Formerly a professional interior designer, Leura Fine decided to start her own company when she realized how inaccessible interior design was for the everyday person. "It's inefficient, expensive, a waste of time, and there's got to be a better way of doing this," she told Business Insider.
Laurel & Wolf, has software that connects designers and clients virtually, letting designers work for customers anywhere across the country. When you're someone who wants interior design work done, you go to the website, take a style quiz, answer questions about the space you want designed, and upload pictures and information about the dimensions of your space.
A typical customer gets different designs from 3 to 5 designers, who have been matched in regard to your style, your profile, and the type of room you're doing. Then, you pick the designer you like the best, and you go through an iterative process with them to figure out how best to style your home. The startup offers packages ranging from $299 to $499. Laurel & Wolf takes a 20% cut. The startup has 800 interior designers across North America, all hand-vetted and established individuals.