What should an interior design invoice include?

Your business details, an invoice number, invoice date, payment terms and due date, and who you're billing. Name the project and the phase you're billing. Then list design fees, purchases at cost with the vendor for each, and reimbursable expenses in separate sections. Add the purchasing fee and any sales tax, deduct any retainer you're applying, and finish with the amount due, how to pay and notes on how you bill purchases and expenses.

Should I bill furnishings at cost plus a fee or at a marked-up price?

Either works; it's a business decision, and the design agreement should say which you use before you order anything. This template bills purchases at the vendor's cost and adds a purchasing fee as a percentage of them, with the rate in its own cell. To bill at your own selling price instead, enter your prices, rename the column and set the fee rate to 0%.

How do I show the retainer on the invoice?

Put the amount you're applying on the "Less: retainer applied" line, below the total. The amount due is the total minus that credit, and a billing note can say when the retainer was received. If your agreement holds the retainer until the final invoice, set the line to 0.00 until then.

What counts as a reimbursable expense?

Whatever your design agreement says the client pays for on top of your fees, such as samples, freight and delivery, mileage for site visits or printing. List each with its date and cost, and keep the receipts. The sample bills them at cost with no fee added.

Do I charge sales tax on furniture I buy for a client?

It depends on where you work, and the answer can differ for the furnishings, a purchasing fee and design fees. In California, the CDTFA's guide for interior designers says fees directly related to furnishings you sell are taxable, and that a separately stated fee on goods billed at cost is taxable unless part of it is clearly for nontaxable professional services. Elsewhere, check the rules where you work. The template's tax line starts at 0% and covers purchases only.

Can a flat design fee and hourly work go on the same invoice?

Yes. Put the flat fee on one line with 1 phase as the quantity, and the hourly work on separate lines with the hours and your rate, as the sample does. Your agreement should say which work the flat fee covers, so the hourly lines are expected.

Should I send the vendor invoices with my invoice?

That's up to you and your agreement. If you bill purchases at cost, offering copies of the vendor invoices lets the client check the costs; the sample's billing notes say they're available on request.

Interior Design Invoice Template

Bill a client for design fees by phase or by the hour, furnishings bought at cost with a purchasing fee, reimbursable expenses and the retainer you already hold, then download it as an editable Word or Excel file or a blank PDF to print

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Quick answer:This interior design invoice is for a designer billing a client for one phase of a project. Design fees go in their own section, as a flat fee per phase or hours at an hourly rate. Furnishings bought for the client are listed at the vendor's cost, with a purchasing fee charged as a percentage of them, and reimbursable expenses such as samples, freight and mileage are billed at cost. A retainer already received is deducted as "Less: retainer applied" before the amount due, and an optional sales tax line covers purchases. It comes as a Word (.docx) or Excel (.xlsx) file with sample details, and as a blank PDF to print. The page explains flat and hourly design fees, the two ways to bill furnishings, retainers, and sales tax, with California as a sourced example.

INTERIOR DESIGN INVOICE

Designer

Business name:: Example Interiors Studio
Address:: 120 Example Avenue, Suite 5, Sampletown
Phone / email:: [Phone or email]

Invoice details

Invoice no.:: ID-2052
Invoice date:: Nov 30, 2026
Payment terms:: Net 15
Due date:: Dec 15, 2026
Project no.:: P-118

Bill to (client)

Client name:: Jordan Example
Address:: 45 Sample Heights, Sampletown
Email:: [Email]

Project

Project:: Living room and dining room redesign
Project address:: Same as the billing address
Phase billed:: Design development and purchasing
Design agreement:: Signed Sep 8, 2026

Design fees

Description: Design development phase, flat feeAmount: 3,200.00
Qty:
1
Unit:
phase
Rate:
3,200.00
Description: Lighting plan revisionsAmount: 900.00
Qty:
6
Unit:
hour
Rate:
150.00
Description: Site visits and vendor coordinationAmount: 675.00
Qty:
4.5
Unit:
hour
Rate:
150.00

Design fees: line items
Description	Qty	Unit	Rate	Amount
Design development phase, flat fee	1	phase	3,200.00	3,200.00
Lighting plan revisions	6	hour	150.00	900.00
Site visits and vendor coordination	4.5	hour	150.00	675.00

