As an aspiring interior designer, you probably spend a significant amount of your time trying to secure clients. Hence, whenever anyone displays curiosity in your interior design facilities, you’ll want to impress them with an enticing proposal. But, what’s the way to create one?
Whether you’re new in the interior design business or you’re trying to improve your current practices for writing interior design project proposals, here are tips that can come in handy:
Master Your Business and Interior Design Services
Before you begin creating an interior design proposal, make sure you have defined your services beforehand, their scope and, of course, your charges. Without any of these, you will not be able to make a realistic, worthwhile interior design proposal, let alone a tempting one.
Know Your Prospective Client
Your goal should be to create an interior design proposal that your potential client can’t refuse. For this to happen, you first need to know as many relevant things about them as possible – their aesthetic, their lifestyle, and, for commercial projects, their business. Obviously, you can’t satisfy a prospective client with your work unless you know what satisfies them in the first place. The idea is to know what’s important to them, their wants and needs, and everything that will clue you in on the results they’re looking for.
Again, for commercial interior design clients, take advantage of the Internet in looking for information. You may even impress your potential client when they learn that you’ve done your homework. Also, maximize your meeting by avoiding questions or subjects that have already been covered on their website or social channels.
Speaking of questions, you do need to ask them – plenty of them – so you can make a comprehensive and well-targeted interior design proposal. For example, what are your expectations? Do you have any specific ideas that you want to incorporate in the interior design? What is your goal or goals for embarking on this project? Make sure these questions are included in your interior design proposal template.
If you’re dealing with a company or business, ask them more or less the same things – what are your goals and expectations, do you have any particular interior design elements that you want to add, what do you hope to achieve after this project, and so on.
Certainly, you should find out when they want to start the project when they want it done, and how much they plan to spend on the job. This part is particularly helpful when you want to know where your potential client is in the planning process. Perhaps they already have an idea about what they want to do with the interior design, or maybe they’re totally starting from ground zero. How much detail they provide can necessitate more questions from you, or you may want them to go back and clarify a few things.
Sometimes, the answers they provide will lead to more questions, and you shouldn’t hesitate to ask those. You may learn more than what you had hoped to – for example, maybe they have friends or relatives who may also need your help.
Provide All Critical Details in Your Interior Design Proposal
As soon as you have all the important information for the project, you can begin drawing up your interior design proposal. The secret is to provide all the details the potential client needs to make a decision. This can be as simple as putting your name and contact information on the document.
Very importantly, summarize the coverage of your interior design services, and make it as simple as possible. No need for fancy words. In fact, the more straightforward you are in explaining what you plan to do and when the better for both sides.
Make sure you also add a timeline with milestones showing the key steps you have to take to complete the job. Your project may have several minor milestones, but to keep things easy for you and the other party, add only those that are most important to them.
Be Clear About the Fees
Obviously, you need to include the fees for your interior design services, along with the payment terms and schedule. Be sure to indicate the total price and a breakdown of the costs if suitable in your interior design proposal.
Let’s say you’re charging $5000 for your services. You should clearly state that the cost of furniture and accessories is not included. If you and the client agreed that you will be paid a fixed rate, there is no need to break down the fees.
If you’re charging a per-hour-fee, you can make a list of each major part of the project alongside the time required for you to complete it. And, if you require an upfront fee before the start of the project, which is the common practice, include it in your interior design proposal. Also add a provision that says the balance should be paid as soon as the job is completed.
As expected, how much those fees will be and the payment terms to be followed will be your decision to make. And if you have any specific terms that you want to include, go right ahead. For example, if you want furniture and accessory purchases to be paid with credit, say so.
Also be specific about what happens when certain things do not turn out as agreed, such as the project dragging well beyond the deadline. Before finalizing your interior design proposal, look into special terms that you might be able to use.
By the end of the interior design proposal, give your potential client a crystal clear idea of what you want to do. You can ask for their signature electronically too if necessary. If you want them to sign only on the contract itself, tell them they can reply to your email with a small note saying that your proposal has been approved.
Fine-tune Your Interior Design Proposal Through Time
Lastly, no matter the details involved with the project, make it a point to get feedback from the client. Make a template based on your first successful interior design proposal and simply personalize it according to the next client’s project specifications.
In the end, you may feel like writing an interior design proposal is so daunting, especially if you’re a newbie. But as long as you spend time doing your research early on, you can come up with something well thought-out and which highlights your talents, skills and experience.
