DesignShop PRO Streamlines Product Discovery and Sampling

Swaths of marble streaked with expressive veining, buttery leather swatches in rich russet hues, weathered white oak wood flooring, and slick, glossy tiles with subtly undulating surfaces—materials such as these serve as the building blocks of the spaces we inhabit. They are the elements that professionals in the trade dedicate countless hours to sourcing, sampling, and selecting. Yet, behind the polish of every finished project lies a story of untold effort: hours spent hopping between brands, days awaiting samples, and the relentless drive to stay on schedule and within budget.

For residential trade professionals navigating these challenges, DesignShop PRO offers a transformative solution. The membership program streamlines the material discovery and sampling process, turning what was once a struggle into a seamless endeavor. Now, residential trade professionals can access a curated selection of premium materials, order unlimited samples, and have them delivered overnight (if ordered Monday through Friday). DesignShop PRO is designed for professionals focused on residential renovations, including interior designers, home builders, architects, contractors, and others—especially those managing high-volume projects—who require efficient, cost-effective solutions. This program centralizes the process, offering an efficient solution that saves time and simplifies material sourcing.

DesignShop PRO extends the mission of the DesignShop platform, which provides consumers a way to sample and discover brands across 15 home improvement categories. DesignShop PRO takes this a step further by tailoring its services to the unique needs of residential trade professionals, while leveraging the same technology and logistics that power its parent platform. 

“We created DesignShop PRO to address a clear gap in the market for residential trade professionals,” says Mark Oliver, EVP Merchandising and Operations at Materia. “By providing unlimited free samples, overnight shipping, and a curated selection of premium materials, we’re giving them the tools to complete their projects faster and more efficiently.” DesignShop PRO brings together top trade-preferred brands across key renovation categories on a single platform.

Beyond product access, DesignShop PRO members are paired with dedicated trade specialists who offer personalized support throughout the process. This specialist serves as a single point of contact for product research, order assistance, and sourcing, streamlining workflows and providing expert guidance. The process typically begins with an introduction to understand the professional’s specific needs and preferences. From there, the specialist helps with placing orders and addressing their unique needs to ensure a smooth experience tailored to the professional’s workflow. In addition, DesignShop PRO members benefit from exclusive trade discounts, starting at 10% off, with no separate trade applications required to access these savings.

To qualify for DesignShop PRO, residential trade professionals are asked to provide a valid business or trade license, website, and tax ID. Eligible members include interior designers, decorators, home stagers, set designers, real estate agents, architects, general contractors, and more. DesignShop PRO also enhances collaboration with tools like the Visualizer, bridging the gap between professionals and clients to ensure better decision-making and stronger relationships.

DesignShop PRO is revolutionizing the way residential trade professionals approach material sourcing and project management. By centralizing the process, offering unlimited free samples, overnight shipping, and exclusive trade discounts, it empowers professionals to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. To learn more or to become a member, visit www.designshop.com/trade-program.

Partner Content: Prostoria Embraces Sustainability In All Aspects

If there’s anything Croatian furniture design brand Prostoria is known for, it’s their diverse collections that marry understated beauty with innovative design. Take their Rhomb or Dobra chairs with unique silhouettes and curvatures. But what makes this brand even more formidable is an all-encompassing commitment to sustainability, which extends from the initial design process and the selection of natural production materials to the final product.

To aid in their commitment to sustainability, Prostoria created Štof by Prostoria, a circular economy platform and shop in Zagreb, through which they sell all the textiles from their previous collections. At the shop, they also restore vintage furniture, recycle extra fabric waste, and create new accessories from leftover textiles—their latest Štof project comprises two kinds of tote bags designed from previous Prostoria textile collections. They also donate leftover fabric to nearby schools for their arts and crafts programs.

Sustainability is already built into the design process, as Prostoria aims to create products that have meticulous craftsmanship and can age gracefully. Sourcing natural materials like Slavonian wood from local landscapes, as well as recycled materials, Prostoria’s products are designed with great attention to detail and even have components that can be replaced or easily repaired to extend the product’s lifespan.

Even Prostoria’s factory and research lab in Sveti Križ Začretje upholds the brand’s sustainability policy, as it holds many certifications like the FSC^® (FSC C136756 Chain of Custody) certificate, the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Certificate and adheres to the ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System. So, it is only natural that the brand works with manufacturers who also share the same sustainable vision, guaranteeing that the raw materials are of the highest quality and have a long lifespan.

