Studio Furniture Rates for Interior Designers

Special Interest Areas furniture
1

As a hobby, I design and fabricate studio furniture. I do 3-4 furniture shows a year. Its nice, I meet new people, I sell a few items and I get a few commissions. Basically, it covers the costs of a some new tools and the materials for stuff I make for myself, family and friends.

At the shows, the costs are based on cost of materials + 10% and a labor rate of $40-$60/hour, depending on the amount of time needed. A simple clock can cost $80 and a complex bed can cost $10,000. The items I sell have been used in the home and office. I usually don’t haggle, but if I like the guy/gal I may take 10% off the hourly rate.

Recently I have been contacted by a couple of interior designers who are interested in selling some of my stuff to their clients. What do I charge them? I can’t charge them full “retail”, that would drive the cost up too high, they need to make money too. I certainly don’t want to undervalue my work and 50% off retail is too much. I know they will make any offer but I was wondering if there was a standard rate.

2

If you are really compelled to give discounts go ahead but I would not cut myself short with 50% off.

I’d say 5% - 15% max. Calculate your cost and profit, don’t forget to count your own sweat. I would do my best not to give discounts, interior designers have many options to make money off a client.

Good luck!

3

If the designers aren’t designing the pieces, just reselling them, 10-15% is plenty. A lot of designers seem to think they should pay “wholesale” (50% off), but until they open a showroom and start carrying inventory like a real store, they can go pound sand. I’ve always thought the notion of designers getting a (large) hourly rate AND taking a huge margin on the furniture they specify was just plain wrong.