If you’re new in the trade, it shouldn’t be a problem either as long as you’re fully transparent about it. You can still win clients as long as you have an attractive proposal, can explain it well, and show professionalism in every way. We all have to start somewhere.
Blogging has the capability to automatically attract new clients to your interior design business.
But it’s not easy.
You need to master a few things to maximise it’s potential including SEO, email marketing as well as audience engagement if you’re an interior designer looking to start a blog.
To help you get the most out of your interior design blog I asked the shortlisted blogs for the Amara Interior Blog Awards to give their best advice for interior design blogging.
Let’s get stuck in…
Know Your Audience
“When writing an interior design blog, it’s crucial to have a solid handle on your audience. Staying on top of the latest design trends matters, but so too does understanding what your audience is looking for at any given time.
It’s important to know their demographic and purchasing patterns, as well as what they find interesting. Here at VIGO, we ask questions like, “Does our audience want a “How-to install your single handle faucet” article or would hey prefer a longer-form review on high-end farmhouse sinks. Another must when blogging for and interior designer is to pair practicality with what we call the “pretty vibe.”
Yes, your kitchen/bathroom/shower space must look beautiful, but it also has to function optimally. Weaving in both elements will bring your blog readers the most value.” – Elinor Cohen, VIGO
“Blogging in the interior design world is equal parts knowing yourself and knowing your audience.
There must be a fine balance between showcasing your passions and meeting the needs of your readers. Within this world, it can be so tempting to jump on every design trend, but this will water down your content until you no longer stand out from the crowd.
Your audience will be able to tell when your authenticity is lacking. Connection, conversation and community are just as important in the blogging world as having high-quality design content to share.” – Sarah Symonds, Grace in My Space
“My best piece of advice for an interior design blog is to really know who you are trying to reach! Your style can evolve and change over time, and therefore, your readers will as well.
However, you need to make sure that you are continuously answering your audience’s questions and solving their pain points!
Don’t be afraid to ask them what they need help with and what they want to hear about from you. Know who you are trying to reach and connect with them! A newsletter is a great way to get to know your readers!” – Rebecca Celhar, Hello Central Avenue
Inform & Entertain Your Readers
“I think the main trick for every blog, whether it is centred around interior design or not, is to make sure that what you are creating is interesting, informative or funny – ideally all three simultaneously.
More specifically for blogs relating to interiors, it is important to establish your particular style, every interior designer has a style – it might be adaptable but it’s what defines you and the same should be true of a blog.” – Isabella Blyth Currie, OKA
Go In-Depth To Showcase Your Projects & Process
“Truly share your design with your readers. This means not just the pretty pics that you get once your project is complete, but the process of how you came about that design.
The clients’ specific requirements, the potential and the limitations of the space and the vision you have for it, all go hand in hand into giving you the final outcome. Pinterest is for pretty pics.
Sharing the process behind the pics makes your blog a go-to for design lovers.” – Rittika Chokhany, Ariyona Interior
“I’ve been blogging for a few years now and I realized that sharing my work was a great way to use the blog platform. If you’re an interior designer or stylist, use your work as content for your blog.
Share tips and tricks from your work in a blog post. It will be more relatable to people and also a great way to get clients from that.
“Having started our interior design business out of a passion for all things homes, our blog started for the same reason. We wanted to give people more detail about our own home projects, client projects and advice taken from our years of renovating homes.
Our tip, therefore, would be to write your blog posts about topics you are passionate about and have genuine experience in. This will engage and resonate more with readers.” – Beth & Jon Miller, Fresh Start Living
Own Your Niche
“Being crowned the Best Design Inspiration Blog 2019 in the Oscars of the Interior Blog Awards – the Amara Interior Blogging Awards was an absolute honour as we are a little different to many other interiors blogs – we discuss interior design, furniture and décor you spot in your favourite films.
My advice would be to find a distinct angle and tone of voice – find a niche which makes you stand out. Talk about what you do with passion and integrity, and also commit to regular posts and use social media to spread the word!” – Paula Benson, FilmandFurniture.com
“I think it is important to choose an angle that you really enjoy and feel passionate about. Blogging is a time-consuming endeavour and if you don’t love it, you may find it hard to keep it up.
Secondly, at times you might feel out of your depth cause there are so many good blogs out there. Don’t fret. The time you put in will only help you get better.
