Get Paid Up Front

Oh my goodness, why am I still hearing so much chatter in my Facebook group and on social media about designers having to chase clients for payments?!!

It is my #1 piece of advice: ‘GET PAID UP FRONT.’

This means for all of your services: From your initial consultation and ongoing design services, to the purchasing of products.

Why? Why? Why?

I’m on a bit of a rant once again and in today’s video, asking this hard-hitting question; ‘Why are you not charging ahead of time for your services and for products?’

Before any services are performed or products are ordered, you should be getting paid.

We have built this important step into our streamlined processes and it’s something we inform potential clients of during the Discovery Call.

It’s about building trust and a professional relationship. We require our clients to pay for the initial consultation fee up front as this confirms their booking on our calendar.

Our clients can then see that we have organized processes and this demonstrates that both parties are committed to working together on their design project.

And this process continues, should a client wish to sign up for any one of our services past the initial consultation.

When we review any of our contract agreements, we detail our fee schedule so that everything is clear and easy to understand.

Help me understand

I am not trying to make anyone feel bad here, I am simply trying to understand why this is still a regular occurrence with interior design business owners.

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Stop Chasing Clients
Paid in advance

Perhaps you are lacking the confidence to have those all-important money conversations with clients? Are you new to the industry? Perhaps you have never experienced chasing a client for outstanding payments and as a result, this hasn’t been an issue for you?

If you want to avoid that horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach as you chase overdue payments, see here how I can help you get more confidence and Claire-ity.

Always remember that you are running a business. You have your own bills and expenses to pay. You should never be out of pocket. Period.

Plus, the GOOD clients appreciate you more for it, I promise!

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Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth

Drop Cloth No. 283 By Farrow & Ball

A gorgeous muted neutral from Farrow & Ball, Drop Cloth is neither too yellow nor too gray.

If you’re new here, welcome! Below you will see what I cover in every colour review post.

In this colour review video of Drop Cloth by Farrow & Ball, I share:

  • The undertone of my featured colour
  • Colour comparisons in order to easily see the different colour tones
  • Best white paint colours for the trim and ceilings
  • Beautiful colour combinations to inspire you for your decorating project

After you watch the video, if you would like all this information conveniently laid out for you in one place and have even more paint colour combinations to use with Drop Cloth, take a look at my new Perfect Colour Palette.

A must-have for any colour enthusiast or design professional.

Drop Cloth White Farrow & Ball

Drop Cloth Colour Review Video

Undertones: Yellow/Gray

Drop Cloth 283

This subdued gray/beige paint may lean towards one colour more than the other depending on the lighting and what other decorative elements you pair with it in your interior decorating project.

The colour of your trim and ceilings will also affect how Drop Cloth appears in your space, more beige or more gray.

As you can see below, it’s when we start to look at comparisons to other colours, that it becomes very eye-opening.

Colour Comparisons

Elephant’s Breath No.229 & Pavilion Gray No.242

Drop Cloth
Elephant's Breath
Pavilion Gray
Color Comparison
Colour Comparison

When you look at a colour side by side with similar shades the differences become much more apparent. Elephant’s Breath, another gorgeous neutral by Farrow & Ball, has a pink undertone and Pavilion Gray definitely has a more gray undertone when compared to Drop Cloth.

It’s only when we compare colours that we can truly understand the tones and whether they lean more one way or another on the colour spectrum.

When I do Colour Consultations in a client’s home, I am always comparing colours so they too can easily see the differences.

When I hold my large paint boards up to a decorative element such as fabrics, wallpaper, or subway tile and then swap out one board with another board, it becomes much clearer as to which colour will work best.

Farrow And Ball Dropcloth With White Sofa Living Room
Drop Cloth by Farrow & Ball Walls

Best Whites To Pair With Drop Cloth

Pointing No.2003 By Farrow & Ball

Drop Cloth
Pointing

James White No.2010 By Farrow & Ball

Drop Cloth
James White

Shadow White No.282 By Farrow & Ball

Drop Cloth
Shadow White

I can assure you that the best colour for your project already exists, you just need to know the 5 Steps on how to choose the right paint colour the first time.

