5 Interior Design Business Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 9th, 2023
Start An Interior Design Business

Interior design involves decorating and furnishing interior spaces like homes and offices to make them functional, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing.

To start an interior design business on a budget, begin by offering consultations to advise clients on decorating their spaces, source budget-friendly furniture and materials from discount outlets, start with smaller projects like single rooms to build a portfolio and market your services on social media and by word-of-mouth referrals.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a interior design business:

1. Go! Organizer ($24K/year)

Dani Prado, an interior designer and professional organizer, came up with the idea for her business Go! Organizer when she realized the impact that an organized and aesthetically pleasing environment can have on people's lives. In 2020, when the Covid pandemic hit and she couldn't work in clients' homes anymore, she pivoted to offer online services and launched her business on the Fiverr platform, expanding her reach and transforming homes and lives around the world. Since then, she has been able to generate an average monthly revenue of $2K-$3K and has even started another company, Dani Prado CEO, to help new entrepreneurs structure their businesses.

How much they make: $24K/year
Current team size: 1

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How I Started A $3K/Month Interior Design And Organization Online Service

Dani Prado started Go! Organizer in 2015, offering personal and home organization services, but expanded to an online platform on Fiverr due to the COVID lockdown, which allowed her to serve clients worldwide and triple her average monthly revenue.

About
Dani started Go! Organizer almost 9 years ago
Revenue
Dani grew the business to $2K/month
Read by 1,883 founders

Learn more about starting an interior design business:

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start an interior design business?
-> Pros and cons of an interior design business

Need inspiration?

-> Examples of established interior design business
-> Marketing ideas for an interior design business
-> Interior design business names

Other resources

2. Ventana Surfboards & Supplies ($96K/year)

David Dennis, co-founder of Ventana Surfboards & Supplies, was inspired by his business partner's reclaimed and eco-friendly surfboards, leading them to launch an environmentally responsible surf company. Frustrated with the industry's pollution and unsustainable practices, they started small, marketed their unique products through compelling content and stories, and have seen success with their line of boards, apparel, and surf supplies. With tripled board values over the past three years and profitable operations from the start, they plan to continue growing their brand organically while giving back to ocean conservation organizations.

How much they make: $96K/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
Current team size: 0

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Growing A Business Selling Surfboards As Pieces of Art

Ventana Surfboards & Supplies co-founder David Dennis discusses their environmentally responsible surf company that has seen their boards triple in value over the last three years, and has grown a profitable eco-apparel line, focusing on compelling content and stories to attract customers.

About
David started Ventana Surfboards & Supplies almost 10 years ago
Revenue
David grew the business to $8K/month
Costs
It cost David $15000 to start the business
Read by 7,050 founders

3. Seriously Happy Homes ($480K/year)

Rebecca West, founder of Seriously Happy Homes, came up with the idea for her interior design business after going through a divorce and transforming her own home. She realized the power of interior design to create a fresh start and wanted to give others access to the tools and information they needed to transform their spaces. Through starting small, taking before and after pictures of her projects, and building relationships with vendors and contractors, she grew her business and now offers comprehensive design services that bring in an average revenue of $40k per month.

How much they make: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
Current team size: 2

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I Transformed My House After My Divorce And Started A $40K/Month Interior Design Business

Seriously Happy Homes, an interior design firm based in Seattle, uses their efficient design process to keep momentum in their projects, with average monthly revenue of $40k, without targeting the ultra-rich, and is shifting gears to focus on their virtual Design Helplines service and business coaching for interior designers.

About
Rebecca started Seriously Happy Homes over 16 years ago
Revenue
Rebecca grew the business to $40K/month
Costs
It cost Rebecca $2000 to start the business
Read by 1,916 founders