Luxury interior design cost depends on three factors: the scope of work (how many rooms or systems), your property’s size and complexity, and the specification level you choose. Rather than a fixed hourly rate or percentage, the studio prices each project individually after understanding your brief during Discovery. The sections below explain what a designer evaluates to arrive at a fair fee.
Why there is no standard luxury design fee
A designer’s fee cannot be quoted in isolation because interior design is not a commodity service. The cost of designing a single drawing room in a London apartment differs entirely from the cost of designing a full residential interior across multiple floors, or from specifying bespoke joinery for a commercial salon. Each project has its own scope, constraints, and ambition. The studio does not work to a per-square-metre rate, a percentage markup, or a fixed daily fee—these models assume all projects are structurally similar, which they are not. Instead, the studio establishes the fee during the initial Discovery phase, after understanding what you want to achieve, what exists already, and how much specification and coordination your project requires.
This approach protects both client and designer. You pay for the actual complexity of your brief, not a formula that penalises smaller projects or subsidises larger ones. A designer also avoids committing to a fixed fee before understanding the real scope—a commercial space like Tone at Canary Wharf or Fruittii Hair Salon may require extensive MEP coordination, custom detailing, and supplier liaison that a formulaic fee structure would obscure. Transparency about how the fee is determined is a mark of confidence in the work itself.
The three factors that shape design cost
The first factor is scope. Scope answers the question: how much of the interior are we designing? Are you refreshing one room, or are you redesigning the entire residential layout, finishes, furniture, and lighting across four floors? Are you specifying a single commercial space, or a networked suite of spaces with shared systems? The London Embankment Apartment project, for example, involved a complete residential redesign—geometry, materiality, joinery, furnishings, and coordination across trades. That scope is substantially different from a focused project that addresses, say, a new kitchen and adjoining dining space. Scope is the biggest cost variable because it directly determines how many decisions must be made, how many materials sourced, how many suppliers coordinated, and how much site time the designer spends.
The second factor is property complexity. A newly built apartment with standard finishes and a clear layout requires different design thinking than a listed Georgian townhouse with structural constraints, existing features to preserve, and heritage planning considerations. A bespoke commercial fit-out like Keystones Estate Agent demands understanding of spatial workflow, brand expression, and client-facing requirements—all of which add intellectual and practical cost. A salon like Fruittii Hair Salon requires knowledge of service flows, equipment placement, and the specific standards for commercial kitchens or wet areas. The more unusual or constrained the property, the more design time is required to solve for those constraints intelligently.
The third factor is specification level. Specification level is the depth and precision to which every material, finish, and product is detailed. High specification means bespoke joinery, carefully sourced lighting, specified paint finishes, custom upholstery, and coordinated hardware. It means producing detailed drawings for contractors, managing samples, and overseeing quality on site. Medium specification might involve semi-bespoke solutions, carefully selected off-the-shelf products, and standard finishes applied with care. Lower specification uses more standard products and finishes but still under designer direction. The studio works toward quiet luxury—restraint, longevity, and materials that age well—which often means higher specification because it requires sourcing, testing, and detailed coordination. A commercial project like Beaulieu Dental Practice, which demands both aesthetic refinement and clinical precision, carries higher specification cost than a simple refresh.
How the studio establishes your project fee
The Discovery phase is where scope, complexity, and specification are properly understood. During this stage, the designer listens to your brief, surveys the property, understands your timeline and constraints, and identifies what decisions must be made. A residential interior in Witham that involves full redecoration and modest new joinery is a different commitment from London Embankment Apartment’s comprehensive redesign. A commercial space focused on reception and meeting areas, like Keystones Estate Agent, is not the same as a full-service salon refurbishment. Discovery takes time—sometimes a full day or more of conversation and on-site work—because rushing this phase leads to either underpriced projects that underdeliver, or overpriced briefs that misunderstand the client’s actual needs.
Once Discovery is complete, the designer can articulate what the Concept, Design & Specification phases will involve. Concept typically establishes aesthetic direction, spatial strategy, and material palette. Concept, Design & Specification then produces the detailed drawings, schedules, and supplier specifications that contractors and makers use to build and furnish the interior. Commission involves managing orders, samples, and quality. Reveal is handover and final snagging. Each phase has a clear purpose, and the fee structure reflects the work each phase requires. A project with complex joinery, bespoke lighting, and carefully coordinated suppliers will require more Concept, Design & Specification time than one using more standard solutions. That difference is reflected in the fee.
What is included in the design fee
The design fee covers professional time: concept development, drawing production, specification writing, supplier sourcing, sample coordination, and site oversight. It does not cover the cost of materials, products, or construction—those are budgeted separately and invoiced by suppliers and contractors. A common mistake is conflating design fee with total project cost. You may pay one fee for design and a separate budget for furniture, joinery, painting, electrical work, and so on. The designer helps you allocate that budget wisely, but the design fee is payment for the designer’s expertise and coordination, not for the materials themselves.
The studio typically produces a fee proposal after Discovery, itemising what each phase will deliver and what it will cost. This might break down as: Concept, Design & Specification (aesthetic direction and spatial strategy; detailed drawings and specifications), Commission (ordering and sample management), and Reveal (handover). Some clients prefer a fixed fee for the whole project; others prefer a phased fee that scales with actual scope. Either approach is transparent and professional. The key is that you understand what you are paying for before the work begins, and that the designer has enough information to quote fairly.
How to prepare for a cost conversation
When you approach a designer, be clear about your scope. Are you redesigning one room or the whole house? Is it residential or commercial? Do you have a rough timeline? Have you budgeted for materials and construction, or do you want help understanding the total spend? The clearer you are, the more accurately a designer can scope the work. Bring reference images or a written brief about what you want—not necessarily ‘inspiration’ from trends, but genuine descriptions of how you want to live or work, what problems you want solved, and what aesthetic or functional principles matter to you. The studio’s portfolio—Beaulieu Dental Practice, Fruittii Hair Salon, Keystones Estate Agent, London Embankment Apartment, Tone at Canary Wharf, and Witham Project—shows the range of work and the depth of thinking the studio brings. Looking at these projects will give you a sense of the specification level and the kind of briefs the studio handles best.
Be also prepared to discuss budget—not the design fee specifically, but your total project budget for materials, construction, and furnishings. A designer cannot advise on how to allocate funds, or whether high specification is the right choice for your brief, without knowing your financial reality. This conversation is confidential and professional; designers expect it, and it helps them propose fees that are realistic for your project.
Next steps: understanding your project cost
The only way to understand what your interior design project will cost is to have a conversation with the designer. There are no shortcuts or online calculators that replace this. A consultation allows the designer to ask the right questions about scope, property, timeline, and aesthetic intent. It also allows you to understand the studio’s approach, see whether the philosophy of quiet luxury and restrained specification aligns with your values, and ask about process. Most studios offer an initial consultation at no charge, or for a modest fee that is credited against future work if you proceed. Contact Manong to discuss your project. Bring your brief, your budget parameters if you have them, and any images or descriptions of what success looks like. The conversation itself is the beginning of good design.