ReBloom - UI/UX Case Study
ReBloom aims to provide old furnitures a second chance to bloom by promoting the concept of sustainable furniture practices, emphasizing trade, resale, and purchasing secondhand furniture while discouraging the trend of fast furniture.
Responsibility: User Experience (UX), Designer Interaction (IxD), Designer User Interface (UI), Designer Brand Identity, Designer Brand Strategist, Product Designer
Tools: Figma, Miro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
Duration: Solo project done by 5 weeks.
Goal
By providing users with an eco-friendly way to furnish their homes without sacrificing convenience or budget, ReBloom seeks to create a practical and sustainable alternative to fast furniture while fostering a sense of community
By providing users with an eco-friendly way to furnish their homes without sacrificing convenience or budget, ReBloom seeks to create a practical and sustainable alternative to fast furniture while fostering a sense of community
Simplifying the process of reselling furniture to encourage reuse and reduce waste.
Promoting affordable, sustainable furniture brands to make eco-friendly options more accessible. Making Furniture Repair services easier to access, extending the lifecycle of furniture items.
Building a vibrant community specifically for college students and new graduates who are transitioning into new housing.
By fostering connections within this demographic, ReBloom makes it easier for users to buy, resell, and trade used furniture with peers who share similar needs and budgets.
Pain Points
IKEA, the world’s largest fast furniture brand, popularized this trend by offering inexpensive and accessible furniture options. Their rapid growth has exacerbated environmental problems, including unsustainable material usage, increased waste production, and furniture disposal challenges. Addressing these issues requires innovative solutions that promote sustainability in furniture consumption.
ⓘ Fast furniture often combines various materials—wood, metal, and plastics—making recycling difficult and expensive. Many items utilize chipboard, which is made from wood pieces sealed with glues containing toxic chemicals and often laminated with plastic. Disassembling furniture to process these materials separately is both time-consuming and costly.
Information Architecture
User Pain Points
Industrial Research
I conducted an analysis of popular second-hand marketplaces and furniture retailers, including Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Depop, Poshmark, iKEA, and Amazon. I evaluated their strengths and pinpointed areas where improvements could be made.
Popular Furniture Retailers
- College Students: IKEA and Amazon, primarily due to their affordability and convenience.
- Working Professionals: IKEA is also a popular choice for working individuals seeking budget-friendly furniture options.
Second-Hand Trading Platforms
- Depop & Poshmark: These platforms primarily focus on second-hand clothing rather than furniture.
- Facebook Marketplace & eBay: These are widely used platforms for trading second-hand items, including furniture.
- eBay: Many users have expressed frustration with high shipping fees when reselling large furniture items.
- Facebook Marketplace: One of the most commonly used platforms for second-hand resale. However, it has received numerous complaints about scammers. Additionally:
- The majority of its users are aged 35 and above.
- It is less popular among college students and recent graduates, who are often searching for furniture for new rentals or homes.
Information Architecture
Sketches & Wireframes
• Simplified Layout
• Clear Categorization
• Minimal Clutter
• Emphsis on Individual Items
• Limited View of Options
• Potential Overemphasis on Details
• Inefficient for Quick Comparisons
• Grid View for Efficiency
• Familiar Layout
• Compact Presentation
• Enhanced Navigation
• Visual Overload
• Lack of Brand Identity
• Smaller Product Details
• Lack of Focus
Style Guide
Final Design
Overview
ReBloom addresses the challenges faced by individuals who frequently move and need a convenient, affordable, and eco-friendly way to buy, sell, and trade furniture. By focusing on creating a community driven platform with a user-friendly interface, ReBloom simplifies the process of sustainable furniture shopping and resale, providing a practical alternative to fast furniture. This project reinforced the importance of prioritizing user needs and balancing functionality with design aesthetics, ensuring both usability and a welcoming experience.What I’d do differently:
If I were to revisit this project, I would focus on conducting more extensive user testing to refine specific features, such as the resale process and community-building aspects of the app. Additionally, I would dedicate more time to researching accessibility best practices to ensure the app is inclusive and usable for a wider audience.