When determining how to price your residential interior design services, it’s important to understand the various pricing structures out there so you can choose the one that will work best for YOU.

In addition, there are other factors to consider like your location, your marketing, your experience level, whether you are sourcing retail vs. trade furnishings, your clients, your scopes, your client experience, your team, and so on.

While every designer I’ve worked with since 2017 prices a little bit differently, I’ve definitely seen consistent ranges among the most popular methods, as well as what I believe to be the pros and cons of each. 

*As a side note: my expertise lies in residential interior design businesses, not commercial, so keep that in mind as you read this post if you’re a commercial designer.

Six Pricing Models for Residential Interior Designers …

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Dear Dakota,

Should I give friends and family a discount? If so, how should I structure it so I don’t get burned?

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Dear Dakota,

I presented the final design to my client along with the invoices for their rooms and they balked that there was no discount. I don't offer discounts or market anything about discounts. What do I do, and how do I prevent this from ever happening again?

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.

Dear Dakota,

Outside of direct services, what is the best form of additional income for interior designers? What avenue is the most profitable and worth pursuing for a company with three employees? Furniture sales? Passive income downloads? Courses? Affiliate income?

Join The DTS Files to see the advice I gave this designer.

If you’re not booking interior design projects with five and six-figure design fees, don’t blame it on your market or your clients. Many things have to be in place to book those bigger projects that everyone so desires. And best of all: these things are all in your control. Woop woop.

Without further ado, here’s what needs to be true to book interior design projects with five and six-figure design fees (that’s design fees in the five and six-figures, not project budgets).

Nothing will lead to burnout faster than working all the time but barely turning a profit. If you feel like you’re constantly in motion but your bank account doesn’t reflect your effort, it’s time to take a hard look at what’s really happening inside your business.

The reality? It’s not just about working harder—it’s about working smarter. And for many interior designers, the reason they’re struggling to make money comes down to five key issues.

Inside this post, I’m breaking down:

• The hidden inefficiencies that are eating up your time and profits

• The biggest pricing mistakes designers make (and why your rates might be too low)

• How your marketing and client process could be attracting the wrong clients

• Why your overhead might be quietly killing your profits

• The first thing you need to fix to stop the cycle of overwork and under-earning

If you’re tired of working 24/7 and still feeling stretched thin, this article will help you pinpoint exactly what’s holding you back—and what to do next. Join The DTS Files for my advice.

Is It Time to Raise Your Rates? Here’s How to Know

Most interior designers are undercharging for their expertise, and chances are, you might be too.

If you haven’t raised your rates in the last year, are constantly booked out, or find yourself working nonstop yet barely profitable, it’s time to take a serious look at your pricing structure.

In this exclusive post, I’m breaking down the 11 signs that you’re overdue for a rate increase, plus:

• The mindset shifts you need to confidently charge more

• How to position your pricing to attract higher-end clients

• Why most designers struggle with pricing (and how to stop leaving money on the table)

• The key mistakes designers make when raising their rates—and how to avoid them

Your pricing directly impacts your workload, client quality, and overall business sustainability. If you're feeling burned out, frustrated, or constantly negotiating your fees, this post will show you exactly how to raise your rates the right way—without fear or second-guessing yourself.

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.