How to Find Your Next Interior Design Client

If you’ve ever opened your calendar, looked at the blank space between projects, and thought, “Where is my next client going to come from?”—you’re not alone.

Every designer hits that moment.

You finish an install, send your final invoice, and suddenly the momentum slows. You start posting more, tweaking your website, maybe crossing your fingers that the algorithm blesses you this week.

But here’s the thing: your next client doesn’t come from luck, timing, or even more marketing.
They come from relationships.

Because relationships are the real referral engine behind consistent, highly aligned, and profitable bookings.

And I want to walk you through something I call The Relationship Trust Ladder, because not all referrals you get from your different relationships are created equal.

Meet the Relationship Trust Ladder

Imagine a simple, three-rung ladder.

Each rung represents a different level of trust—and the type of referral that comes with it.

Let’s break it down.

Rung 1: The Cold Leads

On the bottom rung are potential clients who find you through Google, Instagram, or your website.

These leads can absolutely become great clients, but they’re high effort because you’re starting every relationship from scratch. 

There’s very little trust upfront, which means more explaining, more hand-holding, and more risk of mismatch between what they need and what you offer.

You’re not only proving your talent; you’re proving your process, your pricing, and sometimes even the value of interior design itself.

You can absolutely nurture cold leads into dream clients, but it takes time, education, and consistency. Which is why relying only on this rung can leave your calendar feeling unpredictable.

Rung 2: Past Clients and Personal Network

The middle rung is warmer because it’s your past clients, neighbors, and personal connections who already know and like you.

These referrals are stronger, but they’re inconsistent. Sometimes you’re referred by someone you loved working with, and the new lead is a perfect fit.

Other times, it’s someone from five years ago referring their cousin with a $10K refresh budget and no clue what full-service design actually costs.

You get a mix of leads: some dreamy, some draining.

This rung gives you momentum, but not stability. To move up the ladder, you need something stronger than familiarity, you need professional trust.

Rung 3: Professional Relationships

At the top rung of the ladder sit your builder, architect, and trade partners.

Because when another professional refers you, it’s not just, “Oh, I know a designer.” It’s, “This is someone I’ve worked with. They’re solid. You’re in good hands.”

That kind of referral comes pre-loaded with confidence because the client is already bought into their relationship with that professional. 

Builders want the design to go smoothly. Architects want someone who communicates clearly. Trades want organized documentation. When you deliver all three, they notice.

That’s when your name starts coming up in conversations you’re not even part of yet.

Why the Top Rung Matters Most

Designers often think the fastest path to more clients is wider marketing: more followers, more reach, more ads. But in reality, the fastest path is deeper relationships.

Professional referrals are different because they come with instant credibility. The trust your builder, trade, or architect has in you transfers directly to their client.

That means:

• Fewer sales calls convincing people you’re worth it.
  
  
• Less price shopping and second-guessing.
  
  
• More projects that already match your standards.
  
  

And the best part? Once you’ve proven yourself to a professional partner, those referrals repeat. You’re no longer chasing leads, you’re building a referral loop.

How to Climb the Relationship Trust Ladder

Here’s how to start moving up from one-off referrals to repeat, reliable ones.

Strengthen the Partnerships You Already Have

Think about the last three projects you loved.
Who else was involved?
Which builder, architect, or trade made your life easier?

Send a quick note or DM thanking them for their collaboration. Ask how their current projects are going. Offer to share their work in your stories.

Small, thoughtful touchpoints go a long way toward showing that you’re someone that cares about their business.

Make Every Collaboration Feel Five-Star

Referrals grow from great experiences.

If a builder or trade partner enjoys working with you because you made their life easier on their project, they’ll keep bringing you into new ones.

That’s what happened for me at Daly Gentry Designs.

Builders became my best referral source because I designed my project Spec Book to give them every single detail they could possibly need to execute a job smoothly.

Each room in the home has its own section complete with elevations, finish selections, flooring, paint colors, fixture details, and purchase codes. There’s no guessing. Ever.

And because we all know that changes do happen during a design project, I built in a simple way to keep communication crystal-clear: QR codes.

Every trade partner accesses the Spec Book through a QR code, ensuring they always see the most current version. So, when we update something—say, the grout color in the main-floor powder room—it’s immediately reflected in that online file. No digging through email threads. No missed attachments. No confusion about which message had the latest info.

That single decision has eliminated 100 percent of the “wait, what version are we using?” misses that used to cost time and money.

The bonus? Clients love it too.
They can open the same Spec Book and feel completely confident about what’s happening on site. And when the project wraps, I print a copy as a keepsake so they have a beautiful, organized record of every detail in their home.

The takeaway: stop costly mistakes before they start, make communication easy, and document everything. When the builders and tradespeople know you’re reliable, clear, and organized, they remember you and then refer you.

Stay Visible During and After the Project

Visibility isn’t just about marketing; it’s about appreciation.

Throughout the project, share behind-the-scenes stories of collaboration and tag your builder or trades. Post about teamwork, gratitude, and progress. Highlight others on your social channels or in a blog post.

Then, once the project wraps, keep nurturing that relationship:

• Share professional photos and tag your partners when you post them.
  
  
• Thank them publicly in captions or project spotlights.
  
  
• Leave a glowing Google review for their business.
  
  

When you shine a light on others, they remember it, and they’ll celebrate you right back with referrals and repeat collaborations.

Diversify Your Ladder

Even once you have strong professional partnerships, keep nurturing the other rungs.

 A balanced referral ecosystem has all three:

• Cold leads bring fresh visibility.
  
  
• Past clients remind people of your impact.
  
  
• Professional partners anchor your consistency.
  
  

Together, they form a network that keeps your business stable in any season.

But remember, your next client probably isn’t a total stranger.  They’re connected to someone who already knows you, likes you, and trusts you.

When you focus on strengthening those connections, you turn every collaboration into your next opportunity.

That’s how designers build thriving, sustainable businesses, not through constant marketing, but through trusted relationships.

Ready to Build Your Own Referral Engine For Your Interior Design Business?

If you want to go deeper into each rung of the Relationship Trust Ladder, and learn more about how to make builder relationships become your best referral source, listen to my free private podcast, The Referral Reboot.