Updated Get Your Paint Colours Right
Farrow And Ball Dropcloth Living Room With Armchair
Drop Cloth by Farrow & Ball Walls

Fabulous Colour Combinations

Drop Cloth with Card Room Green, Dix Blue & Light Blue

Drop Cloth
Card Room Green
Dix Blue
Light Blue

Card Room Green No.79 By Farrow & Ball

Drop Cloth
Card Room Green

Dix Blue No.82 By Farrow & Ball

Drop Cloth
Dix Blue

Light Blue No.22 By Farrow & Ball

Drop Cloth Light Blue

Convenience At Your Fingertips

All of the colour combinations shown above plus more options for you to choose from are included in my Perfect Colour Palette for Drop Cloth.

Drop Cloth is one of 10 Farrow & Ball colours you’ll find in our Farrow & Ball Classics Collection.

Collections Covers Benjamin Moore (3)

My Perfect Colour Palette library is expanding and I now have over 50 palettes to select from! Click here to see all of them.

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Remember, it only takes one mistake to take your home decorating project from divine to disaster. Don’t let the paint be what stresses you out!

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Finding the Right Business Coach

No matter how long you’ve been an interior designer or interior decorator, it’s likely that at some point throughout your career you will think about hiring a coach to get your business to the next level.

You’ve probably noticed that there are so many coaches out there now which means taking the time and careful consideration to find the right business coach is more crucial than ever before.

Let me help with some of the overwhelm as I share 4 of the most important things to consider when looking to hire a business coach.

I myself am a business coach, but I may not be the right one for you and that’s ok!

There are lots of important considerations before you make this investment in your interior design business. To see what you need to know before you splash out, watch the video!

What should you be looking for when trying to find the right business coach?

Think about this process in a similar way to how a homeowner would search for the best interior design professional to hire.

4 Steps for Finding the Right Business Coach

1. Figure out your needs

It will be difficult to find the right coach if you don’t know what you want to achieve by hiring one.

You need to know where you are struggling the most. What areas of your business are causing you the most stress? What tasks do you put off and enjoy the least? The answers to these questions will help you to determine what you need help with most.

Go through your biggest pain points, these could be anything from how to get clients, understanding your processes – if you even have any!! -, to what services should you offer, and then see which coach will meet those needs the best.

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2. Do your research

You wouldn’t expect a homeowner to hire the first interior designer they stumbled across. And you should not hire a coach either, without properly vetting them first.

You need to find a coach that resonates with you, someone who inspires you and will help you achieve your goals.

Doing your due diligence and finding a coach who has similar values and runs their business in a way that emulates how you want to run yours, will be a much better fit.

Here are the main design services that I offer in my business. The FREE download with walk through video will give you an idea if I could be the right coach for you.

3. Find a coach in the industry

While researching you should focus on coaches who are themselves interior designers or decorators or have been at some stage of their career.

You need someone who understands this industry and all of its’ (crazy) nuances. It is a complicated business and my advice is to hire someone who is there in the trenches with you, who will be able to offer you concrete ideas and guidance on how to best navigate through your struggles that you identified in step 1.

Even coaches hire coaches! Yes, I hired Amy Landino to assist me in getting my Coaching business up and running.

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Amy is a big YouTuber and she’s all about ‘Going After the Life You Want’. That really resonated with me, plus she had experience in running a private Facebook group which I also wanted to implement in my Coaching business.

Having her insights and experience to guide me was invaluable and well worth the investment. To have someone who is credible that you can have by your side as an accountability partner helps to get you where you want to go and FASTER than if you were doing it all on your own.

4. Investment amount

Hiring a coach is an important investment you will be making in your business. Just how much you are able or willing to invest is something you need to consider when deciding who is the best business coach for you to hire.

Are you looking for ongoing personal coaching or a one- off 1-on-1 video coaching session to get you on the right track?

I call this a ‘Pick My Brain’ video coaching call session.

There’s also a group membership style of coaching to contemplate. This is typically more of an ongoing type of coaching or specified amount of time where you are with other interior designers. It can be more cost effective than one on one coaching with the costs spread out over a longer length of time.

I don’t believe there is ever a time when we can’t be learning, expanding, and building up our business.

Remember, if you are considering hiring a business coach, maybe we are well suited to work together? Learn more here about my one-off, 90-minute zoom coaching calls.

If you want to better understand how I can help, I offer a free 15-minute Discovery Call so that we can see how best to proceed. And while I do offer ongoing coaching, it’s not something I typically advertise.

