How to Make an Interior Design Website

Whether you’re pitching “Elle Decor” or trying to attract more high-end clients, every interior designer needs a professional-looking website. A binder of clips no longer cuts it. Like having an Instagram presence, an interior design website is a must, and those who don’t have one risk losing leads and appearing out of touch. 

If you’re ready to upgrade your current site or start building a website for your interior design portfolio from scratch, this primer can help you get started. 

Benefits of creating a website for your portfolio 

Beyond attracting new clients and building buzz for your brand, there are plenty of reasons to create a portfolio website. 

• Inform visitors: Sites give visitors need-know-info, from your location to your credentials and expertise, which builds confidence in you and saves you time answering questions. 

• Showcase work: Websites don’t just offer unlimited space to share your projects. You can also highlight inspiration, press, and behind-the-scenes updates. 

• Share expertise: Blogs help position you as an expert, which builds trust with potential clients looking for an experienced designer and for reporters gathering sources. 

• Collaboration opportunities: Paired with a compelling portfolio, a great site can be a real selling point when pitching yourself to brands for features or partnerships. 

Start an interior design website in 5 steps 

Whether you’re just starting out or already a household name, every great interior design website has a few things in common. Here are five steps to get started on yours. 

1. Decide on your website goals 

Not every interior designer shares the same goals. Some aspire to work on store designs, while others are focused on historic townhouse renovations. Whatever it is you’re after, having your goal in mind will help guide your website design and what you share with visitors. 

For instance, if your goal is to become the next Shea McGee, a frequent collaborator with Target on home goods, you’ll want to position yourself as a lifestyle expert versed in tablescapes, shelfies, and cooking. If Harry Nuriev, who’s created digital spaces for Valentino and Nike, is more your speed, you’ll want to showcase your most daring work for luxury brands. 

2. Select what pages and features to include 

Now that you’ve considered the goals for your practice, it’s time to think about which pages to put on your site. Your goals can help you here, too. What does a website visitor need to see or do to decide to work with you? 

Consider the following, which you’ll find on most sites: 

• Homepage: Similar to a landing page, a homepage introduces your practice and sets the tone for the site. Consider including a one-line explanation of your design practice, location, and services, like, “We are a Boston-based, full-service interior design firm that specializes in revitalizing historic homes.” 

• Projects: Perhaps the most important page on your site, your portfolio showcases past projects. Ideally, these will have been professionally photographed to convey the quality of your work. Many designers opt for a pinboard layout, in which the main photo leads to more photos, in a slideshow or a separate page. Choose projects that show your best work and the direction you want to pursue. 

• About: An About page introduces yourself and highlights your biggest accomplishments. In your bio, you can note where you studied—or if you don’t have formal training—and what sets your aesthetic apart. Are your projects informed by location and architecture or the client’s particular lifestyle? Also note where your work has been featured and if you’ve received any plaudits.

• Contact: For those looking to book more clients, a contact page is a must. Be sure to include an email or client intake form, office number, and project locations (e.g.: worldwide, coast to coast) and link your social media handles. 

• Press: Almost every interior designer wants media coverage. It builds credibility, and is truly a calling card for potential clients and brands. If you’ve been featured in the press, especially in leading outlets like “Architectural Digest,” be sure to showcase your clips on a standalone page. 

• Book: Published a book? If so, you’ll definitely want to highlight that accomplishment, as it boosts your credibility. Individual pages for each book are best, as these allow you to go into detail, with links to purchase in the U.S. and abroad, if applicable. Don’t forget to include a high-res image of the cover. 

• Careers: On the hunt for fresh talent? If so, a career page directs candidates to the right place. Include the best email with a job description, if applicable. 

• Store: Some designers sell goods for the home and link their storefront on their site. You can also use the store page to highlight items you love and recommend.

3. Craft your visual identity

In an industry that prides itself on aesthetics, you want your website to stand out for the right reasons. Key to this is crafting a visual identity that resonates with your brand. 

Here are some common components of a visual identity, which includes everything visitors see. 

• Logo: This symbol or mark represents what your brand is about, especially its personality. A cartoon-style logo suggests a more playful brand than a script logo does, for example.

• Color palette: Different colors provoke different emotional responses in people, which can impact their brand perceptions and even their buying decisions. 

• Typography: Like color, typography—or the fonts and spacing between letters—impacts the tone of a brand. For instance, sans serif looks sleek, while Comic Sans looks cartoonish. It’s worth your time to learn more about choosing fonts for your website. 

• Photography: Photos also set the tone for a brand. To keep things consistent sitewide—and present your work in the best light—it helps to pay attention to your photos’ styles and subjects. 

• Graphics and illustrations: Like photos, graphic elements add a personal touch. These can be simple embellishments, like scroll effects or image mask shapes, or more attention-grabbing visuals like animations.

4. Choose your domain name

Like your portfolio and site’s visual identity, you want to choose a domain name that draws visitors to your site. Your domain is the unique URL for your website, like squarespace.com.

Here are some other tips for choosing a great domain: 

• Think like a visitor. What comes to mind when you think of your brand? The catchier it is, the more likely people will be to remember it—and to type it into the browser bar. 

• Keep it simple. Shorter domain names aren’t just easier to type. They’re easier to remember and get right. Try to avoid hyphens, complex words, and special characters, which can trip up potential clients. 

• Make it memorable. Sometimes it helps to choose a name that reflects the brand itself. That means avoiding generic keywords your competition’s probably using and choosing something that won’t create issues if you decide to shift your brand’s focus. 

For most interior designers, your name or your design firm’s name are good starting points. But if you’re having difficulty brainstorming, you can use our free Business Name Generator or Domain Name Generator for help getting started.

5. Promote your site 

Now that you’ve got your site up and running, you’ll want to promote it. After all, no site can succeed if it doesn’t attract visitors or if no one’s ever heard of it. 

Fortunately, there’s no need to blow your budget on paid advertising. The tips outlined here can set you on the right path. 

• Optimize for SEO. From choosing a killer domain name to including relevant keywords in your site’s copy, appearing in search engine results is a highly effective (and cost-effective) way to boost your website. 

• Promote your site on social media. As a rule, being yourself and consistently sharing interesting content goes a long way. It also helps to engage your followers and to network with other content creators who may want to work with you. 

• Try email marketing. Once you’ve built up an email list, consider engaging your audience with interesting newsletters. Design newsletters are having a moment, and the more esoteric they are, the better they fare. If you have a unique perspective or projects to share, chances are people want to hear it and see your work.