Why it is a Good Idea to Niche Down as an Interior Designer
You may have heard that working in a niche within an industry is an effective strategy to growing your business. Interior design is no exception.
What is a niche?
A niche in interior design refers to a specialised area of focus or expertise within the interior design industry. By choosing a specific niche, interior designers can differentiate themselves from generalist designers and position themselves as experts in their chosen fields.
Here are a few reasons why ‘niching’ down can be an effective strategy:
Specialisation: By focusing on a specific niche, interior designers can develop an understanding of their chosen area and become recognised experts in their field.
It can help you differentiate yourself from other more generalist designers. Clients choose you because of your superior knowledge, contacts, and resources within that niche.
You can attract a certain type of client. By focusing on a specific niche, you can attract clients who are specifically looking for an interior designer with that type of expertise.
It can increase your earning potential. By becoming an expert in a specific niche, interior designers can charge higher fees for their services, as clients are willing to pay more for specialised knowledge and skills.
You can grow as a professional. Working in a niche can provide continuous learning and professional development opportunities, as designers can stay current with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in their field.
What are some examples of niches for interior designers?
One of the most common ways to niche down is by industry. Look at industries such as hotels, restaurants, hospitals, childcare & schools. The list is endless. You will likely have a lot of technical knowledge and formal interior design qualifications. If you are interested in working in these niches, working for a firm already in your chosen industry is a good idea.
Another way of niching down is to become a designer of a particular use case. Consider specialist rooms such as playrooms, children’s bedrooms, nurseries, wine rooms, home gyms etc. You are only limited by your imagination here. The advantage of these niches is that you can probably learn on the job and create a real name for yourself. You can develop trusted suppliers and deep knowledge of this niche. The other advantage is that clients of these specialist rooms tend to have large budgets, leading to the creation of beautiful spaces.
You could find niches in technical specialties such as lighting design, home automation, sound design, audio-visual design, etc. Again these types of niches can be technical but can be fulfilling.
Finally, another type of niche might be historic preservation. You could specialise in projects that concentrate on the design of historic buildings. You could further niche by concentrating on the Victorian or Art Deco periods.
There are many advantages to niching down.
Helps brand clarity: Focusing on a specific niche helps define the designer's brand and sets them apart from generalist designers.
Increased expertise & knowledge: By specialising in a specific niche, interior designers can develop a deep understanding of their field, leading to increased expertise and credibility.
It can help you attract your ideal clients: Niche targeting helps attract clients specifically looking for an interior designer with that type of expertise.
Increased pricing power: By positioning themselves as experts in their field, interior designers can charge premium prices for their services.
Improved marketing efforts: By focusing on a specific niche, designers can create more targeted and effective marketing campaigns, easily reaching their ideal clients.
Career satisfaction: Working in a specific niche can provide a sense of fulfilment and purpose, as designers can focus on passionate projects and contribute to their client's success.
Establish trust: By becoming an expert, interior designers can build their reputation, leading to jobs outside their niche if they are interested.
Niching down can be an effective strategy for an interior designer to establish their expertise and build their businesses. Head over to the website of GrOH! Playrooms to look at how these designers niched down and blew up!
Hi 👋🏽 I’m Joanne!
I’m an interior designer, educator and business coach. After studying Economics and Education at uni, the design world beckoned, drawing me to Christie’s in London, where I completed post-grad studies in art & design and then to Hong Kong, where I founded Eclectic Cool, a design firm and design store. . Eclectic Cool represented international brands such as Gubi, &tradition, HAY, Armadillo Rugs & Dinosaur Designs to name a few. My work and store have been featured in Monocle, Conde Nast Traveller, Elle Decor, Expat Living, Cathay Pacific inflight magazines, South China Morning Post and the ABC (Australia) network and more. I live on the south coast of Australia on a country property between the beautiful Australian bush and the Pacific Ocean with my husband and cavoodle. I’m the mum of three adult children.
