Interior Design Invoice Example with Annotated Line Items

Sample interior design invoices

This illustrative project is from a fictional Pasadena, California studio. The prices are the studio's own, not a market benchmark, and the tax rate is an example.

Invoice WSI-2026-0041: design fee

Invoice WSI-2026-0042: furnishings

The arithmetic: design fee $2,500 + $1,800 + (8 × $175 = $1,400) = $5,700. Furnishings $4,680 + $3,250 + (8 × $520 = $4,160) + $2,100 + $1,890 = $16,080; tax $16,080 × 0.0875 = $1,407; total $17,487; half of that is $8,743.50.

Payment Terms: Design fee Net 15. Furnishings are ordered once the 50% deposit is received; the balance is due before delivery. Wire transfer or check.

Notes (furnishings invoice): Client prices include a 30% markup on trade cost, as set out in the design agreement. Furnishings have 8 to 14 week lead times from order. Installation tentatively scheduled for late June.

Field-by-field breakdown

• From: Firm name, studio address and billing email.
• To: Homeowner or client and the project address.
• Project reference: Name the rooms and the design agreement so both invoices point to the same contract.
• Design fee invoice: Consultation, space planning and layout, and supervision of installation. These are your professional services.
• Furnishings invoice: Each item with the client price (trade cost plus markup). Sourcing and ordering time belongs in the markup, not in the design fee, for the tax reason below.
• Markup: There is no reliable "standard" markup. Our interior design pricing guide shows how to check that your markup pays for the hours you spend sourcing, ordering and receiving. In this example, the sectional's trade cost was $3,600, and $3,600 × 1.30 = $4,680.
• Freight and delivery: Delivery charges have their own sales tax rules, so check how your state treats them before you add a freight line.
• Tax (California): A California tax memorandum published by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration says fees for bona fide professional services such as consultation, layout, coordination of furniture and fabrics, selection of colour schemes and supervision of installation are not taxable, and should be billed separately from the furnishings, which are taxable (CDTFA annotation 295.1509.700). The 8.75% rate is an example; look up the rate for the delivery address.

How the prices on this invoice were set

There is no reliable public price list for interior design, so this example does not include a "typical rates" table. The interior design pricing guide builds a design fee from estimated hours multiplied by a rate floor, then tests whether the furnishings markup covers procurement time.

For context only, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median wage of $32.31 an hour for interior designers in May 2025. About 26% were self-employed, and the wage figure does not cover them (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Interior Designers).

Variations

• Flat fee vs. hourly: Some designers charge a flat project fee; others bill design time hourly plus a markup on product.
• Cost-plus model: Show the trade cost and a stated percentage markup on each item (for example "trade cost $3,600 + 30% = $4,680").
• Retail model: Show only the client price. The design agreement should still say how prices are set.
• Design-only: For clients who buy their own furniture, bill the design fee alone and leave procurement to them.
• Commercial projects: Larger projects often bill design by phase and use the client's purchase orders for furniture, fixtures and equipment.

Tips for interior design invoicing

1. Separate design fees from product costs on different invoices, so the client sees what they pay for your expertise and what they pay for furnishings.
2. Take a deposit before placing orders so you are not funding custom furniture yourself.
3. Include lead times in your notes so clients know when to expect delivery.
4. Invoice at each project phase (concept, procurement, installation) rather than one lump sum at the end.

Worked example: the same project in New York City

New York taxes interior design services, but the treatment depends on how you bill. The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance says that in New York City, interior design services are exempt from the city's local tax, so a separately contracted and billed design fee is taxed at 4⅜% (4% state plus the ⅜% Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District tax), while furnishings are taxed at the full 8⅞% city rate (TB-ST-400).

The arithmetic: $5,700 × 0.04375 = $249.375, rounded to $249.38; $5,700 × 0.08875 = $505.875, rounded to $505.88; $16,080 × 0.08875 = $1,427.10. Billing separately saves the client $256.50 in tax on this project.

These tax points cover only California and New York and were checked against the official sources linked above. Other states treat design services differently. This is general information, not tax advice; ask your state tax agency or an adviser, including about resale certificates for buying furnishings without paying tax. Last reviewed: October 28, 2026.

Building these invoices in InvoiceQuickly

• One tax percentage per invoice, calculated on the subtotal after any discount. That is another reason to keep the untaxed design fee and the taxed furnishings on separate invoices.
• Deposits: there is no deposit field. Bill the deposit as its own invoice, or record it as a partial payment against the furnishings invoice; partial payments are tracked on every plan.
• Line items with quantity × unit price, and notes and terms of up to 5,000 characters for the markup basis and lead times.
• Pro ($9/month) adds email delivery, estimates the client can accept in a private portal, and payment links through your own Stripe or PayPal account.

It does not manage purchase orders, track vendor orders or store trade costs. Start from the interior design invoice template, or see InvoiceQuickly for interior designers.

Frequently asked questions

Should I charge sales tax on design fees?

It depends on the state. In California, separately billed professional design services such as consultation, layout and supervision of installation are not taxable, while the furnishings you sell are (CDTFA annotation 295.1509.700). New York taxes interior design services, at 4⅜% in New York City when separately contracted and billed (TB-ST-400). Check your own state's rules.

Should the design fee and the furnishings be on the same invoice?

Separate invoices are clearer for the client, and in California and New York they can also reduce the tax due, as the worked example shows. If you combine them, the whole charge may be taxed at the higher rate.

How do I handle a client who wants to source their own furniture?

Offer a design-only fee for that client, priced from the hours the design work takes. Say in your design agreement that you are not responsible for sourcing, delivery or quality of client-sourced items.

Should I show my trade cost on the invoice?

That is a business choice. Showing trade cost plus a stated markup (cost-plus) is transparent; showing only the client price (retail) is simpler. Either way, the design agreement should explain how prices are set.

What if a custom order arrives damaged?

File a claim with the vendor or freight company. Your design agreement should say whose responsibility damaged or defective items are and that product warranties come from the manufacturer.

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Price the project with the interior design pricing guide, then start from the interior design invoice template or create a free InvoiceQuickly account.