Many people assume interior design is only for those with grand houses and grander budgets. In fact, design services come in all shapes and sizes, with interior designer fees to suit pretty much every budget.
What people often don’t realise is that a good interior designer can actually save you money. Get the right person on board early, and they’ll help you avoid expensive mistakes and make smarter decisions from day one.
However, interior design fees can vary and what you pay depends on the type of service you need, how experienced your designer is, and how complicated your project turns out to be. This guide breaks down the most common fee structures, what actually drives the price, and how to compare quotes, so you can budget with confidence.
How much do interior designers charge?
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Key points
- Fee structures vary – they include hourly rates (£25-£150 per hour); percentage of a project (5%-10%); fixed fees (from £195); staged pricing; trade mark-up models.
- Price is influenced by many things – project scope, service level, designer experience, location, product procurement and the amount of site visits and coordination needed.
- Compare quotes – ask for a detailed written proposal, compare like-for-like, look at a designer’s past projects and reviews, consider different fee structures and agree on a change-order process.
- There are ways to keep costs down – plan a project in phases, use standard sizes, be clear about budget and lead times.
How much does an interior designer cost at My Bespoke Room?
At My Bespoke Room, we believe interior design should be available to everyone, not just those with huge budgets. That’s why we offer free consultations and affordable packages, whether you’re looking to upgrade your children’s bedroom or living room. To see exactly how the collaboration works step-by-step, head over to our comprehensive guide on how to work with a living room designer to get the most out of your project.
Our packages start from just £195, and because we work on a fixed-fee basis, you’ll always know exactly what you’re paying. There are no hidden costs, and you’ll benefit from exclusive discounts across hundreds of furniture and home brands. As a nationwide service, we make professional interior design accessible and affordable, helping you create a home you love without the cost or complexity often associated with traditional interior design.
A quick fix for one specific dilemma, like a tricky layout, a colour scheme you can’t crack, or finding the right sofa.
| Package | Price | What’s included | Best suited for |
| Design Fix | £195 | A video call with your designer, plus a personalised follow-up plan, focusing on layout options, a refined colour palette, or hand-picked furniture suggestions. | A quick fix for one specific dilemma, like a tricky layout, a colour scheme you can’t crack, or finding the right sofa. |
| Room Styling Package | £295 | A moodboard and colour scheme, curated accessories tailored to your budget, a designer video walkthrough, plus a week of follow-up support. | Rooms where the big furniture pieces are already sorted and you just need help pulling the finishing touches together. |
| Room Design Package – Single-function | £495 | A dedicated designer, full space planning, 3D visuals, a complete furniture and accessories list, a video walkthrough, and two weeks of follow-up support. | Single-use rooms: bedroom, living room, bathroom, dining room, hallway, home office, kitchen, playroom, terrace. |
| Room Design Package – Double-function | £595 | Same as above, scaled for a space that does two jobs at once. | Combined spaces: living/dining room, bedroom/dressing area, bedroom/home office, kitchen/dining room, kitchen/living room, living/playroom. |
| Room Design Package – Triple-function | £695 | Same as above, scaled for a space that does three jobs at once. | Larger combined spaces: living/dining/kitchen room. |
Common fee structures
Interior designers tend to price their work in a few different ways, from a flexible hourly rate to a more predictable fixed fee. The best fit depends on your project and what kind of support you’re after. If you just need help with a concept, a flexible fee structure might suit you, but if you’re looking for someone to manage the whole project from start to finish, a different model could work better.
Hourly rate
Some designers like to charge by the hour, which gives a bit of flexibility. According to a British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) article referencing its 2019 survey, rates typically range from £25 to £150 per hour, depending on where you’re based and how experienced your designer is. As a rough guide, junior designers often charge somewhere between £25 and £75 per hour, while more established senior designers tend to charge between £75 and £150.
This way of pricing works for consultations, site visits and smaller jobs, especially when you just need some expert advice or you aren’t certain of the scope. It can get trickier on bigger projects though. If unexpected issues crop up or the project grows beyond its original brief, the fee will need to be recalculated as you go, which can make costs a little harder to predict.
Fixed fee (per room or project)
If you prefer a more predictable interior designer pricing model, a fixed fee would be a better option. At My Bespoke Room, for example, we offer room design packages from £195 per room with free consultations.
