Before you reach out to me, just so we’re on the same page: hiring a decorator isn’t the same as asking a friend for advice.
If you just want a few shopping tips or ideas, that’s great—Pinterest is free! Before you contact me, please look at my portfolio. Do you like my style? Do my projects feel aligned with your taste and expectations? Would you feel comfortable paying for my services?
If your first question is, “How much do you charge?”, and you’re only looking for the cheapest option, you probably don’t want to pay a professional decorator. Design isn’t just about picking pretty things—it’s about making everything work together. That takes expertise, planning, and execution.
Some decorators charge 10% design fees, others charge more. Some charge for a mood board. Some charge for first visits. Others mark up retail prices; while still others only mark up bespoke items. Everyone has a different fee structure. The point is: there are fees.
What are decorator fees for?
Many people don't know how much work goes on behind the scenes of decorating a space. It's much more than browsing stores and picking out a few items. My decorator fee covers hours of behind-the-scenes work, including:
✅ Admin, admin, admin – Payments, proofs of payment, tracking expenses, excel sheets, bank statements, adding beneficiaries, checking account numbers, filing paperwork.
✅ Sourcing furniture – Not just finding pretty things, but making sure they work together, that they’re available, the right size, the right colour, the right texture, the right style, at the right price.
✅ Measuring everything – Rugs, art, curtains—guesswork leads to expensive mistakes.
✅ Managing deliveries – A single small project can involve 20+ suppliers. Someone has to follow up on deliveries, keep tracking them and be on hand to accept them.
✅ Installation – This is where the magic happens. Unpacking, positioning, styling, and tweaking until it’s perfect.
✅ Budget tracking – Keeping tabs on every cent, from furniture to fittings.
✅ Quality control – Inspecting everything to make sure it’s right, dealing with suppliers, returns, refunds.
Yes, you’re paying for my design expertise. But you’re also paying for me to handle the stress and logistics, so you don’t have to.
Decorating fees and trade discounts
A decorating business is a mix of retail and services. A traditional retail shop (such as a pharmacy) buys products (medicines) at trade discounts and resells them at retail prices. A service providers (let's say a hairdresser) charges a fee for their time and expertise.
Decorators do both—we provide a service that includes expert advice, creative direction, and hands-on styling, but we also source and supply products (furniture, curtains, etc).
If decorators only relied on trade discounts, we’d be compensated for "selling products" but not for the actual service of design, planning, and execution. That’s why both the design fee and trade pricing exist—they cover different aspects of what decorators provide.
By the way, trade discounts aren’t some magical 50-80% off. They’re usually between 5-15%.
Also, some people assume decorators only shop at high-end stores because of the trade discounts. But that’s not how it works. In fact, there are huge minimum spends at these shops to get any sort of trade discount. So, when I suggest a beautiful coffee table from a certain store, it's because it really is beautiful and would look perfect in your space and I want the best for you, and not because I'm getting a discount. I'm also quite happy to buy from any store if the look and quality is right, regardless of the discount.
How does the payment schedule work?
I usually ask for:
15% upfront on appointment
80% during the sourcing phase (when I select furniture, place orders, and manage logistics)
5% at the end, once everything is delivered and installed
If you just need a mood board, I have separate pricing:
A set fee for a studio/one-bedroom
Additional costs for each extra room
This way, you can choose what works best for you.
Final thoughts
Hiring a decorator is an investment—in your home, your comfort, and your peace of mind. If that sounds good to you, let’s talk. I work in Cape Town and surrounding areas.
If not? No hard feelings—happy decorating! 😉
Liesa Jossel
Call: 0848432426
Email: liesajossel.lj@gmail.com
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