Don’t look at other blogs as competition, use them as inspiration to guide you towards your own authentic voice.” – Barbara Cilliers, SoonAfternoon
“With SO many interior design blogs out in the world, the best advice I can give is to have a niche and stick to it.
For readers to love your content, and to keep coming back – they need to know exactly what they can expect from you/your blog.
That way, those who are equally passionate about your interior design niche will seek you out and happily spend their online time with you!” – Delali Foli, Decor by Delali
“My biggest tip for interior bloggers is to find your “niche,” what you’re good at and what you love and really expand on that. Figure out what is unique to you and always be mindful of what your readers are expecting from you.
Stay true to yourself and your style and don’t veer too far from it. My other big piece of advice is to find like-minded bloggers in the same niche and share ideas, inspiration and knowledge.” – Lindsey Manning, Repurpose & Upcycle
Solve Real Problems
“Help your readers solve an interior design problem. While it’s always fun to share a room makeover or interior design inspiration, the posts on my blog that have resonated the most with my readers are those that address a widely felt design dilemma, such as styling built-in shelves and finding your design style.
I try to be open and honest about how I also struggled with these interior design challenges and then give easy to follow steps on how I tackled them. At the end of the day, I want my readers to feel that a thoughtfully designed home is within their reach.” – Olivia Weisman, Our Hammock House
“My advice to anyone with an interior design blog is to make sure every blog you write offers your readers a solution to a problem. Make sure it’s achievable to the masses too! If it was a problem for you, chances are it will be a problem your readers are trying to solve too!
A bit of honesty also goes a long way in this slightly rose-tinted online world! People warm to honesty so don’t be afraid to add a little humour to your blog with a bit of reality!” – Kirsty, Greenbank Interiors
Be You
”I would say the best piece of advice I would have for an interior design blog is being consistent and also yourself.
There are so many interior blogs out there so your returning readers will come back to your blog because of you as well as your interior advise. If you make it personal it will be more relatable for people to read and enjoy.” – Aoife Maria, Style So Simple
“If I had to give just one piece of advice to start blogging, it would be to be true to yourself.
I know it sounds cliché, but that’s actually helpful in practice too!
To start with, building your blog on a topic you’re really passionate about will make it easier for you to write in the long run and more pleasant for others to read (yes, passion somehow shines through words!)
Also, it will make it a dab easier to overcome the hard times that – whether we like it or not – will happen along the way.
So I’d say, take some time to think before you start and then focus on the one area of interior design you love the most! Good Luck!” – Silvia Ceria, D for Design
“If I had a thousand homes, each one would be different. Yet, when it comes to blogging about interiors, it’s imperative that I don’t lose sight of my perspective.
You see, I think you need to know where you come from and where you’re going. You also need to polish your creativity and use your knowledge and experience gained over the years from this ever-changing design industry.
That’s the only way to stay true to yourself and consistent to your aesthetic values, in order to find that voice of yours that sets you apart from others.” – Velvet Karatzas, TE ESSE
“The best advice, that I wish that someone had given me when I was starting out, is to just be yourself. I started out by researching other interior bloggers; what they wrote about, how they wrote, their style.
It was probably the worst thing to do, as initially that changed my approach to writing and it didn’t sound authentic. I soon realized that the best way forward was not to follow what others do, but to write about the things that interest me and do it in my way, grow my own style and express it in my own voice. Try not to get caught up in questioning yourself and don’t overthink it.
The best writing comes naturally when you are in flow. I find that so long as a piece is entertaining and or educational then people will enjoy reading it.” – Paula Fay Evans, The Curious Designer
Instil Trust In your Audience
“There’s a well-known quote from William Morris that a lot of Interior Designers use and I’d like to update that with “have nothing on your blog that you wouldn’t be prepared to have in your home.
Promote only that which you know to be beautiful or useful and which is genuinely tried and tested by yourself so you can be true and honest with your readers”.
Let’s be influencers who create magic and atmosphere and show the way in making a home a personal haven, a retreat from the outside world.
Instil trust in your audience so you can lead them to explore their own creativity and not be afraid to play with ideas, they will thank you for it.” – Janice Issitt, Janice Issitt Life and Simple
Write About What Your Love
“In my Random Treasure blog I like to write about the objects which adorn my house, all bought second-hand in local charity shops and salerooms. I don’t accept sponsorship or advertising and write strictly for the joy of it.
