This may sound harsh… and I swear that is not my intention… but copying another designer’s website is tacky.
Tackiness aside, it is also insulting, and something you would not appreciate if it happened to you. It is also a HUGE disservice to yourself and the dream you are building.
I get it… You see another interior designer's website, and you fall in love. The layout, the colors, the copy, the whole brand look and feel and you think… “That’s how I want my website to look and feel!”
But trust me my friend! You really don’t want to be just like them, even if you are inspired by how awesome they are.
What you are REALLY SAYING when you’re a copycat…
When you take someone else’s hard work and try to pass it off as your own, you are sending a very clear message to the world. And it is probably not the message you think you are sending. You might think you are showing that you have good taste or that you know what a high-end brand looks like. But what you are actually telling everyone is that you don’t trust yourself.
You are showing that you don’t trust yourself
If you don’t trust your own eye enough to envision a website that reflects who you are, how can you expect a client to trust you with their home? It starts with you. When you copy another designer, you are essentially telling your potential clients that your own creative instincts aren’t good enough. You are looking for validation in someone else’s work instead of leaning into what makes you great.
You are admitting you don’t have a unique vision
Clients hire an interior designer because they want a unique vision. They want someone who can walk into a room and see something they can’t see for themselves. When you copy a competitor... or ask your web designer to "just make it look like this site"... you are basically admitting that you don’t have that original spark.
You are showing them that your best idea was actually someone else’s idea. And this creates a massive disconnect with potential clients, before you even have your first discovery call. It makes them wonder if your design work for them will also just be a repeat of something you saw on Pinterest.
You are simply playing it safe
This is a big one. I talked about this in an episode of my podcast, The Solo Grind, where we took a deep dive into the Truth of Transformation. In that episode, my guest Rachel Burr and I talked about how safety is actually an illusion. We like to think that by doing what everyone else is doing, we are staying "safe" from failure or criticism. But the reality is that the world keeps changing around us whether we like it or not.
By trying to be safe and blending in with the crowd, you aren’t actually protecting your business. You are just playing it small. And as we discussed on the show, small doesn’t prepare you for the inevitable changes in life or business. Safe and happy are definitely not the same thing. When you choose the greige carbon copy version of a website because it feels safe, you are settling for a business that is half-baked and honestly... a little bit boring. You are hiding the very expertise your dream clients are actually looking for.
Want to hear our conversation on the illusion of safety? Check out the full episode HERE and if you want to just skip ahead fast forward to minute 13:30
Why copying never feels quite right
When you copy someone else's website, you aren’t just stealing a design... you are trying to wear their identity. And just like wearing someone else’s shoes, it might look okay in a photo, but it is going to be incredibly uncomfortable when you actually have to start walking.
Your website should be a filter, not a net
Your website has one main job to do, and that is to be a filter. You don't want to attract just anyone. You want to attract the people who "get" you. The ones who love your specific quirks, your process, and your unique point of view.
When you copy another designer’s "vibe," you are accidentally setting out a net to catch their dream clients. You end up with inquiries from people who are expecting a specific experience that isn't actually yours to give. This leads to those awkward discovery calls where you feel like you have to perform a certain way just to stay "on brand" with a website that isn't even you.
The confidence gap
There is also the impact this has on you as a business owner. When you hide behind a design that belongs to someone else, you are creating a "confidence gap." Every time you share your URL or tell someone to check out your site, there is a little voice in the back of your head that knows it’s a lie.
You can’t fully own your expertise when your digital home is a carbon copy. It makes it harder to charge what you’re worth and harder to show up with the "bold ideas" your brand promises. You are always going to feel like you’re playing dress-up in someone else’s business.
Breaking out of being a greige carbon copy
So... how do you stop being a greige carbon copy? It starts by looking inward instead of looking at your competitors. You have to be willing to do the work to understand what makes you the expert... and then find a way to let that shine through your website.
If you find yourself stuck in the "comparison trap" and staring at another designer's website wishing it was yours, I want you to take a breath and try to deconstruct that feeling. Instead of just wanting to be them, let's look at what is actually drawing you in.
Using inspiration to create something uniquely you
When I start a new design project with a client, I actually encourage them to look at other websites. I always ask my clients to identify three websites they love and tell me exactly why they are drawn to them.
We often start our design strategy call with the client thinking they want to look just like someone else. But as we sit down with our coffee and start to talk about what they actually like, we almost always find that it isn't the whole website at all. Usually, it is just a certain feeling... a particular color palette... or one specific feature.
That conversation is where the real uniqueness starts to peek through. By deconstructing what they are drawn to, we can find the pieces that resonate with them and then build something that is 100% on brand for who they are. It allows me to create a digital home that is inspired by great design but built on their own unique foundation.
When the process gets stuck
The only time these strategy sessions don't really work is when a client is fixated on being someone they aren't. If you aren't being open and honest about what you really want... or if you are trying too hard to fit into a mold that belongs to a competitor... we can't get to the heart of your brand.
There is a real cost of pretending in your business. It takes a huge amount of energy to maintain a facade that isn't yours. It burns you out and it stops you from finding the joy in the work you are doing. You have to be willing to look past the surface of what everyone else is doing and get real about who you are. If you aren't honest with yourself about your own vision, you'll always feel like you are chasing someone else’s success instead of building your own.
Build a brand that feels like you
I know that getting clear on your own identity can feel like a huge task, especially when you are doing it all solo. If you feel like you are struggling to find your own voice and you’re tired of the "greige carbon copy" trap, I have a resource to help you get started.
Inside Solo Grind Central, I have a free course called Build a Brand That Feels Like You. It was created to help you get real about who you are so you can build your business foundation on something that is authentic and real.
Click here to get free access and start building a brand that is uniquely yours!
What to do when you feel like copying someone else
The next time you fall in love with a website, don't just hit the "copy" button in your mind. Instead, grab a cup of coffee and use these three questions to deconstruct what you actually like.
1. How does the brand identity make you feel?
Is it a sense of calm and organization? Is it bold and edgy? Sometimes we don't actually want their layout... we just want the feeling of confidence their brand portrays. Once you identify the "vibe" or aesthetic, ask yourself how you naturally provide that same feeling to your clients through your own work.
2. Which specific design elements are catching your eye?
Is it the use of white space? Is it the color palette? Or is it the way they speak to their audience? If you love their conversational brand voice, don't copy their words. Instead, think about how you talk to your own clients when you're sitting in their living room. That is your true brand voice and it is much more powerful than a stolen script.
3. What is missing from their website that only you can provide?
This is the most important question for your business strategy. No matter how beautiful their site is, they aren't you. They don't have your specific process or your "Solo Grind" experience. What is the one thing you do differently that your clients always rave about? That unique value proposition is the piece that needs to be front and center on your site.
Own the expert you are
At the end of the day, your website shouldn't feel like a mood board of someone else’s ideas. It is a strategic tool for your business, and it needs to work as hard as you do. When you choose an original design over a greige carbon copy, you are making a business decision to stand out in a crowded market.
So... take a look at your site today. Does it actually reflect the level of expertise you bring to your interior design projects? Or does it look like you’re trying to fit into a mold that was built for someone else?
It’s time to stop looking at what everyone else is doing and start focusing on the unique way you solve problems for your clients. Your website should be the digital version of your best design work... bold, intentional, and 100% yours. Because in a sea of identical websites, the one that is built on a real, original vision is the one that actually gets the inquiry.
