Interior Design PR: How to Get Featured in Design Publications

Press coverage in design publications builds credibility in ways that advertising and social media can't match. Here's how to get your work in front of editors.

Press coverage in design publications builds credibility in ways that advertising and social media can't match. When Elle Decoration features a project or Dezeen covers a product launch, that's third-party validation — an editor deciding your work is worth their readers' attention.

But getting that coverage isn't straightforward. Design editors receive hundreds of pitches every week. Most get ignored. Understanding how design press actually works — what editors want, how to pitch effectively, and when PR helps your positioning — is the difference between coverage that builds your reputation and pitches that disappear into inboxes.

How Design Press Actually Works

Editorial Calendars and Lead Times

Print magazines work months ahead. The September issue of House & Garden is being planned in May and finalised in July. If you want coverage timed to a product launch or project completion, you need to pitch far earlier than feels natural.

Digital publications move faster — sometimes weeks, sometimes days for news pieces. But even digital editors are planning features and themed content well in advance.

Practical implication: For print, pitch 3–4 months ahead minimum. For digital features, 4–6 weeks. For news, as it happens.

Key UK Publications and Their Focus

Different publications want different things:

Elle Decoration, House & Garden, Livingetc — Residential interiors, beautiful photography, lifestyle angle. Looking for projects with strong aesthetic identity and photogenic spaces.

Wallpaper*, Icon — Design-forward, architectural, international perspective. Looking for innovation, concept, and design thinking.

Dezeen, Architonic — Digital-first, architecture and product design focus. Fast turnaround, global reach, design industry audience.

World of Interiors — The pinnacle for many designers. Highly curated, extraordinary spaces only. Getting featured here is a career milestone.

Homes & Gardens, Ideal Home — More accessible, mainstream residential. Broader audience, different aesthetic criteria.

Contract, OnOffice, FX — Commercial and hospitality focus. Different audience, different project types.

Understanding which publication fits your work — and who actually reads it — matters more than chasing the biggest names.

Who Makes Decisions

Editorial teams vary, but typically:

• Editors set direction and approve major features
• Features writers develop stories and source content
• Stylists often control interiors shoots and product selection
• Product editors handle design news and launches

Knowing who handles what helps you pitch to the right person. A product launch goes to the product editor. A completed project goes to the features team. Getting this wrong wastes everyone's time.

What Design Editors Actually Want

A Story, Not Just a Project or Product

Editors don't publish projects. They publish stories. The project or product is the vehicle, but there needs to be something to say.

What makes a story:

• An unusual brief or constraint that shaped the design
• A notable client or location
• A design philosophy or approach that readers can learn from
• Something genuinely new — a material, technique, or way of thinking
• A compelling before/after or transformation

"We completed a lovely five-bedroom house in Surrey" isn't a story. "How we turned a derelict Victorian laundry into a family home" might be.

Photography: The Non-Negotiable

Professional photography isn't optional. It's the price of entry.

Editors need images that work for their layouts — high resolution, well-lit, properly styled. iPhone snaps of a project in progress won't cut it. Neither will estate agent photography.

For interiors coverage, expect to invest in:

• A photographer who understands interiors (not just architecture)
• Styling for the shoot (flowers, books, lifestyle elements)
• Multiple angles and details, not just hero shots
• Images without people (usually) and without obvious date markers

This is an investment. But without publication-quality photography, the rest doesn't matter.

Exclusivity

For major features, publications often want exclusivity — first rights to publish before anyone else. This is standard for print features and prestigious digital placements.

What this means practically:

• You can't pitch the same project to multiple editors simultaneously (for features)
• Once published, other outlets may lose interest
• News items and product launches are different — multiple coverage is normal

Discuss exclusivity expectations upfront. And don't burn relationships by offering exclusivity you can't deliver.

How to Pitch Effectively

The Press Release Question

Traditional press releases still have a place — for product launches, awards, significant appointments. They're a standardised format editors understand.

But for project coverage, a personalised email pitch often works better. Editors know a press release has gone to everyone. A targeted email feels like you've chosen them specifically.

