How to Start Getting the Right Interior Design Clients

When I started out, I had none of the things you'd think you need. No degree. No finished projects. No referrals. No one who could vouch for my work because there wasn't really any work yet. And I remember sitting with that and thinking: "Okay, so how does this actually happen?"

The advice out there was not helpful. Build a portfolio. Get experience. Put yourself out there. Great, thanks. But how do you build a portfolio with no clients, get experience with no projects, and put yourself out there when there's nothing to show yet? It's the classic chicken-and-egg problem that stops a lot of talented people before they ever really get started.

The answer had nothing to do with any of that. And once I understood it, it changed everything, not just how I got my first clients, but the kind of clients I attracted and the fees I was able to charge.

It Was Never About the Portfolio

Clients don't hire you because of a list of past projects. They hire you because they trust you. And trust doesn't come from credentials or a beautiful website. It comes from understanding how you think.

When I started showing people the why behind my decisions, why I chose a certain layout, why a material made sense for the energy a space needed, that's when things shifted. People didn't just think my work looked nice. They felt like they understood me. Completely different thing.

Pretty things are everywhere now: Pinterest, AI, Instagram. Pretty alone means nothing anymore. What people are actually paying for is a problem solver. Show that, and you become someone worth hiring.

Consistency Over Everything

Building visibility and earning trust takes time. There is no shortcut that actually works, and I'd rather tell you that upfront than have you burn out chasing tactics that give you a spike and then nothing.

What does work is showing up consistently, documenting your process, explaining your decisions, letting people inside your head. And you don't need real client projects to do this. Concept work, styled spaces, direction boards, some of my best early marketing came from work that was never attached to a paying project. The thinking was real. That's what mattered.

Getting the Right Clients Is a Different Problem

There's a version of this where you build the visibility, start getting inquiries, and then find yourself working with clients who don't respect your process or push back on your fees. That is exhausting in a way that makes you question whether this career is even worth it.

The right clients don't come by accident. They come because of how you've positioned yourself and what you've consistently shown about how you operate. That is intentional. It's something you build deliberately.

The designers who figure this out early are the ones who build careers that last and actually feel good, and that's exactly what the brand new Getting Clients Guide is all about. It's now available in the tools section of the site. Use code GETCLIENTS for 10% off, available until April 12th.

And if you're already in the Degree-less Design Crash Course, it's included for you at no extra cost. Go grab it!

XO,

Shira