There’s a proliferation of consignment platforms offering design enthusiasts new ways to buy and sell furniture and accessories online. One of many is Viyet – and what makes them different? Their exceptional dedication to service and mission to empower designers of the trade. Viyet has a trade program offering designers 15% off all orders, and a curator/client-relations team providing one-on-one services. After a finished project, they’ll even feature your designs, furnished with Viyet’s pieces, on their homepage and blog. Here, Viyet shares details about their curation strategy, relationships with interior designers, and what’s next for 2017.

How does Viyet offer a white-glove service experience for online consignment?
Our goal is to make selling furniture online as easy as possible by taking the hassle out of consignment. Through our network of skilled curators across the country, we are able to take care of every step of the consignment process, from photography and pricing, to coordinating pick-up and delivery to the buyers. Our consignors can rest easy knowing they are in the hands of experts while we find the right buyers for their pieces.

Photo courtesy of Viyet

ELLE Decor named Viyet “the best place to buy furniture online”. Why is now the time to consign?
Through our partnerships with top designers and editors, we have been able to cultivate a savvy audience of active buyers who appreciate great design, ensuring that our consignors receive the highest possible return on their investment. These buyers are on the hunt for unique pieces that will make their home stand out, but they don’t want to wait the 4+ months it can take to have a custom sofa delivered. This is why Viyet has become so compelling to the design buyer – we offer a large yet curated selection of brands from the top end of market, all for 40-80% below retail prices along with the added benefit of immediate shipping.

Viyet seems to roll-out its “consigning” opportunities one city at a time – what is Viyet’s curation strategy?
We want to be where the designers are. This means having curators present where there are robust designer communities, which includes the usual suspects like New York and Los Angeles, as well as places like Charlotte with its close proximity to High Point, NC. Given the fact that this is a highly relationship-driven business, we don’t want to rush our expansion, but are instead taking the time to get to know the local designers and earn their trust one community at a time.

As a company, why does Viyet focus on the high-end category vs. the full spectrum of pre-owned pieces?
High-end furnishings are defined by better quality materials and craftsmanship, two factors that preserve re-sale value over time. We want to make sure our selection represents the best of the best, and by focusing on top brands with a reputation for excellence, we are able to make sure that our products will still look good and function as intended for many years to come. Our product is original and one of a kind. This creates additional demand from consumers who appreciate custom pieces.

Tell us about some interesting partnerships you are proud of…
We are excited about our most recent partnership with Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Magazine. We partnered with Editor in Chief Elizabeth Ralls, designer Beth Webb and blogger Jennifer Boles to put together an elegant evening celebrating Viyet’s launch in the Atlanta market.  The dinner was a great way for top designers in the city to mix and mingle and talk about their projects. Elizabeth guest edited and picked her must have’s from our site, while Beth Webb was featured on our home page and across all of our digital channels.

What are your best-selling categories and styles?
Our top categories are seating, tables and accessories for different reasons. Accessories are fun and an easy way to spruce up a room.  They instantly change the way you perceive a space and can make a statement about how you are feeling at a given time of year. Tables and seating are higher ticket items but the values are so incredible and our discerning consumers understand that.

Photography courtesy of Viyet

Who are some of the up & coming designers and manufacturers that have been making a splash in 2016?
We are excited about new talents on the scene like Antonino Buzzetta, Henry & Co, and Drew McGukin. But we also love partnering with seasoned designers that are always working to create incredible homes like foley & cox and Jay Jeffers.

How does the Viyet interior designer membership program differ from other trade programs out there?
Like many programs, we offer a discount on all merchandise for designers (15% in our case). Where we differ is in our approach to service. We have a team of brand ambassadors who are dedicated to helping our trade clients find exactly the piece(s) they are looking for, and making sure the fulfillment process is as smooth as possible post-purchase. We are also always looking for ways to help our trade members build their own brands by featuring their work on our homepage, email campaigns, blog features and more.

Photo courtesy of Viyet

Why do interior designers like shopping on Viyet?
First, the fact that every item on our site has been personally vetted by a curator takes a lot of the x risk factor out of buying items online. Designers can shop confidently knowing that each item is accurately described. Second, our trade buyers recognize that we offer a way to make their budgets go even further without sacrificing quality. By shopping Viyet, designers can find investment pieces from brands like Holly Hunt, Baker, and Donghia at Restoration Hardware prices. Because everything is ready to ship immediately, we also offer an easy way to find last minute finishing touches that can be delivered in a matter of weeks instead of months.