The benefit of a transparent fee structure like this is that you know where you are from the beginning to the end of your project. You’re given a set price for a defined scope, the brief is clear and you can budget without worrying about any hidden or unexpected costs later down the line.
Percentage of project cost
Another approach is for designers to charge a percentage of your total project cost. The BIID states that most will charge somewhere between 6-10% depending on the scale of the project and the cost of materials and products involved.
This model only really works when there’s a strong sense of trust between you and your designer, and some homeowners worry this setup might tempt a designer to recommend pricier products to push up their fee. If you’re concerned about this, a good designer should be happy to talk you through how they keep things transparent.
Retainer or staged fees
Some designers prefer to break the fee into stages. You might be asked for an initial retainer of a percentage of the overall design fee, for example, with the rest paid in instalments as you move through the key milestones of design phase, procurement, and installation.
This staged approach is great if you like knowing what’s due and when, but it can feel less flexible if your scope shifts during the project.
Procurement or trade mark-up
Something to bear in mind when researching interior design costs is that many designers will add a margin to the furniture, fixtures and fittings they purchase at a trade price for your project. The mark-up compensates the designer for the logistics involved in sourcing, handling and managing the products.
At My Bespoke Room our Shopping Service gives clients a more transparent model, where they can purchase products with exclusive discounts from trusted brands we’ve partnered with, meaning you pay less. Our Shopping Support Team is on hand to help answer questions, sort samples and co-ordinate orders and deliveries around your schedule.
Learn how we can design your wow-worthy home on a budget. Book a free call with one of our Interior Designers!
Key factors that influence price
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Scope
Costs will be heavily influenced by the extent of the project. A full-house renovation, or a project involving structural work and changes to electrics and plumbing will cost much more than a single-room refresh
Service level
Price is also determined by the service you need. A concept-only service, where the designer provides a professional visual design and layout, but allows you to purchase items and hire contractors yourself, is a cheaper option than a full design and project management service.
Designer experience and reputation
The fees a designer will charge can range significantly depending on their level of experience and portfolio. A senior designer with a large portfolio of prestigious clients can command higher fees than someone at a more junior level. You can avoid these fee discrepancies with My Bespoke Room as all our skilled, experienced designers charge the same flat fee no matter how long they’ve been with us.
Specification and procurement
The items purchased for your project will have a big impact on your budget. For example, bespoke furniture or custom joinery can require a large investment if done to a good standard. Similarly, certain finishes can be expensive, particularly if they’re imported, and require more skill and time to apply.
Location
Interior designer fees range depending on where you live. Homeowners living in a smaller, rural location might find that local designers charge less than those in larger urban centres like Manchester or London. However, nationwide interior design firms like My Bespoke Room charge a transparent fixed fee no matter where you are in the country.
Project timeline
A tight schedule can also raise rates, as designers might lose their bargaining power for items and contractors when they have to rush things through. Standard lead times on furniture and fittings, for example, will need to be changed to a premium delivery, and contractors might charge more for working outside of their usual hours.
Site visits and coordination
Costs can be impacted by the amount of management the designer needs to do. They might add charges if they need to attend site frequently, draw up lots of technical drawings or manage contractors.
You can hire an experienced, professional Interior Designer to completely transform your space from £495! Click the link to get started and see what we can do for you:
How to compare quotes and set a budget
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Ask for a written proposal
A quote can be made up of all sorts of elements, such as fees, drawings, revisions, procurement, delivery and site visits. So ask your designer to break it all down for you. A good proposal should clearly state what’s included and what isn’t, so there are no surprises later on.
Compare like-for-like
Project scopes can vary, so compare the price of similar projects rather than the designer’s headline prices. Check whether the quote includes VAT, delivery and installation and ask the designer if they’ve added a contingency allowance for any unexpected costs.
Look at the designer’s portfolio
When you’re weighing up a designer, think about what they’ll actually bring to your project, not just what they’ll charge for it. Ask to see examples of their past projects and references to find out the type of service they’ve offered previous clients.
Decide on the fee structure that works for you
If you’d like some flexibility, an hourly pricing model could be a good fit. If you’d rather know exactly where you stand from the outset, a fixed-fee quote with a clearly defined scope will probably suit you better.
