Interior Decorators On Where
To Shop the Web for Home Decor

When Amy Mowery wanted to give her sofa a new look recently, she headed for what she thought was her easiest shopping bet -- the Internet. But overwhelmed by the number of sites offering slipcovers, the Chicago Web-site producer never got further than scrutinizing tiny fabric-swatch photos.

"I wasted a lot of time," says Ms. Mowery, 34, who ultimately bought a gray slipcover from a a local shop. "It was hard to tell what the covers really looked like, and what the quality was."

The downside to the growing number of choices in home-décor Web sites: the growing number of choices. Web-site sales in the home-and-garden category rose 32% in 2005, making it the third fastest-growing segment of online retail, according to ComScore Networks, a Reston, Va., market-research firm. (The category is just behind clothing/accessories, and computer software.) That increase, though, can turn a simple search for silk drapes or floor tiles into an odyssey of site-sifting and frustration. Shoppers, in fact, tend go back to the same old names year after year, says ComScore. The top five sites for home décor in 2005 were Sears, Home Depot, Lowe's, Williams-Sonoma and Wal-Mart, the same as 2004.

Betting that interior decorators have a smarter system than the rest of us, we contacted a dozen designers who shop the Web. We interviewed everyone from Jamie Drake, who works with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, to Doug Wilson, host of the TV-decorating show "Trading Spaces," and designer Nate Berkus, an Oprah Winfrey show regular. We also checked in with Mary Philpotts, who works with resorts in Hawaii, and Miami architect/designer Alison Spear.

We asked our panelists for the sites they turn to most often in four areas: antiques, wallpaper and fabric, decorative accessories and interior paint. (We excluded any sites where the decorator was selling products or had any kind of promotional arrangement with the operators.) Beyond commenting on a site's selection, we asked decorators to take into consideration service, ease of use, and to share with us their best Web-shopping tips.

Like regular shoppers, our panelists say they go with what they know. Most, for example, mentioned a Web mall called 1stdibs.com ("first dibs") as a good source for antiques from scores of established dealers. They also had insights gleaned from years of shopping: Sites that group dealers together typically charge commissions, but designers suggest calling the dealer directly to make an offer.

Below, a guide to our designers' preferred sites.

Antiques

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR: High shipping charges

WHAT TO STICK WITH: Known merchants

Though the popularity of eBay has made it seem like buying antiques online would be a no-brainer by now, consumers have just begun to feel comfortable buying them on the Web, says Patti Freeman Evans, a retail analyst with Jupiter Research. A few early efforts, like the auction site Sotheby's launched with eBay in mid-2002, fizzled; that one closed in 2003.

But these days, antiques dealers have addressed consumers' biggest concerns -- wanting to see more photos and having more information about provenance -- attracting more shoppers. The site that came up the most with our panel was 1stdibs.com, an upscale online mall, where more than 200 dealers around the world post listings for items ranging from Chippendale armchairs to 1970s Lucite desks. The dealers then coordinate payments -- $1,000 to $20,000 is the general price range -- and shipping through 1stdibs, in exchange for a percentage of the price. (Designers say they sometimes make an offer directly to the dealer to avoid a commission, but site owner Michael Bruno says he passes on a trade discount, typically 15% to 20%, to customers who buy through the site.) For similar merchandise, New York designer Mr. Drake likes florianpapp.com; the first place Chicago-based Mr. Berkus clicks is pavillionantiques.com, especially for funky 1970s French furniture.

If your budget is more in the $200-and-under range, our panel suggested checking out greatstuffbypaul.com, a site that resembles an online country store. It sells quirky items like British metal coal bins and old Chinese cribs that hang from a tree. Rebecca Cole, a New York-based designer and host of cable TV's "Surprise by Design," shops the site for unusual garden pieces, and recently bought some galvanized English water tanks from the 1930s and '40s to convert into planters for a client.

Wallpaper and Fabric

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR: Tough return policies

WHAT TO STICK WITH: Sites that offer swatches

One surprising advantage of ordering fabric or wallpaper online is that many sites provide samples, for a minimum charge or free. Shoppers should take advantage of that, says Mr. Wilson of "Trading Spaces"; if samples aren't available, buy half a yard. "You need to see and feel the product in person," he says. "This is not an easily returnable accessory."

Another tip: When in doubt, play it safe. Creede Fitch, a 27-year-old Salt Lake City furniture designer, recently chose brown fabric over orange for a dog bedcover, even though orange is his favorite. "It's a lot easier to mess up a shade of orange than brown," he reasons.

The fabric site that came up most often among our designers was kravet.com. But since only design professionals can buy directly here, consumers could go to sites like decoratorsbest.com, which carries some Kravet fabrics. Ms. Philpotts in Honolulu votes for silktrading.com. She especially likes its curtains, which come with a wool liner. "Not many places do that anymore," she says. For wallpaper, New York designer Mr. Drake is a fan of flavorleague.com, a New Orleans manufacturer that specializes in boldly colored and custom designs.

Decorative Accessories

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR: Unauthorized reproductions

WHAT TO STICK WITH: Returnable items

Decorative accessories are an easy online purchase, largely because the items are small and returnable. With the ongoing interest in modern design, homeowners are increasingly interested in iconic items like wavy Swedish vases and trays, and starburst clocks. Accessories have also gotten a boost from retailers like Design Within Reach (dwr.com), which reproduces work by famous modernist designers, and the New York Museum of Modern Art's shop, momastore.org.

The problem is that modern design is so simple that it can be easy to copy. So beware of unauthorized reproductions. Unfortunately, "asking if it is an authorized reproduction is no guarantee," says Joan Gaulden, a decorator in Greenville, S.C. She suggests making sure items can be returned.

For modern items, Ms. Spear, the Miami designer and architect, heads to mossonline.com, the Web home of a New York store known for edgy design -- from $1,245 cardboard chairs by Frank Gehry to $84 Danish staplers. She also likes nibahome.com, a Miami boutique specializing in accessories and carpets.

For more traditional-minded shoppers, New York designer Bruce Bierman recommends dogpainting.com, run by the William Secord Gallery in New York; shoppers looking for handcrafted ceramics might check out rwoodstudio.com, run by artist Rebecca Wood, which designer Ms. Cole in New York likes for its fruit and cupcake motifs. "I've designed entire rooms around the colors found in one of her bowls," says Ms. Cole.

Paint

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR: $10-per-gallon shipping fees

WHAT TO STICK WITH: Sites that offer tester pots

Paint is a particularly challenging item to order online, since colors can be tricky and most computer screens don't reproduce colors faithfully. In fact, national retailers and paint makers like Sherwin-Williams and Janovic don't sell paint online. But designers like boutique sites for the unusual colors small makers can produce -- even though sites often charge about $10 a gallon for shipping. That's pretty steep, even for boutique paints that cost about $50 a gallon, or about twice the price of paint in a big-box home-improvement store.

New York designer Marc Charbonnet often turns to ellenkennon.com, a small paint maker who he says "can match anything... I've sent her a fabric swatch and said, 'Please match the gold color under the palm leaf,' and she always comes through." While Ms. Kennon says many of her clients are in the design field, her consumer clientele has increased recently through home-design discussion boards.

Email your comments to rjeditor@dowjones.com.