How to Upload Pictures From Phone to Houzz Forum

The concluding several weeks, in that location has been much buzz in the interior design customs regarding the giant domicile furnishings website, Houzz.

Most of y'all are nigh likely familiar with Houzz, but if not; Houzz is a website and online customs near home improvement, decorating, landscaping etc. It was started by a married man and wife, Adi Tatarko and Alon Cohen in 2010; their corporate headquarters are in Palo Alto, CA.

Over time, Houzz has grown into a business organization worth iv billion dollars. At its core are some 200,000 interior designers who've uploaded millions of images from their ain portfolios that are shared in millions of thought books.

Plus in that location are profiles from auxiliary businesses; anything having to do with the business of habitation edifice and furnishings.

Some beloved Houzz.

Some don't.

My Own Houzz Story

Similar a lot of things, I'm not sure how I first heard about houzz, but I do know that I've had a contour on it, since 2010.

In the offset, I recall it every bit existence a charming idea that would undoubtedly aid me grow my business as we were slowly coming out of the deep recession of '08-'09. And so, I put up a few photos from my portfolio and wrote a niggling blurb and waited for the telephone to ring.

It never did. And I'chiliad not saying that this is their fault; but I received no phone calls from my profile.

So, in late 2012, the calls did start coming!

However, not from potential customers, but from marketing folks from houzz urging me to sign up for their "pro program." This is a paid program for which houzz promises far more cyberspace exposure. I don't call back how much it was then, but these days the pro program is $iii,500 a year my sources tell me.

After the first call or ii, I started getting an uneasy feeling, especially after the adult female snidely said:

"Well, I guess that yous're not ready to abound your business."

I guess not; not with you!

Eventually, they got the message and the calls stopped.

After that experience, I was dubious nigh houzz and their truthful intentions, simply I just went about the business of growing my brand on my own platform– this website.

While a few interior designers DO go jobs from houzz, more often than not one hears well-nigh the plethora of "tire kickers" wanting ONLY gratis communication.

A few years agone, houzz started selling article of furniture.

I did detect this but didn't pay much attention to it.

But, things started heating up (to put it mildly) When early on terminal month, Houzz purchased a young showtime-up visitor called Ivy. (Now called IvyMark) – purportedly for from 30-40 1000000 dollars.

Ivymark is an interior blueprint management system started by two immature, ambitious women. Lee Rotenberg and Alexandra Schinasi all the mode back in 2016. They have about 2,400 designers who pay near 700 a year for the service.

The outcry in the interior design community has been nothing like I've e'er heard before.

Hundreds of designers who have been using Ivy to build their businesses, said that they feel phenomenally betrayed as at present houzz has all of their private customer information. It was all over social media.

And that is when my curiosity was piqued.

I needed to know more about this situation and share my findings as I did with Restoration Hardware.

(At this time, I would like to recommend that you put downwardly your coffee/tea/vino and Consume. It will get clear in a sec.)

The interior blueprint community, in an effort to assert their position and gain some control has created a petition which after my inquiry, I do urge y'all sign; this is the link to access it.

I've vowed that if I run across something, (big) I'm going to say something.

However, I'm non ane to rely on hearsay and speculation.

And I figured if lil ol' me was going to take on the GIANT HOUZZ, I would need to beefiness up, grow some balls and arm myself with slingshot, T-square and the facts.

"Davida"

 Damn. That's a good lookin' lad! ;]

The biggest complaint that I'thousand hearing from interior designers is that they are afraid that houzz has been using them this entire time for Houzz's gain, but at the designer's expense.

And they believe that Houzz's merger with Ivymark is the proof.

I began my research by looking at the Houzz trade program.

Houzz claims that they intendance nigh designers.

Well, duh… of course they do, because without designers, in that location would be no houzz!

But let'south investigate the Houzz merchandise programme.

Trade pricing: I practice not have a merchandise business relationship, but I take sources that practice and I asked them to look into a few random pieces and become back to me with the trade discount.

Folks, in every case looked at, the discount to designers is 3% and usually only for REINVESTMENT WITH HOUZZ!

Delight discover the wording. In that location ARE thousands of products and if only i of them has a fifty% discount, then they are telling the truth.

Referral "Bonuses"

They give your client 5% off and you as well get 5% that you get to REINVEST at houzz.

