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Become an Interior Design Freelancer in 6 Easy Steps

Become an Interior Design Freelancer in 6 Easy Steps

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As technology makes more careers accessible, it allows the public a slew of rare and new opportunities. Among these is the frontier of freelancing. While this has nearly always existed – it’s how most companies started out, freelancing exists as a work for what you want to own enterprise. While many think of writing or editing, many individuals are also breaking into and becoming interior design freelancers. So, here are 6 tips to become an interior design freelancer

Do you Have Either the Skills or Passion?

Hint it’s mostly passion. As an enterprise don you have the gumption or ambition to fight through whatever problems face you. While skill and aptitude are sure to help, problems will appear and much as hunger is the best spice, necessity is the greatest motivator.

However, beyond the circumstantial, it will be the passion for the work that keeps the fight burning as other opportunities – likely easier opportunities come your way. However, it should be understood passion needs to extend beyond just the design.

  • Are you passionate about the business aspect
  • Can you manage the administrative tasks?
  • Are you a self-starter?

As a freelancer, you are a businessperson. Your goal, job, and lifestyle need to reflect the understanding that there is more to you than merely the design. Additionally, you are both willing and capable to handle the non-design aspects of this job.

Know the Role You are Filling

Any freelancer often comes in to do the work that a company has neither the time, resources, or necessity to scope a project out as a W-2 employee. A freelancer comes in specifically for this scope and often outcompetes other freelancers based on their rate, availability relative to the time frame, and clearcut skills.

Understanding this as well as the frame and rates that you will be filling often serve where the rubber meets the road, you will serve as the general contractor for hiring out bids and projects. You have to contact the individual for the windows, and cabinetry, find the fabric, and so on.

In many ways, given your funding and the scope of the job, this may serve as your chance to start scaling your business. Given the fact that your expertise in design will win over the account.

Secure the Account

Yet another business aspect of an interior design freelancer. Securing the account will rely heavily on your ability to sell yourself as a capable designer and administrator. You need to start by getting whatever work is gladly handed over to you. Use these successes to build up your portfolio and gain positive reviews and potential referrals. From here begin to work on networking and using the successes you’ve had to put yourself in a better place.

  • Marketing Skills
  • Networking
  • Referrals and Portfolio

Begin Drawing Up Designs and Subcontracting

This is the fun part where you actually get to do the interior decorating. Draw out the plans and know where you can go to get the aspects of these drawings fulfilled and delivered for the client. As a freelancer, you are largely on your own for how you fulfill the order. However, attaining quick drawing skills and several contacts on hand can create the turnaround necessary to lockdown temperamental accounts.

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Build a Solid Pipeline

This is essentially the ease and reliability of your subcontracting. You will need to have a good association with a contractor and likely a small crew with numerous connections across the different pertinent components. Think about whether you design kitchens, it will hold different supply needs than that of a living room or bedroom. This will also impact the backend relationships you have with your suppliers, specifically who they are and what service they are providing.

The better the relationship and greater the loyalty the more likely you will be to swing deals for repeat business. Additionally, any deliverable that you can have a smoother turnaround time with will deliver the best overall experience given that often one piece can hold up the entire process.

Finish

This is where your ability as a manager comes in as an interior design freelancer. Can you provide a design and see through all the moving pieces to finish and deliver the piece that was promised. Often when people get into interior design they think only of the front end. The meeting, the idea, the drawing, the pitch, and the reveal. The work will need to be done. Including the demolition.

Having solid relationships helps immensely. It provides trust that the needed supply will come when necessary? Additionally, a group of hardworking crewmen and women will be there to provide the trade skills necessary for the project. As this is your vision you will need to be the one running point, making the calls and overseeing the project as necessary to ensure the promised turnaround.

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