What Design Time does

Design Time is a privately held specialty retailer based in Redding, California, that sells flooring and surface materials to residential, commercial, property manager, and DIY customers across Northern California. Founded in 1993 (originally as Strange and Son, later Design Time and Tile), the company describes itself as the largest flooring retailer in Northern California and operates a single large showroom at 6800 Westside Road that combines retail display, warehouse space, offices, and a covered granite yard where customers can select stone slabs same-day.

The product catalog spans granite and quartz slabs and prefabricated pieces, porcelain tile, luxury vinyl plank, laminate, hardwood, carpeting, Graber window coverings, and Elkay/Medallion custom cabinets. The technology layer is non-proprietary and consists of customer-facing 3D visualization tools (Kitchen Visualizer, Bathroom Visualizer, Floor Pattern Visualizer, Stacked Stone Visualizer, Material Selector) used to preview material combinations before purchase. Design Time holds California contractor licenses (including #986450), enabling it to sell materials and perform installation through internal installers rather than only reselling third-party labor.

The business model is primarily transactional product sales (one-time purchases of flooring, stone, cabinets, and window treatments) complemented by professional installation services and Synchrony-backed consumer financing. Go-to-market relies on showroom traffic, free in-home measurement and consultation, content marketing through the company website, and dealer partnerships with top-tier flooring manufacturers (Shaw, Mohawk, Anderson, Armstrong, Medallion, Floorvana, Coretec, Palacio, Metroflor) for supply and brand credibility. The company is owner-operated by Sylvia Schmitt, has 11-50 employees, and has no disclosed institutional ownership, funding rounds, or acquisition history.

Name

Design Time

Legal name

Design Time

Website

https://designtime.store

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Design Time is a privately held Redding, California-based flooring and surface materials retailer founded in 1993, serving residential, commercial, property manager, and DIY customers across Northern California with granite, quartz, tile, hardwood, carpet, cabinets, and window coverings plus installation and Synchrony-backed financing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flooring and Surface Materials Retail

NAICS

Interior Design Services (54141), Custom Architectural Woodwork and Millwork Manufacturing (337212)

SIC

Household Furniture (2510), Wood Household Furniture, (No Upholstered) (2511)

akta.pro primary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Countertop Fabrication & Installation (Stone/Quartz/Solid Surface) (HSAPAIAE), Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI)

Keywords

• Flooring retail
• Surface materials supply
• Countertop and cabinetry
• Professional installation services
• Interior design solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Redding

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Flooring Materials Sales: Sale of flooring products including carpet, tile, hardwood, laminate, luxury vinyl plank. Products sourced from major manufacturers like Shaw, Mohawk, Anderson, Armstrong.
2. Countertop Materials Sales: Sale of granite (slab and prefab), quartz surfaces, and natural stone for countertops and surfaces.
3. Cabinet Sales: Custom cabinet design and supply using Medallion premium cabinets by Elkay, including 3D design capability.
4. Window Coverings Sales: Sale of Graber window treatments and coverings.
5. Installation Services: Professional installation services for all products sold, provided by the company's group of installers.
6. Financing Services: In-house financing through Synchrony (formerly GE Capital) allowing customers to pay over time.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Design Time is a flooring and surface-materials retailer that sells granite, quartz, tile, luxury vinyl plank, laminate, hardwood, carpet, window coverings, and cabinets from its Redding, CA showroom, complemented by free in-home consultations, professional measurement, custom cabinet 3D design, manufacturer-backed warranties, and installation services. The company is a licensed California contractor offering full-service project execution from material selection through finished installation, with Synchrony financing available.

