You already know you should charge more. The harder question is when, how to communicate it without apologizing, and whether your numbers actually add up to a livable hourly rate. Here is how to decide.
When to Raise Your Interior Design Rates: 4 Clear Signs You’re Charging Too Little Read More »
To-The-Trade Episode Summary Kelly Collier-Clark didn’t come to interior design through the traditional route. Before founding House of Clark Interiors, she spent nearly 20 years climbing the corporate ladder in the energy industry, managing high-profile accounts and running complex client relationships. She held a real estate license. She briefly left the workforce to raise her
Setting a monthly revenue goal without knowing your cost structure is guesswork. Here’s how working designers build a number that actually means something. Someone asked the IDC community: What do you shoot for in terms of monthly revenue? It’s a question designers ask themselves regularly, and the answer shifts depending on firm size, fee structure,
Monthly Revenue Targets for Interior Designers: How to Build Your Number from Costs Up Read More »
To-The-Trade Episode Summary Laura Hildebrandt, owner of Interiors by LH in the Washington, DC area, joins Laurie Laizure for a conversation about what it really takes to build a design business when the stakes are personal, the resources are thin, and the learning curve is steep. Laura’s path into interior design started after a divorce
You do not need one universal number. You need a pricing model you can explain, apply consistently, and defend with confidence. You know the moment. You are building a gorgeous scheme, the client is excited, and then you pull fabric memos and wallpaper quotes, and your brain stalls. “Okay, but what do I charge for
Your vendor list should do more than look good. It should protect your timelines, your margins, and your sanity. You know that moment when a client says, “Can we just order it today?” and you are staring at your sourcing spreadsheet trying to remember which vendor actually ships complete, on time, and without a surprise
Stop Guessing, Start Sourcing: How to Build a Reliable Trade Vendor List Read More »
Your business has grown, but your trade pricing hasn’t kept up. Here’s how to approach the conversation professionally, with scripts, a meeting agenda, and strategies that protect both the relationship and your margins. You know the moment. Your studio is finally humming, projects are booking consistently, purchasing is steady, and then you realize your trade
How to Renegotiate Vendor Pricing Without Damaging the Relationship Read More »
To-The-Trade Episode Summary Laurie sits down with 26-year wall covering veteran PJ Delaye to talk industry shifts, the tech behind today’s wallpaper, and why specifying wall covering is one of the smartest business moves a designer can make. When PJ Delaye joined the wall-covering industry in 1997, his first message was a fax announcing that
To-The-Trade S3E05 PJ Delaye on Why Wall Covering Is a Designer’s Secret Profit Center Read More »
You don’t need a huge portfolio to open trade accounts. You need the right paperwork, a smart strategy, and a phased approach that protects your time and your margin. You land your first real project, and the pressure hits fast. You want your client to get great product access and pricing. You want to look
Getting Trade Accounts as a New Interior Designer: What You Actually Need Read More »
You can love eclectic sourcing and still run a sustainable business. The key is to set up a procurement model that works even when trade discounts are thin, inconsistent, or nonexistent. You know the moment. You find the perfect vintage piece, the scale is right, the patina is right, the room finally clicks, and then
Cost Plus Isn’t Always Below Retail: Pricing Designer Procurement Beyond Trade Discounts Read More »
