North Carolina is well known as the furniture capital of the world. The state’s furniture industry is comprised of more than 3,000 establishments and 36,000+ employees. That’s a lot of furniture!
Twice a year, the mecca event of furniture takes place. It’s called the High Point Market. Every April and October, more than 85,000 people from over 100 countries travel to North Carolina to examine the newest styles of furnishing for every room in the house! It’s the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world! Occupying more than 190 buildings in the area and over 12 million square feet of showroom space, furniture professionals gather to prepare and evaluate designs for the next season.
All the top designers are represented including American Leather, Baker, Bernhardt, Century, Chaddock, E.J. Victor, Flexsteel, Francesco Molon, Hancock & Moore, Henredon, Hickory Chair, Lee, Lexington, Marge Carson, Natuzzi, Pearson, Ralph Lauren, Sherrill, Somerset Bay, Stanley, and many others. Top industry buyers and designers gather together to prepare for the next furniture season. We get giddy just thinking about it!
Sadly for those of us not in the industry, the Market isn’t open to the public. It’s not so bad considering the area is full of furniture stores that will be offering the new designs as soon as they are available – often at a deep discount (wink wink!).
A trip to Furnitureland South puts you on the trail of great furniture at great prices. With 30,000 square feet of floor space and over 100,000 pieces of furniture, it’s been called “The Largest Furniture Store in the World.” There are so many options for your home here. You can also take a trip to Hickory, North Carolina to the Hickory Furniture Mart. This Mart has over 15 furniture outlets in four stories, including Drexel Heritage Factory Outlet, Henredon Factory Outlet, Heritage Factory Outlet, and Hooker Factory Outlet, with other galleries and regular shops, in the Mart. There are more than 100 retailers in the Hickory Furniture Mart.
Hickory and High Point aren’t the only places to find great furniture in North Carolina. The whole area is filled with unique places to explore to make your house into a home with furnishings. Not every store is a big, name-brand shop as well. There are plenty of local craftsmen and artisans who make fantastic furniture. The town of Pineville, NC, is full of hidden gems when it comes to furniture shops.
Here are a few:
Z Home Furnishing
This is more than just a furniture store. Located in Pineville, many people have said that David, owner and designer, can almost read your mind and help you find, design, and build the perfect piece for your home. Not only that, but he can help remake one of your beloved antique or heirloom pieces into something better than it was before. He has over 30 years of experience in the furniture and upholstery business.
David works with local and international designers to create the perfect style that you design. With over 100+ different nail heads, 500+ frames to choose from, over 600 leather choices and countless fabrics like velvet, mohair, Sunbrella, wool, Serried, and many others. Z home furnishings takes your spark of an idea for the perfect piece and makes it a reality. All the furniture is handmade in North Carolina by skilled artisans to David’s exacting specifications. His motto is “If you can dream it, we can build it.”
Kiki’s Kottage
When you want something that is one of a kind, and no one else will have, Kiki’s Kottage is where you need to go. This sweet store on Main Street in Pineville takes quality vintage and loved pieces and upcycles them into unique finds. The store showcases painted furniture and decor that no one else will have. Not just any furniture, either, they have high quality, one-of-a-kind pieces you’d expect to find at much higher prices. If you are embracing the popular Farmhouse style for your home, you must visit Kiki’s!.
Their method of hand-painted and distressed furniture completes the look. There are also many adorable handmade decor pieces that, even if you think you don’t have room for in your home, you’ll want to find it. There’s a nook or cranny somewhere! All of the furniture is upcycled by hand, with many projects done right at the store, so not only are you getting unusual items for your home, but you’re also going green and helping the environment, too!
But be aware! Kiki’s Kottage is the type of place where when you see it, you better get it. It most likely won’t be there the next time you go to the store. Some things not to miss are the adorable signs that are perfect for every room, from the kitchen to the bathroom to the playroom. Their styles run from classic traditional design styles and colors to exuberant pops of vibrant color. Kiki’s is the place to set your home apart from the masses.
Unfinished Furniture
Since 1987, Unfinished Furniture has been selling real wood furniture that’s customized to your style and built to last a lifetime. That’s right! They make your furniture for you at their shop right by Pineville. You select the wood, style, and design. Unfinished Furniture starts with real wood from the USA, and it’s built to last a lifetime. Once it’s complete you can finish it on your own, or they can do it for you. With a wide array of stains and colors to choose from, the possibilities for your custom piece are infinite. Not sure where to start? Stop in the shop and ask. They offer free consultations and have multiple samples. They also have catalogs from Archbold Furniture Company, Fighting Creek Furniture, Whitewood Furniture, Whittier Wood Products, Wood America Furniture Corp., and Troutman Chair Company.
Tyndall Furniture
There is something to be said about going to a family-owned business. Often there is a level of pride and customer service that can’t be matched by people who are personally invested in their art and skill, not to mention their store. Such is the case with Tyndall Furniture, which has been family owned for over 25 years. It was voted “Best Furniture Store” in the Charlotte area in 2018, and that’s quite a feat! This store is filled with beautiful rooms of traditional furniture that will make your home not only classic but comfortable. Like many stores in the area, Tyndall Furniture offers free in-home design consultation as well as free in-store design consultation. In addition to furniture, Tyndall Furniture also carries mattresses so that you can complete your bedroom all in one place. The best thing about shopping at Tyndall Furniture is you feel like you’re with family. They do whatever they need to do to make you happy with your furniture choices.
Oasis Outdoor
Founded in 1979, Oasis Outdoor began selling pools & spas in a small storefront in Charlotte. They built the business by providing the best customer service, and it paid off! Over the last 40 years, their growth has been steady and they now occupy a 35,000 square foot facility in the south Charlotte furniture district in Pineville, NC. They started as a swimming pool and hot tub store and evolved into a high-quality outdoor furniture retailer. With over one hundred collections in stock and much more available via custom order, Oasis is THE place to shop for outdoor furniture. With Pineville’s year-round fantastic weather, having great outside furniture is a must.
In the fall, the store transforms into a winter wonderland as their sister store Peppermint Forest Christmas Shop steps in to offer everything you need to celebrate the holiday season. One of the country’s largest Christmas stores, Peppermint Forest Christmas Shop has been the local source for all things Christmas for 40 years. Discover beautifully realistic artificial Christmas trees, high-quality Christmas lights, wax & flameless candles, wreaths & garland, timeless collectibles and, of course, thousands of gorgeous ornaments! It’s a must-see experience you don’t want to miss! And once the Christmas season is over you can use the local Pineville CubeSmart to store all your holiday decorations.
Shopping for furniture wherever you live can be complicated and even unenjoyable if you aren’t sure what you want. The options and styles are endless. The whole shopping experience can be overwhelming. Furniture can also be quite a significant investment when you are buying quality, well-made pieces handmade by craftsmen. Of course, this isn’t going to be available all over, but it is available in North Carolina. It’s worth a trip to visit and see which styles and brands you like best. You pick your favorites and have them delivered right to your door! If a trip isn’t in your future, many shops and even some of the outlets have online stores where you can order furniture. No matter what, North Carolina is the place to find the furniture you have been dreaming of to make your house the home of your dreams.
