Building Your Interior Design Website? Essential Website Lessons From Robyn White

Interior Design Business Podcast, Interior Design Career Podcast, Interior Design Business Mentor

If you’re an aspiring interior designer or you’re still in the early stages of building your business, chances are you’ve asked yourself questions like: Do I really need a professional website yet? Should I invest in custom website design? Or can I just use a template for now?

I hear these questions constantly from designers inside my programs, especially when they’re trying to balance launching their business with managing their budget wisely. And honestly? It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the options — WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, SEO, branding, copywriting, templates, custom builds… suddenly creating a website feels harder than designing a room.

That’s exactly why I invited website designer Robyn White back onto the podcast.

In this episode, we unpack what interior designers actually need when it comes to website design, how to know the right level of investment for your stage of business, and what questions to ask before hiring a website designer. We also talk about minimum viable product websites, brand strategy, portfolio photos, AI renderings, website maintenance, and why perfectionism may be holding you back from getting clients.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

When to invest in custom website design
Questions to ask website designers before hiring
Templates versus custom websites for beginners
Website platforms: WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace
Building a portfolio without completed client projects

Essential Website Lessons Before Building Your Interior Design Website

Your website is one of the most important tools in your interior design business — but it doesn’t have to be perfect to start working for you.

In my conversation with Robyn, she shared practical, strategic advice that can help designers avoid overspending, overthinking, and overcomplicating their online presence.

Here are some of the biggest takeaways from our conversation.

Ask Website Designers About Their Process

One of the best things you can do before hiring a website designer is to ask detailed questions about their process.

According to Robyn, website designers vary dramatically in their services, pricing, timelines, and skill sets. Some designers include SEO, copywriting, branding strategy, and website maintenance, while others focus only on the visual design itself.

Robyn explained:

“Website designers, like interior designers, we’re all really different.”

That’s why discovery calls matter so much. Before signing a contract, ask questions like:

What website platform do they specialize in?
Do they offer SEO services?
Is copywriting included?
Will they help guide your content and photos?
What happens after launch?
Do they provide website maintenance?

These conversations help you understand whether the designer is truly a strategic partner or simply building pages.

Templates Are Often the Smartest Starting Point

If you’re still within your first few years of business, you may not need a fully custom website design yet. In fact, Robyn strongly recommends starting with a professionally designed template instead of making a huge investment too early.

This is especially true because your business, services, ideal client, and brand visuals will likely evolve quickly in the beginning stages of entrepreneurship.

Robyn shared:

“I don’t recommend investing in a custom website at that stage.”

A template website can still create a polished online presence while helping you save money and launch faster. Platforms like Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress all offer template options depending on your comfort level and goals.

The key is remembering that your first website does not need to be your forever website.

Build the Minimum Viable Product Website

One of my favorite moments in the episode was when Robyn talked about the “minimum viable product” mindset for websites.

So many interior designers delay launching because they’re obsessing over fonts, colors, logos, or tiny design tweaks that honestly won’t make or break client bookings.

Robyn said:

“It is so much more important to get it out there than keep tweaking with it behind the scenes.”

That reminder is huge.

Your website’s job in the beginning is simply to help people find you, understand what you do, and contact you. It doesn’t need to win design awards. It just needs to exist.

Instead of spending months perfecting a logo, focus on:

Clear messaging
Professional photos
Your services
Contact information
Simple navigation
A basic portfolio

Momentum matters more than perfection.

Professional Photos Matter More Than Fancy Branding

Many new interior designers hesitate to launch because they don’t yet have a large portfolio. But Robyn offered several creative solutions that still allow designers to build credibility online.

She recommended using:

Professional photos of your own home
Styled detail shots
Flat lays
Mood boards
AI renderings
SketchUp renderings
Brand photography sessions

One important distinction she made was avoiding misleading stock photography. She cautioned that using generic interior stock images can unintentionally damage trust with potential clients because visitors often assume every image on your website is your actual work.

Instead, she encouraged designers to be transparent about being new while still showcasing their creativity and eye for design.

I also loved her perspective on AI renderings and how they’re becoming increasingly useful for interior designers creating visual concepts quickly and affordably.

Start With Brand Strategy Before Visual Branding

One of the most valuable parts of the conversation was Robyn’s explanation of brand strategy versus brand visuals. Many designers think they need a logo first, but Robyn emphasized that strategy should always come before visuals.

Before selecting fonts, colors, or logos, you first need clarity around:

Your ideal client
Your positioning
Your services
Your goals
Your messaging
Your differentiators

As Robyn explained, your visual brand should reflect the type of client you’re trying to attract. A playful, whimsical brand aesthetic communicates something completely different than a luxury, editorial-inspired website.

This is why starting with a website designer or strategist often makes more sense than jumping straight into hiring a branding specialist.

Final Thoughts

Your website should support your interior design business — not become the thing that keeps you stuck.

Whether you’re building your first minimum viable product website or considering a full custom rebrand, the most important thing is creating an online presence that feels authentic, clear, and aligned with your current stage of business.

Start simple, focus on connection over perfection, and remember that your website can evolve as your business grows.

Meet Robyn White

Robyn White is the founder of RDW Design Studio, where she combines luxury market insight with strategic website design for interior designers. With a background working at one of the world’s most prestigious art galleries, Robyn brings a rare blend of strategy, aesthetics, and high-end client understanding to every project. She specializes in helping interior designers elevate their online presence through thoughtful brand strategy, SEO-conscious website design, and customized digital experiences that attract aligned clients and opportunities.

Connect With Robyn White

Website: RDW Design Studio
Instagram: @rdwdesignstudio

Your Next Steps

If you’re wondering whether you’re truly ready to launch your interior design business — and how much money you actually need to get started — join me for my free live webinar on June 10.