If you want an accountability partner and longer-term coaching to achieve your business goals, email us to inquire: info@clairejefford.com

Providing extremely valuable and helpful coaching advice is a top priority to me. See what other designers have to say about their experience in working with me as their business coach.

Coaching Testimonial Brittany
Coaching Testimonial Paula
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Ready to take your business up a level? Hire me for a coaching session!

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How to Organize Client Folders

Today I am sharing How to Organize Client Folders.

Yes, that’s right, the old-fashioned, hold in your hand, physical folders.

Coloured Folders With Pockets

Perhaps you have everything stored digitally and think I’m very old – I mean, ‘old school’. 😉

Well, I am a little ‘old school’. I still love something tangible that I can touch and carry with me. I know many of you feel the same way too.

In addition to physical folders, we use online programs to store and organize different aspects of our interior design client project files. This way, my entire team can easily access everything as needed.


In this video, I show you exactly how I organize a client’s folder and what goes in them.

How to Organize Client Folders

I want to go through my interior design client folders with you and share how we organize them. We have different files within the main file folder and I will explain what I keep in each of those.

To Start:

We start with the main file folder. The ones that we use I’ve had forever. Sadly the original style folders I loved so much are no longer available!

The folder with a sleeve and a pocket has worked beautifully for organizing our interior design project files for years. Within the main folder, I have 4 colour-coded individual pockets that I slot into the sleeve side.

In the pocket side I keep all my samples for that project such as fabric swatches, wallpaper samples, paint chips, etc.

Project Pockets to organize client folders
I use coloured Project Pockets similar to these to keep my client documents separate and organized.

Each Colour Project Pocket has a purpose:

Project Pocket #1

The first project pocket contains product specifications.

This includes any relevant product information for the interior design project such as materials or furnishings. Along with those specs are any quotes we have received from fabulous trades we work with regularly, such as our contractor, cabinet maker, drapery workroom, wallpaper installer, etc.

If we do 3D Design Plans for a project or any mood boards, the printed copies will also go within this folder.

Project Pocket #2

Next comes a pocket for any measurements and drawings. This can include the floor plans done on graph paper, original house plans a client may have given us that they have from the builder, any CAD drawings, elevation documents and 3D renderings.

Project Pocket #3

Pocket 3 is for keeping all our client information neatly organized. We add our completed Discovery Call form and New Client Checklist that you can find in my ROCK the Initial Consultation Processes Package to this folder. We also add any important correspondence such as emails that we think are necessary to have easily at hand, as well as a copy of the signed contract.

Image Of Folders
Example of our colour coded project ‘pocket’ folders

Project Pocket #4

This is the green one so it makes sense to house all of the invoices we’ve issued to the clients in this folder.

Project Pocket #5

Here’s where we change it up a bit. The final of the project pockets is not kept in the main client folder. This last pocket is kept separate as it contains our invoices from vendors, suppliers, and the trades for items or services that we paid for on the client’s behalf for the project.

As this is confidential and not shared with our clients, we always keep this information in our interior design studio.

On the Pocket side I put:

In my current folder, there is a large clear plastic pocket that has a flap so that everything can stay nicely contained. It’s an ideal spot for storing fabric swatches, plus samples of perhaps flooring, tile, and maybe even a countertop piece or two.

Fabrics samples 
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Depending on the size of the project this built-in pocket may not be nearly big enough to hold everything you need.

In this case, we use a larger tray or container. You may even need multiples of these, depending on the size of the project and how many different rooms you are doing within a home. For a commercial project, I imagine you would need a larger-sized container.

Performance Tray 2
I also have an acrylic JF Fabrics tray that we sometimes use for samples

There’s nothing I like more than being super organized in my business!

What do you do to stay organized in your interior design business? Do you use only digital storage for each client project or are you more like me, a bit old school with file folders as well?

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Client Folders

Forget Discounts, Focus on Value

Anyone else tired of hearing references to ‘designer discounts’ and people worrying about how to be more ‘transparent’ with clients about the costs of furnishings?

Running a profitable business means making money on the items you sell. Period.

In this industry, why do so many people feel the need to overshare this information with their clients?

Turning the Tables

When you go to your mechanic to have them fix an issue with your car, do you expect them to disclose their costs for parts and ask what percentage of their trade pricing they are passing on to you?

As they explain the anticipated fees for labour and provide you with an estimate for parts to fix your car, do you ask if they mark up those parts and then accuse them of ‘double dipping’?

