HomCo, or Home Interior and Gifts, Inc., was a decorative pottery and home goods brand that began as a small “home party” business in the 1970s. The company offers a wide range of home décor and gift items, including vintage items like owls and mushrooms. HomCo was acquired by Penny and Steve Carlile in 2008, who merged it with other companies to create Home Interiors and Gifts.
The company sold more than $850 million annually in silk and polyester flower arrangements, porcelain puppies, and other decorative household items at home. Vintage Home Interiors Framed Pictures are available for purchase at prices ranging from $300.00 to $30.00.
Home Interiors and Gifts was a direct sales company specializing in decorating accessories, which were sold by more than 140,000 representatives. The company’s products have become valuable collectibles, making them a valuable asset for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
In summary, HomCo is a popular brand for home decor and gifts, offering a wide range of items at affordable prices. The company has been in business for over 0 years and continues to provide a unique and valuable collection of home decor items.
📹 The Home Interiors and Gifts Company Gives Their Employees A Shopping Spree – December 1975
Why did Home Interior go out of business?
Home Interiors, a home décor and fragrances retailer, closed its doors in 2008 after over 50 years of operation. Founded in 1957, the company was an innovator in direct selling, allowing customers to purchase products directly from their hosts. As a subsidiary of Home and Garden Party, the company declared bankruptcy in 2008. Home Interiors sold its products to over a million home party hosts across the United States and Canada, including decorative accessories, furniture, wall décor, lighting, candles, and fragrances.
The company was also known for its “gallery walls” featuring customized wall art collections. However, the company faced financial difficulties due to the increasing competitiveness of the home décor industry and the less profitable direct-sales model. In 2007, Home and Garden Party acquired Home Interiors to stabilize its finances, but this failed.
Is Farmhouse decor going out?
The modern farmhouse style in 2024 is a popular interior design trend that blends traditional charm with contemporary elements. Key elements include reclaimed wood accents, shiplap walls, and open floor plans. The color palette for this style is a mix of natural shades, striking a balance between old and new. Wood is a prominent feature, with popular choices being reclaimed wood, oak, pine, and cedar for their rustic textures. Stone is another staple, with river rock, slate, and travertine being common choices for their outdoorsy feel. Overall, the modern farmhouse style creates warm and welcoming spaces.
Who started Home Interiors and Gifts?
Mary C. Crowley, born on April 1, 1915, was a prominent businesswoman in the United States during the 1970s. She founded and CEO of Home Interiors and Gifts, Inc., a Texas-based company that became one of the largest direct sales home furnishing operations in America. Crowley was a published author of works on women in business and self-improvement for women. Born in Missouri, Crowley lived with her grandparents for five years before moving back with her father and stepmother.
During the Great Depression, she divorced her first husband, Carter, and had two children, Don and Ruth. After working in sales at Stanley Home Products, she founded Home Interiors and Gifts in 1957. The company sold directly to customers through a home party plan. Crowley was considered one of the leading businesswomen in the United States during this time.
What is the history of home interiors and gifts?
Mary C. Crowley, born on April 1, 1915, was the founder and CEO of Home Interiors and Gifts, Inc., a Texas-based company that became one of the largest direct sales home furnishing operations in America. The company sold directly to customers through a home party plan. By 1962, Crowley and her daughter Ruth were running the company, and by the time the company’s sales reached its first million dollars, it was considered one of the leading businesswomen in the United States in the 1970s. Crowley was also a published author of works on women in business and self-improvement for women.
Crowley was divorced during the Great Depression and had two children, Don and Ruth. She worked in sales at Stanley Home Products in home accessories before founding Home Interiors and Gifts in 1957. Crowley was considered one of the leading businesswomen in the United States in the 1970s and was a published author of works on women in business and self-improvement for women.
What do home interiors include?
The 7 Elements of Interior Design are essential for creating a balanced and inviting space. The first element is space, which is crucial for a seamless design. The space should be filled with furniture, while empty space is negative. Striking a balance between positive and negative space creates an inviting atmosphere. Lines, which are horizontal, vertical, and dynamic, bring structure, creativity, and direction. Horizontal lines are typically found in furniture, while vertical lines are typically found in doors, windows, and tall structures.
Dynamic lines, such as staircases, invite action and can be found in various forms like bookshelves or staircases. By understanding these elements, interior decorators can create a well-rounded and inviting space that reflects their personal style.
Do they sell home interiors anymore?
