Guide · by Arti Kapur · updated 2026-11-03

How to choose an interior designer in India

Interior design is not a licensed profession in India, so there is no register to check. Architects are registered under the Architects Act 1972; interior designers are not, and the Institute of Indian Interior Designers is a voluntary body. That puts the work of choosing on you. This guide sets out how we would do it if we were hiring.

Five things to take away

Judge finished homes and client references, not certificates or lists.
Insist that the person who designs your home is the person you meet.
Get design fees and execution costs quoted separately and in writing.
Agree how changes are priced before work starts.
Count the site visits per week in the contract.

Start with finished homes, not portfolios

A portfolio shows renders and the best three photographs. Ask to visit a finished home, or at least to speak to two past clients. A studio that has been working for years will have clients happy to take a call. A refusal is the first red flag. Ask the clients two things: was the designer on site, and did the final bill match the quote.

Who will actually design your home

In larger companies the person who sells the project, the person who designs it and the person who supervises it are three different people. Ask by name who will draw the home and who will be on site. If the answer is a team, ask how often the lead designer visits. In a boutique studio the answer is usually the same person throughout, which is the main reason to choose one.

How fees work in India

There are three common models. Design-only fees are quoted per square foot of carpet area; published 2026 guides put them between about ₹50 and ₹500 per square foot depending on the studio and the city, with luxury studios charging more or a percentage of project value. Turnkey quotes bundle design and execution per square foot. Percentage fees take a share of the execution cost, which rewards the designer for spending more. Whatever the model, ask for the design fee and the execution cost on separate lines so you can see what the design costs on its own.

What the design fee should include

Measured survey and drawings. Layout options. Material, colour and lighting plans. Drawings for every piece of made-to-order furniture. A costed schedule before purchases start. Site supervision through handover. If any of these are extra, ask why.

Reading a quote

A good quote lists every item with a size, a material and a rate. A bad quote gives a lump sum per room. Check that wall finishes, electrical work, false ceilings, hardware and transport are all present. Ask what the contingency is and who holds it. Ask how a change to an approved drawing is priced and whether it needs your written approval before it is made.

Questions to ask at the first meeting

How do you learn how we live before you design? Who draws the home and who supervises? What does the design fee include and exclude? How many site visits a week during execution? How are changes priced? What happens when a piece arrives damaged? Can we use our own contractor? Can we keep the furniture we own? Which of your past clients can we call?

Red flags

A quote before a site visit. A mood board before a conversation about how you live. A refusal to separate design and execution costs. No names on who will be on site. Pressure to sign a package in the first meeting. Reviews that all read alike.

How we work, for comparison

Arti Kapur Design Studio visits the site before quoting, designs the whole home on paper before purchases, shows design and execution separately, and keeps Arti on site weekly through the finish. We restore what you own before we replace it. That is the standard we would hold any studio to, including ourselves.

Fee models compared

Model	How it is quoted	What to watch
Design only	Per square foot of carpet area, or a fixed project fee	Confirm supervision is included
Turnkey	One rate per square foot for design and build	Ask for the itemised schedule behind the rate
Percentage	A share of execution cost	The fee rises when spending rises

Questions people ask

How do I find a good interior designer in India?

Through finished homes you have seen, through references from people whose homes you like, and by interviewing two or three studios with the same list of questions. Lists of the best designers online are editorial or paid and are a starting point at most.

What should an interior designer's fee include?

Survey, drawings, layouts, material and lighting plans, furniture drawings, a costed schedule and site supervision through handover.

Should I choose a turnkey firm or an independent designer?

Turnkey suits a fixed budget and a standard finish. An independent or boutique designer suits a home you want designed around how you live, with furniture made for the rooms and pieces you own kept.

Is an interior designer registered or licensed in India?

No. Only architects are registered, under the Architects Act 1972. Interior design bodies such as IIID are voluntary.

How many site visits should I expect?

At least one a week from the lead designer during execution, more at the finishing stage. Put it in the contract.

Open the door.

Tell us about your home, the room that bothers you, or the old piece you cannot throw away. We reply to every message.

Call +91 98211 45668 WhatsApp artikapur02@gmail.com @artikapur_interiors Walk through the house