Architect and interior designer websites: a portfolio that wins commissions

Updated 3 October 2026 · 8 min read

A client choosing an architect or interior designer is about to spend a great deal of money on something they cannot easily undo. Your website has to do three jobs: show work like theirs, make you feel easy to work with, and make the process and cost less frightening. This guide shows how to build a portfolio that does that, how to present projects, fees and credentials, how to handle photography and client privacy, and the title rules that apply to architects and interior designers in the US, UK, Europe and India.

The short answer

Show fewer projects, better. Six to ten well-presented projects beat forty thumbnails. For each, say what the brief was, what you did, your role, and the result.
Lead with the kind of work clients hire you for, and the place. “Home extensions in Bristol” tells a visitor more than “Award-winning design studio”.
Use real, well-made photographs, credit the photographer, and get permission from clients. Photographers usually own the copyright; you need a licence to use their images.
“Architect” is a protected title in the UK (Architects Act 1997), India (Architects Act 1972) and, through state licensing, the US. Do not use it unless registered. Interior designer is not a protected title in India or the UK, and is regulated in a number of US states.
Explain your process and how you charge. Clients who cannot picture the stages or the cost often do not call.
Make enquiries easy and useful: ask for the project type, location, budget range and timing.

What clients are looking for

Have you done something like mine? A new house, an extension, a restaurant, an apartment, a shop fit-out. They scan for their own kind of project.
Do I like your work? Quality, taste and consistency matter, but so does relevance.
Are you registered or qualified? For architects this is a legal matter; for interior designers it is a trust signal.
What is it like to work with you? Process, communication, timelines and who they will deal with.
What will it cost? Fee structure and rough ranges. Many visitors leave if there is nothing at all.
Will you work where I am, and with my budget? Locations, project sizes and typical budgets.

Build a portfolio that sells

Choose fewer projects

A long gallery makes a visitor do the work of deciding which projects matter. Choose six to ten that you are proud of and that resemble the work you want more of. Put the most relevant first. If you want more kitchen extensions, lead with them. It is fine to leave out good work that is not the work you want to be hired for.

Give every project a short story

A template for a project page or section
Part	What to write	Example (invented)
Title and place	A plain name and the location	Garden Room Extension, Bristol
The brief	What the client wanted, in one or two sentences	A family needed a bright kitchen and dining space connected to the garden.
The challenge	What made it hard: a site, a budget, a listed building, planning	A narrow plot, a protected tree and a tight budget.
What you did	Your solution and the key decisions	A single-storey timber extension that steps around the tree and opens to the garden.
The result	What changed for the client, with a number if you have one	Natural light throughout the ground floor, finished within the agreed budget.
Your role and team	Lead designer or part of a team, and who else was involved	Architect and project lead; structural engineer and contractor credited.
Facts	Type, size, dates, status	Residential extension, 38 m², completed 2025.
Credits	Photographer, engineers, contractors, consultants	Photography by a named photographer.

Show process, not just finished photos

Sketches, plans, sections, models and construction photographs show how you think, and show clients that you can manage the messy middle. A single plan next to the main photograph is often the most persuasive extra.

Photography, credits and permission

Invest in the photographs of your best two or three projects. Professional architectural photography is worth it for those; for others, careful phone photography in good light can work.
Copyright usually belongs to the photographer unless it has been assigned. Agree in writing what you may use the images for, including your website, and credit the photographer by name.
Ask your client's permission before showing their home or business, and check for sensitive details: house numbers, security features, children, family photographs. Blur or crop where needed. For commercial clients, check for confidentiality terms.
Be honest about your role. If you were one of several designers on a large project, say so.
Prepare images properly: consistent crops, sensible file sizes, and a short description of each for accessibility and search. See website speed for non-technical people.

Titles and registration: what the law says

Rules on who may call themselves an architect are among the clearest in any profession. They are enforced, and the mistakes people make are usually careless wording.

Title rules for architects and interior designers
Where	Architect	Interior designer
United Kingdom	“Architect” is a protected title under the Architects Act 1997: a person may not practise or carry on business under a name or title containing the word “architect” unless registered with the Architects Registration Board. Show your ARB registration.	Not a protected title, though membership of professional bodies is a trust signal
United States	The title is restricted to people licensed by a state board; guidelines come from NCARB. Unlicensed graduates must not use it. Show your licence and state.	Regulated in a number of states, through title acts (restricting the title), practice acts or certification, and the NCIDQ certificate is a common standard. Rules vary by state
India	Protected under the Architects Act 1972: you must be registered with the Council of Architecture (COA) to call yourself an architect. Show your COA registration number.	No statutory registration; the title is not legally protected. The Indian Institute of Interior Designers is a voluntary body
Europe	Usually protected nationally and administered by an architects’ chamber or register, as with the Architektenkammern in Germany. Check your country’s rules	Varies by country

If you are not registered, use accurate descriptions such as “architectural designer” or “design studio” as your rules allow, and never imply registration. Also describe your credentials precisely. “LEED Green Associate”, “IGBC Accredited Professional” and “WELL AP” are different credentials, each with a specific meaning. Name them exactly, and keep them current. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Services, process and fees

Clients fear surprises. A short, clear description of how a project runs, and how you charge, is one of the most persuasive things on your site.