Home Interiors, a popular home decorating company founded in the early 1980s, revolutionized the direct sales approach for home furnishings and decor. However, as consumer preferences evolved, so did the demand for its products. By the late 2000s, Home Interiors faced significant challenges, leading many consumers to question its existence in its original form. Despite its decline, the legacy of Home Interiors continues to influence the home decor landscape through various brands and platforms that prioritize personalization and customer engagement.
Online platforms like Coohom have introduced a new era of home design where amateur designers can create stunning interiors with ease. Coohom offers a vast library of furniture models, a plethora of design templates, and helpful tools for rendering high-quality images, making home decoration accessible to everyone. For those nostalgic about Home Interiors, the community of design enthusiasts on social media serves as a reminder of the impact it had on home decor.
Tips for modern home decor include embracing technology, personalizing your space, staying updated with design trends, and experimentation. While Home Interiors is no longer in operation, its influence is still felt in the industry. Instead, consider using platforms like Coohom for modern home design solutions.
What is the difference between home decor and interior?
Interior design and interior decorating are often used interchangeably, but they differ in key ways. Interior design is the art and science of understanding people’s behavior to create functional spaces within a building, while decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with fashionable or beautiful items. Interior designers apply creative and technical solutions within a structure that are functional, attractive, and beneficial to the occupants’ quality of life and culture.
They must adhere to code and regulatory requirements, promote environmental sustainability, and follow a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis, and knowledge integration, to satisfy the needs and resources of the client.
Is Home Interiors and Gifts still in business?
Home Interiors and Gifts, a direct sales company specializing in decorating accessories, has been defunct since 2008. Founded by Mary Crowley in 1957, the company sold artificial flowers, candles, framed artwork, mirrors, sconces, small furniture, and shelves through home parties in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Highland Capital Management later owned a majority interest in the company. By 1982, Home Interiors had a sales force of 38, 000 and gross sales of over $400 million. By 1984, the company had $450 million in sales, primarily from a sales force of 39, 000, mostly women, who sold door-to-door and at parties where women socialized.
When were home interior parties popular?
In the 1980s, it was common practice for people to host social gatherings centered around the theme of “Home Interior.”
Is there a market for home decor?
The global home decor market, valued at USD 697. 91 billion in 2023, is expected to grow from USD 747. 75 billion in 2024 to USD 1, 097. 51 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 4. 91. Asia Pacific dominates the market with a market share of 45. 45 in 2023. Decorative accents, such as artworks, scented candles, and throw pillows, enhance living spaces’ aesthetics. Luxury décor products are used to enhance living room design styles. The demand for home decor products is driven by evolving household needs for interior decoration and renovation.
The growing trend of home gardening and decorating outdoor living spaces is also expected to drive market growth. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Trend Survey shows that around 65 percent of Americans prefer covering their outdoor spaces with decorative decks and patios.
What is considered vintage in home decor?
Vintage items are considered a reflection of an era, with items being at least 20 years old but not more than 100 years old. These items are known for their craftsmanship and attention to detail, offering insight into the past’s design sensibilities. Antique items, on the other hand, are timeless treasures valued for their historical significance, rarity, and craftsmanship. They can be from any part of the world and offer a window into different cultures and times. Antiques require more careful preservation and can be a significant investment.
Retro is a style that intentionally imitates trends from the recent past, typically the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Retro decor is often bold, colorful, and eclectic, with a playful nod to the past. It’s a celebration of nostalgia, bringing back popular designs in a modern context. An example of a retro piece is a newly made lava lamp designed in the style of the 1960s.
📹 Home Decor Gifts for Under $100
These presents are unique and budget-friendly! Home decor and interior design gifts can be easy if you stick to some simple …
Hey Nick! One of your earlier articles was on splurges. You mentioned Aesop hand soap and I thought I’d try it out. Have never spent $50 on soap like…. ever! However at least 6 people who came over were really impressed with the soap – well right up until I told them how much. 🙂 Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas? You are so right when you say when its something that they like but wouldn’t buy themselves then its a true gift. Am sure all will be thrilled. So thanks Nick for the idea, your sarcasm and wit. Love it!
i agree with you on the price of candles. i think the industry is milking the trend of ‘candles are the new plants’. for those who may not know: millennials can’t afford kids, so pets are the new kids. that upgrades plants to the new pets, and now candles are the new plants. this trend is confirmed by buying habits ~
Another gift I just bought for my wife and I is a breadbox. I got so sick and tired of looking at partially-opened loaves of bread (that can go stale), rolls, etc. on top of the refrigerator. Really tacky! There’s so many sizes and styles available and just about all of them are under a hundred bucks as far as I know. Mine was thirty bucks on sale and looks great for my design style.
