How to Make More Money in Interior Design

As an interior designer you got into business with a passion to change people’s lives through design, and now you want to know how to make more money in interior design. The design landscape has changed dramatically in the last decade. The advent of the internet, design centers opening to the public, online design, and HGTV have inspired many people to dive into their own home design, and others to want only the guidance of a designer, while they do all their own sourcing, contracting, and implementation.

While there are certainly still full service design projects at the top of the market, today there is a wealth of opportunity with design specialties that are more consultative in nature and will show you how to make more money in interior design. Let’s take a look at 4 proven strategies.

Key takeaways

✓Interior designers can make more money by offering consultative design specialties such as consulting, project management, finish selection, and color expertise instead of relying solely on full-service projects.

✓Design consulting allows you to guide clients through selections via Pinterest or Houzz boards while they handle sourcing and implementation, and you charge in packages by room or design focus rather than hourly.

✓If you love finishes but not furnishings, you can specialize as a finish specialist for new builds and renovations, charging per square foot and including change order clauses to protect your time.

✓Color specialists can work locally or virtually, providing expertise across all color elements from walls to fabrics, helping clients overcome their fear of making mistakes with color choices.

#1 Interior Design Consulting

This isn’t about full service and doesn’t include sourcing, installation, contracting, or implementation. Instead, your client does all the legwork and you provide your expertise in guiding and educating them into the right selections for their project. Often, you can manage this easily by Pinterest or Houzz boards, and you can do this locally or long distance. You charge not by the hour but in packages that may focus on specific pieces of design or by the room, think “Finishing Touches” or “Master Bedroom Makeover.”

#2 Interior Design Project Management

Only take this on if it’s truly a skill you have and a part of design you love (not all creatives are organized enough to do this well.) Your client is willing to make selections and has contractors they want to work with, but they don’t have the time or know-how to coordinate, schedule, and put all the moving parts and pieces together so that installation is a success and they get the room or home they wanted. That’s where you come in and it can be a powerful path to learn how to make more money in interior design. You can charge by the package or a fixed fee, stay out of hourly.

#3 Interior Design Finish Specialist

Several of the designers I coach love to work with finishes, and are far less interested in furnishings and space planning. This is a perfect fit for you if you feel the same way. When a client is building a new home or doing a renovation, they may not be planning a lot of new furnishings, but need your expertise with finish selections (tile, hardwood, stone, paint, hardware, and more.) You’re creating the stage for the furnishings and you can master how to make more money in interior design by marketing this specific talent. This is a good fit for a per square foot charge and be sure to include a clause that covers change orders so you don’t lose time to a fickle client.

#4 Interior Design Color Specialist

From the walls to the trim, the ceiling to the floor, the tile backsplash to the fabric sofa, color is a key part of every element in design. You don’t have to limit your expertise to paint, but can provide a more inclusive (it’s how to make more money in interior design) package. And you can do it locally or virtually online. You can provide boards by mail with actual samples, or keep it strictly online leveraging obvious tools like Pinterest or Olio Board, or explore other inspiration and sample board options. Color is a hot topic and many people want it, but are afraid to make a mistake, help them conquer that fear with your expertise.

Let me know in the COMMENTS BELOW, which of these 4 proven strategies you’ll pursue and what lights you up most about your interior design business. And if you want to get my expert guidance, coaching, and support in adding or refining a revenue stream, go HERE…

Frequently asked questions

How can interior designers make more money without doing full-service projects?

Interior designers can offer consultative specialties like design consulting, project management, finish selection, or color consulting. These services allow you to provide expertise and guidance while clients handle sourcing, contracting, and implementation themselves. You charge in packages rather than hourly, and can often work locally or long distance.

What does interior design consulting include?

Interior design consulting provides your expertise in guiding and educating clients into the right selections for their project, but doesn’t include sourcing, installation, contracting, or implementation. You can manage this easily through Pinterest or Houzz boards, working locally or long distance. You charge in packages that focus on specific design pieces or by the room, like ‘Finishing Touches’ or ‘Master Bedroom Makeover.’

How should I charge for interior design project management?

You can charge by the package or a fixed fee for project management services. Stay out of hourly billing. This service is ideal when clients are willing to make selections and have their own contractors, but need you to coordinate, schedule, and put all the moving parts together for successful installation.

 

 

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About Melissa Galt

Melissa Galt is a sought-after business coach, marketing consultant, and keynote speaker who empowers designers to build highly profitable businesses without the burnout. Drawing on three decades as principal of her own successful residential design firm, she helps creative professionals earn more in less time, with less stress.

She is the author of four bestselling books, including Marketing Luxury Design, The Language of Success, Design Discovery, and Proximity to Profits. She also hosts the weekly Design Business Freedom™ podcast, sharing unfiltered advice on mindset, money, and marketing for interior design pros ready to elevate their game. When you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, book a complimentary Design Business Assessment with Melissa.