In 2019, your couch is more important than ever.
With the rise of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, the continued popularity of video games, and the general uptick in people opting to stay in instead of hitting the town, living room furniture is working overtime.
Chicago online furniture startup Interior Define knows this well, and as the e-commerce startup enters its next phase of growth it's bringing on a new CEO to bring customized sofas to more shoppers.
Interior Define announced that it has hired Antonio Nieves as its next CEO. Nieves replaces founder Rob Royer, who is becoming chairman of the board. Nieves previously served as CEO of women’s apparel retailer ModCloth, and before that was the COO and CFO of fashion retailer Bonobos.
Nieves said he's excited about the opportunity to lead a brand that plays such an important role in people's lives, and to offer made-to-order sofas to more than just the 1%.
"When you think about how much time people are now spending consuming media through Netflix and Hulu, what are they doing that on? They’re doing that on their sofas," Nieves said. "There's such a great opportunity to build and influence how consumers are experiencing their lives. And I want them to do that on Interior Define."
Interior Define brings customization and personalization to a category that has long lacked it, Nieves explained. The startup lets shoppers customize everything from size, cushion type, leg style and upholstery. By eliminates middlemen and unnecessary markups, Interior Define can offer made-to-order sofas for $2,000, rather than $10,000, Nieves said.
Founded in 2013, Interior Define has grown to 65 employees and raised more than $27 million in venture funding. Its backers include Pritzker Group VC, Listen Ventures and Fifth Wall, a real estate-focused VC firm.
Along with online sales, Interior Define also operates brick-and-mortar guideshops in six cities, which allow customers to interact with the brand and try out sofas in person. The startup currently had guideshops in six cities, and Nieves said the company plans to roughly double that in the next two years.
"What I love about what Interior Define has created is the ability to really customize and define a space based on who you are as an individual," Nieves said. "That's where the consumer is going."
