A Trek Worth Making

Jeremy Bauer and Jason Clifton travel 1000s of miles to get to the heart of home fashion

It’s 3,000 miles from Juneau, Alaska, to High Point, North Carolina. The fastest flight takes 16 hours, counting layovers. But for Jeremy Bauer and Jason Clifton, owners of Juneau-based Bauer/Clifton Interiors, the value of spending a few days at the center of the home furnishings universe makes it a trek worth taking, twice each year.

When asked what attracted the duo to the America’s Last Frontier, both Jason and Jeremy cite Alaska’s beauty and majesty, as well as the endless inspiration they gain from the mountains, the ocean, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

“From a design standpoint, Alaska is a fairly young state,” says Jason, “We continue to work hard forging the way for interior design here and surrounding remote locations, so that our clients can continue to enjoy their ‘lower 48’ lifestyles here in the greatest state of all!”

“When we come to Market,” says Jeremy, “We have three main goals – to review the newest collections, meet our trusted vendors and reps, and specify items for our current projects in person. Living in such a remote location, the opportunity to see just about every product available in one location is something we feel we can't pass up!”

“If you’ve never been to High Point Market,” says Jason, “the sheer vastness of what is offered makes it almost beyond comprehension. It's amazing to see this small town become the epicenter of the world of furniture and interior design. This will be our fourth year attending Fall Market, and I feel we've barely scratched the surface in regard to the showrooms we’ve seen.”

Since more exhibitors have their flagship showrooms here, High Point is also the place where more new products make their debuts. “It’s the ideal place to track current trends,” says Jeremy, “and coming here helps us keep a close eye on where home fashion is heading.”

As they look forward to Fall Market, Jason and Jeremy see clear trends in style and color. “We expect to see a continuation of the soft modern style that we noticed at Spring Market,” says Jason. “This trend is defined by modern forms with warm, textural surfaces and materials in natural tones. It’s a welcome departure from the farmhouse styling that's seeing itself out. We also hope to see more vendors offering customizable products that are made here in the USA.”

On the color front, Jeremy says, “In contrast to the all-white and neutral interiors that have taken the forefront of design for several years, we predict an influx of saturated colors in textiles and home furnishings.”

Being at the largest home industries show in the world also makes networking a lot easier. “As the current Vice President of the Interior Design Society,” says Jason, “coming to High Point gives me a great opportunity to meet and connect with fellow members at the IDS headquarters. And in the evenings, we often wind down over dinner with fellow designers; sharing our discoveries of the day. Of course, there's always an event or party to attend, but we usually save that for our last night in town!”

No matter where you’re coming from, a little pre-planning goes a long way to making your trip most productive. “In order to prepare for Market, we reach out to our trusted vendors and schedule tours with our reps,” says Jeremy.

“We review the long list of panels and speakers to determine which we want to see the most,” Jason adds. “Factor in vendor party invitations, and most importantly, create a detailed list of our desired furnishings required for current projects. We come prepared with our furniture layouts and desired measurements to ensure we can specify products in an expeditious manner – and avoid spending too much time in any one showroom!”

“We've also become more involved with speaking panels, showhouses, and tours ourselves,” says Jeremy, “So we dedicate time to preparing for each of those events as well. In fact, we were invited to participate in Alden Parkes' Showhouse in a Showroom at the Spring 2019 Market, so we not only prepared our designs months in advance but also arrived in High Point four days early to set up our rooms.”

“It was a very rewarding experience and a glimpse into showroom design that we each very much appreciated,” says Jason.

In addition to their interior design firm, Jason and Jeremy also own a floral shop in Juneau. You can follow their design and travel adventures on Instagram and learn more about their firm at bauerclifton.com. And, of course, you can find them right here at High Point Market come October. Be sure to say hello when you do!