The Rise of Shoppable Mood Boards: Introducing The Landing

The concept of monetizable mood boards may initially appear unconventional, yet the underlying behavior is already prevalent across the internet. A growing number of consumers, particularly younger demographics, prioritize community when making purchasing decisions. This is evident in the popularity of influencer merchandise and the impact of Instagram advertising.

A Social Approach to Interior Design

Recognizing the shift towards social, digital-first shopping experiences, The Landing, a newly launched startup, aims to capture the attention of those passionate about home and space design. The platform enables users to both create and purchase from curated room designs, facilitating the furnishing of their homes.

Co-founder Miri Buckland emphasizes the absence of a dedicated, visually-rich shopping destination that seamlessly integrates curation, discovery, sharing, and purchasing. The Landing intends to fill this void.

Seed Funding and Key Investors

Founded by Miri Buckland and Ellie Buckingham, The Landing has secured $2.5 million in seed funding. This round was led by Aileen Lee of Cowboy Ventures, who will also join the company’s board. Additional investors include Dara Treseder, Peloton’s CMO, Manish Chandra and Tracy Sun, the founders of Poshmark, as well as Unshackled, Designer Fund, and Progression Fund.

From Physical Services to Digital Empowerment

The Landing’s origins lie in a pandemic-driven pivot. Initially, Buckland and Buckingham focused on providing a hands-on service, physically assisting clients with moving and furnishing apartments. However, the limitations imposed by the pandemic prompted a reevaluation of their business model.

Buckingham notes that these restrictions served as a “forcing function,” compelling them to concentrate on their core vision. They realized they didn’t need to physically install furniture, but rather empower users to express their creativity and design both digital and physical spaces.

This realization led to the discontinuation of the moving service and a shift towards leveraging furnishing as a means to address the challenges of contextual and social e-commerce.

Competition and Differentiation

The Landing enters a market with existing players. Houzz, a well-funded startup, connects users with products and services from various retailers and professionals. Modsy, having raised over $70 million, offers virtual home redesign services.

Buckingham’s experience at Modsy informed her perspective on the industry. She observed that Modsy’s approach mirrored traditional human services, and she believed a self-serve, customizable solution would resonate more strongly with younger consumers.

Platform Features and Future Development

The Landing currently offers creative tooling, allowing users to build and design spaces directly within the platform. The team is prioritizing the addition of social features in the coming months, including user profiles, discovery tools, a content feed, and commenting functionality.

Currently, the startup utilizes a Slack channel to gather feedback from early adopters and refine these features based on user demand.

Beyond Furnishing: Serving the Dreamers

The founders are confident in the demand for their platform, extending beyond those actively furnishing their homes. Buckland points to the widespread browsing of real estate websites like Zillow and the existence of online communities dedicated to dream home designs as evidence of a broader audience.

The Landing aims to cater to both those actively seeking to furnish their homes and those who simply enjoy the creative process of design and visualization.