Interior designers charge $8,518 on average, but their fees can range from $2,056 to $15,200 depending on project size.
The national average cost to hire an interior designer is $8,518, but costs can range from $2,056 to $15,200 depending on several project-based factors. Everything from where you live to the nature of the project to the designer’s reputation can influence your total bill.
This guide breaks down the average costs for the most popular interior design services, as well as the other elements that impact your final price tag. Read on to learn the typical interior designer cost and how to budget for your next home design project.
When beginning the interior design process, keep in mind that hiring an interior designer for your next home design project will often reduce stress levels and save you money in the long run. They have access to trade prices and can help you stay on budget while delivering professional results.
There are a handful of ways that interior designers calculate costs, including flat rates, hourly rates, per square foot or per room, or a combination of these rate types. It’s essential to research your interior designer’s rate type and discuss it with them during the initial consultation.
Residential interior designers commonly use an hourly rate. On average, you can pay from $50 to $200 per hour, but rates can be as much as $500 per hour for designers with a top reputation in an upmarket area. This rate doesn’t include material costs.
Designers tend to charge per square foot for large-scale commercial projects when the space is over 5,000 square feet. However, some residential interior designers will still charge this way for larger projects. Typical fees are $5 to $15 per square foot.
There will often be a minimum flat fee for smaller rooms, and sometimes discounts are available for multiple rooms.
| Project Size Per Square Foot | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 200 | $1,000–$3,000 |
| 500 | $2,500–$7,500 |
| 1,000 | $5,000–$15,000 |
Rooms with more complex design needs, like kitchens and bathrooms, may cost more than simpler rooms like a bedroom. The electrical, plumbing, and structural requirements to create a final space in these rooms often require an additional layer of expertise and experience.
There are even some designers who receive special certifications and education, like the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer. Expect to pay a higher hourly rate for this type of designer, closer to $500 or more.
Similarly, if you need just an initial consultation and plans, this will cost much less than retaining a designer over the course of an entire home build.
Some designers charge a flat-rate fee covering the entire project, so you know upfront how much you’ll spend. There won’t be any markup on materials, but additional hourly project management fees apply in some situations.
Low-end costs can be as low as $250, going up to $50,000, depending on the project scope and the designer’s reputation.
Many interior designers will include a percentage markup on the cost of any furnishings or materials purchased. This cost typically runs anywhere from 10% to 40%.
Some designers charge a certain percentage of the total project cost. For example, the total project cost is $10,000, and a 40% commission was agreed upon, designers will receive $4,000 altogether.
Many designers will charge an initial one-off consultation fee. This cost covers opening discussions and allows them to formulate a complete quote for the main project. Typically, this ranges from $150 to $500.
The experience and reputation of an interior designer can have a significant impact on the fees they charge. Interior designers can hold different certifications to signify their education and experience in a certain field of home design—many of which require two years or more experience to apply for. If you’re completing a specific project, like a kitchen remodel, it’s a good idea to look for interior designers with hands-on experience in that type of project.
Example certifications include:
| Certification | Certifying Organization | Example Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer | National Kitchen and Bath Association | 5 years experience, with at least two in residential |
| Certified Remodeler | National Association of the Remodeling Industry | 5 years of remodeling experience |
| Lighting Specialist | American Lighting Association | Complete annual test on residential lighting |
If you want your designer to help you source the furnishings for your new bedroom or whole house, this additional task will increase the price, especially if the pro is charging a markup. Furnishings can add anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 to your final bill.
The cost of hiring an interior designer also depends on the area where you live and the pro’s location. For example, interior designer fees are typically more expensive in large, high-density cities than suburban or rural areas. If you’re interested in hiring a well-known designer from another part of the country, you’ll likely pay an increased rate to cover their travel fees.
Decorating your own home can be up to 40% less expensive than hiring an interior designer because you’ll only pay for materials rather than labor and mark-ups on products. However, interior designers are more knowledgeable about where to find the best prices, and without their help, it may be more difficult to stay under budget.
