Hiring an interior designer is an unusual purchase. You are committing a significant budget to someone whose main output, for the first several weeks, is drawings. Most people have no framework for judging whether that is going well, which is why the choice tends to be made on portfolio photographs alone.
Photographs are the least reliable signal available. Here is what to look at instead.
Decide what you are actually buying
Interior design covers several different services and they are not interchangeable.
- Consultation. A few hours of direction on a layout, a palette or a decision you are stuck on. No drawings, no procurement.
- Decoration. Furniture, textiles, colour and styling within an existing layout.
- Full interior design. Spatial planning, joinery, lighting, materials, drawings and site coordination through to handover.
- Turnkey. All of the above plus procurement and project management, with the studio holding the programme.
Being wrong about which one you need is the most common cause of disappointment. A decorator cannot fix a bad plan, and a full design service is more than you need if the layout already works. A finished example of the full service is the Lotus Villa Renovation in Cairo, where the plan changed before a single finish was chosen.
Look past the styled photographs
Every portfolio looks good. They are shot on the best day of the project, at the best hour, with the clutter removed. What they cannot tell you is whether the room works.
Ask for something less flattering instead:
- A floor plan for a project, before and after. This shows whether they actually think spatially or simply redecorate.
- A joinery drawing. It reveals whether they detail their own work or hand a sketch to a carpenter.
- A reflected ceiling plan. If lighting has been designed rather than delegated, it will exist.
- A project that did not go smoothly, and what they did about it.
A portfolio shows taste. A drawing set shows competence. Ask to see both.
Understand how they charge
There are three common models and each creates a different incentive.
- Fixed fee. Clearest for you. Requires a well-defined scope, so expect detailed questions before a number is given.
- Percentage of construction cost. Common on large projects. Ask what happens to the fee if the build cost rises.
- Hourly. Fair for small or exploratory work. Ask for an estimated range and a cap.
Whichever model applies, get the scope in writing before anything begins: how many concept revisions, which drawings are included, how many site visits, and what happens if you change your mind about a room after it is designed. Vagueness at this stage becomes friction later.
Checking References and Past Work
Speak to a previous client
A reference from someone whose project is finished is worth more than any testimonial on a website. Ask the designer if you may speak to a client from a recent project, and ask that client what happened when something went wrong, how decisions were recorded and whether the final result matched the drawings.
Visit a finished project if you can
Photographs hide how a room feels. Standing in a finished space shows you the quality of the joinery, the way doors close, how the light behaves in the evening and whether the details have held up since handover.
Ask about aftercare
Every finished home has a few snags once it is lived in. Ask how the studio handles them after handover, who you contact, and whether the contractors and suppliers return to fix their own work. A clear answer here says a lot about how the studio treats its clients once the final payment has been made.
What Changes the Brief and the Fee
Two homes of the same size can need very different amounts of design time. Understanding what moves the scope helps you compare designers fairly.
- Whether walls move or the layout stays as it is
- The amount of bespoke joinery compared with loose furniture
- How many rooms need full detailed drawings
- Imported materials and special finishes
- Whether the studio supervises the site or only delivers drawings
- How often the brief changes after approval
A Sensible Order of Steps
Before you contact anyone
Write down which rooms matter most, how the household uses the home, and what you would keep from the current layout. A page of honest notes is more useful to a designer than a folder of saved images.
Shortlist, meet, then compare
Meet a small number of studios and ask each of them the same questions. Compare the answers side by side, not the charm of the presentation. The studio that explains its process clearly is usually the one that will run the project clearly.
Working With a Studio Remotely
Many clients live abroad or travel often, and a design project can run well without constant presence in Cairo. What makes it work is structure: a clear weekly update, drawings sent in a consistent format, decisions confirmed in writing and a named person on site.
- Agree how updates are shared and how often
- Ask how site progress is photographed and reported
- Confirm who approves purchases while you are away
- Plan your visits around decisions that need to be seen in person
Frequently Asked Questions
How many designers should I speak to?
A small handful is enough. More than that and the answers start to blur without helping you decide.
Should I choose the lowest quote?
Only after checking that it covers the same scope as the others. A lower figure often means fewer drawings, less supervision or lighter specification.
Do I need a written contract?
Yes. It should state the deliverables, the number of revisions, the stages of payment and what happens if the scope changes.
Can I hire a designer for one room only?
Yes, many studios take single rooms, though it helps to share how that room connects to the rest of the home.
When should I bring a designer in?
As early as possible, ideally before the layout, electrical points and joinery are fixed, because that is when changes cost the least.
“Walk me through what I will receive, week by week, from signature to handover.” A designer who works to a process will answer immediately and specifically. It is the single most revealing question in a first meeting.
We go into a related topic in more depth in How Much Does an Interior Designer Cost in 2026, and What Changes the Fee, worth a read alongside this one.
Judge the first conversation
A good first meeting is mostly them asking and you talking. How do you use the house? Who lives here? What time do you get home? What annoys you about the current layout? Where does everyone actually end up sitting?
If the conversation moves quickly to styles and colours before any of that has been established, the result will be a room that reflects the designer rather than the household.
Warning signs
- A fee quoted before the scope is understood
- No written contract, or one that does not define deliverables
- Reluctance to name the contractors or suppliers they work with
- Every project in the portfolio looking like the same house
- Pressure to commit quickly, or a discount that expires
- No interest in your budget, which usually means it will be discovered later
Good signs
- They ask about budget early, plainly, and design to it
- They talk about how you live before they talk about how it will look
- They can explain why a previous decision was made, not just what it was
- They take a limited number of projects at once and say so
- They are willing to disagree with you
Talking to designers?
If you are comparing studios, ask each of them the drawing questions above. The answers separate people quickly. If you would like that conversation with us, send a line about the project and we will tell you honestly whether it is something we are the right studio for.
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Working With an Interior Designer: What to Expect
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