How to Get Press Coverage for Your Interior Design Firm
The Short Answer
Getting your interior design work published in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, or Robb Report is less about luck than most designers believe. Editors are looking for spaces with a clear point of view, strong photography, and a story that resonates with their audience. The firms that earn consistent press coverage are the ones that understand this and plan accordingly.
What Editors Are Actually Looking For
After years in Condé Nast’s editorial world and now running Pembroke Collective, I can tell you that editors are not waiting for cold pitches from designers they’ve never heard of. They are looking for:
A completed project with professional-grade photography
A compelling hook — a renovation with an unusual constraint, a client with a distinctive brief, a space that solves a problem beautifully
Contextual relevance: why does this project matter right now, to this audience
Exclusivity — most top-tier publications will not cover a project already published elsewhere
The most common mistake I see is designers pitching too early. If the photography is not ready or the space is not fully styled, wait. First impressions with editors are difficult to recover from.
The Process: From Project to Placement
A successful press strategy for an interior design firm typically follows this arc:
Commission editorial-quality photography before you begin outreach. This is non-negotiable. Smartphone shots — even high-quality ones — will not earn you a placement in a national shelter publication.
Identify the right target. Not every project belongs in Architectural Digest. A hospitality project might lead with Robb Report or Food & Wine. A residential renovation with a strong local story might be a better fit for a regional publication first. Matching the project to the right publication significantly increases your hit rate.
Pitch the primary exclusive first. Reach out to your top-choice publication with an exclusive offer: they have the opportunity to be the first to publish the project. This is standard industry practice and editors expect it. Give them two to three weeks to respond before approaching other outlets.
Support the pitch with context. Include a brief project narrative (two to three sentences), key details (square footage, location, notable materials or craftspeople), and a curated selection of five to ten photography selects. Do not send every image you have.
Common Mistakes That Kill Coverage
Pitching a project that has already been widely shared on Instagram before securing editorial placement
Over-explaining the design concept instead of letting the photography lead
Following up too aggressively — once after two weeks is appropriate
Sending the same pitch to multiple publications simultaneously without disclosing it
Neglecting regional and vertical publications, which can be equally valuable for building credibility
When to Work with a PR Firm
If you are producing multiple projects per year and finding that press outreach consistently falls to the bottom of your to-do list, it may be time to bring in a specialist. A strong luxury PR firm already has relationships with the editors you are trying to reach. That relationship layer shortens timelines and increases placement rates considerably.
At Pembroke Collective, we work with interior designers and architecture firms to develop press strategies that are tied to business goals — not just vanity placements. Whether that means an AD exclusive for a flagship residential project or a coordinated rollout across design and lifestyle media, the strategy is always built around what will move the needle for your firm.
Ready to develop a press strategy for your firm? Visit our Services page or reach out via our Contact page to start a conversation.