For years, interior designers in the United States worked within a fixed ecosystem: trade showrooms, wholesale accounts, brand catalogs, tiered discounts, and pre-approved supplier lists. The workflow was structured, predictable, and — most importantly — commercial.
But by 2025, that system has shifted.
Designers no longer want “collections.”
They want authors.
They no longer want brands everyone can access.
They want objects no one else has.
This is why the sourcing model has moved away from retail and into a hybrid of direct studio relationships, curated global platforms, and design-driven fairs.
Where U.S. Designers Actually Find Sculptural & Artisan Objects Now
Not from the places they used 10 years ago.
Today, sourcing happens through:
Instagram + private DM conversations with studios
Design Miami, Salon Art + Design, and Alcova during Milan Design Week
1stDibs (Collector’s Circle, not the retail side)
Direct e-mail outreach to independent design studios
Studio waitlists and small-batch preorders
Curated online platforms like Galerie Philia, The Future Perfect, March SF
Private Google Drive catalogs sent directly by makers
Notion pages replacing PDF line sheets
Designers aren’t browsing catalogs — they’re building relationships.
Why This Shift Happened
There are 5 reasons:
Clients no longer want recognizable items
Luxury today equals rarity, not prestige logo culture.
The rise of sculptural & functional art
A floor lamp is now a collectible piece — not a “lighting SKU”.
“Trade discounts” are no longer a value advantage
If everyone gets –20%, it is no longer a privilege.
Sustainability moved from marketing to meaning
Studios using real materials (clay, hemp fiber, charred wood, plaster, biocomposite) feel more ethical and emotional than lacquered mass luxury.
Designers want signature spaces, not well-styled spaces
The new question is: “What story does this object add to the room?”
How U.S. Designers Decide Which Studios to Work With
What matters most:
material identity (not fake stone, not resin, not glossy MDF)
recognizable form language (not trend-based silhouettes)
limited availability or edition structure
clear production time and export workflow
professional communication / pricing transparency
objects that photograph well in architectural spaces
proof of presence in galleries, fairs, or collector homes
In 2025, designers don’t need faster suppliers — they need meaningful suppliers.
“Trade Programs” Have Evolved
Old model:
–20% discount, MOQ, catalog, lead time, shipping separate.
New model:
tiered discount + white-glove logistics + asset library (3D models + cut sheets) + storytelling content for client presentation + samples + co-branded sheets.
Designers now expect:
3D files (SketchUp, Rhino, FBX)
material swatches for moodboards
press photos for client decks
shipping quotes before invoice
custom modification options
studio biography they can share with clients
If a studio does this — they win the order.
If not, even a beautiful object gets skipped.
What Types of Pieces Designers Are Prioritizing in 2025
sculptural floor lamps (statement anchors)
organic coffee tables (stone, biocomposite, charred wood)
hand-formed side tables and stools
wall-mounted lighting with textile or clay texture
non-perfect mirrors (textured, framed, draped, fiber-wrapped)
raw or matte surfaces over glossy lacquer
Designers are no longer filling rooms — they are writing the room with fewer, stronger objects.
What This Means for Studios Like PletoStudio
There is a massive gap in the U.S. market:
designers want sculptural, non-mass, gallery-adjacent objects
but they want to source them without gallery pricing models
If a studio offers:
clear pricing
trade structure
fast sampling and file support
gallery-level aesthetics
and handcrafted material identity
→ they become the go-to supplier for high-end U.S. interiors.
This is why handmade ≠ Etsy anymore.
This is why collectible ≠ museum-only anymore.
The future of sourcing is human + direct + limited + intentional.
