In this guide · 8 sections
- 01What a good interior design project page contains
- 02Real photos vs 3D renders: label them
- 03Photo copyright: who owns your project photos
- 04Customer reviews after the 2026 fake-review case
- 05Keep a heavy portfolio fast
- 06Budget filters, enquiries and registrations
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Build project case pages from your own photos of finished work, label 3D renders clearly, and let visitors filter by flat type and budget. Compress images so galleries load fast, use only genuine reviews, and get the photographer's written licence, because photographers own commissioned photos by default.
What a good interior design project page contains
Each project page should answer what the homeowner is really asking: could this firm do something like this, in a home like mine, for money I can afford? A gallery alone does not answer that. A short case page does.
| Element | What to include | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Property type and size | For example 5-room HDB resale, 110 sqm, or 3-bedroom condo | Visitors look for homes like their own |
| Scope of work | Hacking, carpentry, flooring, lighting, built-ins, styling | Shows what was actually done by you |
| Budget band and duration | A range such as S$50,000 to S$70,000, 10 weeks, only if true | Pre-qualifies enquiries and builds trust |
| Brief and outcome | Two or three sentences on the problem and the solution | Turns photos into a story about thinking |
| Photo labels | Completed photo or design render on every image | Avoids misleading visitors |
| Credits | Photographer, and any partner contractors or suppliers | Required by copyright law in many cases |
Leave out the address and anything that identifies the homeowner unless they agree in writing. Faces, family photos and personal items should be removed before shooting.
Real photos vs 3D renders: label them
3D renders are useful: they show design skill and what a space could look like. The problem comes when renders sit next to completed photos with no label, so visitors assume the firm built them. That can be a misleading claim about your work.
Honest portfolio
- Completed photos and renders in separate sections or clearly captioned
- Before and after photos from the same angle
- Render captions that say design render, not completed
- Stock or supplier images marked as inspiration
Warning signs to remove
- Renders presented as finished projects
- Supplier showroom photos used as your work
- Photos of other firms' projects found online
- AI-generated room images with no label
If you use AI image tools for mood boards, our guide on AI image generators for commercial use covers the licence terms and labelling.
Photo copyright: who owns your project photos
Many firms assume that paying a photographer means owning the photos. Since the Copyright Act 2021 took effect on 21 November 2021, that is not the default. The Ministry of Law's summary of the changes says creators of photographs, whether commissioned or not, are by default the first owner of copyright unless the contract says otherwise. The Act also gives creators a right to be identified when their work is used in public.
Before you publish a project
Our guide on image copyright for business websites covers stock photos, Creative Commons and what to do if you get a takedown letter.
Customer reviews after the 2026 fake-review case
On 30 September 2026 the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore announced action against 45 businesses and a fake review provider. The provider used generative AI to write reviews designed to look genuine, and the businesses had to remove them and keep a public apology up for six months.
Collect reviews at handover, when homeowners are happiest, and reply to every one. Our guide to Google Business Profile set-up shows how to send a review link.
Keep a heavy portfolio fast
Portfolio sites get heavy fast, because each project can have dozens of full-size photos. Slow galleries hurt both visitors on phones and search rankings. Google's Core Web Vitals measure exactly this, and our Core Web Vitals guide explains the scores.
Resize before you upload
Export gallery images at around 1,600 to 2,000 pixels on the long side. Camera originals at 6,000 pixels are wasted on a phone screen.
Convert to WebP or AVIF
Modern formats cut file size sharply with no visible loss. Most site builders and plugins can do this automatically.
Lazy-load the gallery
Load only the first few images, then the rest as the visitor scrolls.
Use one hero image per project card
The portfolio overview page should show one compressed cover image per project, not every photo.
Test on a phone over mobile data
Run PageSpeed Insights on the portfolio page and one project page, not only the home page.
Budget filters, enquiries and registrations
Filters for property type (HDB, condo, landed, commercial), style and budget band let visitors find relevant work in seconds. They also pre-qualify leads: someone who filters to S$30,000 to S$50,000 projects and then enquires has already seen your range.
Your enquiry form should ask for property type, key collection date, rough budget and rooms involved. If you also carry out renovation work in HDB flats, show your HDB Directory of Renovation Contractors listing and any CaseTrust accreditation, as covered in our renovation contractor website guide.
Do it yourself or get help?
A template site with a good gallery plugin can work for a small studio, if you are disciplined about photo sizes, labels and permissions. The time goes into writing short case pages and gathering photographer and homeowner consents, which only you can do.
If you want a portfolio site built properly, our Website Pro package (S$2,990) includes custom project pages with filters, on accounts you own. For an existing site that has become slow under the weight of its galleries, Speed & SEO Fix (S$390) compresses images, adds lazy-loading and gives a before and after PageSpeed report.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, as long as each render is clearly labelled as a design render and not presented as a completed project. Keep renders in their own section or caption every image. Mixing them with finished photos without labels can mislead homeowners about what you have actually built, which is the kind of claim consumer law covers.
Not automatically. Under the Copyright Act 2021, in force since 21 November 2021, creators of photographs are by default the first owner of copyright even when commissioned, unless the contract says otherwise. Get a written agreement that assigns copyright to you or gives a clear licence for website, social and advertising use.
Only with their permission, and label them so visitors do not think they show your completed work. Many brands allow partners to use product images under conditions. Save the email or licence terms with the date, and remove the images if the partnership ends.
Showing an honest budget band per project helps homeowners judge fit and reduces enquiries you cannot serve. Give a range rather than an exact figure, list what was included, and only show figures that are true for that project. Avoid headline prices that rarely apply.
Usually 8 to 20 well-chosen, compressed images are enough, covering each main space with a few details. More photos slow the page without adding much. Lead with the strongest image, keep before and after shots together, and lazy-load the rest of the gallery.