April 03, 2019

Should You Be Doing E-Design? With Chaney Widmer

50 minutes

Depending on whom you ask, e-design is either the next evolution for interior design, or a bubble that has already burst. But no one is savvier about online design than the guest on today’s episode, Chaney Widmer.

Chaney Widmer started Mix & Match Design Company in 2015 with the goal of making interior design affordable and accessible to everyone. Her company uses online tools to make interior design services less expensive and less intimidating. Last year, Chaney expanded to start offering online courses for interior designers (and aspiring ones) to teach them how they could grow their online businesses.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[3:30] See you at High Point!

[6:50] Chaney is a good sport

[8:15] Starting out in e-design

[9:27] How to get photos of your work

[15:32] Can you still be niche in e-design?

[17:04] Chaney’s process

[20:03] How to get started

[26:07] What software do you need?

[33:25] What happened with Laurel & Wolf?

[38:33] Adding an e-design business to your firm

[40:39] Chaney’s courses

[42:46] Whut up, Wingnut?

Connect with Chaney Widmer

Mix & Match Design

Mix & Match Design Education

Resources & People Mentioned

Laurel & Wolf

DesignFiles

The Road Back to You

E-design businesses have savvy clients

So what exactly is an e-design business? Chaney tells Darla and Natalie on this week’s episode that she has three separate offerings for her business: full-room packages, space-planning packages and virtual consultations. And what’s fascinating is that her clients, by the time they get to her, have done a lot of the work themselves, and so she’s able to connect with them and get rolling in a way she may not be able to with a more traditional client.

Chaney says the first thing you need to do when starting your e-design business is to figure out what you want to offer. Figure out what you like to do, and what you don’t like to do, and begin breaking those things out into packages.

What do you need for your e-design business?

When it comes to e-design, you’re going to need to invest in some software, and in some training on that software. Chaney says you’re going to have to sharpen those Photoshop skills so you can do realistic renderings for your clients. That doesn’t mean you’re doing full 3D renderings, which can be timely, but you do need to know your way around Adobe. Chaney also uses a software platform called DesignFiles to communicate with clients.

How do you differentiate yourself from other e-designers? Well, just like with any interior design business, your portfolio and aesthetic are going to tell potential clients whether they’d like to work with you. But Chaney also says Instagram is huge for her online marketing, allowing her to connect with potential clients.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social