The Top Nine Places for Design Professionals to Find High-End Products Online

Chauvet Rose / Green by Lee Jofa

Finding high-end, quality pieces for projects is critical to the success of any design professional.  In order to create the memorable, unique, custom interior design clients expect, pieces need to be chosen with care.  It must be unique, quality merchandise that speaks to the dedication and professionalism of the interior designer.

Where do designers find these pieces?  Traditionally, merchandise was found in design centers or multiline showrooms.  While these are still great sources, more professional designers are moving online for sourcing.  In that spirit, where are they going online? What are the best online sources for quality, high-end products?  Designers today have the options of using online marketplaces to source and purchase items or simply viewing what is available and contacting the seller directly. E-commerce sites often have hidden charges upon purchase, but offer transparent pricing and even sales.  Digital design centers like Dering Hall and Decaso, on the other hand, do not offer the convenience of online purchasing but keep the integrity of the relationship between the brand and the design professional intact.  

Here are the top nine best places to source high-end products online:

1. Dering Hall

Dering Hall was founded in 2011 by Peter Sallick and Steven Gambrel who wanted to create a place where great design was easier to find.  They knew from their collective design experience how difficult it was for members of the trade to find what they needed. They started Dering Hall to make great design more accessible.  

Pros: Since 2011, Dering Hall has curated an extensive library of high-end merchandise ranging from artisanal brands designers cannot find anywhere else to larger national brands.  All items are the highest quality and are chosen specifically for design professionals. Dering Hall connects shoppers with the brands directly and as such doesn’t take a share of the proceeds like e-commerce sites.

Trade Program: Dering Hall has a trade program for design professionals and their teams.  The program offers visibility into pricing and up to 25% off retail costs.  

Other Perks:   Dering Hall has one-click downloads for tearsheets and photos, making organizing projects easy.  Because Dering Hall was founded by designers, the experience on the site for sourcing and using great products is truly elegant.  

2.  Decaso

Decaso is a great online source for modernist and antique furniture, decor and decorative art objectives.  They have high standards of authenticity and curation and work directly with dealers to curate their online selection.  

Pros: Decaso connects shoppers with the dealers to answer questions and make a purchase.  Decaso also has a free mobile app available for iOS.

Trade Program:  Decaso has a trade program which offers trade / net pricing in addition to the published list price.  Once verified, members of the trade program can also request holds on specific items. Dealers have the option of approving the hold and working with designers to determine next steps.  

Other Perks: Like Dering Hall, users have the opportunity to print tearsheets and contact dealers directly through the site.

3.  YDesign Group

YDesign Group is an online retailer for modern and contemporary furniture.  Unlike the previous sources, YDesign is a full e-commerce site, where you can not only find products but also purchase them through the site.  Founded in 2001, the YDesign Group started as a modern lighting retailer and later expanded into furniture and plumbing.

Pros: Because YDesign Group is an e-commerce site, it has more of a retail feel, complete with large banners and sale items.  

Trade Program: The trade program offers access to trade pricing, project management support and online tools, and expert service from certified professionals.  Those interested in becoming a member can apply online or over the phone.

Other Perks:   YDesign has a 100% match program where they offer buyers the opportunity to match a competitive price from an authorized dealer for the exact product quoted.  There are other restrictions and limitations on this program as well.

4.  One Kings Lane

One Kings Lane was founded in 2009 as a flash sale site for home decor.   It continues to frame itself as a place for inspiration and a source for quality products, but more around design enthusiasts who want to take on the art of design on their own.  Today, it offers high-end items on their e-commerce marketplace.

Pros: If you are in New York or San Francisco, One Kings Lane has showrooms to view and experience products.

Trade Program: One Kings Lane has a trade program that offers 10% off their nearly 40,000 products.  Applications are available online and include the ability to upload a business license and tax certificate.  

Other Perks: Because One Kings Lane appeals to design enthusiasts, they have many affordable products.  Pricing is transparent and online users have the ability to filter by price and shop warehouse sales, which offers an additional 70% off.  For those on a budget or looking to finish a product with limited resources, One Kings Lane could be a great source.

