Save hours every week with the Interior Designer AI Operating System
A command center plus five connected jobs for winning clients, sourcing and presenting selections, placing and tracking orders, install day, and billing — drafted into your Gmail, Calendar, and Drive for your approval, with living trackers. Ambient guards keep your markup on the internal sheet and client prices out of vendor emails. Every prompt included — 66 skills in all.
Installs as a Claude Cowork plugin — and every prompt is included as an HTML page you can use in ChatGPT, Gemini, or any AI. How to install → Prices are in USD; Gumroad applies fair local pricing at checkout in eligible countries.
Interior designers use Claude for the writing around the design: project proposals with scope, phasing and fees, concept narratives for presentations, FF&E schedules built from your selections, and client emails about delays, budgets and change orders. The design decisions stay yours; Claude puts them into clear, client-ready words and documents.
Below: one change-order email written from your site notes, the free Interior Designer plugin and its four commands, five more studio tasks, and answers on renderings, specs and fees.
Worked example: explaining a change order without an awkward phone call
Your client wants marble instead of quartz halfway through a kitchen renovation. In Claude, type /client-update, pick it from the menu, then paste your notes. The project and figures below are invented:
Change order for the Juniper kitchen project. Week 6 of 10.
Done: demolition, plumbing rough-in, electrical. Cabinet delivery slipped 3 days.
Client asked to upgrade countertops from quartz to honed marble. Added cost $4,200
(material + fabrication). Fabricator needs 2 extra weeks. Marble etches with acids;
recommend sealing and a care sheet. Need approval by Friday to hold the slab.Claude returns a structured draft (shortened here):
CHANGE ORDER NOTICE
Project: Juniper Kitchen | Change Order #: [number]
DESCRIPTION OF CHANGE
At your request, the countertops will change from quartz to honed marble.
IMPACT SUMMARY
- Cost impact: +$4,200 (material and fabrication)
- Timeline impact: about +2 weeks for fabrication
- Scope impact: countertop material only; cabinets and layout unchanged
RECOMMENDATION
Marble is softer than quartz and can etch when acidic foods or cleaners sit on it.
We recommend sealing at installation; we'll include a care sheet. If you'd like the
look with less upkeep, we can show you two quartz options with marble veining.
APPROVAL
Please approve by Friday so the fabricator can hold your slab.
Client signature: ________ Date: ________What's left for you: confirm the price and lead time in writing with the fabricator before you send it, add your change-order number and terms, and attach the slab photo. Claude used only the figures you gave it.
The free Interior Designer plugin: four commands
The Interior Designer plugin is free. It adds these commands to Claude. Type the command and pick it from the menu; if you paste it, Claude treats it as plain text.
| Command | What it drafts |
|---|---|
/project-proposal |
A proposal with scope of work, concept overview, phasing, fee structure and terms |
/concept-narrative |
A presentation-ready concept story with palette rationale and mood |
/spec-sheet |
FF&E schedules and material specifications from your selections |
/client-update |
Status updates, change-order explanations, budget revisions and milestone reports |
Two skills switch on by themselves when they're relevant: Interior Design, and Design Client Management.
To install it in the Claude desktop app: Customize → Plugins → Add → Add marketplace → Add from a repository, paste alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins, click Sync, then click Add next to Interior Designer under Discover. Plugins need a paid Claude plan. In Claude Code: run /plugin marketplace add alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins, then /plugin install interior-designer@awesome-claude-cowork-plugins. Full steps are on the plugin page.
What's paid: You can do everything above with the free plugin. If you want your studio's work run across every project, the Interior Designer AI Operating System ($19, paid once) adds a command center with five connected jobs: winning a client, sourcing and presenting selections, placing and tracking orders, install day and the punch list, and billing. Drafts land in your Gmail, Calendar and Drive for your approval, living trackers follow each project, and your markup stays on the internal sheet. It includes 66 skills.
Set up a Claude Project for your studio
The key to getting consistently useful output is using Claude Projects. A Project lets you set custom instructions that persist across every conversation.
Step 1: Create a Design Project. In Claude, click "Projects" and create one called something like "My Design Studio."
