Design Contracts and Purchase Approvals for Interior Designers
Interior designers sell creativity and manage purchasing, which makes their contracts more complex than they look: design fees, hourly rates, product markups, deposits on custom furniture and a client who may change their mind about a sofa after it was ordered. Codec Document helps designers send clear contracts and get every purchase approval signed before the order is placed.
Custom orders that cannot be returned need written approval
The biggest financial risk for a designer is not the design fee. It is the custom sofa, the made-to-measure drapery or the special-order tile that the client approved verbally and then decided they did not like. Vendors do not accept returns on custom items, and a designer without a signed approval may end up paying for it. The same logic applies to how fees and markups are disclosed: surprises about pricing damage trust faster than any design decision.
How it helps interior designers
Design agreements with a clear fee structure
Flat fee, hourly rate or percentage, plus markup on products and the number of design revisions included.
Purchase approvals before ordering
Each custom item, with price, lead time and no-return terms, approved by the client signature before you place the order.
Proposals that become contracts
A branded proposal with the scope of the project that the client signs to approve.
Trade and contractor agreements
Installers, painters and workrooms sign agreements with your scope and schedule.
Interior design regulation varies by state
Most states do not require a license to practice decorating, but a few regulate the practice or the title of interior designer. Florida, for example, regulates interior design under Chapter 481, Part II, of the Florida Statutes, and Nevada and Louisiana also have licensing laws. Check your state rules before using a regulated title. Your client agreement, purchase approvals and vendor contracts can all be signed electronically under the ESIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001.
The velvet sofa
A designer in Los Angeles ordered a custom velvet sofa after the client approved the fabric in a meeting. Eight weeks later, the client said the color was wrong and refused to pay. The vendor would not accept the return. Since then, the designer sends every custom item as a purchase approval with a swatch photo, price and no-return clause, signed by the client before ordering. She has not been left holding a custom piece since.
What to put in writing with every client
- The scope of the project, room by room.
- The fee structure: flat, hourly or percentage, and the number of design revisions.
- How product pricing works, including any markup or trade discount passed through.
- Deposits on purchases, and that custom items cannot be returned.
- Who hires and pays installers and contractors.
- Photography rights for the finished project.
Questions people ask about this
Can clients approve purchases from their phones?
Yes. Send each approval as a document; the client reviews it and signs from their phone.
Can I include product photos in the approval?
You can include the product details and reference images in the document you send for approval.
Can I brand documents with my studio logo?
Yes. Your logo and studio details appear on every proposal and contract.
Can both homeowners sign?
Yes. Add both as signers and the approval completes when both sign.
How do I handle a client who wants to buy products directly?
State it in the design agreement. Some designers charge a flat design fee and let clients buy directly; others require purchasing through the studio. Either model works if the client agrees to it at the start. What causes friction is a client discovering a markup they were never told about, so disclose how product pricing works in writing.