Curiouz is transforming the way we source vintage furniture. Blending AI innovation with expert curation and a commitment to sustainability, Sublime talks to founder Barbara Neto about her new digital platform, tailored for interior designers and retro lovers.
Sublime: You’ve positioned Curiouz as more than a marketplace, a movement. What does this mean to you, and how is the platform redefining how interior designers source vintage and classic furniture?
Barbara Neto: Curiouz was born out of frustration, and love. After years of watching designers and vintage furniture lovers struggle to source high-quality, verified items, I realised the industry needed more than just another platform. It 
needed a shift. Curiouz is a movement because we’re rethinking how furniture is bought, sold, and valued – not just by focusing on aesthetics, but by preserving history, promoting both sustainability and a circular economy, and building genuine community. For interior designers, we’re offering not just inventory, but a trusted and intelligent sourcing technology that respects their standards and vision.
S: Having been involved in the interior design arena for a decade, you’ve experienced first-hand the challenges of sourcing vintage pieces. What were the biggest obstacles in the traditional process, and how does Curiouz solve them?
BN: Honestly, it was always a headache. Designers like myself spend hours (sometimes days) jumping between platforms, messaging different sellers and trying to confirm availability, condition, and even basic things like dimensions or shipping. There is often no clear information, and trust is a huge issue. You never really know if what you see is what you’ll get, and after all that effort, it often doesn’t work out.
With Curiouz, I’ve tried to remove those issues. Everything is centralised and curated. We vet all sellers, and each listing is reviewed and verified through our AI curator system, which flags inconsistencies and helps ensure quality. But most importantly, we offer full support – from sourcing to authentication to delivery – so designers and buyers don’t have to chase information or feel unsure about the process.
We’re not just simplifying vintage sourcing; we’re rebuilding trust in it. Because in the end, we can’t expect the industry to become more sustainable and circular if we’re not providing the right tools – tools that foster interest and make people feel safe buying vintage.
S: How does Curiouz combine AI technology with human expertise to authenticate each piece and ensure the highest standards of quality and trust for buyers?
For us, AI isn’t here to replace humans; it’s here to support us. We use technology to handle the heavy lifting: checking for image quality, flagging inconsistencies, filling in missing data, and helping structure the listings so everything is faster and more reliable. Imagine doing that for thousands of products one by one without technology! But the final layer is always human. Our experienced team reviews every listing to make sure what’s on the platform is not just authentic, but relevant to what designers want to see.
It’s a partnership: tech brings the efficiency; humans bring the meaning. That’s how we’re building trust – with both speed and soul.
S: Shipping rare, often fragile vintage furniture internationally can be complex and risky. What innovative solutions has Curiouz developed to make logistics furniture-safe and designer-friendly?
BN: Honestly, logistics has always been one of the biggest pain points for designers. It’s stressful, unpredictable, and no one wants to risk damaging a one-of-a-kind piece. At Curiouz, we’ve taken that challenge seriously from day one.
We’ve built partnerships with specialised carriers who understand the value and fragility of vintage furniture. Rather than pushing that responsibility onto the buyer or seller, we centralise it. Our platform gives instant shipping estimates, tracks everything in one place, and our team oversees each step, staying in close touch with both sides.
For more complex or international orders, we even offer a concierge-style service, because at the end of the day, logistics should feel as considered and seamless as the design itself. That’s what makes the whole experience designer-friendly; it’s not just functional, but stress-free.
S: With over 500 vetted sellers across Central Europe already on board, how do you select your sellers and ensure they share Curiouz’s values around curation, authenticity, and sustainability?
BN: When reviewing seller applications, we look way beyond the product catalogue: we look at intention. We want to know who’s behind the pieces, how they source, and whether they align with our values of sustainability, transparency, and respect for design heritage.
Our team personally reviews each application. We look at every detail including things like safe packaging, clear communication, and whether the seller has previously worked with designers or collectors. We’re building a platform that’s as much about trust and long-term value as it is about beautiful objects.
We’ve also created a community with our sellers. From the start, they join our WhatsApp group, where we exchange feedback, share updates, and grow together. It’s a hands-on, relationship-driven process, because we’re not here just for volume, we’re here for care.
S: Sustainability is clearly central to Curiouz. How does the platform empower designers to make more eco-conscious choices without compromising on aesthetics, rarity, or character?