Once your car is ready for pick up and they hand you the final invoice, do you ask to see the receipts issued to them by their suppliers for parts?

OMG, could you imagine?

I just want my car fixed and have peace of mind knowing that it’s been done right so that my family and I will be safe. End of story!

Please, please please, flip the switch on your mindset to Forget the Discounts and Focus on Value.

This is BLACK AND WHITE. You run a business, you have margins on the items you sell.

Sure, you offer competitive pricing, but more importantly, you offer an incredibly valuable service that involves making HUGE decisions on a homeowner’s BIGGEST investment.

Newsflash!

Your ideal client is not hiring you because of the discount you can get them on a sofa.

I never get reviews from interior design or decorating clients raving about how much they saved on their furniture through my discounts. NEVER!

Client reviews talk about the amazing service we provided and the immense value we brought to their project.

They rave about the final result and how they never imagined that their home could look so well put together!

They tell us how they loved our reliable team of trades who did an outstanding job and the peace of mind they had throughout the project knowing that we were taking care of every detail.

You see where I’m going with this, right? VALUE. VALUE. VALUE!

Here if you need it

If you aren’t sure how to do this effectively, I have a detailed service outline included with each of my contracts that will help you confidently go through with your client the value you bring to the table if they hire you for that service.

In the video, I read the full page from my Custom Design and Project Management Service Outlines on how I address the ‘discount’ discussion right off the bat.

Custom Design And Project Management Contract 
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Designer For A Day Contract
Designer By Your Side Contract

All three of the above contracts are available in my Contract Bundle package. They also come with walk-through videos.

Don’t minimize the value you bring to a project, be confident and be prepared. Have the hard conversations up front and after a while, they aren’t hard because you believe it yourself.

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Stiffkey Blue Colour Palette Designs

Three Beautiful Palettes for Stiffkey Blue

My most recent colour review was for Stiffkey Blue by Farrow & Ball. Today I have pulled together three gorgeous Stiffkey Blue colour palette designs to inspire you with some ideas on how to use this gorgeous rich blue to put together a complete look for your home.

In this video, I demonstrate how to use the colours from my Stiffkey Blue Perfect Colour Palette as inspiration for creating beautiful interior design palettes with fabrics, wallpaper, hardwood, countertops and more, for your home.

All the colours I use are included in my Stiffkey Blue palette. I have come up with three exquisite combinations for you, but there are many more ways that you could mix and match to create a design palette that is perfect for your home.

Stiffkey Blue

Stiffkey Blue is just one of the colours in my Farrow & Ball Classic Collection which showcases 10 popular Farrow & Ball paints. Just think of the inspiration waiting to be tapped.

Farrow Ball Classic Collection 2

Stiffkey Blue Colour Palette Designs

1st Fabulous Colour Combination

Talk about a fabulous paint palette! This combination of colours with the featured Stiffkey Blue by Farrow & Ball would make for quite a dramatic look. Bold, and beautiful.

Stiffkey Blue
Brassica
Churlish Green
Skylight

These three colour tones look stunning together, a real rich, luxe feel.

You can easily use the colour combinations I put together in my Perfect Colour Palette digital downloads to find inspiration for fabrics and other home décor finishes.

Am I suggesting you need to use all three of these paint colours in one space? Not necessarily. The idea is to use them to guide and inspire you for pulling together an entire interior design palette.

Stiffkey Blue Colour Palette Design

Here are two lovely fabrics that tie into our colour combination wonderfully. The one on the left is from JF Fabrics – pattern Parlor – and would look so great as drapery.

The second fabric on the right is also a JF Fabric, pattern code AW-ZINIO, from the Ashley Wilde designs collection. It has a beautiful purple tone and a lovely greeny-yellow that is very similar to the Churlish Green. An accent pillow in this fabric would look so great on a dark gray sofa or chair.

If we bring the colour combination into a kitchen design for the same home, I found a Cambria counter called Newport that would tie in nicely and keep the flow going from the living room. You aren’t limited to using the fabrics only in the living room, but you could incorporate them into your kitchen space as well on a bench seat or a window valence.

To top off the look I found this striking pull from Richelieu that looks amazing with the colours and materials in this palette. Imagine kitchen cabinetry painted in Stiffkey Blue with these pulls…absolutely gorgeous!

Make sure to watch the video to see a few more elements I selected for this palette, including a white picket tile that I used in my own bathroom remodel.

