Visual recognition app acts like Shazam for furniture

LikeThat Decor is a visual search app that will present consumers with items similar to those featured in photos they upload

With thousands of furniture catalogs being pushed into mailboxes everyday, alongside endless images of aspirational lifestyle apartments in the media, it’s perhaps inevitable that today’s consumer is more paticular than ever when it comes to interior design. In an effort to help them source exactly the right item, LikeThat Decor is a visual search app that will present consumers with items similar to those featured in photos they upload.

To get started consumers can either select an item of furniture from the app’s built in gallery, or upload their own picture — either a photo they have taken themselves or an image from the web (most likely Pinterest or Tumblr). The app then analyses the image and presents the user with similar and complementary items — drawn from the app’s extensive database of millions of products from thousands of top furniture brands. After the consumer has found an item they like, they can click to make a purchase directly from the retailer.

Both the website and iOS app are free of charge and an Android version will be released later this year. Are there any other departments where visual recognition could aid search in a meaningful way?