Stages. Describe the phases in plain words: first conversation and brief, concept design, detailed design, approvals or permits, tender or builder selection, and on-site support. In the US the usual phases are schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding and construction administration; in the UK the RIBA Plan of Work is a common framework.
What you need from the client: a site or plan, a budget range, a timeline, and who decides.
How you charge: a percentage of construction cost, a fixed fee per stage, or an hourly rate. Say which you use and give an example or a range.
What is included and what is not: site visits, planning or permit applications, model-making, specialist consultants.
A first meeting. Say whether it is free or paid, and how long it lasts.

One page or several?

Design practices usually benefit from a page for each major project, because each can be found separately and shared. A designer with a few projects can start with a single page that links to a gallery for each. See one page or many. If you have many projects, give each its own address, a clear title naming the project type and place, and a short description in text, not only in images.

Being found

Put your name, profession and city in the page title: “Zara Ahmed, Architect in London | Loft & Extension Design”. See page titles and descriptions.
Describe each project in words, with the project type and place, because search engines cannot read text inside images.
Give every image a short, accurate description (alt text).
Complete your Google listing with photographs of your work and studio. See the complete Google Business Profile setup.
Be listed in your professional body’s directory, and on one or two sites designers use, such as Houzz. See which directories matter.
Earn mentions: local press, awards, features and professional bodies.

Contact and enquiries

Use your enquiry form to qualify as well as to receive. Ask for the type of project, the location, a rough budget and when they hope to start. It saves you from time-wasting calls, and it tells the client you take the work seriously. Offer a clear next step: “Send a few lines about your project and I’ll reply within two working days.” Also show a phone number and an email address for people who prefer them.

Common mistakes

Showing everything you have ever done.
Photographs without captions, locations or credits.
No mention of the process or cost.
Calling yourself an architect without registration, or listing credentials loosely.
Using a photographer’s images without a licence.
Showing a client’s home without permission or with revealing details.
Grand claims instead of plain descriptions: “award-winning, innovative, bespoke”.
A slow site loaded with huge images.

For ready-made sections for architects, see websites for architects.

Where BeVisible fits

BeVisible has a setup for architects: a “What I design” list of project types, “How I work & fees”, a “Registration & memberships” line (for COA, RIBA or AIA numbers), a “Projects & press” section of links to your published work, and a portfolio PDF that visitors can download. It is a one-page site, so it suits a sole practitioner or a small studio that wants to be live and found quickly; a practice with many projects that each need their own page is better served by a multi-page builder. You can build and preview free, and publish free for 7 days with no card needed; after that one yearly plan keeps a website online, and one plan covers one website. Start from a photo or type your details.

Frequently asked questions

What should an architect’s website include?

Your name, registration and city; a selection of six to ten well-presented projects, each with a brief, your role, the result and photographer credits; your services, process and fee approach; credentials and memberships; and an enquiry form that asks about project type, location, budget and timing.

How many projects should I show?

Six to ten that resemble the work you want more of, with the most relevant first. A short, curated portfolio is more persuasive than a long gallery.

Can I call myself an architect if I am not registered?

Not in the UK, India or the US. In the UK the Architects Act 1997 protects the title, in India the Architects Act 1972 requires registration with the Council of Architecture, and in the US the title is restricted to people licensed by a state. Use accurate descriptions such as “architectural designer” where your rules allow.

Is “interior designer” a protected title?

It depends on the country. In India and the UK it is not a protected title. In the US, interior design is regulated in a number of states, through title acts, practice acts or certification, and the NCIDQ certificate is a common standard.

Do I need permission to show my clients’ homes?

Yes, ask first, and check for sensitive details such as addresses, security features and family photographs. For commercial work, check for confidentiality terms.

Who owns the copyright to project photographs?

Usually the photographer, unless it has been assigned in writing. Agree in writing what you may use the images for, including your website, and credit the photographer.

Should I show my fees?

Showing how you charge, and an example or range, helps. Many visitors leave when there is no hint of cost. If you cannot give figures, explain the fee structure and what a first meeting costs.