Become An Interior Designer - Business Ideas

Updated: September 16th, 2022
Become An Interior Designer

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

Interior designing involves making indoor spaces safe, functional, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting essential & decorative items such as colors, lighting, and materials.

The global luxury interior design market is growing at a CAGR of 9.0%. The growth metrics show there is great potential for entrepreneurs targeting households.

If you are starting a luxury interior design business, focus on style and specialty. Add valuables with creative professions, such as interior design, so you stand out from the rest. Ensure you hire the right people and hone the brand identity.

Becoming an interior designer requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell interior designing services, or selling interior designing services online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Key Stats

market size
$14B
revenue (monthly)
$110K
starting costs
$11.7K
gross margin
90%
time to build
210 days
growth
Word of mouth
business model
Brick & Mortar
time investment
Full time

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Office Space Expenses

$0

$7,000

Employee & Freelancer Expenses

$150

$250

Website Costs

$223

$7,015

Business Formation Fees

$600

$4,700

Software Expenses

$162

$2,894

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$0

$1,400

Total Startup Costs

$1,135

$23,259

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

Interior Design Business School

idbs.online

188,725

ARCH

archedu.org

221,229

CCA

cca.edu

258,330

Hoagard.com

hoagard.com

335,454

decor8

decor8blog.com

397,031

Designers.org

designers.org

753,850

Amer Adnan Associates

ameradnan.com

943,864

Appello Interiors

appellointeriors.com

994,212

Interior Logic Group – The Nation's Leader in Design Studio

interiorlogicgroup.com

1,055,336

Cooper Carry

coopercarry.com

1,548,964

LMB Interiors

lmbinteriors.com

1,678,172

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Flexibility

You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own.

Ability to start your business from home

It's not necessary to have a physical storefront or office space to get your business started. You can do everything from the comfort of your own home, at least in the beginning!

Little startup costs required

The cost to start a interior designer costs significantly less money than most businesses, ranging anywhere from 62 to 23,259.

Rewarding work

Starting a interior designer can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.

Scalable

With businesses and processes changing daily, there will always be demand for new features, products and services for your business. Additionally, there are several different business models and pricing tiers you can implement that will allow you to reach all types of customers.

No overhead costs

To get your interior designer started, there are no costs associated with overhead, storage, packaging, etc. This will save you a lot of time and money!

Cons Description

Crowded Space

Competition is high when it comes to your interior designer, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.

Longer Sales Process

A interior designer can be a big time and money investment for your customer, so it's important you plan and predict a longer conversion funnel and stay in communication with potential customers.

Work can be inconsistent

As a interior designer, the amount of work assigned to you and schedule tends to be more inconsistent, which may make your income less stable. It's important to set boundaries and budget accordingly based on the amount of work you plan to have.

Lack of benefits

With a interior designer, you are typically self-employed and responsible for finding your own insurance, which can be quite costly and time-consuming.

Isolation

Often times, as a interior designer, you typically work alone and do not have much face-to-face interaction with other team members.

Taxes

As a interior designer, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.