3D technology opens world of possibilities for DIY room designers, e-commerce firm says

Most everybody has done it. You’re walking through Lowe’s or Home Depot or Ikea and you see that perfect kitchen. Granite counter, stainless steel appliances, an island that’s as big as, well, an island. That’s it you think. That’s my kitchen.

It doesn’t take long though for you to realize there’s no way everything you saw is going to fit in your house.

A St. Petersburg company working to solve that problem, Marxent, has recently made some significant progress in its mission. Specializing in 3D e-commerce, the firm is close to winning patent approval for its Design from Photo technology. Marxent CEO Beck Besecker tells Coffee Talk the technology  allows someone to take that kitchen they fell for and find a way to make it fit using 3D. It can be used for rooms filled with furniture as well.

“The way I look at it is, it’s pretty easy to buy a book online, right?” Besecker says. “But when you move into more complex categories, like you are buying a $20,000 kitchen or a $30,000 outdoor deck, asking a consumer to self-serve online for that purchase, that’s a pretty big ask.”

It works like this: you visit one of the retailers using Marxent’s Design from Photo technology and start going through photos of kitchens. When you find what you want, a 3D image of the kitchen space in your home appears. You then start pulling cabinets and appliances from the photo and moving it into your space.

When you’ve finished, Besecker says, you’ve created a perfect image of what your kitchen will look like when the work is done. All the pieces in the entire room can then be moved to cart for you to check out. “If you can’t draw, you copy,” Besecker tells Coffee Talk. “That’s it. It’s super simple but it solves a big problem.

Marxent’s Design from Photo technology is available now at retailers including Macy’s, La-Z-Boy, American Furniture Warehouse and Lowe’s Home Improvement.

The company was issued notice of allowance late last month, one of the final steps toward winning approval for a patent. Besecker says Marxent began the patent process to solidify its competitive position in the marketplace. “Getting the patent says we’re uniquely positioned to be able to provide this service.”