101 S. Hamilton St. Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line) Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Corporate Phone: 336.822.8888
Universal Furniture International, Inc.
Add to MyMarketUniversal Furniture creates quality furnishings for the whole home with a focus on function and lifestyle. The company’s casegood, upholstery, accent and accessory designs are developed under the brand names Universal Furniture, Miranda Kerr Home, and Coastal Living, and sold through retailers and interior designers throughout North America and around the world. Founded in 1968, Universal Furniture is a brand of Samson Holdings, one of the world’s largest vertically integrated furniture manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.universalfurniture.com, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest @UniversalFurn.
Home is Where the Story (and Homeowner Is)
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Too many of today’s homes are designer made for designer peers rather than storied homes for a home owner’s life well lived. Join panel guests in a lively discussion on homes created with texture, story, antiques, heirlooms, and the soul of those that live there. Skip the cookie cutter and social media mood board trends and create homes that empower authentic living. Led by Ben Ashby, the new Editor-in-Chief of The Cottage Journal.
Speakers: Ben Ashby
The Psychology of Luxury: Why Clients Buy, Resist & Say Yes
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Luxury isn't about products, it's about emotion. As The Design Biz Therapist, Tracee Murphy helps designers understand the psychology behind why clients buy, what creates resistance, and how trust is built throughout the design process. High-end clients are not simply purchasing furnishings and finishes, they’re investing in identity, transformation, comfort, and meaning. This session explores how emotional intelligence, empathy, and behavioral psychology can help designers communicate value more effectively, navigate money conversations with confidence, and create stronger client relationships. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of luxury decision-making and learn how to sell luxury without feeling like they're selling.
Speakers: Tracee Murphy
Why Underpricing Kills Design: How to Command What You’re Worth
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Your pricing model should be as unique as your talent, and value. In this engaging and interactive conversation, author and business strategist Johnathan H. Miller will reveal why underpricing is one of the most damaging mistakes creative professionals make—and why copying a competitor’s pricing model can be just as costly. Attendees will learn how to evaluate the factors that should influence their rates, recognize the hidden dangers of pricing by comparison, and build the confidence to charge based on the value they uniquely bring to the marketplace. Moderated by Jessica Duce. Discussion with book signing to follow.
Speakers: Johnathan Miller, Jessica Duce
Double Your Revenue Without Doubling Your Hours: The 3 Profit Shifts for Highly Profitable Businesses
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Busy does not always mean profitable. Many interior design firm principals reach a point where their calendars are full, their projects are thriving, and yet their profits fail to reflect the value they create. More projects and longer hours only reinforce a business model that eventually limits growth. In this session, Design Business Strategist Melissa Galt reveals the three profit shifts that separate busy firms from highly profitable businesses. You'll discover where revenue is quietly being constrained, why ideal clients are often lost before a proposal is ever presented, and the business model shift that allows leading firms to earn more, increase profitability, and create greater freedom without taking on more work.
Speakers: Melissa Galt
Why Color Is Back—and What’s Driving It
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Quiet, neutral interiors are moving out, and color is returning with renewed confidence. But what is driving the shift? And what does it signal for the interiors market, designers, and how clients want to live? Join Design News Now Editor Rachel Fasciani, and a panel of successful designers and color experts, as they explore the financial climate, cultural influences, emotional needs and consumer preferences shaping today’s palettes; the hues gaining momentum; and the many ways color can be introduced, from immersive rooms to carefully considered accents. The conversation will also examine why color matters beyond aesthetics and how designers can use it to create spaces with greater personality, connection, and emotional resonance.
Speakers: Rachel Fasciani
Bookkeeping Essentials: Building a Financial Foundation for Your Business
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Strong financial systems are just as important as great design. Join Cindy Hodnett of Furniture Today as she moderates a conversation with Blair Ryan of The Dove Agency, Michelle Lynne of ML Interiors Group and The Design Bakehouse, and Birgit Klein of Birgit Klein Interiors. Together, they'll break down the essentials of bookkeeping for design firms, from managing job costs and monitoring profitability to tracking monthly sales tax and making informed business decisions. Whether you're handling your books internally or considering outsourcing to a professional, this discussion will explore the advantages, challenges, and key considerations of each approach to help you determine the best fit for your business.
Speakers: Cindy Hodnett, Blair Ryan, Michelle Lynne, Birgit Klein
Construction Management: Your New Revenue Stream
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Designers give up revenue and stability when they stick to design services alone. Adding construction management to their business, not consulting but actual project oversight, brings in a new revenue stream. This feels especially timely right now. In a market where clients are more cautious and projects are harder to close, designers who can manage the full build have a real advantage over those who hand a project off once the drawings are done. Join luxury designer and host of "Only Girl on the Jobsite" Renee Biery as she teaches you the keys to unlocking this profitable service.
