10 | LUXlife Magazine rom a young age, Jen Dayton’s enthusiasm for interior design was clear, as she would spend hours organising her bedroom and imagining all the options she could one day explore when she owned her own home. Now living in a 1930s Tudor-style home in Southwest Michigan, Jen has been able to fulfil all of her home décor dreams, so has now turned to helping others bring their visions to life through the unique products she sells and her personalised home stagging services. Guided by the core values of creativity, quality, and service excellence, Homecrest & Co. is Jen’s way of making property dreams come true, with her brand’s unwavering commitment to transforming living spaces into personality-reflecting sanctuaries on display at every turn. As well as her drive to shape homes, Jen is equally dedicated to inclusivity, and this is why she sources many of the high-quality products available through her business’ store from other local businesses owned by women and ethnic-minority entrepreneurs. To see that she is able to reach as many people as possible and promote the work of the local Kalamazoo community, Jen has recently been working towards unveiling her first retail store in the city’s downtown area, with doors set to open later this spring. Although working on this project has been incredibly exciting, Jen told us: “The challenge has been navigating the complexities of setting up a brick-and-mortar store while maintaining the integrity of our online presence.” It would be fair to say that Jen and her team have succeeded brilliantly, carefully balancing all of the ins and outs of inventory, staffing, and store design whilst still keeping their word to offer a platform for local small businesses to sell their products. Jen explained why this is so important to her when she told us: “We believe that, by working together, we can create a thriving local economy and offer people a unique shopping experience that goes beyond just home décor.” This pledge to something bigger than herself can be seen across every project Jen takes on, especially through her process of understanding the clients’ needs and then doing everything in her power to see that she affords them a service that far surpasses these. In the example of her new store, this means Jen has curated a selection of diverse products ready for sale, with these choices catering to a broad demographic and resulting in an inclusive environment that is accessible for all. Homecrest & Co.’s encompassing range also reflects some of the key trends of the industry at present, especially when it comes to the Best Home Staging & Home Décor Retail Specialist 2025 – Midwest USA & LUXlife Client Satisfaction Excellence Award 2025 Based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Homecrest & Co. is a woman-owned home décor and staging business specialising in quality furnishings and bespoke services. It is the aim of Jen Dayton, the visionary founder behind Homecrest & Co., to help individuals and families alike enhance their homes, as well as to assist real estate professionals in the area who seek out impeccable staging services to best present a property. We caught up with Jen, who spoke to us about her business and love of home décor. increase in personalised décor and sustainably sourced products. Aside from this, on the back of the time everyone spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, a rise has been experienced in the number of multi-purpose spaces, with these seamlessly blending aesthetic value and functionality in houses – especially when it comes to likes of homeworking and living areas. “Additionally, as the demand for online shopping continues to grow, we are investing in technology to ensure our online experience remains seamless and customer centric.” Fortifying its unique digital store whilst working towards better serving the local Kalamazoo community through its first retail store, Homecrest & Co. will soon strike the perfect balance between the physical and online spheres through its options, as well as expand its range even further to appeal to more consumers across the immediate region and beyond. Ultimately, these initiatives will only empower Jen Dayton further in her overarching mission to help people create inspirational spaces reflective of their unique personalities. It is the passion embodied by Jen when it comes to achieving this aim that has resulted in Homecrest & Co. receiving a place in this programme – a testament to her excellence. Contact: Jen Dayton Company: Homecrest & Co. Web Address: https://www.homecrestandco.com/ F Homecrest & Co. Photography: Washburn Photography
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