Product overview

Design Time is a flooring and surface solutions retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of flooring and countertop materials including granite, quartz, tile, luxury vinyl plank, laminate, hardwood, carpeting, window coverings, and cabinets. The company operates as a single unified retail offering complemented by multiple design tools (Kitchen Visualizer, Bathroom Visualizer, Floor Pattern Visualizer, Material Selector, Stacked Stone Visualizer) that help customers preview materials in 3D before purchase. Services include consultations, free in-home measurement, professional installation, custom cabinet design, warranty support, and financing through Synchrony.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Granite (Slab & Prefab) Natural stone materials—granite, marble, limestone, quartzite, and travertine—available as full slabs or prefabricated blanks for countertops, islands, and other surface applications. Stocked and sold from a covered granite yard at the Redding showroom.
• Quartz (Slab & Prefab) Premium quartz surfaces made by fusing quartz and resin, sold as slabs or prefabricated pieces; marketed as 99.93% solid, durable, stain resistant, and not requiring sealing. Used for countertops and related surfaces.
• Tile Porcelain floor and wall tiles available in numerous shapes, colors, patterns, and glazes for indoor and outdoor residential and commercial applications.
• Luxury Vinyl Plank Resilient luxury vinyl plank/sheet/tile flooring resistant to water, mildew, and stains, with realistic visuals mimicking ceramic tile, stone, and hardwood, sourced from manufacturers including Floorvana, Coretec, Palacio, and Metroflor.
• Laminate Flooring Economical laminate flooring offering the look of real wood or stone at a lower price point; easy to install, clean, and maintain, with resistance to staining and fading.
• Hardwood Flooring Long-lasting hardwood flooring in a variety of colors and species that can be repaired and refinished after years of wear.
• Carpeting Wide array of carpet products including eco-friendly green carpeting, Floorigami, and commercial carpet squares from top manufacturers for residential and commercial spaces.
• Window Coverings Window treatments by Graber combining sophisticated style, energy efficiency, and innovative design for residential and commercial applications.
• Cabinets Medallion premium cabinet solutions by Elkay for custom kitchen, bathroom, and other room cabinet installations, including 3D Dream Design configuration for layout planning.
• Consultation Services Free expert consultation services for residential and commercial interiors and exteriors projects, including in-home visits where consultants bring material samples to the customer location.
• Free In-Home Measurement Professional measurement of customer home or office spaces at no extra charge to enable accurate project planning and material ordering.
• Professional Installation Installation services for all products sold, performed by the company's group of experienced in-house installers and supported by Design Time's California contractor license.
• Custom Cabinet Design & Install Custom cabinet arrangement design for any room using state-of-the-art 3D software (Cabinet Dream Design) followed by professional installation.
• Manufacturer-Backed Warranty Product warranty coverage backed by top-tier manufacturer warranties from Shaw, Mohawk, Anderson, Armstrong, Medallion, and other brand partners.
• Customer Financing In-house retail financing through Synchrony (formerly GE Capital) allowing customers to pay for flooring and renovation projects over time rather than upfront.
• Property Manager Deals Special pricing and deal program for property managers and landlords on flooring and surface-material projects across multi-unit residential or rental properties.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving Northern California for over 30 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Shaw FlooringcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDesignated as an authorized Shaw Flooring Gallery, one of the premier designations in the flooring industry. This partnership positions Design Time as a premier retailer for Shaw products.
• Elkay/Medallion CabinetscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDesign Time offers Medallion premium cabinet solutions by Elkay, an American-owned company providing cabinets and accessories. Integration includes custom design using 3D cabinet Dream Design machine.
• GraberminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGraber is a leader in window treatments known for sophisticated style, energy efficiency, and innovative design. Design Time offers Graber window coverings.
• Shaw, Mohawk, Anderson, Armstrong, MedallioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTop-tier flooring manufacturers whose products carry excellent manufacturer warranties. Products include carpet, hardwood, laminate, and other flooring materials.
• Floorvana, Coretec, Palacio, MetroflorminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLuxury vinyl plank manufacturers whose products are available at Design Time for residential and commercial applications.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tile Shop Holdings: Specialty retailer of tile, natural stone, and related flooring with showroom-led, design-consultative sales model. Strong overlap with Design Time on stone/quartz/tile merchandising and design-led customer experience.
• Carpet One Floor & Home: Cooperative flooring retailer with locally-owned showrooms offering full-service design consultation, broad flooring assortment, and installation. Directly comparable co-op/independent-showroom model with strong regional brand power.
• Empire Today: In-home sales-led flooring retailer specializing in carpet, hardwood, tile, and LVP with free in-home measurement and installation — a direct functional comparison to Design Time's in-home consultation plus installation model.
• LL Flooring (Lumber Liquidators): National specialty flooring retailer offering hardwood, laminate, tile, vinyl, and carpet with installation services. Operates comparable flooring-only retail concept with professional installation attached.
• Arizona Tile: Wholesale distributor and showroom retailer of natural stone, quartz, tile, and slabs serving residential and commercial customers. Comparable on stone/quartz slab yard model and direct-to-customer slab selection.

Broad incumbents

• Floor & Decor Holdings: Public multi-category hard-surface flooring retailer with superstore showrooms. Directly comparable on assortment (tile, stone, LVP, laminate) and pro/consumer dual focus, but operates a national footprint vs. Design Time's single NorCal location.
• Lowe's Flooring: National big-box flooring retailer offering free in-home measurement, financing, and pro installation services. Comparable full-service home-improvement positioning though at national scale.
• MSI Surfaces: Large-scale surfaces distributor with showrooms covering flooring, countertop, wall tile, and hardscape products. Directly comparable on stone/quartz/LVP assortment and pro-customer orientation, though at much larger national scale.
• Home Depot Pro / Home Depot Flooring: National big-box retailer with extensive flooring departments, in-store design consultations, and installation services. Closest broad incumbent competing for the same residential renovation customer.

Regional players

• Cabinetry / countertop fabricators (regional independents): Independent Northern California stone/quartz fabricators and cabinet shops that compete with Design Time's countertop and custom cabinet offerings. Lack the broader flooring assortment but overlap significantly on the fabricator side.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Design Time