Speakers: Renee Biery
Luxury Meets Intelligence: How Smart Designers Are Using AI to Attract, Convert & Nurture Their Best Clients
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Luxury isn’t about automation. It’s about trust. Relationships. Confidence. Exceptional experiences. So where does artificial intelligence fit? Join Pearl Collective’s Gail Doby and a panel of luxury design leaders for an open conversation about using AI to fill your pipeline, create sophisticated marketing systems, and nurture high-value leads—and where the designer’s voice, intuition and personal touch remain irreplaceable for high-net-worth clients. If you’re AI-curious or already experimenting with new tools, you’ll leave with strategies to help your team Market smarter, communicate better and convert more of the right clients.
Speakers: Gail Doby
Workshop: Future-Proof Your Design Firm for AI Search
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
AI is changing how homeowners discover and evaluate interior designers, yet most firms don't realize the signals that influence whether they're recommended. In this interactive workshop, digital marketing strategist Jennifer Smiga, CEO of Ultraviolet, will guide attendees through the practical steps designers can take to strengthen their online authority and get served up in today’s AI search. Through live demonstrations, guided exercises, and real-world examples from designers who have successfully adapted to this shift, attendees will learn how AI evaluates expertise, trust, and credibility and leave with a roadmap that you can begin implementing immediately.
Speakers: Jen Smiga
The 3 Secrets to Pricing Furniture for Success
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
For interior designers looking to redefine their pricing structure for greater profitability, this session is for you. The outdated cost-plus model isn’t cutting it anymore. Heather McManus, founder of The Designers Collaborative, shares innovative pricing strategies that keep clients happy while ensuring your profit margins thrive. Learn how to price with confidence and create a more sustainable, successful design business—in record time.
Speakers: Heather McManus
AI Is Your New Employee
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Most design firm principals have experimented with AI by now. The real question isn't whether to use it — it's knowing exactly where it fits in your operation, and how to make it stick. Mary Beth Chau, co-founder and CEO of Materio, moderates a working conversation with two people who've actually figured this out. Dalia Soles, founder of Design Assisted, helps designers build streamlined, tech-integrated operations from the ground up. Elissa Coughlin, founder of Matchpointe by Elissa, draws on her background at Google, IBM, and Apple to run her firm differently than most. Together they'll get specific about what AI can realistically do for your firm right now, and the difference between trying it once and building it into how you work.
Speakers: Mary Beth Chau, Dalia Soles, Elissa Coughlin
Universal Furniture Brings European-Inspired Living Stateside with the Debut of its Fenwick Collection
Inspired by Americans’ love for continental interiors, Universal Furniture is bringing that coveted, travel-inspired aesthetic stateside with the introduction of its Fenwick Collection. An updated take on European Neoclassical design, Fenwick stops just short of traditional.
Universal Furniture’s Velora Collection Captures the Softer Side of Luxury with Modern Romantic Appeal
Universal Furniture is leaning into the modern romantic era this market with the introduction of the Velora Collection. Defined by sculptural silhouettes, gentle curves and rich textural details, Velora feels both refined and approachable, offering a soft expression of comfort and understated luxury
Universal Furniture Emphasizes Benchmade Upholstery Designs
Universal Furniture has a strong upholstery lineup this Market. Drawing inspiration from travels, ongoing research and the company’s new upholstery facility in Hildebran, NC, Universal is introducing a range of new designs spanning both the benchmade collection and in-stock offerings.
Universal Furniture’s Birchaven Collection is a Love Letter for the Home
With its timeless silhouettes, light wood tones and accent pieces that feel collected rather than coordinated, the Birchaven Collection may be the most agreeable and versatile furniture offering ever introduced by Universal Furniture. The collection, new for October Furniture Market, brings effortle
MODERN MIST & VEIL: NEW ADDITIONS ENLIVEN ONE OF UNIVERSAL’S MOST SUCCESSFUL COLLECTIONS
What began nearly 10 years ago as a strategic move into modern-day interiors has evolved into a wildly successful and enduring group of furnishings known for its bold lines and simple forms. Modern by Universal presents the fall 2025 collection under the moniker of Modern Mist & Veil.
FALL AGENDA FOR UPHOLSTERY: CLASSICS, SLIPCOVERS, CURVES
On the heels of the spring 2025 upholstery launch—the largest ever in Universal’s history—VP Upholstery Rick Lovegrove continues his push to expand both domestic and international upholstery introductions with more than XX new SKUs, which debut at fall High Point Market.