Ballard Designs
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (home furnishings and décor) |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Helen Ballard |
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Helen Ballard (Founder, former CEO) |
| Products | Home furnishings and décor inspired by European styles |
| Parent | Qurate Retail Group |
| Website | www |
Ballard Designs operates as a multi-channel retailer specializing in the design and sale of home furnishings and décor inspired by European styles. Previously a division of Cornerstone Brands under HSN Inc. (NASDAQ: HSNI), the company now belongs to the Qurate Retail portfolio, which is owned by Qurate Retail Group (NASDAQ: QRTEA, QRTEB). Currently, Ballard Designs maintains 17 retail locations across the United States: three stores are located in Florida—specifically in Tampa, Jacksonville, and a design studio concept in West Palm Beach—alongside outlets in Oak Brook, Illinois, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, Natick, Massachusetts, and the flagship store established in 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Additional stores can be found in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; Denver, Colorado; Tysons Corner, Virginia; Garden City, New York; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Nashville, Tennessee. In Texas, Ballard Designs has expanded to four locations situated in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin. The brand also operates three outlet stores: one near its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia; another close to its distribution center in West Chester, Ohio; and a third outlet located in Louisville, Kentucky. Notably, the outlet store in Margate, Florida ceased operations in 2020. Plans for new store openings include a location scheduled for 2024 in Greenville, South Carolina.
History
Ballard Designs was established in 1983 by Helen Ballard. Her entry into the retail sector began after she won a home decorating contest hosted by Metropolitan Home magazine. Following the publication of photos from her Ansley Park condominium, over 500 readers inquired with the magazine about where to purchase Ballard's furniture and accessories, particularly a table featuring a dolphin motif. Within a year, Ballard left her job, sold her residence, and launched Ballard Designs. The company's inaugural catalog was a simple two-page black-and-white brochure showcasing a replica of the dolphin table from her home, which quickly became their top-selling item.
In 1996, Ballard Designs merged with Cornerstone Brands, the publisher behind several home and apparel catalogs such as Frontgate, Garnet Hill, and Smith+Noble. Cornerstone Brands was acquired by IAC/InterActive Corp in 2005 and subsequently became part of HSN, Inc. Two years later, in 2007, Ballard Designs debuted its first brick-and-mortar store in Tampa, followed by an expansion to Jacksonville within the same year.
Helen Ballard served as the Chief Executive Officer of Ballard Designs until her retirement in 2002 and was also a member of Cornerstone Brands' Board of Directors.
In 2010, the company collaborated with designer Suzanne Kasler to introduce its first-ever designer collection. Later that year, Ballard Designs launched the Ballard+ app—an augmented reality shopping tool developed by Marxent Labs—which enabled customers to engage with the catalog via their iOS devices. Although this app has since been discontinued, it was replaced by an online 3D room planner that allows shoppers to visualize how Ballard Designs products would appear in their own spaces.
Renowned interior designer and entertaining specialist Bunny Williams became the second prominent designer to create a signature collection for Ballard Designs in 2014. In 2017, internationally acclaimed designer Miles Redd joined the brand with a furniture and accessory line inspired by classic architecture and old Hollywood glamour. That same year marked a significant corporate transition when Ballard’s parent company, HSN Inc., was acquired by Liberty Interactive—the owner of QVC Home Shopping Network—which later rebranded as Qurate Retail Group in 2018.
Currently, Ballard Designs distributes over 19 million catalogs annually and operates an e-commerce platform alongside a decorating blog and podcast titled How To Decorate. Since its launch in October 2016, the podcast has produced more than 290 episodes featuring prominent designers, industry tastemakers, and insights into contemporary interior design trends.