Design Within Reach
I led the design of DWR's first native mobile app, bringing the luxury furniture shopping experience to iOS with an innovative AR feature that lets customers visualize iconic pieces in their own space.
The Challenge
Design Within Reach is synonymous with iconic mid-century modern furniture—pieces by Eames, Noguchi, and Saarinen that customers invest thousands of dollars in. But their mobile experience was falling behind, with high cart abandonment rates and customers expressing hesitation about purchasing high-value items they couldn't see in person.
The challenge: How do you translate the tactile, gallery-like DWR showroom experience into a mobile app that gives customers confidence to make significant purchases?
The Solution
I designed a native iOS app that combines editorial-quality product presentation with augmented reality, allowing customers to place true-to-scale 3D models of furniture in their rooms. The design language reflects DWR's sophisticated brand—warm neutrals, elegant typography, and generous whitespace that lets the products shine.
The result: A premium mobile shopping experience that increased conversions by 35% and became the brand's most-downloaded app feature.
Key Features
AR Visualization
Place furniture in your room with true-to-scale augmented reality before purchasing.
Editorial Discovery
Curated collections and editorial content that tells the story behind iconic designs.
Elite Membership
Personalized account experience with order tracking and exclusive member benefits.
Seamless Checkout
Streamlined purchasing flow with saved payments, addresses, and delivery scheduling.
View in Your Space
The AR Experience was the centerpiece of the app—a feature that directly addressed the #1 hesitation customers had: "Will this $5,000 chair actually look good in my living room?"
- Point your camera at the floor to detect the surface
- True-to-scale 3D models with accurate dimensions
- Quick-switch between products without leaving AR mode
- Save photos to share with family or designers
Intuitive Search & Discovery
The Discover tab provides powerful search and filtering capabilities wrapped in a refined interface. Recent searches are preserved for quick access, while category filters let customers narrow by furniture type.
Each product card shows the designer, name, and price—all within a clean, scannable grid that makes browsing the full catalog feel effortless.
AR in Action
Once the surface is detected, customers can place furniture in their space with true-to-scale 3D models. The interface provides intuitive controls for rotating, moving, and scaling—plus instant color variant switching without leaving AR mode.
The "Add to Cart" button stays visible throughout, allowing customers to purchase directly from the AR experience once they've found the perfect placement.
Design Philosophy
"Good design is as little design as possible." — Dieter Rams
The DWR app embodies this principle. The visual design uses a restrained palette of warm neutrals, sophisticated serif typography, and ample negative space. The furniture should be the hero—the UI simply provides an elegant frame. Every interaction, from the gentle haptics to the smooth transitions, was crafted to feel premium and intentional.
See the Full Case Study
Dive into the research, design process, and detailed outcomes of bringing AR shopping to luxury furniture.