PrintHill Country Interiors
EnlargeCozy and warm are not adjectives typically used to describe a 35,000-square-foot retail setting, but San Antonio’s Hill Country Interiors is not a typical furnishings store. “The idea was to create a look as if you were walking into a home,” says owner Cindy Holland. “I have business reps and people building stores in other parts of the country flying in all the time because the concept is being talked about so much.”
What started in 1991 as a 600-square-foot showcase for Santa Fe-style furnishings has evolved into an immersive experience into sophisticated and stylish Mediterranean, Old World, and Southwestern designs. The large retail space is divided into themed vignettes that feature rustic furniture, leather chairs and sofas, Tuscan décor, antler lighting, and cowhide upholstery and accessories. In addition, the store’s Dominion Rug Gallery offers more than 50,000 floor-covering choices to complete any room.
It was Holland’s talent for design that inspired the creation of the business nearly two decades ago. “I got into the office furniture rental business, and I found that decorating was really fun,” she says. “All these young professionals kept hiring me on the weekends to acquire furnishings for them and make them look established.” She believes that Hill Country Interiors has stood the test of time because her husband, Bill, has the business and financial smarts to complement her artistic eye. “If it had been just me, the store would look great but I would have been in debt,” she points out. “This way, I have a great-looking store that is also successful.”
• Info: Hill Country Interiors, 1410 N. Loop 1604 W., San Antonio, Texas, 800.750.0652, www.hillcountryinteriors.com.
Issue: March 2010