Honestly, guys, every fourth dimension I read this, I feel ill

Simply, allow'due south put this into some concrete terms and the way to do that is to look at the products I sent in for merchandise pricing on houzz.

The first is this Chesterfield sofa found on multiple sources on houzz. (houzz is a storefront, they say Not the vendor.)

Uhh… it's NOT linen, but whatever, that's pretty expensive for this slice.

I found the same sofa at some other Houzz vendor for more coin. They turned the image effectually, just it's the aforementioned piece.

Golly gee, just I establish it once again for a meliorate cost.

And again at an fifty-fifty better cost. Plus, they saved me the trouble of looking upwardly the source.

Above is the designer "discounted" toll sent back to me from my sources.

***Really, no discount, it says. Designers get a 3% credit to reinvest at houzz.***

Really? Every bit much as that?  Let'south see. 3% of $viii,130 is $243.90 and it's not actually money, in the designer's pocket. The coin can only be reinvested dorsum at Houzz.

(I hope that my mortgage company will understand.)

Luckily, I have a designer trade account at 4 Hands, the source of the Chesterfield sofa.

As an aside, 4 Hands is one of near 500 sources in Laurel'due south Rolodex and it is one of the approximately 180 Designer Friendly sources, where designers go a hefty discount off the retail price. To find out more about Laurel's Rolodex and how it tin can put more $ in your pocket, click here.

I rarely exercise this, but information technology is necessary to brand a point. Below is a screenshot from my Four Easily Designer Account which lists the designer's price. In that location is no other way to convey the truth.

(To be clear, this is not stone bottom wholesale. The vendors on Houzz are all purchasing from Four Hands, I am presuming at full wholesale and giving a hefty cut to Houzz.)

Whoa! My trade cost is nearly HALF of the first 2 sofas and all Houzz tin manage as a "discount" to the trade is a measly 3% that can only be reinvested?

I would have sold this sofa for nigh $v,700 and would take made $1,500 in my pocket.  Designers need to empathize how this works. No worries. Some of this took me a while to go likewise.

Exhibit #2

I looked upward the most expensive sofa on houzz. A double-barely-leather-fugly-recliner

WHOA! 64k??? That's some large for a cheesy recliner. For that kind of dough, I await information technology to come up with George Clooney, plus–information technology needs to massage, launder/accident dry my hair, tidy, dust, vacuum, practice laundry/put information technology away, make dinner, exercise the dishes/put them abroad AND pay my taxes for the rest of my life!

Oh phew! I establish the same recliner on Amazon for 99% less the price  establish on houzz.

And, I actually put the $63,999 recliner in my cart on houzz and yep, that's the price. I am wondering what would happen if some foolish person actually bought information technology? Would Houzz notice the error and correct it?

I would chance it, but I wouldn't want to get smacked with a "restocking fee!" haha. Think non?

Please read the post-obit reviews

Houzz reviews on sitejabber

Houzz reviews at the Improve Concern Bureau

I chose some other piece that I have a trade account with from Currey and Visitor.

The Whitmore Breast from Currey & Co.

Currey & Company is one of my favorite designer friendly sources in Laurel'due south Rolodex.

And once once again, nosotros have the whopping three% that tin but exist reinvested.

From my designer's price list. I would sell this breast for about $ane,500. I would show them the piece on houzz and tell them that I can get information technology for them for 10% less. That will make them happy.

Therefore, through houzz, it's $l.lxx to the designer, that can but exist reinvested vs. $500 in the designer's pocket, if purchased directly through Currey & Co.

***Note to designers: Get Laurel's Rolodex. $199. FREE LIFETIME UPDATES. Open your Own accounts.*** You'll make more money and salvage your clients money also! win-win-win!

I found this cool opium tabular array on houzz.

Information technology's from a vendor called Belak. Very foreign, but this table does not look like his other tables.

And once more, we have the miserly 3% designer insult.

Simply, I was shocked that Mr. Belak is selling the tabular array for $1,629.00 Less on his ain website!

Belak's opium tabular array reminds me of the 1 we did from Safavieh a few years ago.

I plant information technology on Overstock for $1,352, but it appears to exist understock haha, right now.

This is the square version, likewise out of stock. But it is verrrry close to Belak'southward table for a lot less $.