Of course, Prostoria is active about waste management and works hard to reuse all leftover material. For example, all wood waste, such as sawdust, is sold to the wood-pellet industry, while small wood residues are sold locally in the community as firewood. Metal waste is sent to a nearby foundry where it is melted down and prepared for reuse. Waste that is hazardous to the environment, such as wastewater, glue, and packaging residue, is managed by outsourced specialized companies. Also, Prostoria’s Head of the Quality Management System and sculptor Anđela Vilić utilizes remnants production materials, which are classified as “waste” for art installations at Prostoria’s storefronts in Croatia, breathing new life into these leftover materials.

Finally, Prostoria is conscious about reducing their carbon footprint and emissions, through efficient in-house production processes, sourcing local wood from renewable sources, and integrating renewable energy sources. Currently, the brand’s factories are getting 50% of its energy from solar panels and a solar plant with a peak power of 450 kw, and by the end of 2024, they plan to source 100% of its energy from solar panels. Prostoria also aims to reduce their carbon footprint by 25% by 2025.

Learn How Prostoria Commits To Sustainability

Consider This NeoCon Mixtape Your 2023 Event Highlight Reel

With innovative product introductions to exceptional showrooms and experiences, NeoCon 2023 lived up to the hype, bringing together brand leaders and talent titans for the biggest commercial design event of the year. Trade show veterans know a divide-and-conquer approach is best for ensuring proper coverage of activations. Likewise, a digestible recap of notable NeoCon trends and highlights certifies a thorough overview of memorable moments. Here, DESIGNTV presents NeoCon Mixtape, a curated video feed of can’t-miss flexes from this year’s event—from forward-thinking designs for today’s hybrid workplace to thoughtful collabs with a focus on sustainability.

For the full video experience and more, visit the NeoCon Mixtape showcase on DESIGNTV.

Watch Now: NeoCon Mixtape by DESIGNTV

Workplace Organization: FUNC

Presented in partnership with The Baresque Group

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Office Pod Upgrades: SnapCab

Presented in partnership with SnapCab

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Acoustic Solutions: Zintra

Presented in partnership with The Baresque Group

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Noted Collaborations: Crypton

Presented in partnership with Crypton

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Engage Your Senses: Turf Showroom

Presented in partnership with Turf

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Meet the Makers: Haworth Showroom

Presented in partnership with Haworth

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Less is More: Andreu World by Starck

Presented in partnership with Andreu World

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New Showroom We Love: Scandinavian Spaces

Presented in partnership with Scandinavian Spaces

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Use of Creative Tech: Wolf Gordon

Presented in partnership with Wolf Gordon.

SINGULART Helps Art Lovers to Curate Their Lives With Art

“Our role is to be the conduit between art lovers and artists, allowing creativity to spark a connection between strangers,” explains Vera Kempf, a cofounder of SINGULART and the one who conceptualized the idea of the exclusive, curated, global online fine art and design gallery. “Joy is at the heart of this exchange and has been the reason that we’ve made it … and will continue to thrive.”

Kempf cofounded SINGULART with serial entrepreneur Denis Fayolle and Brice Lecompte in 2017 as a means to bring transparency to the art market, making it more accessible to both collectors and artists. The concept quickly took off, and now SINGULART has an international presence in 165 countries with 13,500-plus artists, who have been selected to participate in this exclusive online gallery via a discerning process. To be accepted, artists must be established or emerging with a record of recognition and gallery or auction sales to ensure SINGULART maintains its business model of being a highly curated online art gallery.

A main goal of Kempf’s in creating this digital, global art gallery was to consolidate international artists in one place and dissolve barriers between the collectors and artists. “When I was doing my market research before founding the company, I observed that the art market was still organized in national spheres,” Kempf explains. “We are now incredibly happy that changing this has turned out to be the main value that we bring to our artists—91 percent of our sales are cross-border.”

Buying Art Just Got a Whole Lot Easier With SINGULART

She adds, “We saw an opportunity in the art market because many artists are not digitally established and traditional players are rather reluctant in that respect. … Thanks to a digital solution, we created the possibility of providing global visibility for artists that they might not have with traditional galleries.”