Since hiring an interior designer increases the cost of home design projects, it’s more affordable to tackle them yourself. On the flip side, hiring a professional interior designer near you ensures that your home is outfitted with high-quality materials and pieces and the project is completed on time. Plus, the interior designer will tackle the details of the project, allowing you to step back and focus on other projects.
Some interior designers offer individualized and advanced services. Additionally, you can seek out designers with expertise in specific fields—like sustainable furniture or fine art procurement—with adjusted rates to compensate for these services. Consider these add-on services:
Digital design: Additional 5% to 10% for digital mockups
Specialty services: Additional 5% to 10% for services like home staging
There are a few ways to cut down on the costs associated with hiring an interior designer, from buying products to working one room at a time.
Since designers take up to 40% in commissions on any products purchased for projects—from furniture to wall paint—you can cut costs by purchasing these items yourself. You can still hire a pro to design your space with these purchases, but you’ll save money on products.
If you don’t mind doing the legwork to decorate your home but aren’t sure where to start, consider consulting an interior designer rather than hiring them for the project. Though you’ll pay between $150 to $500 for consultations on average, you’ll get expert tips and ideas for your abode that you can apply yourself.
Many interior designers partner with brands to offer their clients discounted products. If you’re trying to find a way to stay under budget without sacrificing quality, ask your interior designer what brands the designer collaborates with and what kind of promotions they can offer.
If you don’t have the budget to hire an interior designer for your entire home, think like an interior designer and start small with one room. Watching an expert at work may give you ideas and inspiration for other spaces and even motivate you to design the rest of your home on your own.
If you’re only looking to refresh a simple living space, you can save by hiring a decorator over a designer. A decorator does not need any specific certifications and is typically not hired for more advanced projects, like a kitchen or bathroom remodel. They primarily focus on general aesthetics, like colors, furnishings, fabrics, and other accessories. A decorator can help guide you through common interior design mistakes—like picking the wrong paint color—to avoid expensive fixes.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed thousands of real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Most interior designers have at least a four-year degree, if not an advanced degree in interior design. Additionally, many states require interior designers to be licensed. If your state does not require licensing, interior designers can take a licensing exam with the National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). Overall, licensing requirements vary from state to state, but most licenses require certain education levels and experience to qualify. To check the qualifications of your interior designer, use Angi’s state licensing tool.
The difference between an interior designer and an interior decorator is that the interior decorator focuses on the space’s colors, furniture, art, and finishes. An interior designer goes beyond that to plan and execute layouts, structural changes, and overall functionality in addition to aesthetics that the decorator manages. We recommend hiring an interior designer for major remodeling projects and hiring an interior decorator to establish or enhance your home’s interior style.
On average, hiring an interior designer costs about $8,200, ranging from $200 to $65,000, depending on where you live, the size of your home, and the type of decor. The total price tag of interior design services is based on whether they provide consultation and implementation as well as any specialty design services, such as home staging or digital design mock-ups. Residential interior designers typically charge an hourly rate of $50 to $200 per hour, or up to $500 per hour in areas with high demand.
Hiring an interior designer is often worth the investment, especially for larger projects beyond DIY interior design and project management skills. However, the decision to hire an interior designer depends on your budget and the size of the project. Some benefits of hiring an interior designer include:
Realizing the best layout and decor for optimal functionality of the space for your taste, budget, and lifestyle
Managing your project to keep the job on track and within budget
Assistance with home staging ahead of home sale
Serving as a point of contact for contractors
Accessing discounts from local suppliers
Before hiring an interior designer, ask a few questions to better understand how they work, what’s expected of you, and what they promise to deliver.
How long will the project take to complete?
What type of services do you offer?
Can you provide a project estimate?
Do you work with subcontractors?
Are you licensed or certified in this state?
Do you have a portfolio of previous work I can review?
May I contact your customer references?
How do you handle change orders?
How do you handle payment?
