197: Selling Vintage and Building Better Processes with Heather Peterson

Vintage furniture brings character, personality, and soul to a space, but incorporating it into your interior design business comes with its own set of challenges. From sourcing one-of-a-kind pieces to navigating shipping disasters, pricing antiques, and managing client expectations, there's a lot more to selling vintage than finding a beautiful treasure. In this episode, Shaun and Rebecca welcome Heather Peterson, founder and principal designer of Minneapolis-based Heather Peterson Design, to discuss her approach to vintage sourcing, transparent pricing, and creating a client experience built on trust.

Heather shares how her background in advertising and art curation influences her eclectic, color-filled interiors and how years of hard-earned lessons have shaped her interior design business processes. From creating client education guides and navigating furniture receiving to styling photo shoots, investing in PR, and building a strong design team, this conversation is packed with practical advice for interior designers looking to streamline their operations and grow a more profitable, sustainable business. Plus, Heather shares why developing a recognizable design point of view can attract better-aligned clients and why building a successful design business doesn't always mean building a bigger one.

In this episode they discuss:

How to source, price, and sell vintage furniture and antiques while educating clients on the true value of secondhand pieces beyond potential cost savingsHeather's transparent pricing strategy, including her 35% markup on furnishings and materials and 20% markup on labor, reupholstery, and workroom servicesCreating "What to Expect" client guides for vintage purchases, receiving and shipping, installations, and photo shoots to prevent surprises and build client trustManaging vintage furniture restoration, freight complications, unexpected damages, and the realities of furniture receiving and procurementHow professional interior design photography, intentional styling, and developing a recognizable aesthetic can help attract ideal clients and increase opportunities for publicationHeather's strategy for sourcing and selling styling accessories during installations without pressuring clients to purchase everythingBuilding better interior design business systems, delegating responsibilities, working with a business coach, and investing in public relations to grow your studioWhy designers should define success on their own terms, embrac