What are 4 tips of “best practices” to offer interior designers for making the most out of Viyet?
Check new arrivals early and often: we release new product every Monday and Thursday. Our best items sell within a matter of hours, so act fast!

Make an offer: many consignors are willing to negotiate, giving you an opportunity to get an even better deal.

Refer your client’s old furniture to us. Instead of figuring out how to shoehorn that old table or regrettable impulse buy, refer your client to consign with us and increase their design budget.

Look for our to-the-trade only emails that highlight certain promotions and additional on-site discounts.

What’s Viyet’s focus for 2017?
Our focus now is on scaling our inventory selection and continuing to provide high quality supply to meet buyer demand. We are doing this by unlocking inventory from key design hubs around the US (and ultimately the world) from individuals, designers, and manufacturers themselves. We are now curating inventory in the New York Tri-State area, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte and South Florida with many more locations to come.

Here are some of our favorite humble and over-the-top presidential vacation and post-term homes.

Bill and Hillary Clinton recently purchased this ranch-style home next to their home in Chappaqua, NY

Photos by Trulia

Both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush have stayed at the luxurious Ladue Estate in Missouri

Photos by Steven B. Smith

Currently, JFK & Jackie Kennedy’s Virginia retreat is on the market

Photos by Mona Botwick

This Circa-1700 Farmhouse in Dutchess County, NY, housed by Hebert Hoover, George Washington and Calvin Coolidge to name a few

Photos by Estately

Oahu Lani, the gorgeous beachfront estate the Obama’s resided in while Barack ran for President in August, 2008

Photos by Ron Dennis

Richard Nixon’s White House in the west, aka “La Casa Pacifica”

Sotheby’s International Realty

designLIVE on San Francisco’s Sacramento Street is a two-day affair, celebrating all things design with the Bay Area’s design community. We had the pleasure of attending the “Love or Hate” Panel, hosted by Chairish President Anna Brockway and California Home + Design’s Editorial Director Lindsey Shook. Coming out of the educational and entertaining conversation with fellow design enthusiasts in the Bay area, here are the design trends we love.

Brass Hardware

Photo via Nate Berkus

Herringbone Pattern Wood Floors

Gallery Walls

Photo via Lonny

Black and White Checkered Floor Marble

Photo by Nicole Franzen via Savvy Home

Succulents

Photo by Birgitta Drejer via Bo Bedre

The Color “Griege”

Photo by Sara Svenningrud

Cement Tiles

Photo via Studio McGee

Layered Rugs

Photo via Amber Interiors

Ombré Fabrics

Photo via West Elm

Eames Lounge Chairs

Photo by Lisa Romerein via C Magazine 

White Subway Tiles

Photo by Sarah Elliott for Jenni Kayne/Rip & Tan

Wallpaper, Wallpaper, Wallpaper

Photo by The White Arrow via Design Milk

Which trends do you love?

With great interior design, comes great responsibility, and achieving design success requires a delicate balance of client expectation and designer execution. A successful project is more than just the end result, but is a collection of the weeks, months, and maybe even years leading up to the finished space. We too wish that the collaborative efforts between the designer and the client could be as effortless as the look the design was intended for, but we know that much deliberation, discussion, and disagreement goes into creating the chic sanctuaries we call “home”. When it boils down to the aesthetics of a space (the paint color, fixtures, furniture, etc.), we have a few tips to make the design approvals and personal differences seem like mere wrinkles, as opposed to tearing a relationship apart.

1. Communication is Key: Yes, 50% of successful communication is just listening. Simply listen and take into consideration the personality, vision, and expectation of your client, even if you think it’s unreasonable. Most of the time when the designer/client relationship starts to take a turn for the worse, it’s because you or your client doesn’t feel “heard”. Effectively hearing your client begins with understanding who they are as a person. We find that many Ivy Designers send out surveys when they are hired for a project in order to get a sense of what the client is expecting, their lifestyle, and how they use their home. “Who’s style do you admire?” “Where do your children like to play?” “How often do you entertain?” “What pieces do you want to keep?” These are personable questions that should be asked right away so you can get a true understanding of how they use their space, and get to the designing quickly.

