HIGH POINT, N.C. — The American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation has unveiled its plans for the new permanent home. Designed by Freeman Kennett Architects, the 23,500-square-foot building at 311 S. Hamilton St. in High Point is scheduled to open April 2021.

“The redesign of this building will take your breath away,” said David Gebhart, president of the Foundation board of directors, and founder and CEO of Global Views. “Not only will it be a premier gathering space for the industry, it will house the Foundation’s memorabilia, library and offices, as well a theater, galleries, special events and more. Its architectural details are matched only by its incredible flexibility and functionality.”

“We want the new Hall of Fame building to tell the powerful, evolving story of the home furnishings industry,” said Peter Freeman, AIA, of Freeman Kennett Architects. “Its concept is intentionally tied to the history and heritage of home furnishings in a way that is modern, up-to-the-minute, and able to adapt with new technology and design directions in the industry."

The building incorporates glass, steel, concrete and digital imagery, while mimicking techniques formerly used in American factory construction.

Rendering of the inside of the building

“The front entrance includes a glass curtain wall and structural steel system with a form that emulates a traditional masonry factory building,” Freeman added. “The most imposing design element is the two-sided Dynamic Story Wall, a digital matrix of interlaced LED screens, which will be used to tell the many stories of the home furnishings industry on a grand scale.”

Another key design element is the Presentation Staircase. “It is impressively scaled to be more than just stairs,” Freeman continued. “It connects the two levels while providing a platform for presentations, extra gathering space for the Celebration Hall or tiered seating with an enhanced view of the Dynamic Story Wall.”

Other features include the large Celebration Hall, a Theater and a curved partition, which will serve as the Tribute Wall honoring those who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Three lower-level and four upper-level museum-quality gallery spaces also will provide opportunities for a large single exhibit or multiple smaller exhibits. A Discovery Center, Library and History Centers will include dedicated research and storage areas with specialized climate control systems to house documents and artifacts.  

“The intention is that this building will become a destination for our industry to gather as well as the public interested in the Home Furnishings Capital of the World,” Gebhart said.

Located a block from the International Home Furnishings Center in the heart of the High Point Market, the building formerly was the showroom for Flair Enterprises.

Capital campaign donors include: Michael Amini, AICO; Aminy Audi, L. & J.G. Stickley; The BB&T Foundation; Donald Belgrad; Andy Bernstein, FurnitureDealer.Net; Irv Blumkin, FVB Foundation, Inc.; John Bray, Vanguard Furniture Co. Inc.; Jeff Child, R.C. Willey; Randy Coconis, Coconis Furniture; Bruce and Kena Cohenour; J. Don Coleman, Coleman Consulting LLC; Patrick Cory, Joseph Cory Holdings LLC; The Furniture Foundation; Jerry Epperson; Richard Feng, Markor; Hassell Franklin, Franklin Corp.; David Gebhart, Global Views; Janet Guy, Prestige Arts/Art Trends; Jena Hall, Jena Hall Associates; Haverty Furniture Companies; Keith Koenig, City Furniture; Samuel Kuo, Lacquer Craft USA; Amir Loloi, Loloi Rugs; International Market Centers; Alex Peykar, Nourison Industries; Mark Phillips, Phillips Collection; Martin and Mary Ann Ploy, AICO; Karen and Steve Pond; Lawrence Rogers; Schwarz Properties; Chad Spencer, Dufresne Spencer Group; and Bill and Julia Wittenberg, Klaussner Furniture Industries.

The American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc., is an industry-wide organization founded to preserve the history and to celebrate the individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the U.S. home furnishings industry, and to inspire a new class of innovation and leadership. For information visit homefurnishingshalloffame.com or call 336-882-5900.