Whether upgrading the interior of an outdated living room or setting up a new home office, buying furniture can be stressful. Skraach, a Richmond-based online interior design company, is working to simplify that process with a tech-centered approach.
The company’s website helps customers discover their design style by prompting them to take a quiz featuring three questions, measuring the user’s psychological preferences and resulting in up to 10,000 different permutations. Upon completion, the customer is matched with results highlighting their four primary design styles and top two accessory styles. Design styles range from contemporary to modern to traditional, and accessory styles include “shabby chic,” “art deco” and “zen.”
“We help shine a light on what style you’re more of,” said Skraach founder Raina Wilson Thomas. “It’s just a fun discovery process.”
Skraach’s online furniture-matching tools are free. Once the quiz is completed, users can store their design profile, review mood boards, and then browse through—and purchase—suggested products, from dressers to accent pillows. Each of the options showcased can be bought directly online through furniture retailers including Wayfair, HomeSquare and Crate & Barrel.
According to recent data from digital research firm Statista, the furniture e-commerce market is booming. In 2018, online sales of furniture, home decor and houseware comprised $65.1 billion nationwide, and that figure is projected to increase this year. Many consumers cite convenience as a key factor, and major furniture retailers are upping their game by offering perks like free shipping and no-hassle returns.
Thomas said Skraach users praise the simplicity of the website’s customized furniture-matching process, which cuts out the stress of having to scroll through thousands of options.
The website’s features can also be particularly helpful for couples with different decorating styles, she said:
“I run into a lot of couples who can’t decide how to furnish their home because one person is modern and one is contemporary, for instance.”
Thomas said that by identifying commonalities in style preferences that both partners share, Skraach can help resolve that impasse.
The company’s initial business plan was based on a concept Thomas’ husband, John Charles, developed while studying architecture at the University of Virginia. The original idea emphasized the creation of an interior design company that helped students seeking experience in the field.
Today, student involvement is central to Skraach’s business model. Students looking to break into the interior design industry can submit a portfolio, and if approved, they’re given opportunities to create mood boards that coincide with customers’ style matches. Students contribute remotely and can be located anywhere in the country.
Moving forward, Skraach plans to offer more services specifically geared toward established interior designers. “A lot of clients don’t know their style, and it can take a while for the interior designer to nail it,” Thomas said. “We want to offer cool, intriguing features that designers can use as a starting point with their clients.” Thomas also hopes to eventually phase out the company’s current website and replace it with an upgraded version featuring more customizations.
Ultimately, Skraach’s long-term goals will remain the same: to make home decorating less time-consuming and more enjoyable.
“Shopping for furniture is overwhelming,” Thomas said. “We’ve taken that particular pain point and distilled it down into a process that takes less than 5 minutes.”