Design fees subtotal4,775.00

Purchases at cost

Item: Sofa, 88 in., performance fabricAmount: 3,450.00
Vendor:
Example Furniture Co.
Qty:
1
Unit cost:
3,450.00
Item: Dining chairsAmount: 1,710.00
Vendor:
Example Furniture Co.
Qty:
6
Unit cost:
285.00
Item: Area rug, 9 x 12 ftAmount: 1,240.00
Vendor:
Sample Rug Gallery
Qty:
1
Unit cost:
1,240.00
Item: Pendant light fixturesAmount: 790.00
Vendor:
Example Lighting
Qty:
2
Unit cost:
395.00

Purchases at cost: line items
Item	Vendor	Qty	Unit cost	Amount
Sofa, 88 in., performance fabric	Example Furniture Co.	1	3,450.00	3,450.00
Dining chairs	Example Furniture Co.	6	285.00	1,710.00
Area rug, 9 x 12 ft	Sample Rug Gallery	1	1,240.00	1,240.00
Pendant light fixtures	Example Lighting	2	395.00	790.00

Purchases subtotal7,190.00

Reimbursable expenses, at cost

Expense: Fabric and finish samplesAmount: 64.00
Date:
Nov 10
Qty:
1
Cost:
64.00
Expense: Freight delivery, sofa and chairsAmount: 185.00
Date:
Nov 18
Qty:
1
Cost:
185.00
Expense: Mileage for site visits (miles)Amount: 29.40
Date:
Nov 18
Qty:
42
Cost:
0.70

Reimbursable expenses, at cost: line items
Date	Expense	Qty	Cost	Amount
Nov 10	Fabric and finish samples	1	64.00	64.00
Nov 18	Freight delivery, sofa and chairs	1	185.00	185.00
Nov 18	Mileage for site visits (miles)	42	0.70	29.40

Reimbursable expenses subtotal278.40

Subtotal (design fees and purchases): 11,965.00
Purchasing fee on purchases (15%): 1,078.50
Sales tax on purchases, if applicable (0%): 0.00
Reimbursable expenses, at cost: 278.40
Total: 13,321.90
Less: retainer applied: 2,500.00
Amount due: 10,821.90

How to pay

Accepted methods:: Bank transfer, ACH or check
Account name:: [Account name]
Bank details:: [Bank name, account and routing numbers]
Payment reference:: Invoice no. ID-2052

Billing notes

Purchases are billed at the vendor's cost plus a purchasing fee of 15% of that cost, as set out in the design agreement.
Reimbursable expenses are billed at cost, with no fee added.
The retainer of 2,500.00 received on Sep 8, 2026 is applied to this invoice.
Copies of the vendor invoices for the purchases are available on request.

Thank you. Please quote the invoice number with your payment.

Interior design invoice: sample preview. Download it below.

Key Features

Everything you need in a professional invoice template.

Designer block and invoice details: invoice no., invoice date, payment terms, due date and project no.

Bill to (client) and a Project block with the project address, the phase billed and the design agreement date

Design fees section: a flat fee per phase or hours × hourly rate, with a subtotal

Purchases at cost section: item, vendor, qty × unit cost, with a subtotal

"Purchasing fee on purchases" as a percentage of the purchases, with the rate in its own cell

"Sales tax on purchases, if applicable" line, set to 0% in the sample

Reimbursable expenses at cost, dated: samples, freight, mileage

"Less: retainer applied" credit before the amount due, and billing notes that state how purchases, reimbursables and the retainer are billed

Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx) files with sample details, and a blank PDF to print

Download the invoice template

The PDF is a blank invoice to print and fill in by hand. The Word and Excel files contain the sample details shown in the preview, ready for you to replace with your own. In the Excel file, each line amount is a formula: "Qty" × "Rate", "Qty" × "Unit cost" or "Qty" × "Cost", depending on the table. The section subtotals, subtotal, fee, tax, pass-through costs, total and amount due are formulas too. The amount due is the total minus the retainer applied. The fee and tax rates sit in their own cells, so you can change them.