15 years ago, I sold an authentic antique opium coffee tabular array to one of my loveliest clients ever.

I found this beauty at the D & D Building and fell instantly in dear. Oh, it was perfect for my customer in Pound Ridge!

"How much?" I gingerly asked the salesman.

"It's an antique- $2,100."

And so, there information technology is; an antique gorgeous opium table for $2,100 vs $4,900 for something which is duplicate from a Chinese import.

While we're on the subject of opium tables, I did a little experiment.

I asked on Houzz…

"Where is this table from?"

Houzz gave me an answer, of sorts.

The next twenty-four hours, while perusing my folio, I see a toll tag on MY customer's table on MY photo and that houzz is attempting to sell merch to the public using MY image. And actually, all designers' images. This is what they are doing now. (notice Belak's table in the lower left as a suggestion)

Does Houzz have a legal right to practise this?

Yes, they practise. It is clearly stated in their terms and conditions that they can use our images for any purpose they wish.

Is it an ethical matter to do?

I'll let you be the estimate and I will also enquire:

Practise yous think information technology is HELPING or Hurting interior designers for Houzz to apply our images to sell merchandise to the public? (please reply in the comments)

More bear witness of houzz using designer'south images to sell product. These are known as keywords, if you lot don't already know. Please notice that in that location is no mention of "Laurel Bern Interiors" anywhere!

Pitiful, not feelin' the dear.

Food for thought.

If EVERY designer took their images down, there would be no houzz; no idea books; no way for Houzz to sell furniture.

A few weeks ago before I knew that I would be writing this post, I was looking for a skillful Full general Contractor well-nigh me.

And of course. Up popped Houzz. I figured that houzz would exist a good place to look for a skillful GC to renovate my bathroom.

I clicked on the link and filled out the form, incognito.

Excitedly, I waited for all of the wonderful GCs to pop up.

But, in that location was only one.

Are you ready?

They sent me dorsum–

ME.

I tried it again.

And once once more, they sent me back, ME. Simply me, not anyone else and I ain't no edifice contractor in any way shape or form.

Then, they sent emails to ME wanting to know if Me was interested in possibly taking a job with ME.

I wrote back,

"No, you freaks, I'm not interested. That Laurel is a bitch to work for!!!"

They sent me another email request me if ME got in contact with ME!

When I wrote those idiots to tell them of their lunacy, I got crickets.

And So, they sent me a final e-mail wanting to know how the "back up" was?

A Disturbing Finding on Houzz

Last year when I did a post on Mark D Sikes, I asked a question of my colleagues.

What I wanted to know was how much is the Santa Barbara sofa designed by Mark D Sikes for Henredon.

A wonderful colleague, Patrick Landrum  (he claims that we were separated at birth) ;] said that he found the Santa Barbara sofa on Houzz. The retail toll is $8,000.

That sounded well-nigh correct except that Patrick said that the sofa was not attributed to either Mark or Henredon.

Then, I went over to houzz and indeed, not only was this company using Henredon's imagery, they were claiming that information technology is THEIR pattern.

Where'south that damned slingshot?!?

It'south NOT their blueprint. It's not THEIR Santa Barbara sofa and Information technology'south NOT their right to use Henredon's imagery to SELL copyrighted designs. If only, they had credited Henredon, all would be fine. Or even if they left information technology blank. But to put that THEY are the manufacturer is Wrong.

Now THAT , is BALLS!

But, information technology's not but Henredon that Eco Showtime Arts on Houzz is ripping off.

This Bunny Williams sofa has also been filched. AND those chinless thieves who stole it have the temerity to charge an boosted $2,400 over Bunny's price!  Love Bunny!

Billy Baldwin – There is only One licensee of Billy Baldwin piece of furniture and information technology is non Eco First Arts.

It is the Baton Baldwin Studio formerly known equally Ventry.

I contacted the designer of this sofa, Kimberly Denman; she wrote dorsum:

Laurel,

Good morning. Cheers then much for making me aware of this situation. It is and then frustrating! I have reached out to HOUZZ three times with no reply from them. They seem unconcerned with such situations. I would love to hear the whole story and maybe if we all band together nosotros tin can do something.