My advice to those with an interior blog: blog about what you love, don’t get caught up with fashions, fads or trends, ignore what others say and do. Do your research and write real stories about your own object choices or style.
Show your excitement and pleasure with the things you choose to have around you. And never compromise your writing style and punctuation.” – Roger Stewart, Random Treasure
Keep It Visual
“My top tips for blogging in the interior & design niche are simple. Keep it as informative, yet brief and visual as possible.
My audience especially is following for projects that can be DIY’ed and items that fit ‘the every day family/ person’ that is not out of reach financially and time-input wise.
Always be transparent, if a project or DIY, for example, did not turn out as desired and offer other solutions or ‘what I would do the next time’, to save your audience also time and money.” – Christin Haussmann, Earthly Urban Interiors
Always Be Honest
“My advice for someone starting or wanting to start an interior design blog, don’t be scared to say exactly what you think, people love raw honesty and it also gives a better idea of you as a person. The more honest you are in your writing the more the reader will connect with you.
Consistency is key, try to keep your posts and ‘look’ consistent, whether that’s using your own images or stock images, try to keep them all of a similar style to keep your website looking cohesive.” – Paul Harrison, Design & Beyond
Consistency Is Key
“Content is fundamental and we all know it.
Content needs to be original but also tailored to what people like, not exclusively on what you like.
Your job is to inform and inspire others.
The look of your blog is very important too. You can get the most beautiful flowers but if the vase is ugly, the content looks less attractive.
Persistence is also a key to blogging. Persistence means that you have to be consistent in publishing, as well as being patient because building an audience can take years.” – Elena Giavarini, +Deco
“I opened my blog in 2017 and what I’ve learned so far is that being consistent in publishing new posts is one of the keys to a blog’s success.
I know it can be very demanding, especially if blogging is not a full-time job, but my advice is to publish at least one post per week.
It is essential to have your own recognizable style, differentiate yourself from other blogs and create interesting content. But all this matters little if the blog has few readers.
By consistently publishing new posts, you create contents that generate traffic to the blog, increase your chances to get new readers and to also have more returning visitors.” – Mariana Bettinelli, Interior Notes
Edit, Edit, Edit
“You should spend as much time editing an article as you did writing it. It can sometimes be hard to come up with new content.
My advice is just get started by putting whatever thread of an idea you have down on paper and keep writing. Get all of your thoughts down and don’t worry too much about the flow of the piece.
Once you have a good body of text it’s time to edit. You’ll find that paragraphs and sentences move around and some get cut altogether. Be ruthless, it’s the editing that makes all the difference.” – Denise O’Connor, Optimise Home
Be Prepared For The Long Haul
“There are a few things to take into consideration before jumping on the blog bandwagon. Some people think blogging is a breeze but it does take up quite a bit of time, research and dedication so before firing away make sure you have set yourself some time aside to do a bit of planning.
There is nothing more important than being regular when it comes to posting so don’t get overexcited and say you are going to post four times a month when realistically you know you probably could only manage to post one or two times a month. Stick to your plan and then your audience will be prepared for your content.
Another tip of mine is to keep it real when writing your posts. Imagine yourself as a consumer and what you would want to read about. I do this a lot when writing content for my blog as I want to create engaging posts. Give it a go and get writing!” – Nicole Burnett, Wise Owl Interiors
Be Original
“With so many interior design bloggers these days, how do you fit in? Don’t feel overwhelmed or that you’re repeating what others have already blogged about as everyone has their own interpretation, their own voice, and their own style.
The best advice for blogging in the interior design world is: be original! Honestly, it sounds so simple and self-explanatory but using your own words and your own photography will go a long way.
If you’re just starting out, don’t feel stuck with trying to make everything perfect, just start! Also if your photographs aren’t perfect don’t be tempted to use stock photography, we can all tell! Stock photography doesn’t feel genuine and you instantly disconnect to the reader! Your own iPhone photos will be better than stock photography in the long run.
When it comes to picking topics to start with blogging about things you already know or projects that you have recently completed. You want to build authority and trust with your readers that you know what you’re talking about. It’s also good to understand what your blog is really about!
Meaning are you giving DIY tips, are you trend reporting, are you doing styling sessions, etc. This understanding will help you through your topics and help you stay focused when actually blogging. It would also be a great heading on your bi-line!
