• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Interiors Addict

Heart Your Home

@interiorsaddict on Instagram   @interiorsaddict on Facebook   @interiorsaddict on Pinterest  
Subscribe
  • Job Board
  • About
  • Before & Afters
  • RENO ADDICT
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Kids Rooms
  • Bedrooms
  • Living Room
  • Shopping
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Travel
Interiors Addict
  • Job Board
  • About
    • Our Story

      Australia’s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
      READ MORE

      We’re big on Instagram!
      @interiorsaddict

      • About
      • Contact Interiors Addict
      • Work with Interiors Addict
      • Advertise / Find a job in Interiors
      • Press
    • Get Your Free Ebook

      This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • By Room
    • Browse by Room

      Where you can search for all our posts about a specific room. Only interested in kitchens and bathrooms? We got you!

      • Kitchens
      • Bathrooms
      • Kids Rooms
      • Bedrooms
      • Living Room
      • Home Office
      • Dining
      • Laundry
      • Outdoor & Exteriors
      • Renting
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • Before & Afters
    • Before & Afters

      Who doesn’t LOVE a good before & after? If you want to be inspired by the whole reno process, and not just the shiny photos at the end, this is the place for you!

      View Articles

      • Before & Afters
      • Jen’s reno
      • Real Renos
      • RENO ADDICT
    • 20240206_185022-01Before & after: tiles steal the show in 90s kitchen revamp
    • IMG_0235Kerb appeal: 3-bedder given fresh new look for retirees
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

      Looking for reno inspo? Find it all here, from other people’s projects to the latest trends, tools and products, whether you’re DIY-ing or employing trades.

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • The Block
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • TheClassicOutfitter_AbbieMelle_43Quartzite is the new ‘it’ stone but it’s more than just Taj Mahal
    • 0C5A0574-EditMosman en suite gets “sexy, strong, girly and sophisticated” look
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

      Want to know where to buy the latest furniture, homewares, rugs, art and more? We’re always sharing our latest finds and telling you where you can buy them.

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • COMMERCIAL_GoldOverBlue_28May2025_0007What’s new in furniture and homewares: May 2025
    • Screenshot 2025-05-19 at 1.02.34 pmClean your carpets professionally at home without the dry time
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jen’s a legitimate interiors addict, she’s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the country’s best to share their expertise with you. Be inspired by their stories too!

      View Articles

      • Decorating 101
      • Interviews
      • Expert Tips
      • Before & Afters
      • House Tours
      • Designers
      • Styling
      • Renovating
      • Real Renos
      • Covet my coffee table
    • Montage Apartment by Studio PrineasApartment takes out two major categories in design awards
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      We’re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks you’ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • Crispy egg noodles with seafood p. 116Foodie Friday: crispy egg noodles with seafood
    • 1293660_lifestyle Crossland Pearl GL-Porc Txt Rect 597×1195 UNI_Crossland_AMB 02_Living_PearlHow to bring your favourite travel destinations home
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

How to start a design or decoration business – your first steps

By Guest Poster •

FacebookPinWhatsAppEmailTweet

Dr Clare Le Roy is an award-winning interior designer, educator, mum of three and founder of The Little Design Corner. Her projects have been featured in many of Australia’s top interior publications. She also has a PhD in business but left the corporate world eight years ago to pursue her dreams of starting her own interior design business. In that time, she has gone from working for free for a few friends to creating a seven-figure business that now makes money while she sleeps. Clare is passionate about helping other people start, grow and scale their own design businesses and she shares some of her best advice here.

Nearly eight years ago I started a design business completely from scratch, with no design training, no clients – nothing! My business started from humble beginnings as a small blog where I shared ideas and tips about design and has eventually become the business I have today that has given me the freedom to create a life that I love, do something I am passionate about and (most importantly) provide me with a stable income that helps support my family.

But I remember how hard it was when I first got started in business. There were two things in particular that held me back for a long time:

  • I was scared and I felt like a fraud
  • I felt like I didn’t know the steps I needed to take to start my business.

In relation to the first reason for not taking action on my business – everything is scary until you do it, but creating a business doing something you love will change your life – take my word for it! And in relation to the second reason for taking action, that’s what I would love to share with you in this post; the first few steps you should be taking in order to move past your business just being an idea in your head to becoming something you start taking action on.

I’ve helped so many people start their design businesses, either through my free resources or via my online courses and workshops. So let me share the first few steps you should be taking if you want to get your own design business up and running.

Step 1: Identify your ideal client

The first step before you do anything else is to think about who you want to be serving in your new business.

