22 Ways Interior Designers Can Generate Alternative Income
Interior Designers have mastered the art of creativity coupled with excellent project management skills. Their unique skillset gives them the ability to generate income outside of traditional interior design projects by applying their craft to other relevant endeavors. We asked Ivy Designers to share the different ways they generate additional revenue streams into their interior design business.
1. Offer E-Design services via Laurel & Wolf, Havenly, Decorist, Homepolish, or independently.
2. Re-purpose lightly used or vintage products and re-sell to clients as unique. Shop the local vintage and antique stores for quality pieces, re-finish/re-upholster them, and sell them as new.
3. Run a storefront to sell product retail and retain walk-in clients.
4. Style and decorate for clients’ holiday and party events. Shop for the special occasion according to your client’s budget and then charge an hourly rate to setup/stage for the event.
5. Create custom art on the side such as ceramics, indigo textiles, hanging pots, paintings, or furniture for custom projects that can be sold directly to clients or retail stores as well.
6. Are you an expert in a specific area of the business? Offer business coaching, host workshops, webinars, or other educational programming.
7. Offer in-home consultations with recommendations.
8. Work with distributors and reps directly.
9. Create rendering and drafting for clients or other interior designers.
10. Explore affiliate marketing opportunities.
11. Do you have a passion for branding? Guide other interior designers or creative entrepreneurs on the importance of defining your brand voice, brand identity brand tool kit.
12. Offer your graphic design skills to help other interior designers and other creative entrepreneurs create assets to utilize across all marketing platforms and collateral.
13. Buy homes, re-model them, and flip ’em!
14. Buy a home, renovate it, and then rent it.
15. Sell documents such as educational and resourceful guides, contracts and professional templates to other interior designers.
16. Provide CAD services to trade businesses such as custom cabinetry or millwork companies.
17. Put on your project management cap and offer your organizational services to builders if you have construction experience.
18. Purchase and expedite product on behalf of other interior designers.
18. Charge your client a flat fee for taking them shopping for the day. This allows a client to get to know you and your taste, and will certainly think of you moving forward for bigger projects.
19. Take on small Pinterest Board punch list-type consultations where the client actually does most of the sourcing.
20. Sell left-over accessories from bigger installs to other clients or people who are interested.
21. Help out a client with a move. Organize their belongings, unpack, and install, all the way down to the nitty gritty details including the linen closet and silverware. This way, when your client moves in, the space is ready to be lived in.
22. Stage furnished homes for sale and market those homes to realtors.
Here at Ivy, we’re more than just an interior design software. Our mission is to provide interior designers with the community, resources and tools needed to manage your business beautifully. Are you searching for a business management tool to help streamline your workflow as an interior designer?
