Interior Design Standard

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Montclair, NJ
Interior Design Standard

Sandra Funk | Business Education for Interior Designers | 25 years in the industry | As seen in H&G, AD, ELLE, LUXE, HB, BOH

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10/29/2026

In 2017 I pulled over and fixed my business. I hired a lawyer, a business strategist and a mindset coach, and rebuilt how my firm ran from the ground up. I completely threw out "how it's always done" for a version of a design firm that delighted my clients. In every single decision, we put the client experience first, while making sure that I had firm boundaries and dependable profit.⁠
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That's where "stand in your space" comes from. It means knowing your process, your boundaries and your price so well that you stay firm no matter what. Un-f -with-able is another fond way to put it. Unshakable. How good does that feel?

10/28/2026

The older I get, the less interested I am in doing more things and the more interested I am in doing the right things.⁠
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It's how I approached a tiny powder room like this one, and it's how I run my business now: fewer offers, fewer exceptions, and a process I stand behind.⁠
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Where are you doing more when you could be doing less, but better?⁠
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Photography -

10/27/2026

Three signs your pricing is too low, from my 18 years running a luxury design firm.

You sign every potential client. You pass your trade discount to your clients. And you're pricing your time instead of your talent, your eye, and all of your experience.

How I priced my projects: https://interiordesignstandard.com/interior-design-pricing/

10/26/2026

Picasso sketched a fan in two minutes and charged her $5,000. When she balked, he said, "Yes darling, but I'm Picasso."
It's not about the time that it took, it's about the brilliance that you bring to the work.

10/25/2026

The first call sets the tone for the whole relationship.

For years I used the same script on every inquiry. By the end of that first call, I knew whether the personality, scope and budget were a fit. If they weren't, we never even booked an initial meeting.

Comment SCRIPT and I'll send it to you. It's my gift to you.

Photography -

10/24/2026

A potential client asked if I share my discount. I smiled and said no, that's what makes this a business, not a hobby.

I got the job. I think she respected that I'd priced the project upfront and didn't apologize for being in business for profit.

And no, I don't show clients my receipts either.

10/23/2026

What I priced into every luxury project, beyond the design itself.

The snacks and flowers at every presentation. My time on site. An assistant's support. And a buffer for the unexpected, which I call "oh s**t money".

Luxury clients are paying for the experience as much as the rooms. If it isn't in the fee, it comes out of your profit.

10/22/2026

T**h tested, HOF approved.

That was my rule for the furniture that went into my clients' homes. Clients didn't sit-test furniture with me. I went to to-the-trade vendors at national markets to test comfort and quality on their behalf. A room can photograph beautifully and still be uncomfortable.

Photography -

10/21/2026

Just got back from New York for my and my daughter's birthdays.

The Morgan Library is truly magical. The Frick is a storybook mansion: go for the art, stay for the courtyard and architecture. Then Ralph Lauren on Madison, a Jackie O martini at Bemelmans, the Polo Bar for the vibe and a very solid martini at Nobu Fifty Seven.

We closed with brunch at The Garden at the Four Seasons, the epitome of understated elegance. The uplit trees remind me of the old Pool Room. IYKYK.

I love New York.

10/20/2026

I was out of town, staying at my husband's aunt's place, when her neighbor, a designer, heard my name and asked, "Blonde. With an attitude?"

Aunt M. didn't miss a beat. "That's her." Then, almost as an aside, "She's letting the grey come in now."

It was perfect. What people call attitude is usually a set of standards: clear pricing, a real process, the expectation of being treated as the expert, and the boundaries I keep. If that reads as too much, I'm probably not your person, and I'm fine with that.

Address

Montclair, NJ

Website

https://interiordesignstandard.com/

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