Overall the best advice for interiors blogging is to know your message, be original and JUST START! “ – Jenna + Mariana, Interior Fox
“My tip when it comes to blogging in the interior world is to stay true to you and find your own niche. By carefully selecting a niche and focus on your individual style, it will help you stand out from the crowd.
What is your passion? If you write about something you are feeling passionate about it will shine through in the content you create.
On my blog, for instance, I talk about Scandinavian interior and lifestyle, and by choosing a name that correlates with this (That Scandinavian Feeling) new readers will quickly know what it is about. “ – Ingrid Opstad, That Scandinavian Feeling
Wow. Some truly amazing tips from the best bloggers and interior designers in the industry. A massive thank you to all of the contributors who took the time to share their most impact factors in their own blogging success that can help you, my readers.
We regularly encourage Shutterbug readers to step outside their comfort zone and experiment with unfamiliar techniques to capture attention-grabbing photos that stand out from the crowd. If you’re willing to try something different, this quick tutorial from the My Photo Journey YouTube channel is a great place to start.
The technique known as “high key photography” is an evocative style that accentuates bright white tones and sometimes colors for a very dramatic look. It’s a method that’s accessible to shooters of all skill levels who understand how it’s done, and the goal of this tutorial is guiding you through the straightforward process.
This approach is often accomplished in the studio where a photographer has ultimate control over lighting. But today’s unnamed instructor explains everything you need to know for mimicking this unique style when shooting outdoors when available light is far less predictable and often changes by the minute.
While watching the lesson keep in mind that there’s a big difference between high key and overexposed. Throughout the lesson you’ll learn the key exposure settings, how to choose an appropriate subject, and the best way to employ natural light to achieve the luminous dreamy effect that makes high-key images so powerful.
You’ll quickly discover that this is a versatile technique for a wide variety of genres; namely, everything from capturing unique environmental portraits and striking flowers to macro photography, wildlife life subjects, and much more.
Some photographers think high key images must be in monochrome, but that’s hardly the case. In fact today’s demonstration shot is a vibrant red berry on a bramble bush that was photographed on a bright, sunny day. In any case, you’ll want to deemphasize any shadows in the scene, even though they “can be very important for adding drama to the shot and help tell a story.”
The instructor moves in close with a standard 50mm lens (not a macro) and shoots at maximum aperture to isolate his lone subject from the surrounding twigs. Then he waits patiently for a group of white fluffy clouds to float by, because these will become the background for his shot.
The instructor is shooting almost directly into the sun so he uses spot metering on the berry as the clouds become a super-bright backdrop. The portion of the berry facing the camera is in shadow, but that’s an easy exposure problem to solve by following the step-by-step instructions in this lesson.
Are you struggling to capture consistently sharp images in the camera without resorting to post processing? If so, the video below from the Photo Genius YouTube channel will explain how to solve most common focusing problems in barely 10 minutes.
Instructor Paul Farris is an Australian pro specializing in tutorials, shooting tips, and gear reviews for evolving photographers. In this episode he explains how to take your photos from blurry to brilliant by using the correct camera settings, along with a few straightforward techniques that he’s developed over the past 16 years..
What you’ll learn applies to whatever digital camera you own and will work wonders for all genres of photography. His approach is to discuss common amateur mistakes, and then “show you how the pros do it.”
He discusses the camera modes he recommends for photographers of all skill levels—beginning with the Program setting. There are a couple important visual and audible signals that confirm when focus is attained regardless of the mode you select, and it’s important to understand how they work.
Farris illustrates his recommended settings with Nikon, Canon, Sony, and Fujifilm cameras, but don’t worry if you use another brand; you may just have to dig into the menu or look at a different place on the body to find the settings, switches, or physical buttons discussed. He suggests starting with the AF setting that’s typically identified as “One-Shot” or “AF-S.”
One basic concern is when the point of sharp focus in an image isn’t where you intend it to be. Farris says this happens “because cameras have a tendency to focus on what’s closest to the camera, rather than on subjects that are further away. You’re in luck if this is your problem because it’s super easy to fix by configuring the camera with the focus point(s) appropriate to the task at hand.
Farris explains the various options available and exactly how they work. Then he moves on to other key settings and methods of shooting so you’ll never have to worry about soft images again. His popular YouTube channel demystifies other frequent problems, so be sure to take a close look.
