Will you understand my creative business?

I've worked with interior designers, stylists, architects, and creative studios for years. I understand scope creep, revision cycles, the feast-or-famine income patterns, and clients who change their minds. I won't make you explain why your project took three times as long as quoted — I've heard it all before.

Can you help with scope creep and client boundary issues?

While I can't have those conversations for you, I can arm you with the data you need to have them confidently. When a client wants 'just one more revision', you'll know exactly how many hours you've already spent and what that's worth. Numbers make boundaries easier.

What about my sample tracking chaos?

Bring me your mountain of fabric swatches, your random tile samples, your furniture catalogues from three projects ago. I'll create systems to track what's on order, what's arrived, what needs returning, and what's been billed. Your sample library will finally make sense.

I'm approaching the VAT threshold and I'm terrified. Help?

Deep breath. I help creative businesses navigate VAT registration every year. We'll monitor your threshold together, discuss your options (including the Flat Rate Scheme), handle the registration, and prepare your first return. It's much less scary with someone who's done it before.

Do I need to sort out my mess before you can help?

Never. I specialise in taking over chaos. Shoeboxes of receipts, spreadsheets that make no sense, three years of unfiled paperwork — I've seen it all and I don't judge. The worse it is, the more satisfying it is to fix.

Bookkeeper for Interior Designers UK

For Interior Designers & Creatives

Finally, Back-Office Support That Gets It

Are you spending more time on invoices than mood boards? Chasing suppliers instead of sourcing? Dealing with clients who want a Soho House look on an IKEA budget?

Do you know which projects are actually profitable? Can you see exactly who owes you money right now? When did you last leave the studio before 7pm?

I understand creative businesses. The irregular income, the project-based chaos, the clients who change their minds. I've helped designers across the UK reclaim their time and sanity.

I'm not a bookkeeper who'll make you feel bad about your filing system. I've worked with designers for years and I get how you think — the feast-or-famine income, the scope creep, the clients who want "just one more revision."

I understand.

Built for Creative Businesses

Interior Designers

Architects

Stylists

Set Designers

Event Planners

Creative Studios

The Pain Points I Solve

Sound familiar? You're not alone.

Spending more time on admin than design

Chasing suppliers for delivery updates

Project billing complexity

Clients with champagne taste, prosecco budget

Irregular income and cash flow stress

Sample tracking chaos

Scope creep eating into profits

VAT threshold anxiety

Project-Based Invoicing & Billing

From initial deposit to final snag, I handle the entire billing journey. Stage payments, variation orders, material pass-throughs — all tracked and invoiced so you can focus on the creative work.

Stage payment scheduling

Deposit tracking & milestone billing

Variation order management

Automated payment reminders

Retainer & Ongoing Client Management

Whether it's a monthly styling retainer or ongoing consultation work, I'll track hours, manage recurring invoices, and ensure you're paid on time, every time. No more chasing clients for payments on work you completed months ago.

Retainer tracking & renewals

Time-based billing management

Automatic invoicing schedules

Contract renewal reminders

Supplier Payment Tracking & Chasing

Waiting on that fabric delivery? Chasing the joinery workshop? I'll be the one making the awkward calls so you don't have to. Your suppliers will love how organised you've become.

Delivery tracking & expediting

Payment scheduling

Invoice dispute resolution

Supplier relationship management

Client Budget Management

When clients want champagne on a prosecco budget, I help you have those conversations backed by crystal-clear numbers. Real-time budget tracking means no nasty surprises — and no awkward scope creep discussions.

Real-time spend tracking

Budget vs actual reporting

Client-ready cost summaries

Scope change documentation

Sample & Order Coordination

The mountain of fabric swatches, tile samples, and furniture catalogues doesn't manage itself. I'll track what's ordered, what's arriving, and what needs returning.

Sample library management

Order tracking spreadsheets

Return & refund processing

Lead time monitoring

Bookkeeping for Creative Businesses

Project-based income, irregular cash flow, multiple suppliers — creative businesses are different. I get it. Your accounts will be as beautifully organised as your portfolios.

Project profitability tracking

Cash flow forecasting

VAT return preparation

Year-end accounts

VAT Registration & Threshold Planning

Dreading the VAT threshold? I'll help you understand when you're approaching it, plan for registration, and manage the transition smoothly. No surprises, no panic — just calm, prepared growth.

Threshold monitoring

Registration support

Flat Rate Scheme assessment

First return preparation

Testimonial

What Designers Say

"I was spending more time on invoices than mood boards. Steph took over my entire back office — client onboarding, supplier chasing, project billing. Now I actually have time to design. She gets creatives in a way most bookkeepers don't."

Emma Hartley

Founder, Hartley Interiors

AAT Qualified

ICO Registered

GDPR Compliant

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Common Questions

Designer FAQs

Questions I hear from interior designers and creatives — and honest answers.

Absolutely. I understand project-based cash flow better than most. We can structure payments around your project cycles, or start with ad-hoc hours until you feel more predictable. Many of my designer clients started small and grew into retainer arrangements as their confidence (and cash flow visibility) improved.

Looking for something different? See all services or check out support for construction & trades or regulated businesses.

Ready to Reclaim Your Creative Time?

Let's have a quick chat about your business. No obligation, no hard sell — just honest advice on how I can help you spend less time on admin and more time designing.

Let me take this off your plate.