Interior Designer Branding 101: The Role Photography Plays in Your Identity
Before you hire a photographer for your brand session, define your brand aesthetic first
I’ve never been one to mince words and I’m about to start now, Interior designer branding isn’t easy. But let’s be real, nothing worth having ever is, right? If you’re launching a design business and feeling like a bit of a hot mess, you’re not alone. In fact, I think that’s a good thing because the best brands are often built by people who aren’t afraid to fail, learn, and laugh about it while they’re doing it.
Building a strong brand is like creating a beautiful space, each element has to be thoughtfully designed to work together and tell a cohesive story. That includes your logo, website, color palette, and yes, even those killer brand photos that’ll be the secret sauce to making your business stand out. So if you’re new to this whole branding thing and you’re a little unsure about where to start, don’t worry, I've got you.
Let’s dive in and explore how to design a recession proof brand identity and make sure your interior designer branding is setting you up for success. We’ll use my own brand shoot with my mentor, Monika Normand Creative as the case study.
Make sure to Follow me on IG to see more of my work and unfiltered BTS of my life as a professional photographer.
Consistency with Interior Designer Branding (And Yes, It’s Actually Fun)
I get it, consistency sounds a bit like a buzzword, right? But hear me out: consistency is EVERYTHING when it comes to your interior designer branding. It’s like trying to make a cake without the recipe, you’ll probably end up with a lumpy mess (I’m speaking from experience here). Consistency is what separates a decent photographer from a great photographer, and it’s what clients perceive as expertise.
Branding ensures that every piece of your business, from your website to your Instagram to your business cards, works together like a well-oiled machine.
You want your clients to know exactly what they’re getting when they land on your website or see your social media posts. And the beauty of this is that consistency doesn’t mean boring, it means finding the sweet spot where everything reflects who you are, what you do, and why you’re the best at it.
Your brand identity should reflect your personality and design style.
Are you a minimalist who loves clean lines, negative space, and neutral tones? Lean into it. Are you a maximalist who loves bold colors and intricate patterns, really lean into it because editors are all about that right now. The internet is suffering from sameness syndrome, too many people are trying to look like eachother and as a result, nobody stands out, so use this to your advantage. Uniqueness is proving to be the only thing that breaks through the AI slop and noise.
Whatever you choose, make sure it’s consistent across your website, client onboarding materials, social media graphics, etc. That’s where color palettes, logo designs, specific fonts, and professional photography come into play.
Why Photography Is the Crazy Glue That Holds It All Together
I won’t lie, interior designer branding wouldn’t be complete without some beautiful photography. Your work as a designer is visual, so your brand should be, too. Good photography shows off the beauty and artistry of your designs and helps potential clients connect with the work you create on an aspirational level.
The good news: People buy from people. The bad news: people won’t buy from you if they don’t like you. And in a sea of interior designers, the ones who rise to the top are those who make authentic connections with clients and the outside world. Professional photos are the perfect way to show what it's really like to work with you, giving potential clients an in-depth look at your process. It’s like saying, “Hey, your home is a sacred space and design is very personal choice. Here’s how I create beauty for my clients so they can live their best life everyday.”
Having a professional brand photoshoot allows you to:
Showcase your unique design point-of-view and expertise: You’ve spent hours (probably sleepless nights) designing spaces. High-quality photos let your work shine.
Show up on your marketing channels: Personal photos of you working with clients or even interacting with your design materials help your audience connect with you as a real person, not just a designer. People want to work with someone they vibe with, and photos do that for you.
Stand out in a crowded market: Let’s face it, competition is all around you. But what sets you apart is you. Professional imagery showcases your unique approach and style in ways that words just can’t.
How to Design Your Brand Identity (Without Losing Your Mind)
You’re building a business, and it’s important to do it quickly (and creatively, because why not?). Here’s a blueprint on how to create a brand identity for your interior design business that will make your life easier and your clients take notice.
1. Start with Your Logo: The Foundation of Your Brand
Let your logo set the tone for your brand. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “I’m not a graphic designer!” And that’s okay, thankfully, there are tools out there that make logo design simple.
Pro tip: Take some cues from luxury brands—look at their logos and see what they have in common. You’ll notice clean lines, classic fonts, and a timeless feel. These are all things you should aim for in your logo. No need to reinvent the wheel—just make sure it reflects who you are. Platforms like Creative Market are a goldmine for beautifully designed fonts that you can use to create your own logo.
2. Your Website: Host It Yourself (Seriously, Trust Me)
Having your own website is non-negotiable. I know, you’re busy, and it seems easier to just have an Instagram account. But listen to me—your website is your home base! It’s where clients will go to find out who you are, what you do, and how to hire you. Plus, it gives you total control over your branding.