This may seem like a strange place to start. What about creating a website or setting up social media? Yes, all these things are important, but they come later. You can’t create a website that will speak to the right person unless you first identify who that person is.

Knowing who your ideal client is means you can drill down and really work out who they are and what problems they have. You are going to be thinking about this ideal client at every step of the way while you build your business. Every time you create an Instagram post, a blog post, a newsletter, an email and, most importantly, a sales page for your products and services – you want to be thinking about your ideal client.

So try and be specific here and really describe who this person is. The better you know them, the easier you will find it to create products and services that will meet their needs. In fact I want you to understand your ideal client almost better than they understand themselves.

You want to know basics about them – how old are they, do they have kids, are they married, what sort of income do they earn, do they work? But you also want to know what fears and concerns they have. What keeps them up at night? How do they think and feel? The more work you do on understanding everything about your ideal client, the more you will end up creating products and services that speak directly to them and make them want to coming running to purchase from you.

Perhaps your ideal client is a busy mum who is about to renovate her family home? Or it might be a wealthy lawyer who wants to refurbish his home but has no time to think about it? Or perhaps it is a young couple who have just bought their first home and are looking for some help on a tight budget?

Whoever it is, get out a piece of paper and describe them in as much detail as you can.
That way you will always be creating content, products and services that they actually want and need.

Step 2: Identify the problems that your ideal client has

Let’s now move on to the problems your idea clients have. At the end of the day, your ultimate goal in business is to be solving problems. And the more specific the problem you can be solving, the better. Once you know who you want to be helping and serving, you need to work out what problems they have. And once you know their problems, you’ll be able to create solutions to those problems – in the form of the services and products that you offer.

So take out a piece of paper and write down all the problems and challenges they have. Be as detailed as you can and write out as much about how they might be thinking or feeling as you can.

Here’s an example to get you thinking. If your ideal client is a busy mum who is about to renovate her house, some of the problems and challenges she might be having include:

  • She feels worried about making the wrong design choices
  • She doesn’t have enough time to go to thousands of tiles shops to select her tiles
  • She feels overwhelmed by all the choices and where to start
  • She worries about the budget and how they are going to afford everything
  • She feels the weight of the renovation process on her shoulders – will she make all the right decisions? Will her partner be happy with what she decides?
  • She is nervous about working with trades. She hasn’t done it before and is worried they will ask her questions she doesn’t know the answer to.

These are just a few of the worries and challenges this particular type of ideal client is likely to be having. There would be heaps more than just these – but hopefully this gives you some ideas for where to get started with this step.

Step 3: Identify your passion, area of expertise and skills

The next step in getting your business started is to look inward at yourself and think about what you are passionate about, what you have skill in, what you like doing and what you feel confident to help people with. Again, write these down in as much detail as you can.

Once you’ve done this you also want to make sure that you have some kind of external validation that you are good at these things. If you aren’t yet getting that yet then you may not have found the skill that people will want to pay you for and you may need to think about more about it.

So on your piece of paper I want you to put at least three examples of where you have external validation about your skills or passion. Examples might be:

  • people asking you for free advice to help them with that skill
  • people complimenting you on your home design
  • people asking to ‘pick your brain’ about your passion topic
  • study you have in the area (with good marks)
  • work experience you have done in the area (e.g. for another company)
  • people already offering to pay you to do work in this area.

There’s lots of ways that you can document external validation of your skill set and I want you to have at least three validation examples in order to move forward with your business idea. If you don’t have them yet then think about how you might be able to get them (e.g. can you do some work for free for friends and get their feedback on how it went?).

But most importantly, do not move forward with your business idea unless you have this external validation. Why? Because if nobody except you has confirmed that your passion or skill set is something that they want or need then you may find this is more of a hobby than a viable business idea. So think carefully about this step and be honest with yourself. You don’t want to be putting all the hard work in to start your business only to find that nobody really wants or needs the idea that you have.

Step 4: Define your niche

There’s a saying you’ve probably heard: “The riches are in the niches”, and you are going to want to work out what your niche area is in order to make sure that you focus your business and marketing efforts towards a particular person in a particular niche.

You probably already have a general idea that you want to become a designer, decorator or stylist. But have you given much thought to your business idea beyond that? Defining your niche is really going to be the intersection between what we have already talked about above:

  • who your ideal client is
  • the problems they have, and
  • what you are passionate or skilled in (and that you have external validation that you are good at).

So again, take out a piece of paper and start to write down what these areas might be.