2nd Palette, Upping the Elegance

The second palette has slightly more muted tones and I found a fabric I adored that looks striking against this combination.

Stiffkey Blue
Brassica
De Nimes
Worsted
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This paisley fabric is called Turnout and is part of the Color Concepts Coral Sky Collection from JF Fabrics. Are the two purples an exact match? No. And they don’t have to be, yet they complement each other beautifully.

Stiffkey Blue Colour Palette Design

The second fabric shown would look fantastic on a couple of occasional chairs. The Cambria quartz shown above in the bottom right corner is Bellingham. Notice how it picks up a couple of colours from our palette, which would allow you to repeat the colours as you move through to the kitchen.

Your home should always flow from room to room. It should be obvious that your design choices are purposeful. To do this successfully, repeat the same tones into other areas of your home.

Fresh with Blues and Greens for the 3rd Colour Combination

For the final Stiffkey Blue colour palette design, I went with slightly fresher shades of blue and green.

Stiffkey Blue
Stone Blue
Shaded White
Breakfast Room Green
Farrow and Ball

It is such a great feeling when that perfect fabric jumps right out at you. That’s how I found the jumping-off fabric for this 3rd colour combination. Seriously, it looks like it was made with these colours in mind. Jackpot!!!

Stiffkey Blue Colour Palette Design

This JF patterned fabric is called Leaflet and it’s from the Morning Glory Inside Out collection.

I worked off this one fabric to build my palette and when I was done I had fabrics that could potentially be used for pillows, drapery, and furniture. They all tied in so well and were all inspired by my Stiffkey Blue Perfect Colour Palette.

Not only did I find amazing fabrics to colour match with my palette, but I came across a fabulous grasscloth wallpaper that you see in the video.

Stiffkey Blue Colour Palette Design
Grasscloth wallpaper 52063, upper left

As an example, a main floor powder room could be papered in this paper which would flow nicely from the front room where two occasional chairs might be covered in one of the coordinated fabrics. Cohesiveness throughout the living space demonstrates that all your design choices have been deliberate.


Putting together palettes combining colour, textures, patterns and materials was made easier using the colour combinations from my Perfect Colour Palette.

If you get stuck on how to come up with a colour palette for your own projects, learn more about my carefully curated paint palettes and how they can help. Their purpose is to make it less daunting to choose paint colours for your home.

Which palette was your favourite? Comment below to share your thoughts on which one you found resonates the most with your interior design style.

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My Perfect Colour Palette library now has 40 paint colours to select from. Click here to see them all.

Remember, it only takes one mistake to take your home decorating project from divine to disaster. Don’t let the paint be what stresses you out!

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Terms to Include in Your Contract

I’ve discussed the importance of having a signed contract before you start a new design or decorating project but you might be unsure of what that contract should contain in it. Today I outline key terms to include in your contract.

During my 10 years as a professional, award-winning interior decorator, I have created and changed the services I offer and the contracts that go along with those services.

Instead of starting from scratch as I did, I have created contract templates so you can hit the ground running in your Interior Design Business. You can edit these interior design contracts and use them when signing up new clients.

Each template comes with a service outline to assist you in explaining the specific service that the contract relates to. There is also a walk-through video showing you how to use the template.

A contract is a must to have at the consultation. It gives you an opportunity to review it with the client and get it signed before embarking on any type of new project.

So, it’s imperative to have a contract with you at the consultation but what’s in it? Watch the video to learn about the must-have elements to include in your contract.

This is an overview of just some of the terms you need in a contract for your interior design business. A contract is often quite a lengthy and detailed legal document. Some of my contracts are 4-5 pages long depending on which service they are referring to.

Whether you create your interior design contracts on your own or invest in my templates that are already done for you, you must consult with a lawyer in your local area and get them to review them very carefully. Also, make sure you go into greater detail for each of the terms that you include so that you properly cover yourself. I’m sharing an overview only in this post.

Terms to Include in Your Contract

What Terms To Include In Your Contract

1. Deliverables

What exactly can a client expect from you? Deliverables are what you are providing the client with in terms of tangible services. This means floor plans, a list of product selections, mood boards, etc.

Let them know exactly what you’re going to be including in your presentation and in the service that they are hiring you for. The more detailed you are here, the less possibility of issues arising as the project progresses.

