New homeowners are a receptive market for interior designers — and it’s a group intrigued by the idea of designer financing that would allow them to buy more furniture and expand the scope of potential projects, according to new Consumer Insights Now research.
New homeowners are more than three times as likely as other consumers to plan to work with an interior designer in the next six months, at 24% compared with 7% of overall consumers. Another 8% of new homeowners said they might use the services of an interior designer, according to the CIN research. Taken together, that means nearly a third of new homeowners are interested in professional design help. That’s a significant number.
The exclusive research, compiled for Design News Now and its sister publications, is part of the latest installment from CIN, which surveys consumers twice a year to gather extensive insights into their home furnishings purchase plans and preferences. This Spring, research findings are being released over five weeks, beginning on March 24.
New homeowners are defined in the research as those who purchased a home, either existing or new construction, in the past six months or who plan to purchase a home in the next six months. “Home” is defined as a house, condo, townhouse or mobile home. Two-thirds of the new homeowners surveyed said their new home sales price was (or was expected to be) from $100,000 to $499,999.
Priority spaces
When it comes to prioritizing spaces where they need a designer’s help, new homeowners say their living room is No. 1 (61%), followed by their primary bedroom (57%), kitchen (46%), dining room (39%), family room/den (32%) and home office (32%). Less important to new homeowners is professional design assistance with their games room, guest bedroom, patio/porch or sunroom.
New homeowners’ reasons for wanting professional design help vary, but they include their desire to update their style and put their stamp on their new space. As one survey respondent explained their design priority: “To make my new house feel like a home.” Another was hoping “to find a designer who’s very up to date with style.”
Help with financing design projects
For the first time, the CIN survey asked consumers how they feel about the idea of using designer-specific financing for their design project.
A whopping 82% of new homeowners expressed interest in exploring the idea, with another 14% saying they might be interested. Only 4% ruled out the idea. The survey gave this as an example of financing: “0%/36-month line of credit for up to $100,000 to use on design projects.”
New homeowners see several potential benefits of such financing arrangements, according to the CIN research.
Some 61% said designer-specific financing would allow them to purchase higher-end furniture and 50% said it would allow them to design additional spaces in their homes. Another 39% said they would be able to increase their budget and spend more money with a designer if they had a financing agreement and 21% thought financing would allow them to complete a design project on a shorter timeline.
New homeowners’ interest in financing specifically for design projects may stem, in part, from the fact many continue to feel the squeeze of mortgage interest rates that have been higher than those they’ve experienced in the previous two decades. Respondents told CIN that they are three times more likely to purchase a home if rates fall below 6%. The national average for a 30-year fixed mortgage was 7% when consumers answered the survey; it has dipped slightly below that in March.
Many home furnishings retailers offer interest-free or deferred interest financing options on purchases, but the practice is far less common in the design segment of the industry. It’s an intriguing idea to explore, especially if it allows more homeowners to enjoy the life-changing benefits of working with a professional designer.
For more: Consumer Insights Now research is conducted twice a year for Design News Now and its sister publications, Home News Now, Bedding News Now, Casual News Now and Lighting News Now. Industry veteran Dana French leads the CIN research project. The spring round of research was fielded in February 2025 and is sponsored by American First Finance, a finance firm based in Wichita, Kansas.
I’ve highlighted just one part of the research in this column. The extensive research series also details consumers’ buying plans for sofas, case goods for dining spaces and primary bedrooms, and mattresses. The reports look at everything from consumers’ style and feature preferences to how interested they are in financing.A final report examines trends among high-end shoppers and designers, and we’ll be bringing you more details from that in April. You can read all the latest CIN research results as they are released in the coming weeks here.