Step 2: Set your custom instructions. In the Project settings, add:
You are my interior design business assistant. Here is my context:
<business-profile>
- Name: [Your Name], [Your Firm Name]
- Specialty: [Residential / Commercial / Hospitality / Healthcare]
- Design style: [Modern minimalist / Transitional / Biophilic / etc.]
- Client base: [High-end residential / Boutique hospitality / Corporate]
- Typical budget range: $[X] to $[X]
- Brand voice: [Elevated and polished / Warm and approachable / Creative and editorial]
</business-profile>
<rules>
- Use evocative but precise language in concept narratives. Avoid cliches like "timeless elegance."
- For FF&E specs, include manufacturer, product name, finish, dimensions, and lead time.
- Never guarantee product pricing — note it is subject to change.
- Do not make claims about brands I have not provided context for.
</rules>Step 3: Upload reference documents. Add your portfolio descriptions, vendor lists, past concept narratives, and proposal templates to the Project knowledge base.
Step 4: Start every session inside this Project.
Five more design-business tasks to hand Claude
1. Concept Narratives
The concept narrative sells the design. Claude translates your visual ideas into compelling written form.
<task>Write a concept narrative for this residential project.</task>
<context>
- Project: 3,200 sq ft brownstone renovation, Brooklyn
- Clients: couple in their 40s, both in creative industries (architecture, publishing)
- Direction: warm modernism — clean lines layered with texture and collected pieces
- Materials: white oak, unlacquered brass, lime-washed plaster, bouclé, natural stone
- Key spaces: open living/dining, primary suite, home library
</context>
<instructions>
- 250-300 words, suitable for opening a client presentation
- Establish emotional tone before describing materials
- Weave material palette naturally, not as a list
- Close with how the space will feel to inhabit, elevated editorial tone
</instructions>
<avoid>"Seamless blend," "timeless elegance," "form meets function," room-by-room format.</avoid>2. FF&E Specification Sheets
Furniture, fixtures, and equipment specs are critical for procurement. Claude organizes selections into clean documents.
<task>Create an FF&E specification sheet for the living room.</task>
<context>
- Project: Brooklyn Brownstone Renovation
- Selections:
1. Sofa: B&B Italia "Charles" 3-seater, Raf Simons Kvadrat 0952, 96"W x 38"D x 28"H, 12-14 wks, $14,200
2. Coffee table: custom white oak/brass, Studio Craft NYC, 54"L x 30"W x 16"H, 8 wks, $4,800
3. Side chairs (pair): Cassina "Cab 413," saddle leather, 23"W x 20"D x 31"H, 10-12 wks, $3,950 ea
4. Rug: Christopher Farr "Anni," 10x14 wool, 6-8 wks, $8,600
5. Pendant: Apparatus "Circuit 3," unlacquered brass, 36" dia, 16-18 wks, $7,800
</context>
<instructions>
- Table format: Item, Manufacturer, Product, Material/Finish, Dimensions, Lead Time, Price
- Total budget line at bottom, pricing disclaimer, Notes column for install requirements
</instructions>
<avoid>Altering provided prices, adding unspecified items, availability claims.</avoid>3. Project Proposals
Proposals win projects. Claude drafts scope and approach while you focus on the creative vision.
<task>Draft a project proposal for a new client.</task>
<context>
- Client: young family renovating 1920s colonial, Westchester, 4,500 sq ft
- Scope: main living areas, primary suite, two children's rooms
- Priorities: kid-friendly but sophisticated, respect architectural character
- Timeline: 8-10 months | Fee: $35,000 flat + procurement at net + 30%
- Phases: Programming, Schematic Design, Design Development, Procurement, Installation
</context>
<instructions>
- 2-paragraph introduction demonstrating understanding of their goals
- Outline each phase with deliverables, present fee structure clearly
- Communication and milestone expectations section
- Under 700 words, confident but not stuffy
</instructions>
<avoid>Guaranteeing furnishing prices, promising exact dates, including legal terms.</avoid>4. Client Update Emails
Regular communication keeps projects on track and clients calm.