2. Scope of project

It is critical that the areas of the house or if it’s a commercial project, the spaces that you are responsible for, are very clearly defined. If you’re hired solely for a kitchen renovation, all things pertaining to that room should be outlined in the contract.

You’re familiar with the term ‘scope creep’, right? This is when additional requests are added by the client that were not listed in the initial scope of work. Before you know it, you could be designing and sourcing for areas of the home that were not identified at the start of the project.

Any space that you are working on needs to be covered in the contract.

3. Timelines

A third crucial element to include in your contract is timelines. Are you taking the project to the finish line? To that big exciting reveal? Or, are you working with a client for a limited number of specified hours?

Our Custom Design and Project Management service would have a much different timeline compared to our Designer by Your Side or Designer For a Day services.

The Custom Management service is a full service where we will do the design, order all products, oversee the trades, and arrange installations. For the other services, we work in specified blocks of time. These differing timelines must be clearly defined in your contract.

4. Fees & Fee Schedule

If you know me, you know that I never shy away from talking about money. So, of course, your fees and your fee schedule need to be clearly laid out in the contract.

What are the fees for your services? What is the frequency of your billing? When are payments due?

We never chase our clients for outstanding invoices, we always take payment before any interior design or decorating work begins.

Unfortunately, so often in my private Facebook group for interior design professionals, we hear stories about designers who are chasing clients for money. It’s a terrible feeling and is unnecessary when you have set your business up with organized processes.

This is NEVER AN ISSUE when you get paid upfront before you start working on a new project. More advice on this all-important topic can be found in a recent blog I posted about 5 Mistakes to Avoid at the Consultation.

Claire-ity Tip: Get a signed contract, even when working with friends and family!

If your friends and family respect what you do, this will not be an issue. Don’t stray because you know someone well. Stick to your processes.

5. Terms for Non-Payment

Continuing from #4 you need to make sure your contract stipulates terms for non-payment. These terms should also include what happens if payments are late.

We don’t move forward with purchases of any products unless we have been paid 100%. This is clearly stated in our contracts so our clients are completely aware of the consequences of late or non-payments.

Ideally, you avoid this unpleasantness by being completely transparent with your payment terms at the consultation and reviewing details of how you work up-front with your clients. We bring our contracts and more to our initial consultations so that we can have these open dialogues at the very beginning of the process.

6. Intellectual Property

In your design business if you state that your designs are your intellectual property and that your designs cannot be implemented without you, then you need to ensure this is outlined clearly in your contract. You also need to consider what legal action you will take and if you will actually enforce it, should you find out a client has taken your plans and implemented them on their own.

7. Backorders and Discontinued Products

As professional interior designers and decorators who work in this industry daily, we are well aware of back orders or items being discontinued.

This can be a real issue! You need to have a clause in your legal agreement pertaining to how you handle this, should it arise during the design process. We let clients know that the swifter they are at making decisions and giving us approvals for product purchases, the more chance we have at minimizing delays.

If products become back-ordered or discontinued, will you re-source products at no charge? If you charge, what are your rates for doing so?

It is crucial that these scenarios are communicated with your client in the contract ahead of time.

8. Damaged Products

If a product that you have specified arrives and is damaged or is the wrong item altogether, who is responsible for rectifying this? This is not uncommon and happens way more often than it should as far as I’m concerned.

This is why you need your contract to cover details on how this situation will be handled and by whom.

It’s possible that your terms for damaged products will differ depending on the type of service the client hired you for. For example, with our Designer For Day service, we are not responsible for products and we clearly state this in the contract.

However, for Custom Design projects, we typically oversee all deliveries, and our role is detailed in this type of contract should problems occur with any item that we have ordered and received.

9. Managing the Trades

It is fairly likely when providing any type of interior design or decorating service that a tradesperson will be required to be on-site at some point during the project. Therefore, how you work with the trades, whether they are hired by you or by your client, needs to be one of the key elements that you include in your contract.

The way in which you establish the relationship with contractors and trades is key to how you include this clause in your interior design contract.


I have only touched on some of the key clauses that you need to include in your legal agreements. My contract templates are much more comprehensive and each one includes a walk-through video and editable PowerPoint to help you confidently market and sell your valuable interior design services.

Don’t underestimate the importance of having solid contracts to protect both you and your clients. I highly recommend you review any agreement with your clients in person and collect a deposit for services at the same time. Good clients appreciate when you present yourself as a business owner as confident and organized.

Need Contracts?