My pieces are being copied by different people. I am sure not at our quality, but it is very maddening. I even have a Los Angeles designer who memo'd our Themis dining chair "to show a client" last summer… twice – I only saw an EXTREMELY similar chair in her line, only released at High Betoken. This is a well known designer who is more than an associate of ours. Some people have no shame and unfortunately information technology seems at that place is no way to protect our designs.

Hopefully we tin talk more soon!

Best,
Kimberly Denman Rebuffel

To be clear, I am not insinuating that Houzz is involved with any nefarious activity. But they NEED to know what their vendors are up to. Don't you call back?

Well, in that location'southward much more just this is long already, so I'd like to sum things upwards and make some recommendations based on my years of experience, both as a designer and blogger.

I don't think that designers have much to worry nearly at this point.

Clearly, Houzz doesn't have a handle on things– nonetheless.

But that doesn't mean that they won't.

And I don't like what Alon Cohen said:

Seriously?

Therefore, I urge anybody reading this if yous have not yet, to sign the petition.

This role is mostly for designers and my recommendations

Take your badges down. I realize that this is very difficult to do considering we've been brainwashed into thinking that they are beneficial, simply they are the opposite. The best of… badges are merely benefitting houzz not you considering y'all are giving them a powerful backlink from your website.

THAT is exactly why they always appear on folio ane in search results! Isn't that rich? Delight believe me. We've been shooting ourselves in the human foot all along!

However, when houzz links to your website, they are using a NO FOLLOW tag, which is telling google to discount the link and not requite you back whatsoever Search Engine Optimization  (SEO) credit. (aka: link love)

This has been corroborated by two Web Geeks. I don't expect normal people to understand this, but the rel = "nofollow" is what tells google to disbelieve the link dorsum to our websites from houzz!

An excellent post well-nigh nofollow links written by Amy Lynn Andrews.

And above taken from the Houzz website source code is the nofollow link for me.

(I learned a lot of geeky things from my wasband, a techie)

And to larn why this code is fifty-fifty worse than I realized, delight read this enlightening comment past Website programming good Ken Lewis

Should I remove my contour on houzz?

It depends on your situation. If information technology is yielding yous work, I suppose it would exist okay to go out it upwards. But ideally, it is always best to utilise your own website to promote your business concern. What if Houzz went out of business organisation?

Please recall the golden motto.

Houzz has been the low-hanging fruit. It seemed to be the perfect solution for decorated designers to get some internet love.

Pitiful, not ownership it.

Please read about the Settlement over privacy violations by Houzz

"I accept an Ivymark account and actually relish the platform. Is it a mistake to stay?"

I tin can't make that decision for you, only I do have facebook screen-shots which show both Ivy girls, (Lee Rotenberg and Alexandra Schinasi) putting Houzz in a negative low-cal. And then they did a merger with them?

Plus, I remember that many will observe listening to Nick May'south Podcast (The Chaise Lounge) where he interviewed Lee Rotenberg quite enlightening. I did. It is episode 193 that says Greg Durrer. The first thirty minutes is the interview with Lee.

If you are looking for a great project management system, I would go with My Doma Studio. (no affiliation, but reputable and user-friendly)

In closing, I encourage designers and everyone with a business organisation and website to take control of your businesses and not on the dorsum of someone who might turn their back on you!

Next month, I am going to exist presenting an piece of cake-to-follow guide that explains in not-geek terms, everything I've done to attain this website. It is non only for designers only anyone who wants to learn everything I wish I had known six years ago about starting a website and blog!

***Simply, if y'all're a designer, a wannabe designer or just love hangin' with designers, I have some more wonderful news.***

Laurie Laizure who started the awesome Interior Design Community on Facebook is making a bold motility. The right move. She'south in the process of taking her platform off of FB and onto her ain website!

Her new interior design community website is in Beta and all are welcome to sign upwards. I just did that.

And delight, please share this post on facebook, twitter, pinterest. Share the link with friends. We need to get the word out. And please don't forget to sign the petition.

If you demand a graphic for social media, I created this image which is on my instagram.

And of course, y'all may pin it to pinterest, facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or wherever. Please exist sure if it'south non automatic to link back to this post.

Much Love,

jessennothembeffe.blogspot.com

Source: https://laurelberninteriors.com/2018/03/18/ugly-truth-behind-pretty-interiors-houzz/