Find an Interior Designer near you
The average rating for Bark Interior Designers is 4.87, based on 130,247 reviews
5/5
based on 130,247 reviews
Is your space in need of a refresh but not sure how much an interior designer will cost? Here’s everything you need to know about how your expert will charge based on how many rooms you have, their experience, your location and more.
Your home is your sanctuary from a hectic world, so it's important that it’s a comfortable and enjoyable place to spend your downtime. If you’re not sure how to make the most out of your living space, that's where an interior designer comes in.
Your interior designer can bring your home to life by choosing the right decor, furniture and colour schemes - bringing them all together to create a stylish and cosy space. Your interior designer will have an eye for visual aesthetics and will be able to bring your home vision to life, no matter how big or small the space you’re working with is.
This interior design price guide is based on our data and research of interior designers across the UK. It's a great place to start understanding costs, but as every project is different, the best way to set your budget is to request quotes from local interior designers.
Research by the British Institute of Interior Design shows that the majority of interior designers use a combination of pricing options to come to a final cost. This combination can consist of hourly charges, flat fees, and a percentage of total project costs. For example, an initial consultation might be charged as a flat 'consultation fee', while the rest of the project is as percentage of the overall project cost. Your interior designer will explain how they work before anything gets started.
One popular method of charging is an hourly rate. Your interior designer will either charge by the number of hours they worked, or, more commonly, estimate how many hours they will need to work and offer a flat fee based on that. The overall price can vary depending on a range of factors, but a ballpark figure based on local UK professionals is given below:
| Interior designer rate | Average cost (per hour) |
| Good value | £50 |
| Average | £100 |
| High end | £160+ |
Most interior designers offer the option between a part service and a full service.
A part service may include a proposed layout and design, but it will be the responsibility of the client to purchase and implement the materials.
Full service means that the designer will be involved in all aspects of the project’s life cycle, from design and planning to liaising with contractors and assisting with installation.
Other things that may be included in the cost of your interior designer are:
Detailed furniture plans and lighting options
Furniture sourcing and help purchasing
A drawing or 3D rendering of the finished room to help you visualise
As expected, a full service will cost significantly more than a part service.
The cost of an interior designer can vary depending on a range of factors:
Project size
Materials
Experience
Location
The more rooms you want to renovate, the longer the project will take, and the bigger the spend. But this can be an investment - interior design can add significantly more value to your home, so you’ll be thanking yourself for putting in the effort with an interior designer if you want to sell your property later down the line.
Materials come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s no surprise that they’re all priced differently. If you want to makeover your home on a budget, the best person to ask about which materials to use will be your interior designer, who can offer expert advice based on your budget and taste.
When it comes to hiring an interior designer, a bit of professional experience can go a long way. After all, you’re trusting your professional to completely transform your living space, so don’t scrimp when it comes to hiring someone who is experienced.
The best way to check this is by asking to see their portfolio of past projects. This will also help you to get a taste of whether you like their design approach.
Here’s a rough estimate of how much you can expect to pay for an interior designer based on their experience:
| Experience level | Average cost (per hour) |
| Junior - medium level | £30 - £60 |
| Experienced | £60 - £75 |
| Highly senior | £76 - £160+ |
Unfortunately, if you live in a big city you will pay more. An interior designer in London, for example, will usually cost more than other parts of the UK simply because of the higher cost of living. However, in large metropolitan areas, you might also find that you have more choice - so it pays to shop around.
Consultation fees - Your professional will normally charge for a consultation at the beginning to find out what you’re looking for based on your budget and preferences.
Travel fees - Your expert will likely factor in travel fees into the overall cost, so it's best to hire someone local if you can.
Fixed fee - Not all interior designers charge by the hour. Some may charge a ‘fixed fee’ where they assess the scope of the project and provide a lump sum price at the beginning.
It’s possible to renovate your home on a shoestring, here are some handy tips on how to do so:
Revamp old furniture - your sofa or table might be looking a bit worse for wear but that doesn’t mean you have to spend lots of money replacing it with something brand new. Sometimes all it takes is a lick of paint on some wooden furniture or some new covers to spruce up your sofa. If you can’t visualise this, ask your interior designer for some style inspiration.
Shop smart - If you’re willing to shop around and do some digging, you can get some beautiful interior items in charity shops or websites selling second-hand items like Gumtree or Facebook marketplace.
Choose your colours wisely - While it may seem tempting to opt for vibrant, out-there colours, you could quickly tire of having them in your home every day and could end up spending more money on repainting in a few months time. If you want to stick with current colour trends, remember these go out of fashion pretty quickly too, so it's best going for a timeless, classic colour you won’t get bored of.
A quick note - while opting for a cheaper interior design service will save you money, it might not be best in the long run. You can find bargains by employing a junior interior designer with loads of talent who's looking to build their portfolio, but the price could also be low because the service isn't as full or premium as you really want. Get quotes, meet different designers, and look at their portfolios to ensure you're happy with the balance between budget and outcome.
The average rating for Bark Interior Designers is 4.87, based on 130,247 reviews
5/5
based on 130,247 reviews
