If you’re an interior designer who has ever sent a proposal and immediately felt that quiet knot in your stomach, you’re not alone.

Not because you doubt your talent.
But because something about the number doesn’t feel right.

Most designers don’t underprice because they’re careless or inexperienced. They underprice because they were never given a clear, professional framework for valuing their work.

And without structure, pricing turns emotional — fast.

Let’s simplify this.

The Real Reason Designers Underprice (It’s Not Confidence)

This isn’t about self-worth.
And it’s definitely not about skill.

It’s about structure.

Designers are trained to create beauty, solve problems, and manage complex projects. They are not trained to:

• Translate expertise into pricing

• Account for invisible labor

• Price for responsibility and risk

• Protect their energy over long timelines

So pricing becomes reactive.

Pulled from what feels “reasonable.”
Borrowed from another designer’s Instagram.
Adjusted downward to avoid discomfort.

That’s not strategy. That’s survival.

Mistake #1: Pricing From Fear Instead of Clarity

Fear sounds like:

• “What if they say no?”

• “This feels like a lot of money.”

• “I don’t want to lose the project.”

But your feelings are not a pricing formula.

When pricing is driven by fear, designers shrink scope, absorb unpaid work, and overdeliver to compensate. That’s how resentment creeps in — and burnout follows close behind.

Confident pricing doesn’t come from being braver.
It comes from knowing your numbers and your process.

Mistake #2: Forgetting to Price the Invisible Work

Designers often price for what clients can see:

• Drawings

• Selections

• Install days

But forget to charge for what clients feel:

• Decision containment

• Vendor management

• Problem-solving under pressure

• Emotional regulation when things go sideways

Luxury clients aren’t paying for pretty rooms alone.
They’re paying for leadership, calm, and certainty.

If your pricing doesn’t reflect that, you’re subsidizing the project with your nervous system.

Mistake #3: Thinking “Nice” Is Better Than Clear

Many designers worry that higher pricing makes them seem rigid or unapproachable.

So they soften it.

They apologize for numbers.
They over-customize.
They bend “just this once.”

But here’s the truth: clarity is what clients trust.

Clear pricing feels professional.
Clear boundaries feel safe.
Clear process feels luxurious.

Structure doesn’t repel good clients — it attracts them.

How to Fix Underpricing (Without Becoming Pushy)

This isn’t about charging more just because you can.

It’s about building a pricing structure that actually supports your business.

Here’s where it starts:

Define your services before you price them.
If you can’t clearly explain what you do, clients can’t value it.

Price the process, not just the output.
Your expertise lives in how you work, not just what you deliver.

Use data, not guesswork.
Calculators remove drama. Clarity replaces anxiety.

Let structure do the heavy lifting.
When your backend is solid, pricing conversations get easier — naturally.

A Better Starting Point (If This Feels Familiar)

If you’re realizing, “Oh… this is exactly what I’m doing,” there’s a faster way to get clarity.

I created a free 40-minute training that breaks this down simply — without fluff, without hype.

In The 3 Secrets Every Interior Designer Wishes They Had Known Sooner, you’ll learn:

• Why underpricing keeps happening (even to talented designers)

• The shift that changes how clients respond to your pricing

• How structure — not confidence — is the real solution

If pricing feels heavier than it should, this is your starting point.

→ Watch the free training here

You don’t need another strategy.
You need perspective.

And once pricing is grounded in structure, everything else starts to feel lighter.

You got this my friend!

xo John