5.  1st Dibs

1st Dibs positions itself as a resource for treasures that would otherwise be inaccessible.   It started as an antique e-commerce marketplace but expanded into contemporary products in 2016.  Today, they have 30,000 products by more than 500 artisans and small manufacturers.

Pros: 1st Dibs has their own app, so all shopping can be done from a mobile device.  In addition, they offer global shipping on all orders.

Trade Program: 1st Dibs has a trade program that offers a price guarantee, early access to new pieces, customizable invoices, and a trade concierge team to handle fulfillment.  Design professionals can apply online and they use a professional website as verification.

Other Perks: 1st Dibs is an e-commerce site, so purchases can be made directly from the site.  They also offer the opportunity to save a product to send alerts when that product goes on sale.  You can make an offer or contact the seller directly through the site as well. Printing tearsheets and product details is less intuitive on the site for project organization.  

6.  Chairish

Chairish is an e-commerce marketplace to buy and sell vintage decor, furniture, and art.  Chairish seems designed for design enthusiasts to buy and sell their high-end products. Items are pre-screened for quality and Chairish handles the transaction and shipping logistics.  

Pros: If you have clients who are okay with consignment, Chairish has 20,000 sellers and many products available online.     The products are quite eclectic, from $40 stuffed elephants to a $26,000 sofa. Pricing is transparent and the user is able to filter by price and item.

Trade Program: Chairish shares a parent company with Decaso, so the trade benefits for both are shared.  They offer up to 30% off pricing, 48-hour hold requests and live daily support.

Other Perks: Last year, Chairish launched a new app that offers a “View in my Space” feature.  It leverages augmented reality technology so you can view items in a space before you purchase.

7.  Viyet

Viyet is another e-commerce marketplace where people can buy sell furniture and accessories.   Launched in April 2013, Viyet offers pieces from distinguished lines like B&B Italia, Cassina and more.

Pros: Every item available on Viyet is vetted by a team of experienced curators.  Viyet guarantees the authenticity of every item purchased through the site.

Trade Program: Viyet has a trade program that offers 15% discount on all viyet merchandise, tax-exempt purchasing, and dedicated client support.  Upon signing up for the program, users can also sign up their entire team.

Other Perks:  Viyet was purchased by Sotheby’s so buyers have access to offerings from the Sotheby’s platform at well.  

8.  Jayson Home

Jayson Home is an e-commerce marketplace founded nearly 20 years ago to serve the professional design industry with an ever-evolving mix of modern day and one-of-a-kind vintage furniture, tableware, lighting, textiles, and more.

Pros: Jayson Home has two guarantees: a pricing guarantee and what they call a “Jayson Home guarantee,” which simply says if you are not pleased with the purchase, they will make it right.  

Trade Program: The Jayson Home trade program, called TO-THE-TRADE, offers a 10% discount initially and a 20% discount once you spend $7,500 in one calendar year. Applying for the trade program is a little cumbersome. You can either download a PDF from their website or call a support line.

Other Perks: Jayson Home has physical showrooms as well.  They were founded in Chicago and now have a location in New York.

9. Houzz

The Houzz platform is designed for homeowners to find items and professionals for design.  It is an e-commerce marketplace that spans the quality spectrum from high-end design to value-driven brands.  

Pros: While Houzz does not offer a curated shopping experience for the design professional, it does offer over 9 million products.  All products are listed with pricing and can be purchased directly from the site. Houzz is an open platform which allows any products that fit within wide guidelines to be listed for sale.  As a result, many products are available from multiple sellers, which can complicate the buying process.

Trade Program: Houzz offers a trade program with discounts of up to 50% off, personalized support and free shipping on any item over $49.  

Other Perks: Houzz claims to have 25 million users visit their site every month.  This is positive for brands who list on the site, but for sourcing, it can mean using ubiquitous items for projects.  It also does not offer an experience worthy of design professionals. As an example, there are no tearsheets.

We compiled this list but would love your feedback.   Do you agree? Disagree? Did we miss something? What has your experience been?  Please feel free to comment below.