CONTRACT TEMPLATES WITH SERVICE OUTLINES

Don’t need the bundle? Pick one:

Custom Design and Project Management Contract Template

Designer by Your Side Contract Template

Designer For a Day Contract Template

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Farrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue

Stiffkey Blue No.281

A rich blue, Farrow & Ball’s Stiffkey Blue can be used in traditional spaces or to give a more dramatic look to a contemporary design.

If you’re new here, welcome! Below you will see what I cover in every colour review post.

In this colour review video, I share:

  • The undertone of my featured colour
  • Colour comparisons in order to easily see the different colour tones
  • Best white paint colours for the trim and ceilings
  • Beautiful colour combinations to inspire you for your decorating project

If you prefer to have all these palettes conveniently to hand, plus see all 10 colour combinations to use with Stiffkey Blue, I’ve got that ready for you here in my Perfect Colour Palette.

Stiffkey Blue Farrow & Ball
Stiffkey Blue Paint Palette to Inspire your next home project

Stiffkey Blue Colour Review Video

Undertone: Inky Navy

Stiffkey Blue 281 
Farrow & Ball
Farrow and Ball

This rich depth of this ‘inky navy’ may appear more or less blue, depending on the lighting and what other decorative elements you pair with it in your interior decorating project.

As you can see below when we look at comparisons to other paint colours, that fact becomes more eye-opening.

Farrow And Ball Stiffkey Bedroom
Bedroom Walls in Stiffkey Blue by Farrow & Ball

Colour Comparisons

Hague Blue No.30 & Pitch Blue No.220

Stiffkey Blue 
Hague Blue
Pitch Blue
Farrow & Ball
Farrow and Ball

It’s only when we compare colours that we can truly understand the tones and whether they lean more one way or another on the colour spectrum.

When I do Colour Consultations in a client’s home, I am always comparing colours so they too can easily see the differences.

When I hold my large paint boards up to decorative elements such as fabrics, wallpaper or subway tile and then swap out one board with another board, it becomes much more evident as to which colour will work best.

Best Whites To Pair With Stiffkey Blue

All White No.2005

Stiffkey Blue
All White
Farrow & Ball
Farrow and Ball

James White No.2010

Stiffkey Blue 
James White

Wevet No.273

Stiffkey Blue 
Wevet
Farrow and Ball
Farrow & Ball

I can assure you that the best colour for your project already exists, you just need to know the 5 Steps on how to choose the right paint colour the first time.

Updated Get Your Paint Colours Right

Fabulous Colour Combinations

Stiffkey Blue with Churlish Green, De Nimes & Skylight


Stiffkey Blue 
Churlish Green 
De Nimes 
Skylight
Farrow and Ball
Farrow & Ball

Churlish Green No.251 – MY FAVOURITE OF ALL THESE PAIRINGS!

Stiffkey Blue
Churlish Green
Farrow & Ball
Farrow and Ball

De Nimes No.299

Stiffkey Blue 
De Nimes
Farrow and Ball
Farrow & Ball

Skylight No.205

Stiffkey Blue 
Sky Light
Farrow and Ball
Farrow & Ball

Where would you use this striking paint tone? I would love to use Stiffkey Blue by Farrow and Ball for kitchen or bathroom cabinetry and to create a dramatic mood in a dining room.

Farrow And Ball Stiffkey And White Kitchen
Cabinetry in Stiffkey Blue by Farrow & Ball

Convenience At Your Fingertips

All of the colour combinations shown above plus more options for you to choose from are included in my Perfect Colour Palette for Stiffkey Blue.

My Perfect Colour Palette library holds over 50 palettes to select from! Click here to see all of them.

Pcp Mock Up 1 1

Classic Paint Collection

If you want more Farrow & Ball, check out my Classic Collection here.

Collections Covers Benjamin Moore (3)
Note: All colours shown are by Farrow & Ball

My Newest Collection: Sherwin Williams Neutrals

Sherwin Williams Collections Cover

Remember, it only takes one mistake to take your home decorating project from divine to disaster. Don’t let the paint be what stresses you out!

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6 Reasons You Need a Contract

Interior design contracts are essential for your business.  Before you start any interior design or decorating project with a client, you must have a signed contract in place.

During my 10 years as a professional, award-winning interior decorator, I have learned the importance of having a signed contract and reviewing it with the client before embarking on any type of new project.