I think the best magazine subscription gift is Cook’s Illustrated. No ads, great recipes (fully explained), equipment reviews, kitchen tips. I’ve given it multiple times as housewarming gifts to younger folks, but all ages can learn something from this terrific magazine. And it’s very reasonably priced.
I have been binge-watching your articles for a few weeks now. Currently trying to do Art Deco everything as much as possible. Also, the AOL CD’s are perfectly valid as coasters if one has a room that is dedicated to retro computer hardware and they are confined to that room as part of its decor(anywhere else, replace with whatever fits the room).
Great ideas for Christmas gifts. Many years ago I took out a subscription for my mum for Country Living magazine. Each month she gets a great magazine in the post with interesting articles, inspiring interiors & lovely photograph shoots. A friend always gifts me coffee table books for Christmas on fashion designers whose exhibitions we’ve seen in London. Lovely to look through & remember fun times together in the city. Thank you for more great gifting ideas & fun interludes ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ 🤭❤️🇬🇧
I love your articles, Nick, but I gotta warn people off the pricey marble phone chargers. I bought 2 of them last Christmas and they really just don’t work. They are finicky at best – wiggle and waggle your phone over it and it might start charging. 10 minutes later you check on it and it’s not charging unless you wiggle it again. And sometimes it just won’t charge. The reviews on Amazon also mention all of this.
First of all, I was so glad that all the ideas are affordable. Plus I thought there was not going to be anything new to inspire me, but I basically rewound the article, took out a notebook and made notes of all your ideas. I also would like a new gorgeous notebook if Santa is listening!! Thanks Nick, great article as always (from the UK 🇬🇧) And have yourself a merry little Christmas… 🎶🎵⛄️🎅🎄🎁
Candles for others is fine… I personally groan when I get candles as gifts because I have a ton that my husband and I got as gifts that just sit in a cabinet. I have one out “on display” that both of us permanently forget to ever light, despite our twice-a-year conversation that we ought to burn candles more often to get rid of them.
I’m writing my wish list for Xmas (apparently I’m still a child lol my family all does this to make life easier) and I’m building a new house so it’s a lot of house items. I’m wondering if there’s any dish sets you recommend that aren’t rough on the bottom (I don’t want to scratch the quartz). Also looking for new flatware!
I like candles and fancy candleholders made of mercury glass in the holidays. But we have record-level klutz pets (a himbo of a shepherd and his companion, the thirty pound cat of very little brain) so I need to look into candle wall sconces or something, the last time I lit a candle the cat tried to set himself aflame. 🤔
I have never had a need/want for coffe table books I find them pointless. I’ m glad you referenced HM. They do, often have Great things. Something, that I think should be mentioned: Don’t buy ‘things’ for older people. We already have them! For order people, food and beverages are a good choice. Or, something that does’nt last….
Great list! I am one of the people who bought the Lulu candle after perusal your article last year and I love it. Such a good scent and nice looking. I also am a fan of the company Maison Louis Marie. Their candles are a little pricier, but are beautiful and smell amazing. Opposite kind of look from Lulu – they are white, in a simple clear glass jar, with the type, Maison Louis Marie in black. Since they are a bit pricier, I usually wait to stock up during their Black Friday sale.
My alter ego is Frank and we will say, coffee table books as design elements are lazy cumbersome dust catchers. I agree in giving books of interest but if they’re too large and can only lay on their sides in a bookcase or too heavy to hold to read, no. Your other ideas are great and I almost always love your tips. But if I’m ever given another coffee table book, I’ll either return to sender, use it to swat them out the door, or for that night’s kindling. Happy Holidays! – Frank
Another great vid, love your content, Nick! There are also chopstick rests made of porcelain and other materials that are more traditional, or modern and minimalist (I’m Chinese but look at Japanese ceramics in particular) that you can get to complement the rest of your tableware. They don’t have to be novelty ones! I grew up with blue and white porcelain ones.
I have a certain family member that has the most ratty, disgusting dishtowels ever. And everything else they own is clean and nice! It baffles me. Whenever I am at their house I help out in the kitchen and will secretly throw one of the nasty towels in the trash when they aren’t looking. And yes, I have given them nice dishtowels many times!! However, my gifts tend to be holiday towels, so I need to gift towels they can use year-round.