With more than 200,000 original works from global artists in its collection—from paintings, drawings, prints, and photography to sculpture to textiles to digital art—SINGULART offers expert art advisors to facilitate the online buying process. Art aficionados can also commission a custom piece via the advisory team. Once a piece is selected and purchased, SINGULART safely packs and ships the artwork anywhere in the world and accepts free returns within 14 days.

Online Gallery SINGULART Unites Artists and Art Enthusiasts

Besides uniting art enthusiasts and artists around the world, the cofounders stress that diversity and inclusion are two pressing issues that they aspire to address with this digital platform that gives a voice to all artists—regardless of race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, or any other differences. “Our goal is to help transform the art market and make a clear contribution to a more diverse and inclusive society,” they say. And Lecompte adds, “I wanted to build a successful company that puts an emphasis on equality and equal opportunities to all. SINGULART empowers artists and gives them an equal chance—no matter where they come from.”

Find Your Art on Singulart.

Support NYCxDESIGN This Holiday Season

Editor’s note: The following is a message from NYCxDESIGN.

As we reflect on this past year, we are more certain than ever before that design is core to New York City’s identity and creative DNA. This holiday season, we invite you to channel your NYC design pride and make a donation to NYCxDESIGN.

Last May, NYCxDESIGN officially became recognized as a 501c3 nonprofit organization, catalyzing new efforts towards empowering and supporting the future of our city’s expansive design sector. With year-round programming and a focus on community building, NYCxDESIGN is increasing diversity, equitable opportunity, and inclusion within the city’s design sector, and educating the city’s young adults to become our designers of tomorrow.

After a hiatus, NYCxDESIGN’s Festival returned in November with 120+ magnificent events over 8 days showcasing design innovation, creativity and culture right here in New York City. Looking to 2022, we are committed to hosting the best Festival yet for the 10th Anniversary in May and working year-round towards additional city-based initiatives where design leads the charge towards greater social, environmental, and economic benefits for all.

We are calling on you to support NYCxDESIGN and help us expand on these important efforts in 2022. Your donation will allow us to continue to champion and celebrate design in all its forms, building opportunities for our city’s most creative design minds and businesses to flourish.

Make a tax-deductible donation today: https://donorbox.org/nycxdesign

Ketra Enables Differentiated Hospitality Experiences Through Lighting

Lighting is among the most versatile tools in a designer’s arsenal, especially when creating multi-use hospitality environments. But it is also one of the most difficult elements to perfect. Ketra, a Lutron brand utilizing cutting edge technology to create alluring, dynamic light, is revolutionizing the way designers can realize their visions. In addition to curating an interior’s ambiance, Ketra light enables designers and their clients to differentiate their spaces by leveraging lighting as an amenity.

With Ketra’s unparalleled range of white and saturated colors, its precise control, and simple and intuitive app, designers have an opportunity to create multiple experiences within the same space, creating round-the-clock-revenue revenue opportunities for hospitality environments.

Designers can dial in the perfect correlated color temperature by exploring the vast spectrum of Ketra’s vibrant white light from the Lutron app. Both temperature and intensity can be adjusted so that the lighting meets the needed mood and scenes can be saved for repeated use. For example, when it comes time for special events, designers and owners can use the same system to add a splash of color such as a brand color of a company logo, or a festive holiday scene.

Importantly, Ketra enables designers to use its flexible light sources to create multiple lighting scenes for different use-cases throughout the day, without disrupting the set up of the built environment. The lighting’s unparalleled capability to recreate natural daylight indoors can turn even windowless hotel bars into bright and energizing spaces for a daytime business meeting. In the evening, the same technology can be used to turn such spaces into swanky, intimate lounges with dim lighting and a warm ambience. This approach to light evolving over the course of the day also helps to cultivate a sense of well-being; when the light feels natural, guests feel more comfortable.

And because Ketra is integrated with Lutron control systems, designers & hotel managers can set timeclocks and schedules, to change lighting scenes automatically throughout the course of the day, without staff needing to understand programming or make manual changes.

Perhaps most important for designers is their ability to tune the lighting to bring forth the essence of a space and feature its best attributes, be it a series of floor-to-ceiling windows, the materiality of furnishings, or a piece of art that deserves a spotlight. As opportunities to travel become more tangible, Ketra lighting enables designers to create hotels and restaurants that leave a lasting impression and help to achieve their business goals.