Today, I am sharing with you my top 6 Reasons Why You Need a Contract. Check out the video below for all the details.

Interior Design Contracts – 6 Reasons Why You Need Them

6 Reasons Why You Need a Contract

6 Reasons Why You Need A Contract Pinterest Graphics

1. Shifts the mindset of the client

You want your client to be able to clearly distinguish that there is a difference between the initial consultation and the next level of interior design services, where they are entering a more formal working relationship with you.

We hear a lot about mindset these days and that’s because it is so important for everyone to be fully on board and in the right frame of mind before moving forward with any type of interior design project.

From flat fee services such as Custom Design and Project Management projects to services billed by the hour in blocks of time like Designer for a Day or Designer by Your Side services, you must have a signed contract in hand and retainer payment before you begin working with clients.

They will respect you more for having a process for every step of the project.

Learn more about these different types of services listed above that we provide in our business and guidelines on what to charge.

2. Protects you & your client

An interior design contract outlines the way in which you work and helps to protect both you and your client.  Yes, a contract and/or letter of agreement is also there to protect your client! Its purpose is such that you both fully understand the terms of your working agreement.

This is super important because although we understand how invaluable our interior design services are because we work on client projects every single day but we can’t expect a client to know all of what we do and how our processes work.

There are many moving parts to each project, from the ordering and tracking of items to resolving various types of issues and overseeing the trades, various elements can arise that are out of our control.

That is why it’s your responsibility to make sure your client fully understands how you work.

3. Sets the tone

Having a legally binding contract lets the clients know that you are a true professional when it comes to running an organized business with streamlined processes.

This comes back to adjusting the mindset of your client and setting up the proper framework for working together. When your client understands that you follow specific steps in your process, they will be more confident in the working relationship you are building with them and in your abilities to manage their project.

4. Open communication

Isn’t it nice when you hire someone to do a service for you and the way that they communicate with you is clear and open right from the the start?

Reviewing your contract in person with your client shows that you are a believer in communicating your processes effectively and that you don’t avoid difficult conversations.

It demonstrates that communication is important to you and that they can speak openly to you if they have an issue moving forward, knowing that you will confidently handle whatever comes your way during the course of the project.

Claire-ity Tip: Get a signed contract, even when working with friends and family!

If your friends and family respect what you do, this will not be an issue. Don’t stray because you know someone well. Stick to your processes.

5. Helps manage client expectations

If you know me, you know that I’m huge on managing client’s expectations!

When I coach designers one on one and we dive deep into a challenging situation that they are dealing with on a client project, we can almost always trace it back to something that was skipped over or a mistake that was made at the beginning of the working relationship.

We know that not everything goes as planned during a design project and that there will be hiccups, but your client likely does not.

Having a comprehensive contract as your interior design partner helps you to explain the entire process, including some of the problems that may arise and MOST IMPORTANTLY – how you will manage and resolve any issue so that you minimize shock or disappointment down the road.

6. Allows for open discussions

I encourage you to see reviewing your contract with the client at the consultation as an opportunity. It’s not meant to scare, intimidate or pressure anybody. It’s YOUR chance to have an open discussion so that they know what it looks like to work with your interior design firm.

I don’t say to the clients: “We have a contract that must be signed before we start.”

Instead, I let them know that I have an Agreement to go over with them and this will allow them the opportunity to ask me any questions about the service and how we work.

The way in which we approach this puts the client at ease and they respect that we are open with them and that we have nothing to hide.

I am more than happy to go into detail in each section so that they can make well-informed decisions and have complete confidence in the way we work.

We always bring our Contract Templates with detailed Service Outlines for each of our services with us to every initial consultation meeting. It is not uncommon for us to leave that first meeting with a signed contract and retainer in hand. It is possible!

If you are still looking at me with a side-eye, take a look at what one of my coaching clients had to say in a testimonial after investing and implementing strategies from my ROCK the Consultation Processes package and utilizing my Contract Bundle.

Connie Ig Tt

Even if you don’t end up converting a client to further services past the initial consultation meeting, coming fully prepared to this first appointment is something I highly recommend.

Need Contracts?

CONTRACT TEMPLATES WITH SERVICE OUTLINE POWERPOINTS

Don’t need the bundle? Pick one:

Custom Design and Project Management Contract Template

Designer by Your Side Contract Template

Designer For a Day Contract Template

Pin for Easy Reference!

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