The coronavirus pandemic has cratered sales in many industries, but the home furnishings category as a whole is not one of them. Big-box retailers and to-the-trade dealers alike have recorded record sales over the last six months as consumers look to enhance their homes for stay-at-home life. And so, after a missed Spring Market, High Point is back this fall—but don’t expect it to be Market as usual.

For starters, it will last for nine days, not five, in order to spread out attendees, who must visit on the dates assigned to their geographical region. The social distancing, limited capacity and safety precautions that have become the norm in every aspect of life will be omnipresent across High Point Market’s 180 buildings. Showrooms will be operating at 50 percent capacity (so scheduling appointments is a must), visitors will be required to undergo daily health checks, and typical crowd-drawing events like the Keynote Series and Style Spotters Live! will be virtual.

But the industry is itching to return and reconnect with clients, masked-face to masked-face. The mood is cautious yet excited, 6-foot distances and temperature checks be damned. So pack your hand sanitizer and ready the Zoom stream. Here’s everything we’re looking forward to, from new collaborations between old favorites to standout products and Market newcomers.

» It Takes Two: 8 of our favorite High Point collaborations this fall