So, for example, if your ideal client is a busy mum who is renovating her house and she is worried that she will make all the wrong design decisions and you have skill and expertise in working with families to design functional homes – then your niche area might be design and decoration for families.

This niche will become your reputation and point of difference in the marketplace. As you build your brand, you want to become known for something specific. The more specific you can be about who you are helping and what you are helping them with, the easier it is for people to be able to make a connection with you.

If you take the steps outlined in this article then by now you will have a really great idea of who your ideal client is, what problems they have, the skillset you can bring that will help them with these problems and, ultimately, you will have defined a niche area that you would love to work in.

The great news is that there are plenty of opportunities to start a career in design and plenty of opportunities to specialise and find a niche that fits your skills and experience perfectly. These include interior design, wardrobe organisation, children’s room design, kitchen design, bathroom renovations, creating SketchUp models for clients, home decoration, home organisation and planning, product sourcing – the possibilities to specialise are endless.

And what I have laid out in this article are the most important foundational steps you can take to get your business up and running. I rarely see new creative businesses do these steps well. Instead, people tend to get started with the wrong things – such as creating their website, naming their business or setting up their social media accounts. But without having done the steps we have looked at in this article, how can you create those business assets? Knowing who you want to be working with and the niche you will be working in is massively important for being able to create the right kind of website or give your business the right name.

Starting a business is incredibly rewarding but you are going to have to work hard, be committed, be flexible and adaptable and perhaps even start out doing things you don’t necessarily always want to do. But if you persist and move forward, bit by bit you will start to build up something that has value and that you can keep steering in different directions until you find exactly what you want to be doing.

So make a commitment to yourself – even if it feels overwhelming or scary – and take these first few steps towards getting your amazing new business started!

Want to learn more?

If you have found this post helpful, check out Clare’s free training all about how to start a design or decoration business. In this online workshop she outlines a full step by step plan for how you can start a new design, decoration or styling business from scratch. Plus you’ll get a completely free 18-page PDF launch plan with an entire system laid out for you for how to get your business up and running. Sign up for the workshop and select a time that suits you.

She also offers an online course, Passion to Profit, that will teach you an entire foundational system for how to get your new business up and running. This comprehensive self-paced program will walk you through how to set up your business, how to find your first clients, how to market your business, the legal side of doing business plus it will teach you systems for how to improve your productivity and how to work with clients (plus much more as well!). Find out more.

FacebookPinWhatsAppEmailTweet

July 17, 2020

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Australian bathroom standards: dimensions explained by an expert

  • Apartment takes out two major categories in design awards

  • Win the new super slim robot vacuum and mop from DEEBOT

  • A modern interpretation of heritage in Melbourne makeover

  • Modern architectural gem is perfect for family living

Follow us on Instagram

If you pick your restaurants for the interior as m If you pick your restaurants for the interior as much as the food, you might want to add @pinosalmare  by @nicgrahamandassociates to your date night list! 😍

@smartstoneaustralia's stunning Calacatta Viola sintered stone surface features throughout, making a bold statement while being durable enough to be used in the busiest areas.

Inspired by Puglia, Pino's (named after the owner's father) in Cronulla has a real seaside vibe. The Smartstone was also chosen for the outdoor tables due to its UV stability.

#calacattaviola #smartstone #restaurantinteriors #restaurantinteriordesign #italianrestaurantsydney #engineeredstone #sinteredstone
SPA VIBES was the brief for this bathroom and @jas SPA VIBES was the brief for this bathroom and @jasminemcclellanddesign delivered. And then some!

"With a keen eye for design, they wanted their main bathroom to feel calm, spa-like and elevated with more storage, better layout, and soft, layered textures in a neutral palette. Lighting was another big focus, with the goal of creating a space that felt luxurious enough to unwind in, preferably with a glass of champagne in the bath.”

Is it a yay or a nay for you?

Head to the blog via link in bio/stories for all the suppliers as well as a look at the powder room with its bold wallpaper 😍

#spabathroom #zenbathroom #spavibes #bathroomremodels 

📸 @jonathantabensky
Vacuums, mops, empties itself. Slim enough to get Vacuums, mops, empties itself. Slim enough to get under the lowest furniture and beds.

Comment 'enter' and we'll DM you the link to enter for your chance to win this top of the range $1499 robot from @ecovacs_anz, the DEEBOT T50 PRO OMNI.

Good luck!

#robotvacuumcleaner #robotvaccum #robotvacuummop #robotmop #smarthome #houseworkhacks
>>>Swipe for the transformation! 😮 From cold t >>>Swipe for the transformation! 😮

From cold to cosy!