I highly recommend buying your domaine name from Porkbun, and using a platform like Squarespace or Showit to host your website. Whichever route you decide to go, make sure your website has a blog component. You’ll read a lot of nonsense online about how blogs are dead, and perhaps they are from an affiliate marketing perspective, but they are one of the most powerful tools for boosting your websites SEO. There’s a reason when you google a recipe blogs come up first. More pages, more search ability.
Choose a beautiful template that aligns with your brand identity, and then tweak it to make it your own. I spent countless hours designing a template using the tools in Squarespace and it was a waste of time. Here are some beautiful templates you can peruse based on platform:
Squarespace:
Showit:
A website will give you more flexibility, puts you fully in control of your brand presence, and is the place you are directing all of your marketing efforts to. Never build your castle in somebody else’s kingdom, but use that kingdom to the max to drive traffic to your castle.
3. Brand Photoshoot Tips
Now, onto the fun part, your interior designer branding photoshoot. This is where everything comes together. After all the planning, choosing colors, and thinking through your brand identity, this is the moment when your vision finally comes to life.
Here’s my advice for getting it right:
Outfit choices: You need two to three outfits that are aligned with your brand:
The Professional Look: Think sharp, polished, and sleek. This outfit should embody your brand’s peak professionalism, so wear something in your brand colors and keep it classy. My brand colors are black and white, so I wore a suit.
The Casual Look: This is the outfit you’d wear when meeting a client or hanging out with friends. It’s approachable, comfortable, but still totally you. For me, that go-to ensemble is jeans, boots, concert tee, and houndstooth blazer
The Relaxed Look: A dress or something flowy that shows the laid-back side of you. This is your chance to have some fun and show the creative side of your design work.I wore a flowy floral dress because it reminded me of my garden, and I’m never not gardening.
Choose the right location: The setting of your photoshoot matters. Your brand photo should showcase EXACTLY what you do without saying a word. If you're an interior designer, shoot in one of your beautiful spaces, or rent a venue that speaks to your aesthetic. You want the location to reflect your brand, so if you're all about minimalism, choose clean, open spaces. If you’re a maximalist, go for something rich in color and detail.
Pro tip: Hire a professional hair and makeup artist—you need to look like the pro you are, and you’ll look hot which will help boost confidence. Also, hire a professional photographer who creates your ideal vision. You are hiring them for their editing style, so be certain it’s in sync with your brand identity, so the photos align beautifully.
4. Social Media and SEO: Get Noticed!
Once you have the photos, it’s time to put them to work. Use them to book press features, social media posts, video content, interviews in local newspapers or podcasts to position yourself as an expert, and drive all of that traffic back to your website. Use social media to show off your work, share design tips, and build community. Don’t just post for the sake of posting—be intentional with your content, be unapologetically bold and create unique content around helping people, positioning yourself as an expert, what you want your clients to know about your process, and share your unique story about your design career pathway.
Be sure to optimize your website for SEO so people can find you (this includes page titles, alt text, keywords in your website copy.)
Don’t know what to look for in terms of keywords, I got you!
Keywords Everywhere is a Google Chrome plug in that will tell you search volume on specific keywords
Google Keyword Planner is a tool to find keywords for Google Ads, and it’s a great window into understanding which keywords are used in Google Search a lot.
In terms of keyword structure, I find that for service based businesses, keywords seem to often be structured like the following:
Name of the largest major metropolitan city near your service area: for me, that’s Dallas
Your niche: for me, it’s interior design and architecture
What service you provide: for me, it’s photography
Ergo, my keyword focus is Stacy Markow | Dallas Interior Design + Architecture Photographer.
This is a numbers game, you want to rank for as many keywords as possible, so spend time searching for them, keep them in a google sheet, and once you create a piece of content around that keyword, strike it off the list.
Building a Brand that Feels Right (and Feels Like You)
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I get it. But remember, you don’t have to be perfect out the gate—brand building is a journey, and the most important thing is that you’re creating something that feels authentic to you.
And if you need help with the whole process? I’m here for you! I’m here to support you in building the brand you deserve—one that truly reflects your passion and expertise. Feel free to contact me directly if you have questions at all. I’m here to help.
Check out more of my blogs below to help you with your next shoot, and my Pinterest to see more of my work!
Why You Should Hire a Photographer Who Specializes in Interior Design Photography
Marketing Your Interior Design Business: How to Use Photography to Elevate Your Brand
How to Guide: Preparing for your Interior Design Photography Session
Hi! I’m Stacy—a Dallas Fort Worth based Commercial Photographer specializing in interior design, architecture, product, and food photography.
When I’m not creating imagery for clients, you can find me planning my next vacation, spending time outside pruning my backyard prairie garden, or spending time with my family.
Are you a business looking for bright and colorful imagery for your marketing needs? Let’s chat.
