The Design Network Gets Cable Channel

April 9, 2014  by in Designer Weekly   

Created last year by Furnitureland South executives Jason Harris and Jeff Harris, The Design Network has garnered more than a million page views and about 10,000 subscribers since its debut.

“The Design Network was created for everyone who shares a passion for the home," said Jason Harris. "What I’m seeing on television has no correlation to the amazing home décor industry that I’ve grown up in and have been exposed to all my life. For the past year, we have connected with the great brands, authentic design experts and creative filmmakers to produce a new brand of interactive video entertainment in the home décor genre."

The Design Network was created to help people become more inspired and knowledgeable about designing, decorating and living in their homes.

“We are uniquely qualified to create a network featuring entertainment, inspiration and instruction for the home,” Harris said. “With our retail business, Furnitureland South, being located in the epicenter of the home furnishings industry, we furnish more than 25,000 homes a year with clients from all over the world and work closely with the finest furniture brands and design influencers.”

The Design Network can be found on channel 69 in the Piedmont Triad's Time Warner lineup.

“We always look for opportunities to work with networks to enhance our diverse channel lineup,” said Mike Smith, area vice president of operations, Time Warner Cable. “The Design Network created a television network to engage consumers in décor and the world of interior design - we are excited to provide our customers with access to this unique source of programming.”

The Design Network was created for the future of television, which Harris believes to be app-based, personalized and interactive.

“We weren’t thinking we’d have a cable network when we started, but we are excited to partner with today’s most relevant TV platform to engage viewers with our content in a traditional way, while educating them and directing them to the interactive broadband experience where they can comment, rate and share as well as see the products being used. And eventually, they will even be able to purchase those products.”

In addition to The Design Network’s new television channel, the online version expands to further engage interior design professionals and home enthusiasts everywhere by allowing them to create their own channels, similar to YouTube. Here they can leverage The Design Network to upload and annotate their own videos and photos and grow their own audience. Through these channels, designers and home enthusiasts may earn commissioned, promoted series on TDN TV.

“The common thread between our new channel on Time Warner Cable, the introduction of Space Off and our added online functionality that allows for the creation of personal channels is that video is the most powerful way to connect, and we are doing it in ways that are entertaining and educational,” Harris said. “It is all about storytelling that invites the viewers in and empowers them to make home decorating decisions.”