glamour, don’t you? And wait until I show you the rooms by the other interior designers!

Cynthia Ferguson for Alden Parkes

Thank you SO much to Alden Parkes for giving me such an amazing opportunity – I had a blast!

Until next time,

-Cynthia