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

Next week is Valentine’s Day - the day for hearts and love! Maybe that’s why I have such an obsession with the colour pink lately - but it’s definitely one of the things that I love right now. I’m so lucky as a designer to be surrounded by what I enjoy every single day. So I thought that, in honour of the holiday, I’d give you an inside look at a few of my favorite things right now!

Dining room designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, styled by Lauren Howell, photo by Douglas Friedman for Architectural Digest

Fashion-Forward Design

Damien Hirst is one of my all-time favorite artists, so I was completely blown away by this gorgeous dining room by the iconic Martyn Lawrence Bullard! But then - those ombre chairs took the room to an entirely new level!

Phillip Jeffries

Wow-Worthy Wallpaper

Speaking of pink, how gorgeous are these stunning wallpapers from Phillip Jeffries? I’m in love with the depth of the jewel-toned colour and the patterns. This is hot off the presses, so I’m looking forward to finding the perfect room for these designs!

New York Now

Bud Vases

I came across this wall of bud vases in every shape, size, and colour - and it stopped me in my tracks! I can’t wait to line up a variety of these beauties down the centre of my table with a single flower in each one to create a fabulous display for my dinner guests!

Cloth & Co.

Sustainable Style

What’s not to love about these soft and sustainable linens from Cloth & Co.?! They’re available in napkins, tablecloths and hand towels in all these colours - and made of all-natural fibres.

Botanica Trading

Pink, Of Course!

I wrote an entire blog post on how much I love pink right now (click here to see it), so how could I NOT include it in my list of favorite things? This custom block-printed fabric from Botanica Trading is definitely near the top of the list!

So what do YOU love? Let me know in the comments section below!

Until next time,

-Cynthia

To stay creative and at the top of my game, I love to find inspiration in colour, shape, pattern, and textures. And the one place that fills up my creative tank fastest is an art gallery or museum! I’m fascinated by paintings, sculptures, drawings - every part of the art world inspires me!

There is something incredible about art - the conversation it initiates, the emotion it generates, the memories it calls up....and then there is the discussion about the artist. What were they thinking and feeling when they first took brush to canvas. What were they trying to communicate? Am I experiencing their piece in the way that was intended?

I was absolutely obsessed with the art in a hotel I stayed at earlier this year, like the piece above! I drove the staff crazy as I appeared at their desk every day with a new inquiry about the piece I saw here and the piece I saw there and their sconces and their desk chair....it went on and on! Let’s just say I seemed to have had a taxi to the airport a lot faster than everyone else oddly.

I loved the texture and pattern play on this magnificent wall! The art installation was so stunning that I had to remind myself to keep my hands in my pockets so I wouldn’t touch it! But wouldn’t this be magnificent in a client’s home?!

I am inspired to get my paints out again after seeing this gorgeous piece! Look at these incredible stripes and colours!! This installation from Sean Scully can be enjoyed near Mexico City at Cuadra San Cristobal 

Sometimes it just takes one piece of art to capture your interest in a space and make it sing! This artist Gordon Shadrach is from Toronto, and his paintings stop you in your tracks you as you walk into a room!

Keep your eyes open, because you never know where you’ll spy amazing art! This incredible mural was painted in the parking lot of a restaurant and I was mesmerized! Look at all the patterns the artist incorporated!

Art is so personal. So individual. Remember to get out to your local gallery more often and start a conversation. Stir your emotions. Enjoy the experience!

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

I’m excited to launch my design blog today! I cannot wait to have this chance to really get to know people! My love of homes and the fascinating people who live in them fueled my passion for design. Being intimately involved with the families and individuals I create with is just one of the many reasons I love my job!

I also want you to get to know me better – not just the polished brand, but the real me! The person who loves to sketch, to hang out with my boys, and to travel the world. The person who is known for a quirky sense of humour, who actually loves numbers, and who is more than slightly obsessed with table settings.

“My love of homes and the fascinating people who live in them fueled my passion for design. ”

With my dear friends and fellow designers at the 30th anniversary party for Veranda magazine.

My first love (other than my boys, of course) is and always has been design. You know how teachers often categorize learners? I’m definitely a visual learner! Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved colour and texture. I’ve always organized my agendas and calendars by colour-coding, from school right through to today. I need those bright hues to help me schedule and remember what’s on my never-ending to-do list!

I’ve also moved houses about every three years while growing up and found solace in redecorating each new space. I loved the ritual of wallpapering and painting our new walls with my mom, whether we were in England, the United States, or Canada. New beginnings always brought new opportunities to redecorate.

A view of one of my (many!) mood boards for an interior design project.

I still love the excitement of that fresh start – it’s what draws me to my passion of designing interiors. I’m thrilled each time by the idea of creating something beautiful out of a blank canvas. It never fails to give me chills when I present the right interiors to my clients!

I look forward to giving you an inside peek each week here on this design blog to both my professional life and my everyday life. Be prepared for a few laughs along the way!

And be sure to comment or send me your questions and thoughts. I want to get to know YOU, too!

Until next time,
Cynthia

PS – Follow along with my design business every day on Instagram! Just click here!

-Cynthia