2. You’re Getting Paid Because You’re the Expert: As an interior designer, you were hired for a specific purpose; to create a space that is enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing. Often times, your client hired you because they were attracted to your aesthetic, so having confidence in your skill is important. In order to effectively communicate your vision, it may take a little educating. Lesson 1: think of yourself as a design scientist that must convince your client of a new theory. This entails explaining (and sometime re-explaining) your reasoning and providing solid evidence either in the form of a vision board, or by showing samples and past examples. This will keep you and your client happy and keep the negative engagement at bay.

3. Remodel the Relationship: Sometimes, as a designer, you have to learn to adapt. Plans change, ideas get scratched, and budgets become tight…it all just comes with the territory. However, it’s important to streamline these modifications and be able to adapt quickly, as to not extend the deadlines of the project or upset your client. Getting products pre-approved, setting up “yes” or “no” scenarios, and being able to provide plan B at the touch of a button will efficiently reduce the endless back and forth that occurs. Clients of Ivy Designers love the Ivy approval feature on proposals because it streamlines the endless ping-pong and creates an easy way to progress your project to the next stage.

4. Keep Your Cool: Conflicting opinions can sometimes turn into a complete disaster, especially when personal preference is involved. However, when a disagreement arises, the ability to emotionally detach and remain professional will go a long way. In order to achieve success and establish longevity with a sensitive client, it’s vital that both you and your client feel comfortable being open, and work in a collaborative manner. Designing a remarkable space often takes a little risk and a lot of trust, so providing options, scenarios, and demonstrating your vision clearly has a significant impact.

5. Be Crystal Clear: Trust, trust, and a bit more trust. Chargebacks, missed communication, un-matched expectations – these are a designer’s kryptonite and a one-way ticket to a project ending on a bad note. It’s important to remember that humans are messy, so to help with the unpredictability of projects, be up-front with your client. Allowing your client to be an active part of the design process, while you lay out the project in a clear and manageable way, will save you both time and a headache or two. Creating product approvals, streamlined invoice templates, and scheduled deposit requests are all tools to make your client understand how the design procedure works. Every project may be different, however, creating a system that works with your business will help to build a strong foundation for a positive relationship and mitigate any potential misunderstandings.

This year at the Emmys 2016, floral gowns and ethereal suits swept the red carpet, giving us serious design envy. Here are our favorite looks that we’d love to put on our walls, pillows, or any textile for that matter.

Kristen Bell in Zuhair Murad, styled by Nicole Chavez

Photo by Robyn Beck/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Project Runway’s Nina Garcia in Valentino

Photo by Nina Garcia

Maisie Williams, Arya Stark of Game of Thrones

Photo by Todd Williams/Getty Images

Constance Zimmer in Monique Lhuillier

Photo by John Shearer/WireImage

Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas of Stranger Things) in a custom Eaden Myles tuxedo and Dleak Bowtie, styled by Spry Lee Scott

Photo by Getty Images

Best known for their adorable patterns of foxes, feathers, evil eyes, and arrows, Stephanie Housley and husband Chris Lacinak opened up a charming passion project and textile shop, Coral & Tusk, 9 years ago. Most recently, Coral & Tusk has expanded their business from Brooklyn to Workshop in Jackson Hole, WY, developing their fabric by the yard and bespoke services. Here, the talented Stephanie shares her family history of handiwork, design process, prep for the trade, and deep appreciation for team Coral & Tusk.

Stephanie, you founded Coral & Tusk with your husband, Chris Lacinak back in 2007. As a couple, how did you decide to create an embroidery company?
I began Coral & Tusk with my husband at the end of 2007 as a side business. After graduating with a BFA in Textiles from the Rhode Island School of Design in early 1999, I worked as a woven textile designer for a domestic manufacturer until 2004, and then an Indian vertical mill from 2004-2012. From the time I got the embroidery machine in late 2007, I felt the need to pay it off by creating something with it that I could sell. At no point did I ever set out to begin a company or be self employed! However, it all really came together with a lot of hard work and a lot of luck. My husband was the one to be the beacon in how to turn a hobby into a business. Over the course of 4 years, working full-time during the day as a textile designer, and full-time at night on Coral & Tusk, it finally became obvious that I needed to make a choice. I had spent all of my free time cultivating the company (while continuing to work full-time) and we grew very modestly and organically with the limited capacity we had in terms of time, focus, production, and distribution points. Before I left my day job, we started to hire a part-time team, led by Alija Craycroft, who remains an integral part of everything we do! Once I finally made the decision to focus exclusively on Coral & Tusk in late 2012, we all grew as a team and company, and it has been an incredible and amazing evolution.

