Define the terms and conditions to provide interior design services with an Interior Design Contract. Create your own formal document in just minutes with our customizable template.
Last Update May 24th, 2023

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- What is an Interior Design Contract
- What are the Key Clauses for Interior Design Contract
- How to Write an Interior Design Contract
- Interior Design Contract Sample
- FAQs About Interior Designers Contracts
Interior Design Contract
What is an Interior Design Contract
An Interior Design Contract is a legal document that specifies how interior designers provide their services and how the client will pay the service provider for their work.
This service contract is a legally binding document meant to include terms and conditions that protect the rights of both the interior designer and the client.
To avoid any potential disputes, Interior Design Contracts should clarify in detail the scope of the project, including any other expectations that the involved parties may consider relevant.
It normally includes terms and conditions such as:
Payment Amount
Terms of Payment
Start and end date
Draft your own legally valid contract in minutes by using our Interior Design Contract template.
What are the Key Clauses for Interior Design Contract
Every Interior Design Contract has key elements that make up the agreement. Including these clauses in your contract will protect the rights of both parties.
Business Introduction – Designers should describe in this clause how they work, who they are, and how they carry out their projects.
Statement of Work –The project is briefly described in the statement of work. This isn't the same as a scope of work, which is a detailed agreement that describes the work that will be carried out.
Purchasing and Warranty Terms – This part discusses who makes the purchases, under whose name is the warranty, and if it is transferable.
Payment and Refund Cancellation Terms – These terms specify the payment due date following the invoice's transmission, as well as any applicable interest rates, fees, and refund policies.
Consultants and Contractors Clause – When you hire outside consultants or contractors to complete work, this clause is used. Even if you collaborate with them, you are not liable for their output.
Photograph, Videography, and Publicity Terms – This clause informs the client that photos will be taken, or a video will be made of their space (before, during, and after).
Intellectual Property Clause – To ensure your drawings, details, permits, etc. remain your intellectual property, add this clause in the contract.
Termination Terms – This clause creates a way to get out of the agreement if necessary, and it is meant to protect both parties.
Resolution of Disputes – How disputes will be handled throughout the project is outlined in this clause.
How to Write an Interior Design Contract
When creating an Interior Design Contract, you must write the document in the correct format.
Not including the correct structure in your document could lead to problems for either the Interior Designer or the client, such as not receiving payment or not having the job completed on time.
Follow these steps to ensure you draft a well-written Interior Design Contract.
Include the parties
This section provides the personal information of both the interior designer and the client. It includes the full names of each party along with both of your complete addresses.
This section also includes the date the document comes into effect.
Add services provided by the designer
The services that will be provided by the interior designer should be included in this part of the contract. All the services listed should be very clear for both parties regarding what needs to be done.
Enter start and end date
The day the services begin and end must be added to the document. The end date could be a specific day, whenever the services are completed, and if either party can terminate the contract with X amount of notice.
Add any compensation fees
You must include how the service will be paid and for how much. For example, this could be a certain amount per hour or at the end of the job.
Enter any contingency fees
This section explains if there will be a contingency fee or not. A contingency fee is a payment given when the services are completed.
The contingency fee is usually based on the percentage of a certain payment.
Include the payment terms
This section includes how often the designer will be paid, whether every week, monthly, etc.
It may also be paid once the services are completed.
Add retainer information
You can include if a retainer is required or not. If it is required, remember to add how much it will be and if it is refundable or not.
Enter the responsibility for expenses
In this part of the contract, you can determine who is responsible for expenses.
Every expense may be paid for by one party, or it’s possible for you to pay some and the other party pays the rest.
Mention how to resolve conflicts
This section discusses how to resolve any disputes between you and the other party. Include the jurisdiction (state) where the conflict will be administered.
Include the governing Law
This part mentions the agreement will be governed under the state’s laws that the work will take place. Enter the state whose laws will govern the contract.
Write any additional terms
In this section, you can add any extra terms and conditions that you or the other party see fit and can agree upon.
Sign the document
At the end of the document, both you and the other party must sign the document. Apart from the signature, this part includes your names and the date you sign.
To make the entire writing process simple and error-free, download LawDistrict’s Interior Design Contract template in PDF format to ensure you include all the necessary details.
Interior Design Contract Sample
To give you a better idea of what you need to include and how your document should look, review the Interior Design sample Contract below.

FAQs About Interior Designers Contracts
If you still have any questions regarding how Interior Design Contracts work, you can check the answers to some of the most common questions below.
Use the answers to resolve any doubts you may have regarding how this service contract works.
How do Interior Designers charge?
Normally, interior designers do their research on what the going rate is for their services. This is usually based on the rates in the area.
Once that is done, an hourly rate is selected. Using an invoice, you can charge a client for the amount you are owed based on work completed, whether you are paid hourly, weekly, or after the service.
How to get an Interior Design Contract?
There are several ways you can get an Interior Design Contract. One of the most common ways is to go to an attorney and ask them to draft one for you.
However, this can be very time-consuming and expensive. The ideal way is to download a template and create one yourself.
LawDistrict provides an expertly-written template that can you help you write your contract without paying excessive lawyer fees.
Why is an Interior Design Contract important?
Using an Interior Design Contract is essential for both the designer and the client. It protects the rights of both parties and makes it clear what each party expects from the other.
If either party tries to take advantage of the other, then the contract can protect the rights of that party.
It is always the wise choice to draft and sign a contract before any service begins.