INTERIOR DESIGN INVOICE

Designer

Business name:: Example Interiors Studio
Address:: 120 Example Avenue, Suite 5, Sampletown
Phone / email:: [Phone or email]

Invoice details

Invoice no.:: ID-2052
Invoice date:: Nov 30, 2026
Payment terms:: Net 15
Due date:: Dec 15, 2026
Project no.:: P-118

Bill to (client)

Client name:: Jordan Example
Address:: 45 Sample Heights, Sampletown
Email:: [Email]

Project

Project:: Living room and dining room redesign
Project address:: Same as the billing address
Phase billed:: Design development and purchasing
Design agreement:: Signed Sep 8, 2026

Design fees

Description: Design development phase, flat feeAmount: 3,200.00
Qty:
1
Unit:
phase
Rate:
3,200.00
Description: Lighting plan revisionsAmount: 900.00
Qty:
6
Unit:
hour
Rate:
150.00
Description: Site visits and vendor coordinationAmount: 675.00
Qty:
4.5
Unit:
hour
Rate:
150.00

Design fees: line items
Description	Qty	Unit	Rate	Amount
Design development phase, flat fee	1	phase	3,200.00	3,200.00
Lighting plan revisions	6	hour	150.00	900.00
Site visits and vendor coordination	4.5	hour	150.00	675.00

Design fees subtotal4,775.00

Purchases at cost

Item: Sofa, 88 in., performance fabricAmount: 3,450.00
Vendor:
Example Furniture Co.
Qty:
1
Unit cost:
3,450.00
Item: Dining chairsAmount: 1,710.00
Vendor:
Example Furniture Co.
Qty:
6
Unit cost:
285.00
Item: Area rug, 9 x 12 ftAmount: 1,240.00
Vendor:
Sample Rug Gallery
Qty:
1
Unit cost:
1,240.00
Item: Pendant light fixturesAmount: 790.00
Vendor:
Example Lighting
Qty:
2
Unit cost:
395.00

Purchases at cost: line items
Item	Vendor	Qty	Unit cost	Amount
Sofa, 88 in., performance fabric	Example Furniture Co.	1	3,450.00	3,450.00
Dining chairs	Example Furniture Co.	6	285.00	1,710.00
Area rug, 9 x 12 ft	Sample Rug Gallery	1	1,240.00	1,240.00
Pendant light fixtures	Example Lighting	2	395.00	790.00

Purchases subtotal7,190.00

Reimbursable expenses, at cost

Expense: Fabric and finish samplesAmount: 64.00
Date:
Nov 10
Qty:
1
Cost:
64.00
Expense: Freight delivery, sofa and chairsAmount: 185.00
Date:
Nov 18
Qty:
1
Cost:
185.00
Expense: Mileage for site visits (miles)Amount: 29.40
Date:
Nov 18
Qty:
42
Cost:
0.70

Reimbursable expenses, at cost: line items
Date	Expense	Qty	Cost	Amount
Nov 10	Fabric and finish samples	1	64.00	64.00
Nov 18	Freight delivery, sofa and chairs	1	185.00	185.00
Nov 18	Mileage for site visits (miles)	42	0.70	29.40

Reimbursable expenses subtotal278.40

Subtotal (design fees and purchases): 11,965.00
Purchasing fee on purchases (15%): 1,078.50
Sales tax on purchases, if applicable (0%): 0.00
Reimbursable expenses, at cost: 278.40
Total: 13,321.90
Less: retainer applied: 2,500.00
Amount due: 10,821.90

How to pay

Accepted methods:: Bank transfer, ACH or check
Account name:: [Account name]
Bank details:: [Bank name, account and routing numbers]
Payment reference:: Invoice no. ID-2052

Billing notes

Purchases are billed at the vendor's cost plus a purchasing fee of 15% of that cost, as set out in the design agreement.
Reimbursable expenses are billed at cost, with no fee added.
The retainer of 2,500.00 received on Sep 8, 2026 is applied to this invoice.
Copies of the vendor invoices for the purchases are available on request.

Thank you. Please quote the invoice number with your payment.

Interior design invoice

An invoice from an interior designer: design fees by phase as a flat fee or hours at an hourly rate, furnishings bought for the client at cost with a purchasing fee rate, sales tax on purchases if applicable, reimbursable expenses at cost, the retainer applied and the amount due.

A request for payment — shows the amount due

Download

What goes on an interior design invoice

A design client is paying for three different things, and the invoice should keep them apart: your design work, the furnishings you bought for them, and the out-of-pocket costs you're passing on. The template has these parts:

Designer. Your business name, address and phone or email.
Invoice details. The invoice number, invoice date, payment terms, due date and your project number.
Bill to (client). The client's name, address and email.
Project. The project name, the project address, the phase this invoice bills and the date the design agreement was signed.
Design fees. One line per fee, with a description, quantity, unit (phase or hour), rate and amount.
Purchases at cost. Each item you bought for the client, with the vendor, quantity and unit cost.
Reimbursable expenses, at cost. Dated out-of-pocket costs such as samples, freight and mileage.
Totals. A subtotal of design fees and purchases, the purchasing fee on purchases, a sales tax line on purchases if it applies, the reimbursable expenses, the total, "Less: retainer applied" and the amount due.
How to pay and billing notes. The payment methods you accept, with placeholders for your own details, then notes on how purchases, reimbursables and the retainer are billed.