A good pitch email:

• Subject line that's specific, not generic ("Victorian laundry conversion in Bath" not "New project announcement")
• Brief context on the project/product and why it's relevant to their publication
• 3–5 strong images attached or linked (not embedded in the email body)
• Clear contact details and availability for follow-up
• Short — respect their time

Timing and Follow-Up

Send pitches Tuesday to Thursday, morning ideally. Monday inboxes are overwhelming. Friday pitches get lost in the weekend.

Follow up once after a week if you haven't heard back. After that, assume it's a no and move on. Repeated follow-ups damage relationships.

Building Editor Relationships

One-off pitches are transactional. Ongoing relationships are valuable.

Ways to build relationships:

• Consistently provide strong material (this is the foundation)
• Respond quickly and helpfully when they need something
• Offer exclusives or early access
• Be useful beyond your own coverage — connect them with other interesting stories
• Attend industry events where editors are present

This takes time. There are no shortcuts. But editors who trust you will come to you when they need something, rather than waiting for your pitch.

For Designers: Getting Project Coverage

What Makes a Project Press-Worthy

Not every project is editorial material. Publications are looking for:

• Strong visual identity and photogenic spaces
• Something unusual — the brief, the building, the solution
• High-quality execution (obviously)
• A story that readers find interesting

A beautifully executed but conventional family home in a London suburb may not have the hook editors need. A challenging conversion, an unusual location, or a notable client changes the equation.

Timing: When Projects Are Ready

Projects are ready for press when:

• Construction is complete and space is dressed
• Professional photography is done
• Client has approved coverage (in writing, ideally)
• You can articulate the story, not just describe the rooms

Don't pitch too early. Half-finished projects with construction photography waste opportunities.

For Suppliers: Getting Product Coverage

Editorial vs. Advertising

Editorial coverage is earned, not bought. Advertising is bought, not earned. Editors keep these separate, and any suggestion that advertising influences editorial will damage your relationship.

That said, advertising can increase awareness of your brand among editorial teams. It's not transactional — buying an ad doesn't guarantee coverage. But being visible in the publication doesn't hurt.

Product Placement and Styling Opportunities

Interior stylists sourcing for shoots offer product placement opportunities. Getting your furniture, lighting, or accessories into a styled editorial shoot creates coverage without a dedicated feature.

Build relationships with stylists. Offer easy loan arrangements and quick delivery. Be helpful when they're on deadline. This route often delivers more consistent coverage than pitching product stories.

Expert Commentary

Editors need expert voices for trend pieces, material guides, and industry analysis. Positioning yourself as a knowledgeable source — available for comment, reliable, quotable — creates coverage opportunities that don't depend on having news to announce.

The Discretion Question

More coverage isn't always better. For luxury positioning, over-exposure can dilute exclusivity. Being everywhere can undermine being special.

Consider:

• Quality of publication matters more than quantity of coverage
• Some coverage reaches your ideal clients; some reaches everyone
• Constant promotion can feel desperate
• Selective visibility maintains mystique

The goal isn't maximum press. It's the right press — coverage in publications your target clients read, that reinforces the positioning you want. Understanding how specification works helps you identify which publications actually reach your specifiers. If your positioning hasn't been clarified yet, a brand clarity consultant ensures your PR strategy reinforces who you actually are and who you're trying to reach.

Do You Need a PR Agency?

Agencies bring relationships, expertise, and bandwidth. They know editors, understand timing, and can pitch consistently when you're busy running your business.

But agencies cost money, and results aren't guaranteed. For most designers and suppliers, the question is whether you have the time and inclination to do PR yourself — and whether the investment in an agency would generate enough return.

Consider an agency if:

• You have consistent news and projects to promote
• You don't have time to build editor relationships yourself
• You can afford the retainer without guaranteed results
• You've chosen an agency with genuine design press relationships

Consider DIY if:

• You have occasional rather than constant PR needs
• Your projects are genuinely newsworthy without much pitching
• You enjoy the relationship-building aspect
• Budget is a primary constraint

Either approach can work. What doesn't work is expecting PR without effort — whether that effort is yours or an agency's.

The Bottom Line

Interior design PR is about building editorial relationships and providing material editors actually want to publish. That means strong photography, genuine stories, and respect for how publications work.

Coverage builds credibility. But it's a long game — relationships take time, and not every project or product is press material. Focus on quality over quantity, target the publications that reach your audience, and invest in the photography that makes coverage possible.