Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Dering Hall Raises $2.5M in Funding
February 4,
2015 by in Designer Weekly 
Dering Hall, an online portal for high-end home furnishings, has raised $2.5 million in funding.
Investors participating in the round include Hearst Magazines, Lerer Hippeau Ventures and SoftBank Capital. The new equity will support the expansion of the team and additional investment in technology. In addition, Dering Hall has acquired the assets of Detroit-based start-up Doodle Home, a B2B software platform specialized in the home and interior design industry.
Dering Hall's first-of-its-kind platform for the luxury design industry presents established brands, emerging artisans, design galleries, designers, and architects all in one easy-to-navigate place. The site provides access to thousands of curated furnishings and design products with its marketplace model, empowering its community to reach new customers and clientele, grow their online presence, and gain entry to an e-commerce point of sale.
"Dering Hall fills the void that previously existed in the luxury design category online by providing a platform where the exceptional quality and talent in the industry meet in one place to market their work," said Peter Sallick, CEO of Dering Hall. "This investment will enable us to further scale the business and expand our product and service offerings to reinforce the site as the premier online destination for high-end home design."
The company plans to use the funding for new functionality to further optimize the curated online shopping experience for professionals and consumers, which will be supplemented by the acquisition of Doodle Home's digital assets. Additionally, Dering Hall will leverage the investment to expand its organization and grow the presence of non-US brands on its site.
Jennifer Gilbert, founder of Doodle Home, will join Dering Hall's board of directors.
"I am honored by the invitation to join Dering Hall's board of directors, a seasoned group that continues to raise the bar in the luxury design industry," said Gilbert. "I look forward to working with Peter Sallick and his management team to deliver on their vision. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to Dering Hall's strategic growth.”