The Top 5 Business Tools I use (and love) as an Interior Designer

Oct 25

Have you ever thought about starting your own interior design business but have no idea what you would need to actually get it going? Like how do you create a mood board anyway let alone accept those client payments?

Or maybe you already have a business but feel like there could be a better way to do some of the things you are currently doing?

If so, I get it. It has taken me a few years to really figure out what tools and systems work well in my virtual interior design business and which ones don’t.

So I’m sharing the top 5 tools and systems that I use in my business today (like - wouldn’t be able to run my business without these - kind of top 5). I’m hoping this list may save you a bit of trial and error or at the very least get your wheels spinning on what may work for you and your business.

So here we go…5 of my favorite tools and systems I use as a Virtual Interior Designer

#1 Photoshop

I am putting this one on the top of the list because this is the number one way that I communicate and share my design vision with clients. I am currently on the cloud based Photography Plan which costs me only $10 a month for both Photoshop and Lightroom. While I don’t use Lightroom directly to share my designs with clients, I do use it for editing all of my photos. As far as “bang for your buck” goes, this has to be at the top of my list.

Want to see an example of what my design concepts look like? Check out this blog post.

#2 HoneyBook

HoneyBook is the system I use to really keep all of the behind the scenes things running. Read: how I book projects and get paid for those projects. Now that I think about it, maybe this one should have been top of the list! Regardless of where it falls on this list, I couldn’t run my business without it. HoneyBook is an all-in-one platform that gives you everything you need to manage projects, book clients, send invoices, and get paid.

You can get started with HoneyBook today and save 20% here.

#3 DesignFiles

I currently use DesignFiles to create all of my 2D and 3D layouts. While this platform offers so much more than this (like mood boards, invoicing, purchase orders, client portals, and time tracking to name just a few), I only use it for floorplans at this time. I have just found other systems on this list that work better for me for some of those other tasks. However, if you are looking for a one-stop-shop to handle most of your design business needs, DesignFiles is a great place to start.

Check out the features for yourself here.

#4 Canva

I use Canva for all of my graphics, specifically for Pinterest and sharing blog posts and other content on social media. I love that there are so many templates to choose from and that you can easily edit the templates to make them your own. I don’t know about you, but I’m not good at starting with a blank slate. I need a template to get going and while I may completely change what the template looks like in the end, I really do need it there to get my creative wheels spinning. I also use the Canva background removal tool (alongside Photoshop) to create my design concept boards quicker than I could do in Photoshop alone.

#5 Flodesk

Okay, so I know this is last on the list but it might just be the one I get the most excited about. Building and growing an email list from scratch is one of the things I am most proud of in my business. Growing and connecting with my email list has completely shifted my business and my ability to share my designs, ideas, and inspiration with others. Choosing the right email service provider for you is the first step in growing that list! I love Flodesk for its ease of use, beautiful templates (again with the templates), and the fact that there are no tiered plans - meaning you don’t pay more for having a bigger list (i.e. you aren’t penalized for growing your list).

You can save 50% off your first year here.