SwatchPop is a web-based service that provides users with access to professional interior design consulting for a fraction of what they would pay through traditional channels. The service follows an à-la-carte model, offering consulting for design projects of virtually any size.
The company was founded in January 2015 by Jessica McRae and Kristen Yonson out of the frustration of having to deal with stalled design projects. When Jessica had design projects with which she needed help, she would text a friend photos and a description of what she was looking to accomplish. There was clearly a need for a full-service scalable service that followed the same model.
Getting started with SwatchPop is pretty basic and takes only a few minutes. The questionnaire first focuses on basic personal info such as age, gender, and zip code. It then goes onto lifestyle questions (members of the house, spending preferences, favorite stores, etc.) and general style preferences (color scheme, mood, etc.), and then asks the user to rate a few sample interior designs to get an idea of your tastes. Users also have the option to provide their Pinterest and Houzz profiles to enhance their results.
After creating a profile users can choose the rooms which need to be improved, referring to those possible improvements as ‘dilemmas’. The options are fairly comprehensive, ranging from living spaces, kitchens, offices, and backyards. A few of the requests users can choose from include: wall décor, storage, hardware, paint, and general styling. Then comes the big step: upload some photos.
Once that process is done, the user will receive a custom plan and clickable shopping list within three business days. Rather than selling the merchandise themselves, the designers develop the lists based on the customer store preferences.
Whether it’s choosing a new coffee table, shopping for art to go in your living room, or even a complete room renovation SwatchPop uses the same online planning process for all customers and ‘dilemmas’.
According to the website FAQ, although the service matches users to specific interior designers, if desired, SwatchPop users are able to request specific professionals. By default, repeat users are paired with the same designer for consistency, unless otherwise specified.
Since design is subjective, there’s always the possibility of the advice not being a good fit, however the SwatchPop FAQ says they strive for 100% satisfaction and always are available to help with any issues that might arise after a consultation. Pricing for the service starts at $49.95 for the first dilemma in a room, and additional dilemmas are $29.95 each.
