What the fee represents
An interior design project goes far beyond a mere selection of furniture and finishes. Before reaching its final form, the work passes through demanding and layered technical stages, often invisible to the client yet decisive for the final quality. These activities require significant resources and precision: from detailed measured surveys to checks on regulatory constraints, from studying circulation flows to integrating building services and technical lighting, through to producing construction details and coordinating trades on site on a daily basis. The fee is the economic translation of this entire process. It goes beyond remunerating a stylistic intuition and covers the actual amount of work involved, the level of control required, and the responsibility we assume when working on substantial investments, with the aim of minimising errors and changes during execution.
Assessment criteria
Every quote starts from a specific analysis of the context. The uniqueness of each project rules out the use of a standard price list. The variables that determine the studio’s overall commitment include:
- The extent of services required: from preliminary design only to full involvement on site, including art direction, bespoke furniture design, lighting design, and final styling, as well as the possible design of outdoor areas.
- The depth of the intervention: focused upgrades, partial refurbishments, or a complete redesign of the property, each with a different level of technical and decision-making complexity.
- Timing: a project concentrated over a few months versus a process distributed across a longer period allows for different degrees of study, control, and planning.
- The property context: working in a listed historic building, a top-floor apartment with complex access, or a particularly prestigious setting requires different logistics and technical sensitivity compared to more recent or standard buildings.
- Outdoor areas: terraces, gardens, and courtyards are not secondary elements; they require dedicated expertise, checks, and coordination, in continuity with the interior layout.
- Technical and regulatory framework: the need to intervene on existing building services, bring the property in line with current regulations, or integrate advanced technologies directly affects the complexity of the work.
- Expected impact: we assess how our intervention can influence the value of the property over time and improve its everyday use, in relation to the client’s expectations and lifestyle.
The cost range
As an indicative reference, we work with a range that varies according to the intensity and nature of the intervention.
- From around €150/m²: lighter renewal work, such as updating surfaces and decorative finishes, correcting lighting, and revising the arrangement of furniture without invasive structural works.
- Up to around €450/m²: full and complex refurbishments, involving a complete redesign of the internal layout, a comprehensive review of building services, bespoke furniture design, and full site management from commencement to completion.
Between these two poles, there is a wide intermediate zone. As an indication, the partial refurbishment of a 95 m² two-bedroom apartment in central Milan, managed with a medium–high level of detail, may lead to a fee in the region of €31,500, depending on the bespoke elements, the choices made, and the overall duration of the project. To maintain the standard of care that characterises our work, we activate the full operational set-up of the studio only above a minimum engagement threshold: we do not take on complete interior design projects with fees below approximately €10,000.
From first contact to contract
Before preparing a quote, we ensure that the conditions are in place for a coherent and well-structured design process. In essence, the path is as follows:
- Initial review: we assess the size of the property, the main objectives, and the overall budget available.
- First conversation: we arrange a meeting at the studio, on site, or a call, with the aim of aligning expectations and understanding priorities and living habits.
- Documentation: we request up-to-date floor plans, photographic and video material, and confirmation of budget and timing, to precisely frame the scope of the intervention.
- Fee proposal: we prepare the formal quote, describing in detail the operational stages, the services included, and the related costs.
- Contract: once the proposal is approved, we formalise the appointment with a contract that sets out deadlines, services, payment terms, and the framework of protection for both parties.
All data and information received are handled with the utmost care and confidentiality, with the option, where required, to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
Required documents
To obtain a precise quote within a reasonable timeframe, it is helpful to share a few essential elements from the outset: a floor plan that reflects the current state, images of the rooms, and a clear indication of the available budget and desired timing. It is equally useful to provide a concise list of functional priorities: the need for a different quality of light, dedicated space for working from home, additional storage capacity, or the intention to enhance a view or terrace. This material allows us to set up an accurate discussion from the beginning, in which spatial quality, time, and investment can be brought into a realistic balance.
Protecting the investment
Defining the quote means drawing the line between a vague idea and a plan that can actually be implemented. It is more than a formal requirement: it is the moment in which the ambitions of the project are aligned with their economic sustainability. Radical clarity at this stage is the premise for a straightforward process, in which the investment is protected and the final result faithfully reflects the initial shared vision.
