How to use Notion: a practical guide for architects and interior designers

What is Notion, and why do design studios use it?

Notion is a connected workspace that combines documents, databases and wikis in one place. Instead of a brief in one app, a drawing register in a spreadsheet and approvals in email, a studio can keep each project as a page that links to its client, drawings, approvals, selections and invoices.

It suits architects and interior designers because it is visual and flexible. The same project data can appear as a table for the office, a board for stages, a calendar for deadlines and a gallery for mood boards and FF&E. It does not replace CAD, BIM or accounting software; it organises the decisions and work around them.

How do I set up Notion for the first time?

1. 1

   Create an account

   Sign up at notion.com with your studio email. Install the desktop and mobile apps if you want quick capture on site.

2. 2

   Name your workspace

   Use the studio's name. Keep one workspace for the practice rather than one per project; projects become pages and database entries inside it.

3. 3

   Learn the sidebar

   Private pages are only yours. Teamspaces (or shared pages) are where studio work lives. Hide the sidebar with Cmd/Ctrl + \ when you need room.

4. 4

   Start with a practice page

   Make a private page and experiment there before building anything the team relies on.

How do pages and blocks work?

Everything on a page is a block: a paragraph, heading, to-do, image, PDF, toggle or database. Type / to open the block menu, drag the ⋮⋮ handle to move blocks, and nest pages inside pages instead of using folders. A project page might hold the brief, a table of contents, embedded references and a linked view of its drawings.

• Cmd/Ctrl + N: new page (desktop app)
• Cmd/Ctrl + K or Cmd/Ctrl + P: search everything
• Cmd/Ctrl + \: show or hide the sidebar
• Cmd/Ctrl + D: duplicate the selected block
• Tab and Shift + Tab: indent or un-indent a block

What is a Notion database, and how should a studio use one?

A database is a collection of pages that share properties. It is the single most important concept to learn, because it turns scattered notes into a register you can filter and report on. Start with one: Projects.

A simple Projects database

• Name: the project title
• Status (select): Enquiry, Proposal sent, Active, On site, On hold, Completed
• Phase (select): your stages, such as concept, developed design, technical, construction
• Client (relation to a Clients database, or text to begin with)
• Key date (date): the next deadline or site visit
• Fee type (select): percentage, fixed fee, hourly or retainer

Each row opens as a full page, so the project brief, meeting notes and references live inside the record rather than in a separate document.

How do I connect projects, clients and drawings?

Relations link records across databases. Add a Drawings database with sheet number, title, revision and status, then relate each drawing to its project. Do the same for Approvals, Selections and Vendors. On the project page you can now see every related drawing and decision without copying anything.

Rollups summarise across a relation. Use one on Projects to count drawings awaiting approval, or to sum the cost of approved selections. Create the relation first; a rollup always reads through one.

Which views will my studio use every day?

• Board grouped by status: where every project stands, at a glance.
• Calendar on the key date: deadlines, submissions and site visits.
• Gallery with cover images: mood boards, precedents and FF&E selections by room.
• Timeline: the programme for a project or the whole studio's workload.
• Filtered tables: 'awaiting client approval', 'issued this week', 'on hold'.

Views are saved filters, sorts and layouts over the same data. Creating a new view never copies records, so you can make as many as your team finds useful.

How do I share with clients and consultants safely?

Invite colleagues as workspace members and clients or consultants as guests on a specific page. Choose Full access, Can edit, Can comment or Can view. Sub-pages inherit the access of their parent unless you change it.

How do I keep the workspace useful week after week?

A workspace stays accurate when it is part of a routine. Two short check-ins are enough for most studios:

• Today: check deadlines + approvals.
• Weekly: review active projects + invoice pipeline.

Archive finished projects instead of deleting them, name pages consistently, and review the workspace once a quarter to remove what nobody uses.

Where can I learn the rest?

Once the basics are in place, go deeper with the rest of our free library: curated videos by topic, one-minute Shorts, Notion's official guides and the best written tutorials.

• Notion video tutorials, organised by topic
• Notion tips in under a minute (Shorts)
• Official Notion guides and Academy courses
• Interior design project management software: a practical guide

Frequently asked questions

Is Notion free for architects and interior designers?

Notion has a free plan for individuals. Features such as larger file uploads, more guests, team administration and Notion AI depend on the plan, so check Notion's current pricing before rolling it out across a studio.

Can Notion replace CAD, BIM or accounting software?

No. Notion organises the work around your drawings and finances: briefs, registers, approvals, tasks and notes. Keep drawings in your design software and accounts in your accounting system, and link to them from Notion.

Can I store drawings and PDFs in Notion?

You can upload files and embed PDFs on a page, subject to your plan's upload limits. Many studios keep the master files on their file server or cloud storage and link to the current issue from the Drawings database.

Can clients see my whole workspace if I share a page?

No. A guest only sees the pages you share with them and the sub-pages beneath. Check that linked databases on a shared page do not reveal more than you intend.

How long does it take to learn Notion?

Most people are comfortable with pages and blocks in an afternoon. Databases and relations take a little longer; following one full databases tutorial and building a Projects database is the fastest route.

Should I build my own system or use a template?

Build a small practice database first to learn the concepts. If you would rather start from a structure already designed around projects, drawings and approvals, a template saves the setup time.

Sources and further reading

• Notion: Create your first page
• Notion: What is a block?
• Notion: Keyboard shortcuts
• Notion: Intro to databases
• Notion: Relations and rollups
• Notion: Views, filters and sorts
• Notion: Sharing and permissions
• Notion: A designer's ultimate guide to using Notion