<task>Draft a project status update email.</task>
<context>
- Project: Brooklyn Brownstone, procurement phase
- Updates: sofa confirmed (delivery March 15-22), coffee table 2 weeks delayed (brass sourcing, new ETA April 10), plaster done in living/dining (primary suite next week), bath tile arrived with one damaged box (replacement ordered, no timeline impact)
- Action needed: client must choose kitchen pendant finish (brass vs nickel) by Friday
</context>
<instructions>
- Brief positive opening, organize by: Furnishings, Construction, Action Items
- Be transparent about delay but constructive, make action item unmissable
- Under 200 words, warm professional tone
</instructions>
<avoid>Burying action items, blaming vendors, overly technical jargon.</avoid>5. Presentation Talking Points
Design presentations sell the vision. Claude scripts your talking points for confidence and clarity.
<task>Write talking points for a schematic design presentation.</task>
<context>
- Project: Brooklyn Brownstone — presenting living/dining concept, materials, furniture, lighting
- Client personality: detail-oriented, asks many questions, appreciates the "why"
- Key decisions: open shelving vs closed storage, statement pendant vs recessed, natural stone vs porcelain in powder room
</context>
<instructions>
- 30-minute presentation format
- Per decision: recommendation, rationale, one alternative considered
- Transitions between sections, opening that re-establishes the vision
- Close with next steps and what you need from the client
</instructions>
<avoid>Reading like a document, more than 2 options per decision, unexplained jargon.</avoid>Prompting tips for designers
1. Always set the tone and audience. "Write for a luxury residential client" produces different language than "write for a commercial tenant."
2. Reference your design vocabulary. Include terms like "warm modernism" or "collected." Claude adopts your lexicon.
3. Provide material and brand specifics. The more specific your finishes and dimensions, the more useful the output.
4. Paste examples of your past work. Upload your best narrative and say "Match this tone." Claude calibrates to your standard.
5. Use Claude for communication, not design decisions. Claude articulates your ideas. The creative vision is yours.
6. Anticipate client questions. Ask: "What would a detail-oriented client ask about this?" to prepare for meetings.
Can Claude create mood boards or renderings for interior designers?
Use your rendering and visualization software for the visuals; Claude's strength here is the words and documents around them. You can upload inspiration photos, a room photo or a floor plan and ask Claude to describe the palette, suggest how to explain a concept to the client, or turn your selections into a written board summary.
Can Claude write an interior design proposal?
Yes. Give it the client type, space, scope, budget range and how you charge, and the plugin's proposal command drafts a document with scope of work, concept overview, phases, fee structure and terms. You set the fees and terms yourself, and have your contract language reviewed by your attorney, because Claude doesn't know the rules for design contracts where you work.
Can Claude build an FF&E schedule?
Yes, from the selections you give it. Paste your products with manufacturer, model, finish, dimensions and quantity, and Claude formats them into a clean schedule. Confirm every manufacturer detail, price and lead time with the vendor before the schedule reaches a client or contractor: Claude can't check current pricing or stock, and it may fill gaps with plausible-looking details if you don't tell it to leave blanks.
How should interior designers handle client privacy with Claude?
Share what the task needs and leave out the rest. A project code like "Juniper Kitchen" works better than the client's name and full address, and floor plans with addresses or security details should stay out of AI tools unless your client has agreed. Budgets and invoices are fine to describe in round terms.
Is Claude useful for client emails about delays?
Yes, and it's one of the easiest wins. Paste what happened, the new date and what you need from the client, and Claude drafts a calm, specific update that leads with the facts and the next decision. Read it once for tone before sending, especially when the delay is a vendor's fault and the client is already frustrated.
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Get my free setupInterior Designer AI Operating System
A command center plus five connected jobs for winning clients, sourcing and presenting selections, placing and tracking orders, install day, and billing — drafted into your Gmail, Calendar, and Drive for your approval, with living trackers. Ambient guards keep your markup on the internal sheet and client prices out of vendor emails. Every prompt included — 66 skills in all.
Get the Operating System for $19Installs as a Claude Cowork plugin — and every prompt is included as an HTML page you can use in ChatGPT, Gemini, or any AI. How to install → Prices are in USD; Gumroad applies fair local pricing at checkout in eligible countries.