Photo by Will Ellis

How did your upbringing in the Ohio Valley with your family of Appalachian women influence your vision and designs?
All the women in my family had some kind of handiwork project in their hands when they were not maintaining the family and house. My Great Grandmother made lace, my Grandmother made dolls, and my own Mom would make any project together with me as a kid. I have always loved to draw and embroidery was something I just fell in love with at a really young age. I do not know how to technically embroider – I have always taken a drawing with thread approach.

Your hand-drawn, enchanting illustrations are incredible – what’s Coral & Tusk’s production process, from inspiration to stitch? 

I am constantly gathering information and ideas through a variety of ways: being in nature, looking at magazines, researching a concept or theme. We create two collections a year. All of us in the studio discuss what feels interesting at the beginning of developing each new collection to explore further. Once we finalize concepts and get a good idea of what types of products and designs to solidify, I make a list and begin drawing. I always start with a pencil drawing on paper of original artwork, and then create the embroidery file by re-drawing the illustration stitch-by-stitch. It is a very laborious and tedious process, basically like drawing a hand-embroidery on the computer. We prototype when possible in Brooklyn, and then send the final file and color selection to India for initial sampling. Once approved, we go into production (anywhere from 12 to 120 pieces). The pieces come back from India to our Brooklyn loft where they are finished by hand and shipped.

Photo by Martin Scott Powell

Coral & Tusk recently moved from Brooklyn to Jackson Hole and opened a Showroom in Workshop, how exciting! How has the move influenced your inspiration and impacted business in general?

In the interior design industry, chasing your clients for payments can feel like a full-time job. Unfortunately, when you send your client an invoice, there’s no guarantee that you will be paid in a timely manner. Thanks to modern technology, Ivy makes the payment process painless for both you and your client. The solution? Digital payments.

Requesting your clients to transition from legacy payments such as checks to e-payments will not be a challenge once they understand the ease. According to a study conducted by Capital One, small businesses who accepted digital payments saw increased customer satisfaction of 73%, improved customer service of 69%, and increased sales of 68%. If you can offer your clients a link to pay for your proposal or invoice digitally, chances are, you’re going to get paid much faster. Here’s why you should start accepting credit card and wire transfer payments through Ivy.

The Transition is as Easy as Pie, for Both You and Your Client

Writing a check adds more unnecessary steps to the payment process and delays payday. Offering your client a digital way to pay you makes things simpler for your client. According to Freshbooks, electronic payments are made ~8 days faster than using traditional payment methods such as check or cash. On the other hand, you may not be super tech-savvy, but setting up your Ivy account to receive wire transfer or credit payments is super easy. Access your payment settings in your account settings, and connect your bank account. Once you verify your bank account, sending your proposal or invoice out to payment takes less than 30 seconds.

Simply open your proposal or invoice and select the “Review & Send” button

Confirm your client’s email, customize the subject line and message, and select which payment options you’d like to receive.

Your client will receive this proposal or invoice to review and have the option to pay via bank transfer or credit card.

Electronic payments are made ~8 days faster than using traditional payment methods.

Process Payments Through the Best-In-Class Online Credit System

Ivy uses Stripe, voted “Best Online Credit Processing” System (by Business News Daily) as our payment processor. Why? Because Stripe is simply the best way to accept digital payments, managing billions of dollars each year for innovative business worldwide. Stripe has set the industry standard for accepting online and mobile payments, and well, we only provide our users with best.

Improved Cash Flow and Increased Profitability

Digital payments not only post faster than checks, they reduce expenses incurred by false accounts and bounced checks. E-payments help reduce fraud, as more than 40% of small businesses experience fraud when using paper-based checks. Frankly speaking, credit card payments have become THE most common payment method, regardless of the industry. According to the Small Business Administration, “the convenience of making credit card payments is a leading factor in encouraging consumers to make ‘impulse purchases’.” This means that if your client has the flexibility to pay for your services in credit, they’re much more likely to pay you faster. FitSmallBusiness.com reported that accepting credit cards can increase the “size of a company’s average order by as much as 40%.” Ivy processing fees are very competitive (1.2% for wire transfer and 3% for credit card payments) and at the end of the day, these fees are insignificant.

40% of small businesses experience fraud when using paper-based checks.

Get Paid in Days, Not Weeks

Not only do digital payments save you a trip to the bank and post office, it saves your client some time as well. The time it takes for you to print your invoice, send it to your client, have your client review the invoice, write a check, and send it back to you via snail mail can take up to 1 month.

