How Much Does an Interior Designer Cost in 2023?

Hiring an interior designer is an investment that can take your home or office design to the next level. But between hourly rates, project fees, and more – how much should you actually budget for professional interior design services this year?

This guide breaks down the typical interior designer cost structure and all the factors affecting interior designer costs so you know what to expect. We’ll cover everything from the difference between an interior designer vs. decorator to tips on finding the right pro for your needs and budget.

Essential Services Provided by Interior Designers

Before estimating price, it’s important to understand the comprehensive services a qualified interior designer can provide vs. a decorator. These often include:

• Space planning: Evaluating room layouts and creating furniture floorplans
• Lighting design: Planning lighting layouts, selecting fixtures
• Color scheme: Developing an integrated color palette for paint, fabrics etc.
• Fabric/finishes selection: Choosing wall coverings, flooring materials, textiles etc.
• Furniture planning: Providing furniture placement plans, procuring pieces
• Accessories styling: Sourcing accent decorative items like art, mirrors, plants
• Custom furnishings design: Creating bespoke furniture and lighting fixtures
• Project management: Overseeing demolition, construction, installations

The level of services required will directly impact interior designer costs.

Key Factors Influencing Interior Designer Fees

Several variables affect interior designer rates and billing. These include:

Experience and Reputation

A top interior designer’s fees are usually higher. Well-known firms or designers with 10+ years expertise often charge more given their credentials.

Project Scope and Size

The overall scope of work needed will impact fees. A whole home design or large commercial space takes more time than a powder room refresh. Cost per room rises for bigger homes with extensive renovations required.

Location

Design fees are often higher in places like NYC or San Francisco vs. smaller towns, due to higher salaries and operating expenses for designers there. Geographic differences in average costs for interior design must be accounted for.

Luxury Level

The level of budgets and finishes selected will increase overall project investment needed. Designers working with luxury brands, metals, stone and imported European furnishings typically charge more.

Project Duration

Rush jobs usually come with premium fees if a client needs the project completed faster than typical interior design project duration. Extended timelines can reduce costs.

Billing Methods Used by Interior Designers

There are four common interior designer billing methods used in the industry:

1. Hourly Rates

Some designers charge an hourly rate for interior designers which often ranges from $50 per hour on the low end for basic services to $500+ per hour from top international design firms.

2. Flat Project Fee

A flat project fee provides a fixed overall cost of interior design. This can range greatly from $3,000-$5,000 for a small bath or kitchen refresh up to $100k+ for full renovations. The finished interior designer cost 2023 averages around 15% of total construction budget.

3. Percentage of Total Budget

High-end interior designers often charge clients a percentage of the total project budget, averaging 20% of construction costs plus furnishings procurement. On a $3 million home renovation for example, the interior designer percentage would equal over $600k.

4. Mixed Billing Methods

Hybrid models are also popular, blending hourly and project fees to allow for some capped costs yet flexibility if scope changes emerge. Additional interior designer markup on purchases between 20-40% helps cover furnishing procurement services.

6 Tips for Finding the Right Designer

Follow this checklist when evaluating prospective interior designers to find the best experience and value for your budget:

1. Verify Credentials

Always check interior designer qualifications like accreditations, education, licenses and association memberships (ASID, IIDA etc.) to confirm their skills.

2. Review Examples of Past Work

Evaluate examples of previous projects of similar size, style and budget to ensure it aligns with your goals. Interior designer portfolios give the best insight.

3. Understand How Costs Are Calculated

Ask detailed questions upfront about how the designer calculates project costs and get agreement on an initial interior design project estimate in your range.

4. Check References Thoroughly

Spend time asking for and checking designer testimonials and referrals from past clients to confirm their reliability and customer results.

5. Look for Design Specialties

See if the interior designer specializes in the type of property you’re designing (residential, hospitality, workspace etc.) Experience in your niche indicates higher quality outcomes.

6. Verify Expected Availability

Be sure the designer has availability when you need the project completed within your desired interior design project duration. Avoid delays from resource bandwidth issues.

Pros vs Cons: DIY Interior Design

Should you tackle interior design yourself or hire a professional instead? Here are some high-level DIY interior design pros and cons to consider when making the decision:

DIY Interior Design Pros

• Promotes budget savings from lower material and labor costs
• Allows for more customization control over all details
• Encourages sense of personal ownership and pride from hands-on participation

DIY Interior Design Cons

• Requires extensive time investment to complete properly
• Risks costly design or construction issues from lack of expertise
• Can compromise resale value without optimal layouts and finishes

In the end, your available time, skill level and ultimate design goals should steer your decision to either DIY interior design or invest in the expertise of a pro.

The Bottom Line on Interior Designer Costs

So what’s the typical average cost for interior design services? While a DIY approach starts at $0, professional interior designer fees often range anywhere from $5,000 on the low end for a single room refresh to $100,000+ for a full home renovation or new construction.

The rate of top designers can reach $500 per hour for ultra high-end residences and commercial spaces. But even typical residential projects with more mid-range finishes tend to invest around 15-20% of the total construction and furnishings budget on qualified interior design services.

This covers initial concept development all the way through sourcing and specifications to bring the designs to fully furnished life.

Ultimately there is huge variability in potential interior designer rates and project cost depending on the overall scope, square footage, and luxury level involved. But using the typical percentages of overall budget dedicated to design fees, you can determine an approximate investment range to plan for.

Just be sure to clearly communicate required services upfront, evaluate designer experience and portfolios thoroughly, and verify references from past client projects to maximize the design impact you achieve from the investment.