Dear Dakota: How Interior Designers Can Make Money Selling Window Treatments
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A DTS Files subscriber recently submitted a question via our Dear Dakota form and asked,
“What are some ways to make money selling window treatments?”
In my opinion, if you’re offering full-service design or full-room design, you should absolutely be sourcing window treatments as part of those services.
There are a few different ways interior designers can sell window treatments but not all of them are created equal.
Let’s dive in!
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01 | Sell ready-made retail window treatments.
What: This means you source and sell window treatments that are already made and can’t be customized beyond a few standard widths and lengths.
Who: Think Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, etc.
Who Measures: You or the client
Who Installs: Your handyman (if for full service) or the client
Risk: Low. These are returnable and generally easy to replace, but make sure clients understand their limitations in quality and fit.
Profit Potential: Low. The price point on ready-made retail items is pretty low already, so there isn’t room for much. If you manage retail orders for clients, you may be able to charge a retail management fee and/or collect the difference in the retail cost and your designer cost (typically 20% less).
02 | Sell semi-custom window treatments from a retailer.
What: One step up from ready-made panels would be semi-custom panels, where you can control the panel width and length down to the quarter inch. You can select the lining, the window treatment hardware, and other details like trim, direction, etc.
Who: Shade Store, Loom Decor, Two Pages
Who Measures: You or the client
Who Installs: Your handyman (if for full service), a local installer, or the client
Risk: High risk for you and the client. These are made to order and cannot be returned so the responsibility for correct measurements and selections falls on your shoulders. One incorrect measurement can result in a costly mistake.
Profit Potential: Low. Same as option #01 above.
03 | Sell semi-custom window treatments from a trade-only vendor.
What: With this option, you can work directly with your to-the-trade only fabric vendors that have a window treatment program. You can also purchase custom size, solid rods for your clients.
Who: Fabricut, for example, offers a to-the-trade only semi-custom window treatment program using their fabrics.
Who Measures: You
Who Installs: Your handyman (if for full service), local installer, or the client
Risk: Medium risk for you and client. If something doesn’t fit, it likely can’t be returned BUT you can always work with a local seamstress to make adjustments. And, it can always feel stressful to measure on your own BUT your rep will guide you and provide instructions for measuring.
Profit Potential: Medium. You'll get better pricing than going the retail route because these are only available to licensed trade partners. And because this will likely be packaged as part of a larger design service, you can also charge for your time selecting, measuring, ordering, and coordinating installation.
Note: This option allows more customization than retail but without the logistics of working with a full workroom.
04 | Sell fully custom window treatments from a local workroom.
What: This is the gold standard for designers offering luxury, high-touch services. You'll specify every detail, including pleat style, header type, linings, trims, and hardware. Your workroom will manage fabrication, and their installer will often handle installation.
Who: Local workroom or fabricator
Who Measures: Workroom
Who Installs: Workroom’s installer or your installer
Risk: Medium risk for you and the client. Because these are fully custom, if the client changes their mind or something goes wrong, you’re stuck with them. However, having the workroom measure, provide fabric quantities to you, receive fabrics on your behalf, fabricate the window treatments, and install them makes the process seamless when working alongside a professional.
Profit Potential: High. In addition to marking up product and labor, you can charge for design time, site visits, and project management. This is also the most premium client experience, which aligns with higher service fees.
05 | Sell custom window treatments by becoming a distributor.
What: As a distributor for brands like Hunter Douglas or Bali, you would sell directly to clients under your business (whether via your full service design offering or for window treatment only customers). This is a more sales-focused model and requires training, product knowledge, maintaining sample books, and possibly meeting a minimum sales quota.
Who: Hunter Douglas, Bali
Who Measures: You (the distributor)
Who Installs: A local installer (coordinated by you)
Risk: Medium. You’re responsible for measurements, ordering, and coordinating installation. Mistakes can be costly. However, distributors typically have access to training resources, customer support, and installer networks.
Profit Potential: Medium. You’ll earn a commission on each sale, ranging from 20% to 50%, depending on the product. If you sell a high volume, select window treatments for new construction homes, or specialize in window treatments and sell them separately from your interior design services, this can be lucrative.
So Which Option is Best for Your Interior Design Business?
The right approach depends on the service level you're offering.
For full-service projects, fully custom window treatments from a local workroom or semi-custom from a trade vendor usually make the most sense. They align with the premium white glove experience you're providing, allow for the most customization and highest quality, and offer the best profit potential.
For virtual design or smaller projects that don’t include as much of your involvement, ready-made or semi-custom retail options may be a better fit. They're lower risk, easier to manage remotely or completely hand off to clients, and still allow you to offer a complete, finished look.
The key is to match your window treatment strategy to the level of service you're providing and to your profit goals.
