Hey all you cool cats and— no that’s not how I want to start this post. Let’s try that again…

Hey y’all (that’s better), we are going into week four of sheltering in place due to the COVID-19 outbreak and I have had a little time to think about the latest trend with Interior Designers. E-Design services.

I love how the designers of the world are adapting during this time, however, do not rush to jump on the E-Design bandwagon because business is slow. By doing so, you can cheapen yourself as a designer if you do not properly prepare.

First, what is e-design? Well, when you boil it down to it’s simplest form, e-design is a way for consumers to work with an experienced designer at a fraction of the cost. Sounds too good to be true right? Well first let’s go over how it typically works.

1. The Client is responsible for sending photos and measurements of the room you are wanting to update, along with inspiration photos of a style you really like.

2. The designer then puts together a floor plan, mood board, selects furniture, picks paint colors, and anything else that curates a custom designed look for you.

3. Upon approval of design, clients will get a shopping list, with all the URL links for you to make the purchases on their own.

The links that are sent from the designer are affiliate links, meaning if you use them and purchase the product, the designer gets a kick back from the website you are purchasing through. The client is not paying anymore than they normally would. This is great for designers who are looking for an extra revenue stream.

As designers, we need to be up-front with clients and set the proper expectations prior to any job starting. Here are some things to go over with your potential e-design clients.

• Payment for e-design packages are paid in full up front.

• E-Design does not generally provide clients with higher quality products. Rather, it is targeted to potential clients who want a magazine-ready designer look, but do not have the budget or designer for long lasting desire furniture. Which is totally okay as long as the client knows ahead of time what the durability and expected longevity of the product can be. Good design can come in all budget sizes.

• E-Designing usually limits revisions to one revision: this is so designers can properly price Packages and still remain profitable with their time.

• Once the links are sent, the project is complete. Anything additional is considered outside of the scope and a new agreement will need to be made.

• Set the expectation with the client. If potential new client is wanting completely custom designs that are high end and super tailored to them, direct them towards a full-service working relationship.

Now, e-design is a relatively newer introduction to the world of interior design as a way for individuals new to the profession of design to start building a portfolio and client base. In recent weeks, seasoned designers have also begun to offer these services as a way to continue working as the world has seemingly screeched to halt. Know that a more seasoned designer will charge more for these packages. But as we all know, you do get what you pay for.

If you are thinking of offering e-design as an added service for clients, here are some questions to think about when pricing your packages.

1. How long does a typical room take me to properly put together for a client?

2. How much money do I want to put into marketing my e-design service?

3. Am I skilled as putting together a lower-budget design?

4. Does offering an introductory package cheapen my brand?

5. Is this a bandaid for what is going on in my business right now that I want to continue when we are allowed to start going back into client’s homes?

Y’all, e-design is here to stay, but it’s up to us as designers to choose if we want to offer this as a service or if we are fine with sticking to the services that fit our business model the best.

Kevin Twitty
Principal Designer
Kevin Twitty Interiors
503-714-5197