The sample bills the design development and purchasing phase of a living and dining room project. Design fees of 4,775.00 and purchases of 7,190.00 make a subtotal of 11,965.00. A 15% purchasing fee adds 1,078.50 and reimbursable expenses add 278.40, for a total of 13,321.90. The 2,500.00 retainer leaves 10,821.90 due.

Design fees: a flat fee by phase, by the hour, or both

Bill design work the way your design agreement says you will. The sample uses both methods:

A flat fee for a phase. Enter 1 in Qty and "phase" in Unit, as in "Design development phase, flat fee" at 3,200.00. Name each phase the way your agreement does, such as concept, design development, purchasing and installation, so the client can match each invoice to a stage of the project.
Hours at a rate. Use one line per kind of work, with the hours and your hourly rate. The sample bills 6 hours of lighting plan revisions and 4.5 hours of site visits and vendor coordination at 150.00 an hour. Keep a time log so you can show how the hours add up if the client asks.
Both on one invoice. You might cover the agreed scope with a flat fee and bill extra work by the hour, such as revisions beyond the number your agreement includes. Spell out in the agreement which work the flat fee covers, so an hourly line doesn't surprise the client.

The rates in the sample are placeholders, not market rates. Use your own.

Purchases at cost and the purchasing fee

When you order furniture, rugs, lighting or other items for a client, you can bill them in one of two ways. Which you choose is a business decision. Put it in the design agreement before you place any orders, and bill the same way on every invoice.

At cost, plus a purchasing fee. List each item at what the vendor charged you, then add a separate fee for sourcing, ordering and tracking it. This is how the template is laid out. The "Purchasing fee on purchases" line is a percentage of the purchases, 15% in the sample, and the rate sits in its own cell. The billing notes state the rate and offer copies of the vendor invoices on request, so the client can check the costs.
At your selling price. List each item at the price you charge the client, with your margin built in and no separate fee. To bill this way, type your prices in the Unit cost column, rename the section and the column (for example "Furnishings" and "Price"), set the purchasing fee rate to 0% and rewrite the first billing note so it no longer says "the vendor's cost".

The 15% in the sample is a placeholder, not a recommended rate. Agree on your own with the client.

If you don't want to pay for a large order out of your own funds, you can invoice the client for the items before you order them. A proforma invoice or a deposit invoice works for that. When you later bill the purchases on this invoice, show the advance payment as its own credit line below the retainer, so the purchases still appear in full and nothing is billed twice.

Reimbursable expenses

Reimbursable expenses are out-of-pocket costs that your agreement says the client pays: samples, freight and delivery, mileage for site visits, printing and the like. Give each a date and keep the receipts.

At cost, or with a fee. The sample bills them at cost, and its billing notes say "with no fee added". If your agreement adds a handling fee to reimbursables, say so in the notes and add it as its own line.
Mileage. The sample charges 42 miles at 0.70 a mile, a sample rate. Use the rate in your agreement.
Freight. In the sample, freight is a reimbursable expense rather than a purchase, so no purchasing fee is charged on it. If your agreement treats freight as part of the purchase, list it under Purchases instead.

Retainers: "Less: retainer applied"

A retainer is money the client pays when they sign the design agreement, before you've billed any work. The sample shows the 2,500.00 retainer received on Sep 8, 2026 on the "Less: retainer applied" line, and the amount due is the total minus that credit. The billing notes say when the retainer was received.

Your agreement should say when the retainer is applied:

To the first invoice, as in the sample.
To the final invoice, so it's held until the end of the project. Until then, set the line to 0.00 and add a note saying the retainer is still held.
In parts, a set amount per invoice. Show the amount applied and note how much of the retainer remains.

To request the retainer itself, send a retainer invoice when the agreement is signed.

Sales tax on furnishings and fees

The template has a "Sales tax on purchases, if applicable" line. Its rate starts at 0%, and it applies to the purchases only, not to the purchasing fee, design fees or reimbursables. That is how the template is laid out, not a statement about what is taxable.

