Design junkies are getting yet another platform for ogling pretty products.
Project Decor, a new social home decorating platform that launched invite-only beta on June 18. The New York-based site, founded by serial entrepreneurs Andy Appelbaum and Cliff Sirlin, is similar to Pinterest in that it lets users express their design styles by collecting pictures of products and sharing them. Project Decor differs because instead of pinning products it lets users “tear” them and arrange them in rooms.
Members can design their own virtual rooms, as well as share them with friends and follow other users and professional designers. The company said it will also offer customers a way to purchase products they see, including those that are normally only available to people who work in the home design business. (Designers and manufacturers take note.)
How does the newcomer standout in the crowd of social media sites like houzz, Pinterest, Fancy and Svpply? I know I am wondering how I’ll keep up with the explosion of social sites and still have time to actually do design work. Okay – maybe not: I have already signed up!
Project Decor thinks it can differentiate itself by deploying an elite crew of more than 40 top designers to consult with users, as well as offering an easier path from curation to commerce. Once users arrange their dream rooms with products from different brands, the company says it offers a “seamless e-commerce experience” from Project Decor.
Brooke Stoddard is Project Decor’s creative director and if her past successes as style editor for House and Garden and principal at Brooke Stoddard is any indication ( not to mention the backing by Founder Collective), I am sure Project Decor is on its way to huge success!
Among the top design brands that have signed on with the company are Jonathan Adler, Knoll, Richard Schultz, Bernhardt Design, Orrefors, Kosta Boda, Area, Gaia & Gino, Merida, Christopher Farr, ducduc, Emeco, Stephanie Odegard Collection, Offecct, Mirror Image, Jan Kath and Studio Printworks.
Let me know if you’ll be “tearing” at Project Decor…
