Because not all interior design website templates are made the same (and most website templates are not made for interior design!)

Choosing an interior design website template can feel a bit like choosing a paint colour from a tiny swatch. It looks perfect on your computer screen, then you add your own photos and words onto the page and something feels off.

The good news is that a few simple checks will tell you whether a template will work for your business before you commit. Here’s how I’d go about it.

What is an interior design website template?

A website template is a ready-made design for your site, with the layout, pages and sections already in place. You swap in your own photos and words, adjust the colours and fonts, and publish. It sits inside a website builder such as Showit, Squarespace or Wix, and I explain how to choose one in this post, How To Pick The Perfect Interior Design Website Builder (Before You Waste a Weekend).

Templates are popular for good reason. They’re quicker and more affordable than a fully custom site. A good template gives you a thought-out structure so you just need to add copy and images.

The catch is that not every template suits every business, which is why I wanted to write you this post.

Start with a vibe check…

Before you look at anything practical, look at how the template feels. Does it feel like you, and how you want to be perceived in the market? Notice what draws your eye, whether that’s generous white space, big photography or an editorial layout.

Try not to rule a template out because of its colours or fonts. On most templates you can swap both to suit your brand, so judge the layout and the mood first and treat the palette as something you’ll change later.

Does it have the pages an interior designer needs?

Once you have your vibe locked in, move beyond aesthetics. A lovely template still has to do a job, so check it includes the pages and sections that all interior design websites should have:

• A portfolio page, with room for individual project pages that tell the story of the problem, what you did and the result
• An About page with space for a proper photo of you and your story
• A process or “work with me” page or section, so clients have a clear vision of how you work and what to expect
• A services page or section that details the types of services you offer
• A contact page with a clear way to reach you – most usually a form

Nice to have

• Individual services pages, where you can list out everything involved in each of your offerings
• A blog, and ideally an FAQ page

If you can’t find a template made for interior design, try one for artists or photographers. They usually include a strong portfolio, and you can rename the sections to suit your interior design business.

Not sure what each page should say? My free guide, The Missing Rooms, walks through the seven sections an interior design website needs and how to write it. Download The Missing Rooms

Can visitors see your work and get in touch from the homepage?

Here are three quick homepage checks you can make when you look at any website template.

Is there a place to show one or two signature projects, so a visitor sees your best work without clicking anywhere else?

Does the homepage have space for you to write who you are, what you do and how you can help your ideal customer? Surprisingly, many interior design websites don’t include these sections. This is a missed opportunity because visitors like to connect with who they might work with, and feel more eager to enquire.

Are there buttons, links or sections you can use to ask a visitor to get in touch or keep looking through the site? These work much like a guided tour of your website, instead of leaving them stranded at the front door, but are still absent on many interior design website templates. The result is a confusing one for your site visitor. When they can’t engage in your projects or don’t know the best way to reach you, they bounce.

Look for at least one button or section that asks them to contact you, and others that invite them to view a portfolio and see your services.

Someone who has just decided they like you will thank you for showing them what step to take next.

Does the template work on a phone?

Many of your visitors will arrive from Instagram or Pinterest, on a phone.

Open the template’s demo on your own phone and scroll the way a client would. Is the text easy to read? Do the images load quickly? Can you find the enquiry button without hunting?

Some builders let you adjust the mobile layout separately, so check the phone version looks as considered as the desktop one.

Is your template set up for Google and AI search?

A beautiful template doesn’t help if nobody finds it. Check you can edit the page title, meta description, headings and image alt text on every page, and that you can add a blog and an FAQ section.

Clear headings and real written content also help tools like ChatGPT work out what you do and where you work. For more on the words each page needs, see 5 Website Content Must-Haves Every Designer Needs.

Are free interior design website templates worth it?

Free templates are fine for testing an idea or getting a basic page live in your first year, and I say more about when to move on in this post.

Briefly, a free template is often a generic layout and so rarely includes pages built around how designers actually win clients, such as a process page, project stories and testimonials. It usually comes with limited support if you get stuck. That said, if you need a quick website to see you through and find one you like, go for it.

What should come with a good template?

Look beyond the design itself! Buy from a reputable source. The website builders themselves often have some templates. Other designers, like yours truly, are passionate about working with interior designers.

Ensure your template will come with clear instructions for editing it, guidance on what to write on each page, and extra support if you need it. Writing is where most people stall, so prompts or examples for your homepage, About page and project stories can save you hours.

It’s also worth asking how updating works, so you will be able to add projects and change sections yourself later without waiting on a developer.

Try editing templates with your real content

Once you have two strong candidates, spend an hour adding some of your real project photos and a few lines about who you are and what you do. When the hour’s up, ask two questions:

• Does this feel intuitive to use?
• Does it speak to my ideal client?

If you can say yes to both, you’ve probably found your template.

The short version

Picking a template is easier when you take it in order: how it feels, whether it has the pages you need, how it works on a phone and in search, and how it holds up with your real content.

For a little inspiration along the way, see The Best Interior Designer Websites of 2026.

Ultimately, your new template should feel like you, sound like you and make it easy for the right client to say yes.

Find your template

If you’d like a head start, my Morag Website Template is a modern, editorial Showit template for interior designers ready to stand. out and book, and comes with pages, layout and guidance on what to write. Take a look here.

All the FAQs…