How to Invoice as an Interior Decorator
A step-by-step guide to decorator invoices: how to bill your design time, collect for furnishings before you order them, show what you buy for the client, and close out after installation.
As an interior decorator, you bill for two things: your own work, as a flat fee per room or project or by the hour, and the furnishings and decor you buy for the client. Put them on separate lines, and say in your agreement whether you add a markup to purchases, so a price that differs from a store's doesn't surprise the client.
If you record a purchase for a client as an expense in Billed, Billed's help article on creating an invoice says: "If there are any unbilled expenses of a particular client, you can add these expenses to the client's next invoice. The expense will appear as a line item in the invoice." Billed's help article on creating an expense adds: "Turn on the 'Markup' option to add markup at an expense."
Worked example, using sample figures and leaving out tax: a living room project has a design fee of 900.00, a sofa bought for the client at 2,000.00 with a 15% markup of 300.00 = 2,300.00, and an installation and styling day of 400.00. The total is 900.00 + 2,300.00 + 400.00 = 3,600.00. The client pays it in two parts through a payment schedule: 50% (1,800.00) before ordering and 50% (1,800.00) after installation.
Step-by-step invoicing guide
- 1
Set your fee basis in the agreement
Write down whether you charge per room, per project or by the hour, and whether purchases carry a markup and how much.
- 2
Bill the design fee first
Invoice the consultation or design concept when you deliver it, before you start buying for the client.
- 3
Collect for furnishings before you order
Ask for payment, or a set share of it, for items you're about to order, so you aren't carrying the client's purchases. A payment schedule in Billed can set each payment's amount and due date.
- 4
List each purchase on its own line
Name the item, the room and the vendor, and show the price under the terms in your agreement.
- 5
Keep track of back-orders
Note items still on order, and bill any balance for them when they're delivered.
- 6
Bill installation and styling with your fees
The installation day is your work, not a purchase, so show it as a separate line next to your design fee. Billed's help article on creating an invoice says: "Click 'Add a Line Item' and fill this section to charge against new items and services."
Tips for interior decorator invoicing
- Name the room on each line, so a whole-house client can see what each room cost.
- Record client purchases as billable expenses. Billed's help article on creating an expense says: "Now, select an existing client to bill the expense."
- Keep the vendor's receipt for each item you buy for the client.
- If a vendor raises a price after the estimate, tell the client before you bill the new figure.
- Put the installation date on the final invoice.
Common invoicing mistakes to avoid
- Mixing your design fee and the furnishings into one total
- Placing large orders before any payment has come in
- Adding a markup the agreement doesn't mention
- Losing track of back-ordered items, so they don't get billed
- Billing purchases with no room or vendor named
How this works in Billed
Estimates the client approves
Billed's help center article on estimates says: "You can make an estimate and then send it to your client. Your client can approve it to proceed further." Billed's invoice software page then explains how to "convert an approved estimate into an invoice".
Purchases on the next invoice
Billed's help article on creating an invoice says: "If there are any unbilled expenses of a particular client, you can add these expenses to the client's next invoice. The expense will appear as a line item in the invoice."
Markup on an expense
Billed's help article on creating an expense says: "Turn on the 'Markup' option to add markup at an expense. Now, add a percentage of markup."
Payments in parts
Billed's help article on payment schedules says: "A payment schedule lets you add a payment plan to the invoices." The steps include: "Choose a suitable option among percentage or flat amount." and "Fill out the payment amount and due date of each payment."
Card and offline payments
Billed's invoice software page says: "Connect your Stripe account and every invoice you send gets a pay button, so clients can pay by card." It also says: "When a client pays by check or cash, record it as an offline payment so all your income is in one place."
Frequently asked questions
Start Invoicing With Billed
Set up your account and send your first invoice with Billed.
At a glance
| Part of the project | On the invoice |
|---|---|
| Design consultation | Flat fee per room or project, or hours |
| Furnishings you buy | One line per item, with the room and vendor |
| Markup | As set in your agreement |
| Back-orders | Noted, then billed on delivery |
| Installation day | A separate line with your fees |
When this isn't for you
If a design firm or retailer invoices the client for your work, these invoices aren't yours to send.