What should an interior design contract include?

An interior design contract should include: both parties' details, the project scope and property address, the design phases (concept, design development, procurement, installation), the designer's fee structure (hourly, flat fee or percentage), the purchasing and procurement policy including any markup on purchases, the client approval process at each phase, site visit terms, intellectual property ownership of design presentations, and a termination clause. This template covers all 10 clauses.

How do interior designers charge for their services?

Interior designers typically charge in one of three ways: an hourly rate (most common for smaller or undefined-scope projects), a flat project fee (good for defined residential projects), or a percentage of total project cost (typically 10–30%, common for large projects where procurement is significant). Many designers also charge a purchasing markup of 10–25% on furniture, fixtures and materials they procure on the client's behalf. This markup compensates for the designer's time managing procurement and their trade relationships.

What is a purchasing markup in an interior design contract?

A purchasing markup is a percentage added to the trade (wholesale) cost of furniture, fixtures, materials and other items the designer purchases on the client's behalf. Interior designers have access to trade pricing not available to consumers — typically 20–40% below retail. The markup (usually 10–25% on top of trade cost) compensates the designer for managing vendors, placing orders, handling returns and coordinating deliveries. The client still pays at or below retail even after the markup. This must be disclosed in the contract — failure to disclose a markup can create legal issues in some jurisdictions.

Who owns the interior design plans and presentations?

The interior designer retains copyright in all design presentations, floor plans, mood boards, renderings and specifications. The client receives a licence to implement the approved design in the specified property. If the project is terminated early, the designer's work product (plans, specifications, presentations) remains the designer's property until all fees are paid in full. This is particularly important because design materials can be reused by clients with a different contractor, which the designer has the right to prevent.

What happens if the client changes their mind during the project?

Change requests mid-project are common in interior design. This contract handles this through the phase-approval system: the client approves each phase in writing before the designer proceeds. Changes after approval are treated as new work and billed at the hourly rate. For procurement changes (changing a furniture order after it has been placed), the client is responsible for any cancellation fees, restocking charges or non-refundable deposits. Specify this clearly in the purchasing clause — it is the most common source of financial disputes in interior design projects.

Should an interior designer charge a deposit?

Yes. A deposit of 25–50% of the estimated design fee is standard for interior design projects. The deposit reserves the designer's time, covers initial concept work, and ensures the client has genuine commitment before significant work begins. For procurement, a separate purchasing deposit (often 50–100% of the purchase order total) is usually required before the designer places orders with vendors — this protects the designer from being left with unpaid vendor invoices.

Updated June 2026

Free Interior Designer
Contract Template

A professional interior design agreement covering project phases, design fees, purchasing markup, client approvals and IP ownership. Download and send in minutes.

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Reviewed June 2026
Includes markup clause

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Branding (optional)

Designer / Studio Logo

1 — Designer

Contract Date

Designer Full Name

Studio / Business Name (optional)

Address (optional)

Title (optional)

2 — Client

Client Full Name

Client Address (optional)

3 — Project

Project Name

Property Address

Scope Description

4 — Fees

Currency

Fee Structure

Fee Amount / Rate

Design Fee Deposit (%)

Purchasing Markup (%)

5 — Terms

Governing Law

PDF: choose "Save as PDF" in the dialog that opens.

Interior Design Services Agreement

Date: enter date above

1. Agreement Parties

Between Designer name, trading as , ("Designer"), and Client name, ("Client").

2. Project

project name — scope description

Property: property address

3. Design Fee

Fee: USD ($) amount (hourly rate)

Design fee deposit: 50% due on signing.

Purchasing markup: 20% on trade cost of all items procured on Client's behalf.

4–9. Standard Clauses

Project phases · Client approvals · Purchasing & procurement · Site visits · IP ownership · Limitation of liability

10. Termination & Governing Law

Governed by: governing jurisdiction.

Designer

Signature

Print name: _______________

Title: _______________

Date: _________________

Client

Signature

Print name: _______________

Date: _________________

Template preview

Interior Design Services Agreement Free to download

Parties

1. Agreement Parties

This Interior Design Services Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into as of [Date] between [Designer Full Name], trading as [Studio Name] ("Designer"), and [Client Full Name(s)] ("Client"), for the design of the property at [Property Address].

Scope

2. Project Scope and Services

Project: [Project Name, e.g. Kim Residence — Living & Dining Rooms]

Spaces included: [List each room or area, e.g. Living room (approx. 400 sq ft), Dining room (approx. 220 sq ft), Entryway]

Services included: Space planning, concept development, material and finish selection, furniture specification, procurement coordination, and installation oversight.

Not included: [e.g. Structural or architectural work, electrical or plumbing modifications, custom millwork (unless separately agreed), landscaping or exterior design.]

