A sitting area with brightly colored textured wallpaper, cushioned modern sofas and matching chairs, an ottoman, and geometric patterned rug.

If harry Styles was a showroom what would it look like?

After partnering on the redesign of their Chicago showroom two times prior, Hightower wanted to steer the 2023 showroom’s style in a new direction altogether - one that felt less feminine than years past, and brighter, bolder and more gender-neutral in terms of color and pattern. This concept worked to create an exciting, high-pattern contrast to the moodier and more minimal looks of 2019 and 2021.

The focus for this showroom is on inclusivity and owning your own persona unapologetically.

Awarded best small showroom NeoCon 2023 by IIDA.

A palette of materials swatches, including hardwood, striped, dotted, and other patterns of wallpaper, textured carpet, and various coordinating colors.

A NEW LIGHT ✨

Each iteration of the Hightower showroom informed the next. The third, and most challenging one to date, combines unexpected colors, and patterned fabrics with dots, stripes, diamonds, and textures not normally seen in the contract market. Muses like Harry Styles, Janelle Monet, David Bowie, and Andy Warhol were referenced not only for their wardrobe and the work they produced but most strongly for their ability to own a persona.

A room with a curtain wall, curved sectionals in a bold seersucker fabric, bright chairs, a bowl of lemons resting on a table, and colorful cushions.

playful drama that doesn’t take itself too seriously

More unexpected moments appear in bold vertical stripes painted in the Main Entry. The play with light via the translucent dots on the windows and walls, and disco balls that create a lively pattern as the sun moves around the showroom refract light in an unexpected way.

Blocks of varied sizes are arranged to create a plush seating area with a coffee table with books, a rolling cart, and chairs with a curved wood base.

the new workplace

This year, we moved away from bringing the home into the office. Because let's be real, if you haven't moved, you've either remodeled, redecorated, or are very tired of being at home! Instead the showroom features a dramatic lounge with purple animal print wallpaper and the newly launched Flote line by Hightower Studios, as well as a bold wide blue and gray stripe in the Entry that is a scaled-up to play with Bertjan Pot's Maharam Shake fabric.

An open archway reveals a view of a room with bold striped walls and ottomans in an all over dot pattern on a circular area rug on hardwood flooring.

A u-shaped bar with counter-height bar stools and terrazzo counters stands in front of a kitchen with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, and a gold faucet.

Next to a wide window with a view of a brick building sit two plush chairs with curved backs, a textured woven rug, and a table with fabric samples.

A close view of an ottoman with a wooden top holding books, a vase of fresh tulips, a ceramic piece painted in a check pattern, and an earthenware bowl.

THE PARTNERSHIP WITH WESCOVER BROUGHT ART AND ACCESSORIES TO THE SHOWROOM IN A NEW WAY

Casework collaborated with Wescover to bring in a curated selection of art and accessories from around the world. This partnership allowed Casework to curate a captivating collection of paintings, textural wall hangings, lamps, ceramic vessels, and accessories from designers worldwide. Each piece enhances the atmosphere and creates a visually stimulating experience for attendees.

A textile wall hanging of two shades of wool sits on the wall above a tiered accordion-shaped planter with a disco ball in the windowsill.

A foam block bench with a curved backrest sits behind two round bistro tables and chairs with textured upholstery on top of concrete flooring.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST DESIGN CHALLENGE?

Our biggest challenge was finding the perfect fabrics - ones with patterns that fit the vibe and were also graded in for commercial use. (A potential hole in the market? Hello collaboration!).

“Rather than trying to sell products, we wanted to create a lasting memory through the experience of the brand. We wanted people to remember a feeling that would remind them of Hightower later. And so, by releasing ourselves from the traditional expectations of a showroom, we could start with a blank slate. From there, we asked ourselves, what would make us excited? We felt that seeing our products in the kind of environments that we love to hang out in made sense.”

- Jessica Ahlering, Hightower - Director of Revenue Operations