Interior design costs vary widely because they reflect the scope, complexity, location and materials of each unique project—not a fixed rate. A studio’s fee structure typically depends on whether you’re redesigning a single room or a whole residential interior, commissioning commercial fit-out, or working across multiple locations. The sections below explain how studios approach pricing and what factors shape your investment.
How do interior design studios structure their fees?
Most studios work in defined project stages, each with its own scope and cost implications. A studio typically moves through Discovery, Concept, Design & Specification, Commission, and Reveal. Each stage builds on the last and adds value in different ways—Discovery establishes your brief and constraints; Concept develops the creative direction; Concept, Design & Specification produces the detailed documentation and material selections that contractors and suppliers work from. Understanding this structure helps you see where your investment goes.
The fee for each stage reflects the work required within it. A Discovery phase involves site visits, detailed measurement, client interviews, and competitive analysis; a Concept phase includes mood boards, spatial planning, and initial material direction; Concept, Design & Specification produces construction drawings, schedules, specifications, and supplier liaison. Studios in London and the wider UK typically price based on the labour-hours, expertise, and responsibility each stage demands—not on a percentage of build cost or a per-square-metre rate applied uniformly to all projects.
What project factors change the cost of interior design?
Project type—residential or commercial—shapes costs significantly. A residential apartment in London such as the London Embankment Apartment or a country house like the Witham Project involves different constraints, timelines, and stakeholder management than a commercial fit-out. A salon redesign such as Fruittii Hair Salon requires coordination with specialist trades (plumbing, electrical, ventilation) and code compliance; a dental practice like Beaulieu Dental Practice adds clinical specification and regulatory requirements; an estate agent office like Keystones or a workplace like Tone at Canary Wharf introduces different spatial and brand-identity demands. Each sector brings its own complexity.
Location also affects cost. London projects typically carry higher fees than regional work, partly because London-based specialists, suppliers, and site access carry higher overheads. The complexity of the site itself—whether you’re working in a listed building, a new-build, or an existing fit-out—changes the amount of research, liaison with conservation officers or landlords, and technical problem-solving required. A studio will discuss these factors during Discovery and explain how they influence your total investment.
Does the size of a project always mean a higher design fee?
Not necessarily in direct proportion. A small, highly complex commercial kitchen redesign may demand as much specialist input and coordination as a larger, simpler residential refresh. What drives the fee is the intellectual work, problem-solving, and coordination required—not square footage alone. A Concept phase for a single room may involve as much thinking about material compatibility, light, and spatial proportion as a whole-floor apartment redesign if the constraints are tight or the brief is demanding.
A studio factors in scope (what you’re actually changing), complexity (how many trades, specialists, or regulatory requirements are involved), and duration (how long the project takes from Discovery to Reveal). A straightforward refresh of an existing interior with good bones and clear brief typically costs less than a complete strip-out, structural change, or high-specification commercial commissioning. During the Discovery stage, a studio clarifies what you actually need and recommends the scope that matches your goals.
What is the difference between a design fee and a build cost?
The design fee is what you pay the studio for planning, drawings, specifications, and project management. The build cost—or commission cost—is what contractors, joiners, electricians, plumbers, and suppliers charge to execute that design. These are entirely separate budgets. A design fee does not include the materials themselves, labour to install them, or any structural or mechanical work. It covers the expertise, time, and documentation that make execution possible and coordinated.
Understanding this separation helps you plan realistically. A beautifully specified interior with premium finishes will have a higher build cost than one with simpler materials, but the design fee depends on the studio’s work, not on how expensive the finishes are. A studio in the Discovery phase will discuss both—the investment in design itself and the realistic build budget—so you can plan the whole project. Some studios offer Commission support (project management and coordination during the build itself), which adds value during the execution phase.
How can you plan your budget before committing to a full project?
A Discovery phase is deliberately sized to be manageable and give you real information before major commitment. In Discovery, a studio visits the site, measures, photographs, talks to you about your brief, timeline, and budget parameters, and produces a report with recommendations and a clear proposal for the next stages. This stage costs significantly less than a full Concept & Design, and it gives you the facts you need to decide whether to proceed and at what scope.
Be direct about budget in Discovery conversations. Tell the studio your constraints and priorities—whether you’re thinking about a partial refresh or a complete overhaul, whether you have a construction timeline or budget ceiling. A good studio will help you understand what your budget realistically achieves in your location and sector. They may recommend a phased approach (doing certain rooms or elements first), a simpler specification to preserve budget for quality in key areas, or a clearer brief that reduces the coordination work and complexity. The goal of Discovery is to set realistic expectations, not to lock you into a surprise cost later.
Why do studios charge differently from one another?
Studio fees reflect experience, location, specialism, and market position. A studio that has delivered completed commercial projects across multiple sectors (dental practices, salons, estate agencies, workplaces) typically charges more than a generalist because that specialism, regulatory knowledge, and supplier relationships have value and reduce risk for the client. A London-based studio with a strong portfolio and reputation attracts higher fees than an emerging practice, partly because they can command premium rates and partly because their overhead and expertise are built for complex, high-specification work.
The best way to understand value is to look at completed work. Portfolio images show the quality of thinking, material selection, and execution; case studies explain the brief, constraints, and what the design solved. A studio’s approach to process transparency—clear stage naming, honest discussion of complexity, and plain language about what each phase costs and includes—signals whether they are likely to be reliable and clear throughout your project. Ask for references or speak to past clients if the investment is significant. A studio that is confident in their work will be happy to connect you with them.