Inside our own four walls is a place we should feel happy and entirely at home, where the right furnishings create an oasis of comfort, a sanctuary from the day-to-day. Sadly, most living spaces look nothing like those designer rooms in glossy magazines, on interior design websites, or in furniture stores. The reasons are myriad and pedestrian – some don’t have the time, others lack the inclination for interior design, while others may not feel they have the talent, or the money. But if we are truly honest, we would all like to turn our living spaces into our own designer dream – if only we knew how. 

This was Australian Sally Bevan’s experience too when she set out to beautify her flat and discovered she wasn’t really sure how to get started. With too little time, and even less money, she was still motivated to find someone who could help. What she really needed was an affordable interior designer, preferably one she could work with online. The internet had little to offer: “I wanted this service for myself. I was renting an apartment, and I had a limited budget for furniture and décor. I was also quite time-poor with a demanding job, so the prospect of spending my precious weekends at the home SuperCenta or battling Saturday traffic furniture shopping was less than appealing,” she told startupdaily.net. “Like everything else, I jumped on good old Google and searched for interior designers offering online services. I stumbled across a handful of designers offering their services online at flat-fee prices. Digging a bit deeper, I saw how big the market for online interior design services had become in overseas markets. It started from there.” “It” was the idea for Milray Park – an online platform that makes it easier to access interior design services. 

At Milray Park, you first enter your preferences and favourite styles. An interior designer takes these and develops a concrete interior design proposal to suit your floorplan. You and the designer can go back and forth, like a quick round of ping-pong, until you are completely happy with the room. The site then sends you a shopping list to work your way down.  Hate to shop?  Just use the convenient personal shopper option and hire someone to do the dreaded chore for you. Users pay a flat price per room, not per hour or daily rate of an interior designer. This is a huge advantage if your rooms present a bit of an architectural challenge, or you have unusual tastes. You can also check out all the designers who work for Milray Park from the privacy of your own desk. The website features a portfolio and short bio for everyone involved. If you like a style and the price, then you simply name the designer as your preference when placing your order. 

Sally’s goal with Milray Park was to create a win-win situation by creating a platform that allows the customer to manage everything from the comfort of home, and also makes the designer’s work easier. The upload and feedback options save designers the trouble of home visits and checks, and consultations are easy to complete online. Executing the entire process online adds great flexibility for both sides. “It’s a bit like dating. Maybe we’re the Tinder of design.”