BN: If I had to name the top three most sustainable choices in interiors, I’d say: vintage or second-hand; upcycling; and working with local artisans and small-batch production.
At Curiouz, we’re fully focused on sustainability. Vintage is, by definition, one of the most sustainable choices you can make. Every piece has already lived a life, so choosing vintage means you’re not creating new waste or contributing to overproduction; you’re choosing interiors mindfully.
Despite that, sourcing vintage can still feel overwhelming or inaccessible, especially for designers. Which is what we’ve set out to change. We make rare vintage pieces easy to find, compare, and acquire – all on one platform. Our prices are fair because we don’t add markups over markups on the original price. We also work with small and mid-sized logistics partners, which helps keep shipping flexible and cost-effective. For trade buyers, we go even further: we support restoration and reupholstery to help bring vintage pieces into alignment with their project vision. It’s all part of creating a system
where sustainability isn’t a compromise, it’s an advantage. We’re here to remove the friction and give vintage furniture the platform it deserves, so designers and collectors can make conscious choices without sacrificing beauty, character, or creativity.
S: Many online platforms focus on speed and scale, often sacrificing uniqueness. How does Curiouz balance the efficiency of technology with the soul, story, and artistry behind each piece?
BN: At Curiouz, we’re building soul at scale. Yes, our tech makes the experience smooth and efficient, but it never flattens the product. Each listing is about more than just a piece of furniture; we tell its story, its materiality, and its journey – who made it, where it came from, why it matters.
We spotlight the people behind the product, the designers, the collectors, the curators. This human element is what makes the experience feel rich and personal, not transactional.
For me, this balance is what sets us apart: design powered by tech, not diluted by it. This is especially tangible on our social media channels. We post daily, we engage daily, and the community we’ve built genuinely loves vintage design. They reply to stories, share memories, comment on the history behind a piece… fostering a community that’s active, emotional, and connected.
S: As global demand grows — particularly from markets like the US — how do you plan to scale Curiouz while maintaining its curated, community-driven approach?
BN: Scaling without losing soul is our north star. From the start, our model was built to grow with intention, not just volume. We’re expanding our seller base carefully, making sure every new account aligns with our curation standards. And for buyers, especially trade professionals, we’re launching services like personalised sourcing, trade-only procurement support, and smart matching based on style and needs. Tech supports us, but Curiouz’s core remains human: relational, intuitive, and respectful of the design process.
What I find really beautiful about this industry is that vintage lovers, no matter where they are, are after the same feeling. They want pieces with history, soul, and uniqueness. They want the real thing, verified, delivered efficiently, and handled with care. And because Curiouz focuses exclusively on vintage furniture, scaling becomes easier. We’re not trying to be everything to everyone. We’re just doing one thing, really well.
Distance doesn’t break that connection. In fact, it makes our digital presence even more powerful. We’ve also been planning in-person events in some of our community hot spots; cities where we see strong engagement and potential for deeper connections.
S: Community and connection are key parts of Curiouz’s DNA. How does the platform foster meaningful collaboration between designers, sellers, collectors and artisans?
BN: From day one, we knew Curiouz had to be a community rather than than just a platform. We’ve created a space where sellers feel heard, designers feel supported, and collectors feel valued. Whether it’s through our handwritten letters, our WhatsApp sellers’ group, personalised onboarding, or just checking in directly with people, we keep the conversation going.
We highlight our sellers and their pieces on social, we share stories from buyers, and we even make intros when we see synergies. It’s important to us to be active in building relationships.
Excitingly, we’re about to take this further by launching something unprecedented in this industry which will bring the community even closer. It’s still under wraps… but all I can say is watch this space!
S: Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for Curiouz and the impact you want to make on the global design industry in the next five years?
BN: I want Curiouz to become the go-to platform for vintage furniture globally – not just because it’s beautiful or well-curated, but because it genuinely changes how people buy, sell, and relate to design. We’re proving that sustainability and aesthetics don’t have to be separate. Instead, you can build a thriving, tech-forward business around circularity, emotion, and meaning.
In five years, I see Curiouz as way more than a marketplace; I see it as a reference point in the industry – a place where designers, collectors, and new buyers come not just to source furniture, but to connect with stories, people, and culture.
I want our impact to be that we made vintage feel exciting and accessible again, and brought soul back to the furniture world, at scale.