Whether sales tax applies to furnishings you sell, to a purchasing fee or to design fees depends on where you work. California is one example. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration's guide for interior designers (CDTFA Publication 35) says:

Tax does not apply to professional services that aren't directly related to the sale of merchandise, and "Be sure to list those charges separately on your invoice."
Tax does apply to fees "directly related to acquiring and providing furnishings and other merchandise you sell to a client."
If you invoice goods at cost and add a separately stated fee for your overhead and profit, "your total fee will be considered taxable unless you can clearly establish that a portion of the fee is for nontaxable professional services."

Under that guidance, a California designer who bills purchases at cost plus a purchasing fee should expect the fee to be taxable along with the items, so the tax line would need to cover both. The Excel tips below explain how to change it. The same publication covers buying items for resale without paying tax to the vendor by giving a properly completed resale certificate (CDTFA: purchases and resale certificates).

Outside California, check the rules where you work before you charge or skip sales tax.

Your title and any registration number

The template has no license or registration field. If you hold one, add the number under your business name. Rules on titles differ by place. In Florida, for example, the law says a person may not knowingly use the title "registered interior designer" without a valid license or certificate of registration, and that this "does not restrict the use of the name or title 'interior designer'" (Florida Statutes, section 481.223). Elsewhere, check the rules where you work.

When to invoice

At each phase. Invoice when a phase in your agreement is complete, and fill in "Phase billed" so the client knows which stage the invoice covers.
When you order or deliver. Bill purchases when you place the orders, when the items arrive or before you order, depending on your agreement.
At the end. A final invoice covers the last phase, any remaining purchases and reimbursables, and any retainer still held.
Terms and due date. Print both, as the sample does with "Net 15" and a due date.
Late fees. Charge one only if the client agreed to it in advance, and check the rules where you work first. The late fee calculator can work out an agreed fee.

Filling in the figures

In the Excel file, each line amount is quantity × rate or quantity × cost, and the section subtotals, the subtotal, purchasing fee, sales tax, reimbursable expenses line, total and amount due are formulas. The purchasing fee and sales tax rates sit in their own cells next to their lines. Type over the sample lines with your own. Each section has one blank line at the end.

No purchasing fee or no tax: set the line's rate to 0%. Don't delete the row, because the total refers to it.
No retainer to apply: set "Less: retainer applied" to 0.00. The retainer amount is typed, not calculated.
More lines than fit: insert a row above the blank line in that section and copy the amount formula into it. The section subtotal, the Subtotal and, for purchases, the purchasing fee and tax lines should all grow to include the new row; check that they did.
Tax on the purchasing fee too: the tax formula multiplies the purchases only. To include the fee, add the purchasing fee amount to what the tax formula multiplies, then change the label to match.
A second credit, such as an advance payment for furnishings: insert a row below "Less: retainer applied", type the amount, and subtract it in the Amount due formula too.

In the Word file, the amounts are typed, not calculated, so retype the line amounts and totals whenever you change a figure. The PDF is a blank form to fill in by hand.

Invoice, estimate or receipt?

Before the project is agreed: send a proposal or estimate with your fees and a budget for furnishings. The estimate templates are a starting point.
When the agreement is signed: request the retainer with a retainer invoice.
For work done and items bought: send an invoice. It asks for payment by a due date. This is the document on this page.
After the client pays: send a receipt if they want proof of payment. The payment receipt template is one option.

Billing design projects in Billed

Billed handles flat-rate projects, where you can invoice the client whenever you choose, and hourly-rate projects, where you set rates and log tasks to bill (projects). You can keep receipts and save vendors for your expenses in Billed (expense tracking). It also shows which invoices are partly paid and sends payment reminders (features).

Related invoice templates

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What's included in this invoice template

Charge	Where it goes on this template
Design work, flat fee	Design fees: 1 phase × the fee
Design work, hourly	Design fees: hours × your rate
Furnishings you order	Purchases at cost, plus the purchasing fee %
Samples, freight, mileage	Reimbursable expenses, at cost
Retainer already paid	"Less: retainer applied" before the amount due

When this isn't for you

If a project hasn't been agreed yet, send a proposal or estimate instead. If you only need to collect the retainer before work starts, a retainer invoice is simpler. If you build or renovate the space as a contractor, a construction invoice fits that work better. If the client has already paid, send a receipt.