Agree on a change-order process
Design projects have a way of evolving, sometimes because something unexpected comes up, sometimes because you simply change your mind. This kind of adjustment is called a change-order, and it can add extra costs along the way. It’s well worth discussing this with your designer early on, so you both know how changes will be handled and priced.
Practical tips to control costs
If you’re concerned about keeping the cost of your project down, there’s plenty you can do to help your budget stretch further.
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Plan your project in phases
A full-house renovation is a big outlay, so it makes sense to break your project down into more manageable stages. Decide which rooms you want to design first and prioritise these. You can then budget for each full room design, completed at a high standard and a realistic price. This will give you time to save up for the next phase of your project and spread the costs.
Quite a few of our clients take this approach, gradually working through their whole house one room at a time. As one client told us, after using My Bespoke Room to design eight rooms in total: “The packages MBR offer make what feels like a luxury design experience completely affordable and so, so worthwhile.”
Use standard size and off-the-shelf
Wherever you can, go for ready-made components of a standard size as these are always cheaper than custom-made items. Bespoke products require extra skills to make, can produce more wastage, take longer to produce and require longer lead times, all of which adds up.
Be clear about your budget
Let your designer know how much you want to spend on furniture and finishes ahead of time so that they can work within your budget. A good designer will take this in their stride and find clever ways to make your money work harder, without compromising on quality.
Be realistic about lead times
Good timing can make a real difference to your overall costs. Rushed, priority deliveries tend to come at a premium, so give your designer plenty of time to specify and order to help keep things affordable.
Overwhelmed by your renovation? Our designers can guide you through the process to create a room that feels great for you and your budget.
Book a FREE Designer CallFrequently asked questions
As a rough guide, you can expect to spend anywhere from £195 for a single-room consultation to several thousand pounds for full project management on a larger renovation, depending on the scale of your project, the level of support you need, and the value you’re hoping to get from a professional.
A few key things will impact what you end up paying. The fee model plays a big part, whether that’s hourly, a percentage share, or a fixed fee, and so does the level of service you need and how experienced your designer is.
If you’ve got a smaller project, an hourly consultation might be all you need, but for a full renovation, it’s worth setting aside a bit more for design and project management. Try to think of it as an investment rather than just a cost. A good designer will pay for themselves over time, spotting risks and hidden costs before they become expensive problems, and keeping your project running smoothly and on budget.
It’s a good idea to look beyond the price tag first and focus on clarity instead. What exactly is the designer delivering? Does the fee include procurement and project management, or are these extra? These details can make a real difference to both the overall cost and the value you get in return. Don’t be afraid to ask for a detailed breakdown, it’ll make it so much easier to compare proposals fairly and understand what outcomes you can expect for your money.
If you want to avoid costly mistakes and make your money go further, it’s well worth investing in a professional. A good interior designer brings the skills and experience to get your room right first time, and knows how to do that within your budget. They’ll spot issues before they become expensive problems, and can pass on trade discounts on furniture and materials.
The key is to find a designer whose fee structure and pricing matches what you’re comfortable spending.
There’s no single way designers charge for their work, which is why it can feel tricky to work out what it will cost. To summarise, designer fees tend to fall into one of five models:
Hourly rate – You pay for the time your designer spends on your project. This is great for advice, site visits, or smaller jobs where the scope isn’t fully pinned down yet.
Fixed fee – A set price for a defined scope, agreed upfront. This is the most predictable option, you know exactly what you’re paying from the start.
Percentage of project cost – The designer charges a percentage of your overall project spend. This works when there’s a strong relationship of trust in place.
Retainer or staged fees – You pay in instalments tied to project milestones, which is handy for spreading costs, but less flexible if the scope changes during the project.
Procurement or trade mark-up – Designers add a margin to the furniture and materials they source on your behalf.
None of these is inherently better as it really comes down to what suits your project and how you like to budget. The important thing is knowing which model your designer uses before you start.
Online interior design tends to be the more affordable route, as there are fewer overheads like travel, or site visits. At My Bespoke Room, for example, packages start from just £195, with consultations completely free.
And this streamlined approach doesn’t just keep costs down. With no travel or logistics to juggle, your designer can focus on your project. Whether you go for an in-person or online service, communication is crucial. Choose a designer who communicates well, asks the right questions upfront, and keeps you in the loop with regular check-ins along the way.
