Empire Office Acquires Model Home Interiors, Expanding Expertise into Residential and Hospitality Sectors.

Empire Office, Inc., the nation’s largest commercial furniture and interior solutions provider, today announced the acquisition of Model Home Interiors (MHI), a premier design, furnishing, and installation firm specializing in turnkey solutions for lifestyle real estate, including multifamily, student housing, senior living communities, and model homes.

The acquisition represents a significant milestone in Empire’s diversification strategy, expanding its expertise beyond workplace interiors into the growing residential and hospitality-adjacent sectors. By uniting Empire’s national scale with MHI’s expertise in furnishing revenue-generating spaces, the combined firm will deliver unmatched value and become the largest provider of turnkey furnishing solutions for model homes in the U.S.

“This acquisition represents an exciting new chapter for Empire,” said Peter Gaslow, President & CEO of Empire Office. “MHI has set the standard in lifestyle real estate interiors, delivering turnkey solutions that help developers and operators attract residents and drive revenue. By joining forces, we’re taking their proven expertise and amplifying it through Empire’s national reach, technology, and partnerships.

Headquartered in Maryland with an office in North Carolina, MHI has established itself as a leader in the design and furnishing of model homes, multifamily units, student housing, and senior living environments. Its turnkey FF&E solutions provide builders and developers with furnished spaces that enhance resident experience, boost occupancy, and accelerate leasing.

“Joining Empire allows us to scale our services in ways we couldn’t before,” said Carl McWilliams, Principal & President at Model Home Interiors. “Empire’s logistics network, technology platforms, and client partnerships complement our expertise perfectly. Together, we can continue doing what we do best—delivering beautiful, high-performing spaces—while offering our clients even greater reach, resources, and innovation.”

The acquisition also aligns with Empire’s forthcoming rebrand including a name change, which will reflect its expanded portfolio and forward-looking vision to deliver creative, agile, and design-driven solutions across workplace, hospitality, and lifestyle real estate environments.

About Model Home Interiors

Model Home Interiors (MHI) is a leading design and installation firm specializing in turnkey furnishing solutions for lifestyle real estate, including multifamily housing, student housing, senior living communities, and model homes. Based in Maryland and North Carolina, MHI partners with developers, builders, and property managers to create furnished environments that attract residents, enhance experiences, and accelerate revenue growth.

Empire Office is pleased to share that Steelcase and HNI Corporation have signed a definitive agreement under which HNI will acquire Steelcase in a $2.2 billion cash‑and‑stock transaction.

This exciting development brings together two respected leaders in the commercial furniture industry—creating a stronger, more innovative future.

Key things to know:

• Steelcase and HNI’s combined financial strength will drive greater investment in new product innovation, digital transformation, and enhanced customer experiences.
• Steelcase’s headquarters will remain in Grand Rapids, MI, continuing the brand’s rich legacy and leadership.
• Empire Office remains fully operational and engaged, working closely with both organizations to support our clients with zero disruption to current or upcoming projects.

As one of Steelcase’s largest dealers, we want to reassure you that Empire Office remains committed to supporting you every step of the way. We are coordinating closely with Steelcase and HNI teams to ensure a seamless transition and continued access to the products and service you rely on.

Read the official press release from Steelcase & HNI here: Joint Press Release

Stay tuned — more updates are on the horizon.

Gary Levitan, Global Head of Procurement, Sourcing and Supply Chain, WeWork spoke to Procurement magazine on why the time is now for flexible working and the need for procurement talent.

In the enlightening conversation, Gary discusses the importance of data, technology and category management processes in scaling the business at WeWork given the explosive growth the company has continued to see in the face of the changing realities of work coming out of the global pandemic era. He also talks about good partnerships being critical and highlights Empire Office as one of those partners for WeWork.

A brief excerpt from the article is below.

Excerpt:

“Partnerships are critical,” says Levitan. “ It’s a bit of a cliche, especially in the procurement world. Our global supply chains are posing never-before-seen complexities and only by proactively leveraging true, collaborative partnerships do organizations stand any chance of mitigating these potentially existential risks.”

“Empire Office is an example of a partner who helps us buy furniture directly from multiple manufacturers. Although our product is space, that space comes furnished with fixtures and technology, and we need to get those products to our customers and members on time,” says Levitan. “Our partnership with Empire allows us to deliver fully furnished space on time and on budget.” This partnership helps WeWork create clear communication and clear expectations on both sides, at a time when having a reciprocal relationship is more critical than ever.

Read the full article here.

Peter Gaslow, President and CEO of Empire Office, Inc., a leading provider of contract furniture solutions, announces the launch of the company’s new brand identity, architecture, and design. The new corporate brand identity was thoughtfully designed to celebrate the heritage and experience of the 73-year-old company while elevating and simplifying its visual assets and messaging.

“We are a successful, proven company with a clear vision for our future,” Gaslow stated. “As Empire Office has grown over the years to include many more locations, and new differentiated service offerings, we needed an identity that better reflects who we are and where we are going as a company. We have some of the brightest minds and best talent in the industry, and our commitment to our clients is unmatched. With our full suite of services and 73+ years of experience, we are raising the bar for what our brand represents.”

For the creative design, Empire partnered with LA-based Brand Studio at CAA. The project commenced with an in-depth competitive analysis, which highlighted the loftier design objectives of today’s workspaces. Jocelyn Corrigan, who serves as Empire’s EVP of Sales & Corporate Strategies and who also oversees the company’s marketing function, was instrumental in steering the strategy behind the project.

“Today’s workspaces have greater social and brand aspirations and are viewed as a canvas for creative expression, community, connectedness, and enhanced productivity,” Corrigan stated. “Branded environments have become a crucial part of the marketing mix for any company. We view our role as a conduit for the creation of memorable, inspiring, and immersive office experiences to help build brands through bespoke design, furniture, craftsmanship, inspiration, and big ideas.”

The company also explored ways to drive more value to its existing client relationships. What started as special test projects for existing clients turned into fully-fleshed, specialized divisions ranging in services from small scale design-build services to custom-built furniture pieces and millwork solutions. Paralleling the rebranding project already underway, the company created a comprehensive brand architecture system, including new division logos, unifying all under the Empire Office umbrella.

Empire Office—together with its divisions—now offers clients a complete end-to-end solution. From architecture, design, and construction services to custom millwork, furniture, and ancillary packages, Empire provides a single-source option for companies looking to simplify what can often be a complicated, lengthy process.

In recent years, Empire Office has grown its physical footprint and is actively evaluating potential opportunities to expand even further. Empire has been recognized as a leader both nationally and regionally, including being ranked on Crain’s New York Area’s Largest Privately Held Companies list and named as one of the Best Places to Work by Orlando Business Journal, among others.