Las Vegas Review-Journal

Inspiration for putting together a well-decorated home can be found everywhere. Just ask Kathy Ireland, who heads a billion-dollar, multifaceted business that includes furniture, flooring, lighting, decorative accessories and mattresses among its product lines.

"It's in everything all around us. We just have to open our eyes and be aware," said the former model.

Among the latest additions to her brand is Kathy Ireland Home by Hallmart Collectibles, which offers bedroom linens. The collection was unveiled during the recent summer market presented by the World Market Center in Las Vegas.

Hallmart, an importer and designer of home textile products, is one of the leading trendsetters in the top-of-bed category. Founded in 1997 by Jesse Ghalili, its products are sold at the top 100 furniture retailers and department stores nationwide.

Mike Kehnast, national sales manager for Hallmart, called Ireland's designs "jewelry for the bed and bedroom."

Kehnast said response to the collection at the market was great and that youth bedding was especially popular.

The new collection debuted with 17 lines. Among the introductions are designs inspired by two of Ireland's specialty brands: ACafé by Chef André Carthen, which celebrates food, family and fun; and J du J, short for Jardin du Jour, by Nicholas Walker, which celebrates outdoor living.

Ireland is serving as chief designer of all products being developed under the partnership. Products in the collection include comforters, duvet covers, sheets, accessory and bed pillows and youth bedding.

"Jesse and his team are amazing to work with. They're all about solutions and I love that," Ireland said, relating a story about something she wanted to do with the Young Attitudes category "that was a little different."

Ireland said the finished product had to be available at a specific price point yet be durable and machine washable.

"He (Ghalili) thought about it and found ways to make it happen."

"Kathy Ireland's success is unequaled in the fashion and home industry. In just seven years, Kathy has built a home brand that went from zero to 1.4 billion in annual sales. We have much to learn from this incredible woman and her extraordinary team," Ghalili said.

Ireland's guiding principle for all of her designs is "finding solutions for families, especially busy moms." "The goal is to save her (a busy mom) time," Ireland said. "Just to make it in the store is heroic."

Ireland said finding the time to shop and getting children into the car and car seats is a challenge for mothers and her intention is to "honor that effort and take some of the anxiety out of shopping."

"I want to make it a fun experience to put a home together," she said.

A unifying theme throughout all of Ireland's brand partnerships is her style guides -- Aloha, Americana, Architectural, European Country and La Vida Buena -- that shape the look and colors used in the coordinated lines.

"Kathy really covers the basics with her style guides," Kehnast said.

He said another key selling point for the Hallmart collection is that nine-piece, queen-size bedding sets start at $150 retail, which especially appeals to budget-conscious shoppers.

Additionally, the bedding products, along with other furnishings and decorative accessories in the Kathy Ireland Home brand will get the added advantage of being fire retardant. Earlier this summer, Kathy Ireland Worldwide teamed with McKinnon Land for use of its Basofil flame-resistant fiber technology.

Ireland said all of her products offer "fashion, quality, value and safety -- and safety is number one. You can not have peace if you are not safe at home. That's why this partnership is so important to us."