Dear Dakota, 

Do you have tips for managing the not-quite-end of a renovation project? This is when things start to unravel. Clients get anxious and start to micromanage because they're exhausted and overwhelmed. It's not a pleasant experience for anyone involved

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Dear Dakota, 

We charge a flat fee for Phase I and Phase II of our interior design services, and don't charge a service fee for the purchasing phase. Our flat fee pricing is contingent upon the client agreeing to purchase furniture through our vendors. We offer this arrangement to secure the entire project and ensure that clients buy all the required items from us.

Recently, we encountered a new challenge with a client. Although she loves the design and we are within budget, she expressed intentions to sell the custom home and not purchase furnishings at all. 

It’s been two months since we presented the design, and she hasn't signed the contract yet. I've contacted her multiple times, but she has only responded regarding ongoing contract work, not the furniture purchase. 

In my current contract, I have a provision that allows me to charge the client a fee of a specific % if the client removes items from the scope that were originally presented with a cost and within budget. I'm curious to know if your contract includes anything similar or if it has provisions to make it ironclad in such cases.

While this particular project is already underway, I'm concerned about handling similar situations in the future. Do you have any advice?

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Welcome back to the first 2024 edition of Dakota Design Company’s Guest Expert Interview series on the blog. We’re thrilled to share expertise from female business owners and leaders in the interior design industry—from interior photographers to social media managers, financial advisors, and branding experts.

Each of our expert guests was selected because they can share their unique insights and perspectives on a range of topics that will help any interior designer take their trade and business to the next level. These experts are Dakota Design Company insiders, and many of them have worked directly with us and our clients in the past. We hope you enjoy this series and that it brings you new insights and confidence as you grow your business!

We asked certified public accountant Caroline Van Wassenhove, Founder and President of CVW Accounting, to share three numbers every interior design business owner should know to ensure success.

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.

After my restorative and impactful solo business getaway in January, I decided to make it a tradition to get away for a few days every quarter to focus on the business and reset. I just wrapped my second “getaway,” and once again, it was amazing. 

A little backstory before we dive into my takeaways:

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If you’re spending hours writing custom proposals, struggling to price your services, or getting ghosted after you send them—something isn’t working. A streamlined scope of work and proposal process can save you TONS of time, increase your close rate, and eliminate frustrating back-and-forth with clients.

In this article, I’m sharing the nine biggest mistakes interior designers make when preparing their proposals—and how to fix them. You’ll learn:

• The one thing you should never include in your proposal (hint: it’s costing you time and credibility).

• Why sending a contract too late in the process is hurting your close rate—and what to do instead.

• How to structure your proposal so clients are excited to sign (without asking for endless revisions).

• A simple tweak to your process that helps you send proposals in a day or less—without stress.

If you want to stop over-customizing, over-explaining, and overthinking your proposals—and instead create a seamless, professional process that leads to faster client sign-ons, join The DTS Files today to unlock my advice and read the full post.