What is a interior design agreement?
An interior design agreement sets out what a designer will do for a home or business client and how they'll be paid. Design work runs in stages and involves the client's money being spent on furniture and finishes, so the questions that cause disputes are predictable: how many revisions, how many site visits, what the design fee covers, whether the designer marks up the furniture it buys, what happens to non-returnable custom orders, and who's responsible for the contractors.
This template records the project address and scope, and three service levels: full service (design, purchasing and installation), design only, and remote e-design. It lays out the four design phases with a set number of revision rounds, optional site visits, and a fixed fee, per-room fee or hourly rate, with an optional retainer and an hourly rate for extra work. For full service it covers written purchase proposals, payment before ordering, an optional purchasing fee on net cost, non-cancellable custom orders and lead times. It also makes clear the designer isn't an architect or contractor, and covers the client's part, copyright in the design, portfolio photographs, ending the agreement and a liability limit.
- Best for
- Interior designers and decorators, residential and commercial projects, e-design services
- Signed by
- The client and the designer
- Fee options
- Fixed fee, per-room fee or hourly rate, plus optional retainer and purchasing fee
- Length
- 2–3 pages, initialled on every page
When to Use a interior design agreement
- A full-service redesign of a living room, kitchen or whole home
- A design-only engagement where the client buys and installs from your specification
- A remote e-design package with a concept board, layout and shopping list
- A small commercial fit-out of an office, salon or café
- Refreshing rooms before letting or selling a property
What You Fill In
21 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: designer, client.
1 The parties
- Designer or studio*
- Designer address
- Client (person or company)*
- Client address
2 The project
- Agreement date*
- Project address*
- Rooms and scope*
- Service level* Full service — design, purchasing and installation · Design only — the Client buys and installs · E-design — remote design with a shopping list
- Working budget for furnishings
3 Design
- Rounds of revisions to the concept*
- Site visits included
4 Fees
- Currency*
- Design fee is* A fixed design fee · A fixed fee per room · An hourly rate
- Amount*
- Retainer due on signing
- Hourly rate for extra work
- Invoices are paid within (days)*
5 Purchasing
- Purchasing fee on items bought (%)
6 Other terms
- The designer may photograph the finished project* Yes, without identifying the Client or address · Only with the Client's permission each time
- Notice to end the agreement (days)*
- Governing law*
7 Who signs
- Designer signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The interior designer or design studio.
- Client signature and date, initials on every page · The homeowner or business commissioning the design.
What the interior design agreement Covers
- Scope of the project
- Design phases
- Design fees
- Contractors and permits
- Purchasing and installation
- The Client's part
- Design ownership and photographs
- Ending the agreement
- Liability
- General
Using the interior design agreement, step by step
1 Define the scope
Enter the project address and list the rooms and what's included — layout, furniture, lighting, window treatments, paint colours, styling. Add the client's working budget for furnishings if they have one; it's a target, not a guaranteed price.
2 Pick the service level
Full service adds purchasing and installation terms; design only and e-design make clear the client buys items directly and the designer isn't responsible for suppliers.
3 Set fees, revisions and visits
Choose a fixed fee, per-room fee or hourly rate, the number of revision rounds, and included site visits. Add a retainer and your hourly rate for extra work.
4 Agree purchasing and send
For full service, enter your purchasing fee on net cost if you charge one — leave it empty to charge the proposal price without markup. Choose the photography option and notice period, then send.
Tips Before You Send It
- Be transparent about markups. The agreement states the purchasing fee as a percentage of net cost, which avoids later arguments about trade discounts.
- Get every purchase proposal approved and paid before ordering — especially custom upholstery and made-to-order pieces, which usually can't be returned.
- Keep approvals by email: the agreement accepts written approval by email for each phase.
- Structural, electrical and plumbing work belongs with qualified contractors the client hires directly, licensed where local rules require it. The agreement says so plainly.
Sign It Online In Minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Interior design agreement: frequently asked questions
Can an interior designer charge a markup on furniture?
Many do. The template lets you set a purchasing fee as a percentage of the net cost of items you buy for the client, which covers sourcing, ordering and handling. Leave it empty to charge the proposal price with no additional fee.
Who owns the design?
The designer keeps copyright in drawings and design documents. Once the design fees are paid, the client may use them for this project, but not for another project or to have the design copied elsewhere without consent.
What if the client ends the project early?
Either side can end the agreement on the notice you set. The client pays for work done and any items ordered that can't be cancelled; any retainer is applied to those amounts and the balance refunded.
Is an interior design contract signed online binding?
Electronic signatures are generally valid for ordinary service contracts like this in the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada. VergeHR keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF.