IKEA's latest idea is an online design-a-room service

IKEA is launching a new interior design service that gives customers one-on-one assistance in decorating — and furnishing — their rooms. The product-centric company is moving further into service offerings, moving from putting the work in customer's hands with apps to letting "IKEA designers" take care of everything. IKEA says they’ll hold your hang through everything from picking out products to having them shipped over. It's also leveraging its ownership of TaskRabbit to link customers with DIY experts to put ordered furniture together when it arrives.

Clearly, IKEA thinks everyone has gotten comfortable enough with video calls over the last few years, as everything is done digitally, but the process does seem pretty straightforward: It starts with a questionnaire on the IKEA USA site and then three one-on-one video calls. Customers get a mood board and initial plans for the space to align the vision, followed by a meeting to approve ideas and products. They come out of it with 3D renderings, a mood board, floor plan, drawings, a list of products and material options.

IKEA already offers something similar for kitchens, with customers able to schedule an appointment for their kitchen to be measured and designed for free with an IKEA kitchen planner. Anyone living in the US can opt for an online meeting for this service, as well.

The new interior design service does come at a cost, with meetings with an IKEA interior designer cost $99 per room for an individual and $299 per room for businesses. The prices aren't bad considering the average interior designer will cost anywhere between $50 and $500 per hour, according to Forbes. Though IKEA also profits from any furniture chosen with the interior designer and, while their offerings aren't designer prices, they can still add up to a sizeable bill. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/bs2ct0Y

from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/bs2ct0Y