At Home Furnishings
At Home
When it comes to the bustling shops along 18th Street South, no Saturday afternoon stroll is complete without a stop into At Home Furnishings. As its name suggests, the store carries everything from candles, rugs and tableware to furniture such as beds and sofas.
Over the past 23 years, owner Babbie Styslinger, who also owns the nearby Three Sheets linen shop, has taken the store from a simple futon retailer to a specialty home goods store that offers items from around the country and around the world. Every year Styslinger travels around the U.S. to Atlanta, Dallas, New York and High Point, N.C., for design markets to find the latest trends. They also have ventured as far as India and China to personally select the best products to bring back to Birmingham.
Store Manager Paige Rouss said that in her 15 years with the store, she has seen the trends progress in such a way that she wouldn’t even recognize the store from years past. One reason for this drastic change is the ever-evolving inventory.
“Some people might not be aware that we receive new merchandise every single day,” Rouss said.
This factor alone allows the store to appeal to a wide variety of client tastes and styles.
“I think our favorite part of the business is the hunt,” Rouss said. “What’s new? What’s trending? What’s exciting?”
In an effort to stay abreast of all the latest trends, the shop has also taken on physical changes. Recently, walls were constructed throughout the store to provide more display surfaces and to showcase products in smaller vignettes. Some of these alluring displays can be seen in the front windows as shoppers pass by on the sidewalk. Staff members change these displays monthly to highlight new products and rotate the inventory.
Not an inch of space goes unused when it comes to displaying goods — from light fixtures hanging from the ceiling to the curtains and artwork donning the lofty walls. At the same time, the store feels like a cozy home ripe for a well-set dinner or a nap on the plush couch.
In recent years, more and more clients are also turning to At Home Furnishings’ extensive inventory as a source for wedding registries. Others who come into the store in search of that perfect piece of furniture are often drawn in by the wide assortment of smaller items, such table toppers and decorative accents. An additional unexpected find in this shop is the selection of jewelry and handbags, which have grown in popularity as the store has grown.
“Homewood is such an exciting community to be a part of,” Rouss said. “This street is buzzing every day with shoppers and lunch goers.”
The sales staff has a deep love for their clients, and the feeling is evidently mutual, as Rouss regularly receives calls of gratitude for the sales staff’s helpfulness and friendliness.
“Our plan for the future is simple — to be the best we can be — to strive to continue to please our customers and be a valuable contributor to the Homewood community,” Rouss said.
