Houzz
Houzz is a web site and online community about architecture, interior design and decorating, landscape design and home improvement. The Houzz platform and mobile apps[1] feature interior and exterior home photos, articles written by architects, interior designers and home design experts; product recommendations; and a user forum. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in Palo Alto, Calif.
Home Design Photo Database
As of Jan. 2012, the Houzz database contained more than 260,000 photos[1] of residential interior, exterior and landscape photos. Users browse photos by room, style and location, upload their photography, and bookmark photos in personal collections the site calls “ideabooks.” As of Jan. 2012, more than 1 million user ideabooks had been created. Users can click on an image to learn more about the designer, ask a question, and learn about products tagged in the photos.
History
Houzz co-founders Adi Tatarko and Alon Cohen launched the site in February, 2009 as a result of their own remodeling project. Tired of cutting pages out of magazines for their inspiration file, they created an online photo database for people in the process of building, remodeling and decorating. The first version of the iPad app was launched in April, 2010, followed by a second app in November, 2010.
Funding
In November 2010, Tatarko and Cohen secured $2 million in first-round funding[2] and began hiring a staff for their office in Palo Alto. The investor roster included Oren Zeev,[3] who has also invested in Audible.com and Chegg; Donald Katz, founder and CEO of Audible.com; Gary Ginsberg, Executive VP of Time Warner Inc.; Jeff Fluhr,[4] co-founder of StubHub.com(and CEO until its sale to eBay) and Amos Wilnai, founder of MMC Networks.
In 2011, Houzz secured $11.6 million in a Series B round led by Sequoia Capital and other investors.[5] Alfred Lin, a VC at Sequoia and former top executive at Zappos, joined Houzz’s board of directors.
Editorial Content
An editorial staff in Palo Alto and contributors write daily design articles (“featured ideabooks”) for the Houzz homepage and newsletters.
Mobile
The first version of the iPad app was launched in April, 2010, followed by a second version in November, 2010. The Wall Street Journal said that “Houzz is practically a bottomless well of inspiration at the tip of your swiping fingers".[6]
Reaction
CNN named Houzz App of the Week, calling it "The Wikipedia of interior and exterior design sites".[7] The magazine Real Simple called Houzz "the online equivalent of clipping décor images from magazines".[8] Bloomberg Businessweek called Houzz "An online antidote to the housing bust." [9] Architectural Digest wrote, "This app will stoke your imagination."[10] TechCrunch wrote, "Houzz appears to be a decent idea that's been executed well."[11] The Mercury News wrote, "You'll find a nearly endless portfolio of excellent ideas for your swipe file there that you and your architect can both contribute to and comment on."[12]
References
- ^ a b BOB TEDESCHI (18 January 2012). "Before Tearing Out a Wall, Check Your Phone". Personal Tech. New York Times. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ Robin Wauters (11 November 2011). "Heads Up, Home Design Freaks: Houzz Launches New iPad App, Raises $2M". TechCrunch. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ "Oren Zeev". People. CrunchBase. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ "Jeff Fluhr". People. CrunchBase. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ Lauren Goode (19 December 2011). "Exclusive: Houzz Brings Home $11.6 Million in Series B Funding". All Thinks D. Dow Jones & Company Inc. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ "The Off Duty 50: A Guide to Fall". The Wall Street Journal. 10 September 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ "Houzz on CNN". YouTube. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ Real Simple: 60. September 2010.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "An Online Antidote to the Housing Bust".
- ^ "Design Apps on Tap". Architectural Digest. Condé Nast Digital. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ Rob Wauters (11 November 2010). "Heads Up, Home Design Freaks: Houzz Launches New iPad App, Raises $2M". CrunchBase. AOL Inc. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ Richard Taylor Zillow (28 April 2011). "How to talk to an architect". MercuryNews.com. San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 30 January 2012.