Guide · Trade accounts
How interior designers open a trade account for designer furniture in London
By Faura Editorial · · 9 min read
To open a trade account for designer furniture in London, an interior designer typically needs three things: a company website or portfolio of live or completed work, a trading address, and a current project to specify against. Below is what to prepare, what to expect, and how to use trade access well.
Who qualifies for a trade account?
Trade accounts are opened for practising interior designers and studios, architectural practices, property developers, main contractors, specialist FF&E procurers and hospitality operators. Freelance designers qualify on the same basis as studios, provided they can evidence live or recent professional work.
What documents do you need?
- A company website or portfolio (PDF is fine).
- Registered business address, or trading address if sole trader.
- Optional: a short brief for the current project you plan to specify.
Requirements vary by showroom. Faura will confirm what is needed when you apply for trade access.
How do I write the project brief I send in advance?
The brief does not need to be a document — a short email is fine. What helps the showroom prepare is: the project type (private residential, developer, hospitality), the location, an approximate room count and budget band, the programme (design phase, install date), the brands or references you already have in mind, and any categories you specifically want to review — furniture, lighting, bathrooms, textiles, stone, paints, hardware. That is enough for the host to stage relevant references from the roster and prepare technical files where useful.
How long does approval take?
Timelines vary by showroom. At Faura, the team will confirm the next steps after your application is submitted and, where relevant, arrange a first visit.
What does trade access give you?
| Trade benefit | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Trade pricing | Project pricing applied consistently across brands. |
| Sampling | On-site sample library, cuttings, memos and finish boards. |
| Technical files | CAD blocks, fire & contract ratings, drawings on request. |
| Specification support | Written schedules with lead times and pricing indications. |
| Client hosting | Private appointments for presenting schemes with materials on hand. |
| Contractor introductions | Introductions to vetted specialists for tiling, decorating, electrical and smart-home work. |
| Coordinated delivery | A point of contact for orders, production and site delivery. |
How to use trade access well
- Send a short brief in advance — room count, budget band, programme, key references.
- Ask for specific pieces or finishes to be staged for your appointment.
- Leave with cuttings, memos and a written schedule you can share with the client.
- Consolidate the order through one showroom account rather than splitting across many suppliers.
- Book a follow-up client-facing appointment once the scheme is stable, so the client experiences the materials in the same room where you specified them.
- Feed back on delivery and site performance — a good trade relationship is worth more than any single discount.
What if I need contractors as well as furniture?
Faura connects members with vetted contractors — tiling, decorating and painting, electrical, and smart-home installation — on request. That means a designer can hand off the installation side of a scheme to specialists the showroom has worked with, rather than starting a supplier search from scratch. See the finishes and materials guide for how contractor introductions fit alongside stone, paints and hardware supply.
Common questions
Do I need to bring a client? No. Trade appointments are for the designer; client-facing visits can be booked separately once the account is open.
Fees, VAT and personal purchases? Policies vary by showroom. Contact Faura to confirm current terms.
To open a Faura trade account, complete the designer application or book a private appointment and the team will confirm next steps. Read more in the FAQ or in hosting clients at the showroom.