Why we built Trade House Collective

Amy started her design career in 2004 and has worked on commercial and residential projects ever since. Along the way she built a business, a team, and a working knowledge of textiles, furniture and construction that only comes from years on real jobs. She also learned, job by job, how to buy furniture and accessories in the most profitable way possible while keeping her margins healthy. Without knowing it, that became the foundation of Trade House.

The part of the job nobody sees

As the business grew, a big part of every week went to keeping up vendor accounts: applications, minimums, reorders, pricing sheets, freight. We had a team to carry that load. Most independent designers don't.

Then we noticed something. Independent designers were coming to us to buy pieces, because they didn't have accounts of their own. They had the talent and the clients. What they didn't have was the time to maintain dozens of vendor relationships.

You're hired for your creativity. The behind-the-scenes work shouldn't wear you down to get there.

So we made it official

After 22 years, we know how much an independent designer has to juggle. The job has to turn out beautifully, and everything behind it should be calm and dependable. So Amy and her team decided to make it official and help designers every way we could.

Trade House Collective puts our buying power and good planning tools behind independent designers, so the hardest parts of the job, buying the pieces and keeping track of the budget, stop being the hardest parts.

This blog is where we'll share what we learn: on buying, on the workroom, and on running a design business. We're glad you're here.

Written by

Amy Crawley

Founder & Principal Designer, Trade House Collective

Amy has designed commercial and residential interiors since 2004. She and her team built Trade House Collective so independent designers can buy from the lines they love without carrying every account themselves.