Phases

3. Project Phases and Client Approvals

The project will proceed through the following phases, with Client written approval required before proceeding to the next phase:

Phase 1 — Concept: Mood board, concept direction, space planning sketches. [Approximate timeline: [X] weeks from contract signing]

Phase 2 — Design Development: Finalised floor plans, material and finish selections, furniture specifications. Client approves complete specification before procurement begins.

Phase 3 — Procurement: Purchase orders placed after Client approval of all items and receipt of purchasing deposit. Lead times vary by vendor.

Phase 4 — Installation: Delivery coordination and final styling. [Note: final installation date depends on all items being delivered and the property being ready.]

Fees

4. Design Fees and Payment

Design fee: [Currency + Amount] ([hourly rate / flat project fee / percentage of total project cost]).

Design fee deposit: [e.g. 50%] of the estimated design fee is due upon signing. The balance is invoiced in agreed stages as the project progresses.

Invoices are due within [e.g. 14 days] of the invoice date. The Designer may pause work if invoices are not paid within this period.

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What's included in this template

Parties, property address and project scope

4 project phases with client approval gates at each stage

3 fee structure options: hourly, flat fee or % of project cost

Design fee deposit and staged payment schedule

Purchasing markup clause with trade price disclosure

Procurement deposit — required before placing purchase orders

Site visit policy (frequency, access requirements)

IP ownership — design presentations remain the designer's until final payment

Client responsibilities and change request process

Termination, limitation of liability + signature block

How to use this template

Choose your fee structure and disclose the purchasing markup upfront

Select the fee model that matches your practice: hourly is most flexible for undefined scopes, flat fee works well for defined residential projects, and percentage of project cost aligns your income with project scale. Whatever you choose, the purchasing markup must be disclosed in the contract — failure to disclose it can create legal and professional liability in some jurisdictions. Be specific: "a markup of 20% on the trade cost of all items procured on the Client's behalf."

Always require a procurement deposit before placing orders

Never place a purchase order before receiving the full deposit for that order — typically 50–100% of the purchase price. Designers who front vendor costs without a procurement deposit face serious cash flow risk if the client cancels. The procurement deposit clause in this template requires the client to fund each purchase order before the designer places it. This is non-negotiable.

Get written approval at every phase — especially before procurement

The most expensive disputes in interior design occur when clients change their minds about furniture or finishes after purchase orders have been placed. The phase-approval system in this contract creates a documented approval gate before procurement begins. Once the client has signed off on the full specification in writing, changes are treated as new work — not adjustments — and any cancellation fees from vendors are the client's responsibility.

Protect your design presentations under the IP clause

The IP clause in this template states that all design presentations, floor plans, mood boards, renderings and specifications remain the designer's property until all fees are paid in full. This means a client who terminates the project without paying cannot take your design documents to another designer or contractor. Send the contract, collect the deposit, and begin — with Bonsai for e-signatures and invoicing.

Frequently asked questions

: An interior design contract should include: both parties' details, the project scope and property address, the design phases with client approval gates, the designer's fee structure, the purchasing and procurement policy including any markup on purchases, a procurement deposit requirement, site visit terms, intellectual property ownership of design materials, and a termination clause. This template covers all 10 clauses in plain language.
: Interior designers typically use one of three fee structures: an hourly rate (most common for smaller or open-ended projects), a flat project fee (suitable for clearly defined scopes), or a percentage of total project cost (typically 10–30%, common where procurement is significant). Many designers also charge a purchasing markup of 10–25% on items they procure on the client's behalf. This template supports all three fee structures — select the one that fits your practice.
: A purchasing markup is a percentage added to the trade (wholesale) cost of items the designer purchases on the client's behalf. Interior designers access trade pricing — typically 20–40% below retail. The markup compensates the designer for managing vendors, placing orders, and coordinating deliveries. The client still typically pays at or near retail even after the markup. Yes — the markup must be disclosed in the contract. Failure to disclose it can expose the designer to legal and professional liability. This template includes a clear, transparent disclosure of the markup percentage.
: The designer retains copyright in all design presentations, floor plans, mood boards, renderings and specifications. The client receives a licence to implement the approved design in the specified property. If the project terminates before all fees are paid, the design materials remain the designer's property — the client cannot take them to another contractor. This is the most important protection in the contract for designers whose creative output is entirely in the form of specifiable documents.
: Once a purchase order has been placed and approved by the client in writing, the client is responsible for any cancellation fees, restocking charges or non-refundable deposits charged by the vendor. This is why the phase-approval system is critical — get written sign-off on the complete furniture specification before placing a single order. Changes after approval are the client's financial responsibility, not the designer's. Define this explicitly in the contract.
: Yes — two separate deposits are standard. First, a design fee deposit (25–50% of the estimated design fee) covers initial concept work and reserves your time. Second, a procurement deposit (50–100% of each purchase order total) is required before placing any vendor orders. Never front vendor costs without a procurement deposit — if a client cancels after furniture has been ordered, you are personally liable for vendor invoices unless the client has already funded them.