Working With an Interior Designer: What Happens, Step by Step

Most people have never hired an interior designer before. So the first question is usually not about style. It’s “what actually happens?”

This is what working with an interior designer looks like at Kia Designs, from the first meeting to the day you get the keys. For how long each stage takes, see our project timeline guide.

1. The first meeting

We meet at the studio, or online if you’re abroad. You meet the team, and we talk through every room: how you’ll use it, what’s not working now, what you’ve seen that you love. Bring photos, samples and screenshots. Bring the things you hate, too. They’re often more useful.

This conversation usually throws up ideas you hadn’t considered. It also tells us early which specialists we’ll need, such as structural engineers.

2. The brief and scope

We write it all down. The brief sets out what you want and how you live. The scope sets out who does what: us, the builder, the engineers and anyone else involved. It stops misunderstandings before they cost anything.

From here, everything runs through Basecamp, our project management system. You can be as involved as you like and see every step.

3. The concept

We present the design: layouts, mood and materials, 2D drawings and 3D visuals. Depending on the project, the visuals range from simple 3D models to full photorealistic renders.

Crucially, we also give you a costed list of every piece of furniture, lighting and fabric. So the concept isn’t just an idea. It’s a plan you know you can afford. This is also where we design the bespoke joinery: wardrobes, kitchens, vanity units, window seats and banquettes.

4. Technical drawings and tender

Next we turn the design into the drawings a builder prices from. Then we send that tender package to contractors who are right for the job. That might be decorators who specialise in hand-painted wallcoverings, or a team who can handle building control and excavation.

No design survives a building site untouched. So when something changes on site, we adjust the details while keeping the overall feel.

5. Procurement

A single room can hold over 100 items once you count fabrics, trims, linings, handles and switches. Each one might come in dozens of finishes. We order every one, check it against the approved design, and store it in our warehouse until the house is ready. Builders get fixtures and their specifications when their programme needs them.

Contractors message our team directly, so questions get answered the same day rather than at the next site visit. Our job is to bring you solutions, not problems.

6. Installation and handover

Installation takes days or weeks, not an afternoon. We plan it carefully with the curtain fitters, art hangers and building concierge, if there is one. Everything is checked as it comes in. In central London we’ve even delivered through upstairs windows by cherry picker.

Then we style the house, work through the snag list, and bring in cleaners before you get the keys. The aim is that it feels like home from the first evening.

7. Photography

With your permission, we photograph the finished project. We remove all personal belongings first, so others can see the design without seeing your life. Many of these projects go on to win awards.

What working with an interior designer costs

We charge a design fee and a 25% procurement fee. There’s more on both in our guide to what an interior designer costs, and on our services page.

Tell us about your project. The first conversation is free, and we can usually meet within a few days. It’s as much about us checking we’re the right studio for your project as you checking us.