Creative & digital
MTD software for interior designers.
Bring the same order to your finances as your spaces.
Design fees, showroom orders and supplier reimbursements can make a project bank statement hard to read. Avona helps you organise the supporting documents so the financial picture stays clear.
- Who it is for
- Interior designers working as sole traders, managing their own business records and MTD for Income Tax updates.
- Available now
- Digital records, bank feeds, statement imports, transaction categorisation and quarterly self-employment updates. Pro adds customer invoicing, VAT accounting and reporting.
- Monthly price
- From £15/month for Lite. Pro is £20/month.
- Free trial
- Full access for 7 days. No credit card required.
- Annual-return limitations
- Quarterly updates do not replace your annual tax return. HMRC lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development. Check the listing and confirm support for your income sources before relying on Avona for your annual return.
Making Tax Digital
It’s what comes in.
Before costs go out.
Furniture and fitting purchases may be part of your sales or genuine agency transactions. The contract matters: large bank movements should not simply be excluded when assessing turnover.
Understand Making Tax Digital →When does MTD apply?
Combined qualifying self-employment and property income, before expenses:
- Over £50,000 in 2024/25
- From 6 April 2026
- Over £30,000 in 2025/26
- From 6 April 2027
- Over £20,000 in 2026/27
- From 6 April 2028
Eligibility and exemptions matter. These are income thresholds, not tax-free allowances.
Check HMRC’s eligibility guidance ↗From the work to your records
Clear records for your room-design consultation.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your room-design consultation, shared purchases and a room-design project booking.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £850 for your room-design consultation £190 spent on samples and presentation printing | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for samples and presentation printing. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £850 as the sale and the £190 cost separately. The £660 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for samples for a client's scheme; £20 for decorations for your own home | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify samples for a client's scheme separately from decorations for your own home. | Only the eligible £80 business portion belongs in business costs. Exclude the £20 personal purchase, and check that importing both the bank transaction and the receipt has not counted the spending twice. |
| £200 booking payment, then £600 £800 agreed total | Keep the agreement for a room-design project booking and review both customer receipts against it. Bring in the payments through your bank feed or statement import. | The two payments account for the £800 total. Do not count the full invoice again as another receipt. Use your accounting method for timing, and retain evidence of any later cancellation or refund. |
Keep supporting documents alongside your figures, review business use and apply your accounting method consistently. HMRC: keeping business records ↗
The costs behind your work
Six expenses worth
keeping records for.
Examples for interior designers. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Fabric samples
CAD licences
Eligible showroom travel
Presentation materials
Professional indemnity insurance
Studio rent
One thing to watch
A reimbursement is not automatically a disbursement
Check whether you buy as principal or act as the client's agent. Keep contracts and supplier invoices, and ask your accountant how the arrangement affects income and expenses.
HMRC: keeping business records ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your room-design consultation.
Attach supplier paperwork to project receipts, identify design fees and review client-funded purchases before deciding their tax treatment.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for samples and presentation printing. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish samples for a client's scheme from decorations for your own home.
How document capture works →Reconcile your room-design consultation payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a room-design project booking available alongside the bank entry, so fees, refunds or timing differences can be explained.
How bank review works →Review before you submit
Review Avona AI’s suggested categories, check that your room-design consultation income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a room-design project booking ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from interior designers.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers interior designers working as sole traders. Your start date depends on combined qualifying self-employment and property income before expenses, and any exemptions. Employment and limited-company work have different reporting arrangements.
How do I record furnishings bought for a client?
Keep the agreement, supplier invoice and customer charge together. The records should show whether you bought and resold the item or arranged a purchase as the client's agent.
How do I record a room-design project booking?
Example: £200 booking payment, then £600 (£800 agreed total). The two payments account for the £800 total. Do not count the full invoice again as another receipt. Use your accounting method for timing, and retain evidence of any later cancellation or refund.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
A reimbursement is not automatically a disbursement. Check whether you buy as principal or act as the client's agent. Keep contracts and supplier invoices, and ask your accountant how the arrangement affects income and expenses.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your room-design consultation income records and evidence of samples and presentation printing into Avona using supported spreadsheet uploads. Check dates, categories, personal spending and duplicates against the original documents before you approve the records.
Do quarterly updates complete my annual tax return?
No. You still need the annual tax return and any relevant adjustments or other income. HMRC currently lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development for Avona. Confirm support for your own income sources and circumstances before relying on Avona for the annual return.
Built for the way you earn
Bring clarity to your design project records.
Choosing Avona
Your questions, answered.
Can I create customer invoices?
Yes. You can create customer invoices with Avona Pro.
What if I am VAT-registered?
Full VAT accounting is available with Avona Pro, so you can manage your VAT-registered business with Avona.
Can my accountant review my records?
Yes. You can connect your Avona account to your bookkeeper or accountant so they can review your records.
Can I use my phone on site?
Yes. Every feature has a mobile-friendly version, so you can manage your accounts from your phone while you are on the move.
Can I keep using my personal bank account?
Yes. Avona supports Open Banking connections and PDF bank statement uploads. You can clearly separate personal and business transactions to keep your business records organised.