This primary ensuite for a successful career woman working in luxury cosmetics and homewares is sexy, strong, girly, but sophisticated. We love its warmth and personality.

If you'd like to take the tour and find out where everything is from, comment 'luxe' below and I'll send the link to your DMs!

Bravo @howardlanedesigns 👏🏼 
📸 @capturedbykels__

#ensuiteinspo #ensuitedecor #ensuitegoals #marblebathrooms #statementstone
The latest addition to my @kirstenjackson_gallery The latest addition to my @kirstenjackson_gallery collection. This is a framed canvas and the quality is amazing. I feel like beautifully framed canvas prints are the perfect affordable halfway point when it comes to art.
What's your decor style? Spring, summer, autumn or What's your decor style? Spring, summer, autumn or winter?

I could have told you I was spring even before I took the quick quiz to find out, and pleased to report the quiz gave me the right result!

Comment the season you THINK you are below (spring, summer, autumn or winter) and I'll send you the link to the quiz so you can double check!

Fun!

This quiz from @templeandwebster jumps on the colour analysis trend for fashion and applies it to interiors!

#seasonaldecorating #seasonaldecor #colouranalysis
The @thermomix_au TM7 launch in Sydney yesterday w The @thermomix_au TM7 launch in Sydney yesterday was a real treat. Such an exciting and sleek looking upgrade to my favourite kitchen machine!

The new look speaks for itself and, as usual, the engineering is impressive. Here's the biggest changes that stood out to me:

1. It's SO quiet and in fact SILENT up to a certain speed 
2. It has a much bigger 10 inch screen
3. A new insulated, cool to touch bowl (the inner metal bowl detaches to wash)
4. A gorgeous new matte black design with fluted and herringbone details and made of 30% recycled materials 👏🏼 

Enjoyed a beautiful lunch all prepared, naturally, in the Thermomix! Was great to meet @mise_en_place_aus in real life as well as special guest dessert queen @kirstentibballs and catch up with the lovely Thermomix team.

Tag a friend who'll be coveting the TM7! It's available from next week!

#thermomixtm7 #thermomix #thermomixaus #thermomixlover
Awards are always a great place to get inspo. Chec Awards are always a great place to get inspo. Check out the kitchen and bathroom of the year winners in this month's @hia_au @csrdwelling Housing Awards. There's more winning homes and rooms to check out in our blog post on the homepage, via link in bio or stories now. 

Kitchen by @build.theory Bathroom by @birdblackdesign and @aspire_constructions 

#hiaawards #hiaawards2025 #awardwinninghomes #australianinteriordesign
We're so in love with this reno by @jdzdesigns_ 😍😍😍

It's a remodel of a previously dark and pokey extension to a Victorian Gothic home. It's now an open plan dream, and the transition from old to new is beautifully done with impressive black steel doors.

Head to the blog via link in bio/stories for the full story and tour.

#kitchenislands #superwhite #luxurykitchens #openplanlivingspace #steeldoordesign

📸 @lawrencefurzey
Follow on Instagram
Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.

Get Your Free Ebook

Ebook cover

Never miss the latest renovating and interiors products, news and inspo again! Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you the best bits from the blog, direct to your inbox. Plus you'll get our latest eBook: Just One Thing To Elevate Your Interior, featuring Australia's top design talent.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

About Guest Poster

If you have high quality, original, relevant content to share, we might be interested in publishing your guest post on Interiors Addict. Please email [email protected] with your submissions.

More from Design

Modern architectural gem is perfect for family living

Apartment takes out two major categories in design awards

A modern interpretation of heritage in Melbourne makeover

Quartzite is the new ‘it’ stone but it’s more than just Taj…

Interior designer sees her Mediterranean dream home come to life

Maximalist marble and textured metals: 2025’s ‘it’ materials

Interior designer Emma Blomfield shares her secrets in third book

Mosman en suite gets “sexy, strong, girly and sophisticated” look

Decor + Design returns for 2025 with a milestone 21st edition!

Promo Area

Footer

Interiors Addict

Interiors Addict

  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Jen
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Browse

  • RENO ADDICT
  • Jen’s Reno
  • House Tours
  • Real Renos
  • Interviews
  • Styling
  • Designers
  • Bedrooms
  • Covet My Coffee Table
  • Expert Tips
  • The Block
  • Art
  • Furniture
  • Recipes

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RENO ADDICT

Copyright © 2011–2025 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP · Log in