UrbanDesign Online™ Teams With San Francisco and Seattle Design Centers to Bring Designer Furnishings to the Internet

Furniture World Magazine

The San Francisco Design Center (SFDC) and Seattle Design Center (SDC) entered into a strategic promotional agreement with UrbanDesign Online, the Internet marketplace for high-end, custom designer furnishings. Under this arrangement, UrbanDesign Online will be the premier e-commerce partner for both design centers. The SFDC and SDC, located in two of the largest U.S. high-tech markets, recognize the need to integrate the business of custom designer furnishings with the Internet to augment the physical designer-client shopping experience. Design Center showrooms, designers and designers' clients will be encouraged to do business on www.urbandesign.com. The website allows designers to shop their favorite high-end showrooms from the comfort of their offices any time of day, and to share product ideas with clients over the Internet. This is especially beneficial to interior designers, residing outside of the immediate San Francisco or Seattle areas, when traveling to shop for every client may be impossible or inconvenient. The Design Centers and UrbanDesign Online will work together to implement and execute marketing programs and activities to market services to designers and high-end showrooms. One of the first joint marketing activities is Design Online, an Internet forum hosted by the San Francisco Design Center during Summer Design Days in July 2000. "We are delighted to work with BayWest, owners of both the SFDC and SDC, to offer new e-commerce opportunities to their showrooms and affiliated designers," said Don Pickens, UrbanDesign Online President and CEO. "We believe with the technology leadership in the Seattle and San Francisco areas, this is a natural place to make the first major push in the U.S. to bring this industry to the web," Pickens continued. "We are working with UrbanDesign Online because they are committed to supporting the industry structure where interior designers play an integral role in helping make a client's vision real by decorating their space with unique custom products," noted Tim Treadway, Executive Vice President and Principal of BayWest. "By using the power of the Internet to help designers pre-shop and order from our showrooms, and to collaborate with their clients, we're not only making our products more accessible but also are facilitating the purchasing process for everyone." UrbanDesign Online is a new online firm that has recently been funded with a substantial investment from Industry Venture Partners. UrbanDesign Online is working with numerous high-end showrooms and interior designers. The expected launch for the www.urbandesign.com public beta site (to trade only and initially for the San Francisco and Seattle regions) is June 2000. A nationwide rollout with design centers across the U.S. is slated for later this year. About UrbanDesign Online: UrbanDesign Online, founded by Internet and design industry professionals, is dedicated to making the high-end custom furnishings industry more accessible, efficient and profitable, while preserving and enhancing innovative design. Using the power of e-commerce to bring together manufacturers, showrooms, designers and their clients, UrbanDesign Online will be the luxury destination for the world's finest furnishings and accessories. Currently funded by a business-to-business venture capital firm, UrbanDesign Online is growing quickly to create a premier position in the industry. About the San Francisco Design Center: The San Francisco Design Center is the West Coast's most important resource for unique home furnishings. The Center's 100 showrooms are open for browsing to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Center also features products of thousands of manufacturers of interior design resources. About the Seattle Design Center: The Seattle Design Center is the only full-service design center in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. The Center's 70 showrooms represent more than 1,500 manufacturers of residential and commercial interior design resources. SDC is open to design trade professionals Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The public is welcome through The Studio program, an orientation and designer referral service, from noon to 5:00 PM on weekdays. About Industry Venture Partners: Industry Venture Partners provides early stage venture capital to business-to-business service and technology companies. Industry Venture Partners has offices in San Francisco and Boston. For more information about the firm, please visit the website at www.industryventures.com.UrbanDesign Online is a trademark of UrbanDesign Online, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.