Richmond-based designer Jill Erwin marks 20 years in business with a rebrand and a clear message: stop adjusting your numbers and say the rate out loud. She and Laurie discuss pricing tiers, contract essentials, space planning philosophy, and what two decades in the trade actually teaches you.
When a GC tries to take over purchasing, it’s not just about commissions. Here’s how to protect your scope, profit, and design intent with clear scripts.
GC Wants to Buy Everything? Here’s How Designers Protect Scope and Profit Read More »
Set an interior design project minimum that protects your time and profit, with a calculation framework, scripts, and guidance on posting it to your website.
Interior Design Project Minimums: What to Set and 4 Key Scripts How to Say It Read More »
Real designer rates and a practical framework for new construction pricing, when PSF works, when it breaks, and how to mix flat fee, hourly, and retainers.
How Much Do Designers Charge Per Square Foot for New Construction? Read More »
A short complimentary phone screen, a paid in-home visit, verbal direction only, and in-person contract review. This framework increases close rates and protects your time.
Pricing the Interior Design Consultation: 4 Steps to Turn Inquiries Into Clients Read More »
To-The-Trade Episode Summary Maria Khouri grew up in Beirut during Lebanon’s 15-year civil war, moving 12 times in 10 years. She has spent her career making homes in San Francisco that feel like exactly that: home. Her boutique firm handles high-end residential work across the US and into Europe, and her commercial clients hire her
Having your stocking dealer status revoked stings. Whether you walk, negotiate, or find a workaround depends on a few factors worth careful consideration. You get the email, or maybe a call from your rep. Your purchasing didn’t hit the minimum last year, and the vendor is reclassifying your account. The pricing tier you’ve been using
Vendor Revoked Your Stocking Dealer Status? When Interior Designers Should Walk Away Read More »
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 »
