Decorating Den InteriorsFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A DECORATING DEN INTERIORS franchise requires a total initial investment of $53K – $73K, including a $40K franchise fee and an ongoing 9.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: D. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $53K – $73K
- 4th pct Retail
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 21st pct Retail
- Royalty
- 9.0%
- 28th pct Retail
- Units
- 211
- 33rd pct Retail
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Retail · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Retail avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Franchising since 1970. Systems this mature have refined operations and brand recognition.
Bottom line
- Total investment $53K – $73K including a $40K franchise fee, 9.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict D (Below Average) with a risk score of 70/100.
- System contracting at -6.2% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven (consolidation) or franchisee-driven (economics).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- DECORATING DEN SYSTEMS, INC.
- Incorporated in
- MO
- HQ
- 8659 Commerce Drive, Easton, MD 21601
- Auditor
- UHY LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $3.6M
- vs $3.2M prior year
Overview
About
DDSI franchisees operate as independent interior design consultants, meeting with residential clients to design living spaces, select furnishings, and manage project completion. Day-to-day work involves client consultations, design proposals, vendor coordination, and project oversight—typically working from home or a small design studio with a 9% (scaling to 7%) royalty payable on all gross sales.
- CEO
- JAMES S. BUGG, JR.
- Headquarters
- MD
- Founded
- 1969
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 37
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $40K | $40K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $5K | $12K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $8K | $22K |
| Total initial investment | $53K | $73K |
Source: DECORATING DEN INTERIORS 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $53K – $73K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $5K – $12K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $30K – $40K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 9.0%
- Gross Sales · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 4.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 13.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 9.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 4.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $1K |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $0 |
| Total fee load | 13.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Retail averages
How Decorating Den Interiors Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 211
- Opened
- 19
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 30
- Turnover rate
- 14.2%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 10.0%
- Net growth (yr3)
- -5.0%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- -6.2%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 1
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 22 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 1 7(a) loan on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 1
- Loan volume
- $130K
- Median loan
- $130K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 100.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 1
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Decorating Den Interiors's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 1 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 1 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 1-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Decorating Den Interiors presents material risk: a contracting system with no financial transparency, unprotected territory, litigation history over service delivery, and aggressive royalty structure on an unproven profit model.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · UHY LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 70 / 100 rating
- 01MINORDeclining unit count (-5.0% YoY) indicates shrinking franchise system and potential market saturation or franchisee dissatisfaction
- 02MEDNo Item 19 financial disclosure (Avg Revenue and Net Income not disclosed) prevents accurate ROI assessment on $52,725–$73,400 investment
- 03HIGHRecent litigation (2023) with $112,000 settlement over service delivery failures raises quality control and customer satisfaction concerns
- 04MINORUnprotected territory creates direct competition risk from other DDSI franchisees and non-franchised interior designers
- 05MEDHigh royalty burden (9%–7%) combined with undisclosed profitability means franchisees may struggle to achieve positive cash flow
- 06MINORShort 5-year franchise term limits ability to recoup initial $39,900 franchise fee and build long-term equity
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Protected territory | No |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | No |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Maryland |
| Litigation count | 1 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 165 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- POS system
- B.O.S.S.
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: B.O.S.S.
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
31 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
DECORATING DEN INTERIORS · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a DECORATING DEN INTERIORS franchise?
The total investment to open a DECORATING DEN INTERIORS franchise ranges from $53K – $73K, with an initial franchise fee of $40K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do DECORATING DEN INTERIORS franchise owners earn?
DECORATING DEN INTERIORS does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is DECORATING DEN INTERIORS's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for DECORATING DEN INTERIORS (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many DECORATING DEN INTERIORS franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, DECORATING DEN INTERIORS has 211 total units in the United States, including 211 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 19 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is DECORATING DEN INTERIORS a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates DECORATING DEN INTERIORS as a D-grade franchise with a risk score of 70 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.