We’ll Politely Nudge Your Clients

Chasing your clients isn’t fun. However, checking in on payments is part of your daily routine and good manners will most likely increase your probability of getting paid. According to Freshbooks, adding a “please” or “thank you” to a proposal or invoice can improve that document’s likelihood of getting paid by more than 5%. Furthermore, we’ll remind your clients on your behalf when a proposal or invoice is overdue for payment. Don’t worry, we’ll include the proper “please” and “thank you”, as good etiquette goes a long way in this game.

Adding a “please” or “thank you” to a proposal or invoice can improve that document’s likelihood of getting paid by more than 5%.

 

Automating Your Books

Receive client checks for the wrong amount? This will no longer happen once you request an e-payment through Ivy. The amount you request from your client is the exact amount your client will pay via credit card or wire transfer. On the client-end, there’s no option to change the payment sum, greatly reducing the margin for error. Accidentally mark the wrong invoice as “paid” with a check? This will no longer be an issue once your clients’ digital payments are directly connected to the documents you send for payment. Once you receive a digital payment through Ivy, the date of payment, sum, type and reference id are automatically recorded in your Ivy account with its corresponding document. If you sync to QuickBooks, your QuickBooks account will be auto-updated with all of your payments as well. Trust us, your accountants will sigh in relief.

You’re Going Green

In addition to helping your business improve operations, lowers costs, and reduce risk, electronic payments help your company be mindful of the environment. Not only will you be getting paid faster, but you and your client will be saving lots of paper on printing documents, envelopes, stamps, and of course, checks.

Interior design branding expert, Kim Kuhteubl of MeByDesign, deeply understands the value of establishing your brand identity. That’s why Kim is on a mission to provide designers with the resources they need to build visibility and awareness both on and offline. Here, Kim shares her tips on how to make the most of your portfolio.

Never underestimate the power of energy and resonance when it comes to your portfolio photography. It’s your calling card and the first experience a potential client has of you. It’s also the single most important element in the building and communication of your interior design brand. Here are a few tips to help you get good ones.

Less is more. If you’ve just launched and you’re bootstrapping your business, don’t junk up your portfolio with images that are low quality or off-brand. Set the tone with one or two shots using the highest quality camera you have and leave your prospective clients wanting more. Save the “before”s and “after”s for your blog or iPad presentation during a sales meeting. That way you can explain the problem and your solution step by step. Your website photography is meant to wow.

Find your fit. Hire a photographer who specializes in interiors keeping in mind that there is a distinction between architectural and interiors, lifestyle, real estate and portrait photography. Not all architectural photographers shoot people well and vice versa. Are you hiring this photographer because they’re cheap or because you like their work? There’s a big difference. You want this project to help you land your next job but it’s also going to be a part of your archive. If you plan to write a book later on, these photos are the ones that document how you’ve grown as an artist. Make them good.

Get the wide. You’ve hired your photographer because of their POV and the way they tell a story. Don’t micromanage their process but do discuss a shot list of images you’d like to get on the day. Make sure that list includes a wide shot of each room and the home’s exterior to establish. Even if you’re targeting a specific publication and you know they love detail shots, don’t assume you know which details the editor is going to love.  Give them at least one shot of the entire room—from a couple of angles is better—to plan from.

Get a contract. I don’t care how famous the photographer is. I don’t care how laid back they are, or how not cool you think it makes you look. Just because they’re a great shooter doesn’t meant they’re great at doing business. It can be simple. Where and when are they going to shoot? How much will they get paid? How many images will they deliver? By when? What about retouched images? Who owns the copyright? What happens in the event they default on any of the deliverables? What are the terms for deposit and payment? If you do end up getting caught up in the thrill of it, then at the very least I recommend that you pay through paypal. Mark clearly what the payment is for in the notes box when you send it. Then if something goes awry in the process, you can file a dispute. If you can’t come to an agreement, you can escalate the dispute into a claim and paypal will step in to determine the issue’s outcome.

Enjoy. You’ve worked hard to make this project beautiful. The process of capturing it for others to see is supposed to be fun so let it be. You can’t control the weather or the changing daylight but you can manage how you feel throughout the day. Enjoy the collaboration.

Kim Kuhteubl works with interior designers on branding, visibility and money. Read more tips about photography in her book Branding + Interior Design available September 29, 2016.