Interior designers plan and furnish residential and commercial spaces, from a single room refresh to a full renovation. They bill for design time, concept and drawing packages, product sourcing and purchasing, and project management through install day. Most are solo or run small studios, and their invoices often mix professional fees with client-owned furniture and materials purchases.
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Interior designers use several models, and many combine them. Hourly billing is common for consultations, small projects, and add-on work. Flat fees are used for defined deliverables such as a room design package, a space plan, or an e-design service, often priced per room. Full-service projects are sometimes billed as a percentage of the total project cost (often 10-30%) or as a flat fee split into phases such as concept, design development, and procurement. Product is handled either by charging clients retail with a trade discount kept as markup, by charging cost plus a procurement fee (often 15-35%), or by billing a separate purchasing fee. Whatever the mix, keep design fees and product purchases on separate lines. Many designers collect a retainer up front and require full payment for furnishings before placing orders.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Initial consultation | per hour | $100-250 |
| Design services (hourly) | per hour | $75-250 |
| E-design room package | flat fee per room | $300-1,500 |
| Full-service room design | flat fee per room | $2,000-8,000 |
| Space planning and layout | flat fee | $500-3,000 |
| Product sourcing and procurement | percent of product cost | 15-35% |
| Project management and install day | per hour | $60-150 |
| Assistant or junior designer time | per hour | $40-100 |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living room design: concept board, space plan, and furniture selections (Phase 1, 50% of $4,800 flat fee) | 1 flat fee | $2,400.00 | $2,400.00 |
| Sourcing visits to showrooms and trade vendors | 4 hours | $125.00 | $500.00 |
| Custom drapery and window treatment specification and measurements | 3 hours | $125.00 | $375.00 |
| Procurement fee on furnishings ordered (25% of $9,200 product total) | 1 flat fee | $2,300.00 | $2,300.00 |
| Fabric and finish samples, shipping and courier | 1 flat fee | $85.00 | $85.00 |
| Total | $5,660.00 | ||
Notes: Furniture and materials are invoiced separately on purchase orders and require 100% payment before ordering. Payment due within 14 days. Custom and special-order items are non-cancellable and non-refundable once ordered. A 1.5% monthly fee applies to overdue balances.
Design projects run for months in phases, and clients need to match each invoice to the stage of work and the original proposal.
Separating professional services from furniture purchases avoids confusion and may matter for sales tax, since many states tax goods but treat design services differently. Check your local rules.
Clear item details prevent disputes when a fabric, finish, or size arrives and the client says it is not what they approved.
If you buy product wholesale for resale to clients, you generally need a resale certificate, and you may need to collect sales tax on the items. Rules vary by state.
Freight and warehouse fees can be large on furniture orders and should be itemized so they are not mistaken for markup.
Shows how prior payments reduce the current amount, which matters on long projects with several invoices.
Custom upholstery, rugs, and window treatments are usually non-returnable, and restating this on the invoice protects you if a client changes their mind.
Most designers collect a retainer or first-phase payment before starting, commonly 25-50% of the design fee or a flat amount such as $1,000-5,000 for larger projects. Design fees are then billed at phase milestones or monthly. Furniture and materials are typically paid in full, or at least 50% for large orders, before the designer places purchase orders, since many vendors require payment up front for custom goods. Invoices for design time are commonly due in 7-14 days. Late fees of 1-1.5% per month are common if stated in your contract. Clients usually pay by check, ACH, or credit card; if you accept cards, decide whether to pass processing fees on to the client on large product purchases, and confirm that is allowed in your state.
Never place a custom order on your own credit. Get full payment, or at minimum a large deposit, before the purchase order goes out. A client who walks away from a custom sofa leaves you holding the cost.
Send a design fee invoice and a separate product invoice or purchase order. It keeps your income clear, simplifies sales tax handling, and prevents a large furniture total from hiding what your time is worth.
Log hours against each project. Revisions, extra meetings, and added rooms creep in. Records let you bill additional work at your hourly rate and help you price future flat fees realistically.
State how many rounds of changes are included in each phase, such as two revisions to the concept board. Bill extra rounds hourly so the scope does not expand without payment.
Decide whether you charge retail, cost plus, or a separate fee, and state it in the agreement. Clients who understand the structure at the start rarely question it at invoice time.
Use hourly for consultations, small or uncertain projects, and add-on work. Use flat fees when the scope is clear, such as a room design package. Many designers use a flat fee for design and bill procurement and project management separately.
Either invoice the client for the items at retail price, which includes your markup, or bill at cost and add a procurement fee. Itemize each product with vendor and item details, and collect payment before ordering.
It depends on the state. Many states tax the sale of furniture and goods, and some also tax design services or the design portion of a bundled sale. Check with your state tax agency or an accountant, and itemize fees and product separately.
Your contract and invoice should state that custom items are non-refundable and that you may hold delivery until paid. Getting paid before ordering avoids most of this problem. If it happens, follow your contract terms and consider demand letters or small claims court.
Yes, if your agreement says so. Many designers bill sourcing, showroom visits, and site visits at their hourly rate, and some charge a reduced rate or mileage for travel. Spell this out before the project starts.
Send a Interior Designer estimate for approval, then turn it into an invoice when the work is done.
Interior Designer estimate template