For homeowners planning a high-end interior
What Does an Interior Designer Do?
Sviatoslav JerdetchiiCEO & Founder of Craftex. Updated , 5 min read
The short answer
An interior designer plans how the rooms of a home work and look, then turns that plan into drawings, specifications and orders that builders and suppliers can deliver. On a full project they also follow the work on site to handover.
- Brief and survey: what you need, and an accurate record of the rooms.
- Concept: layouts, mood and finishes shown as options.
- Detailed design: drawings, schedules and specifications, signed off on samples.
- Procurement, site and handover: ordering, checking the work and handing over the finished home.
An interior designer plans how the rooms of a home work and how they look. Then they turn that plan into drawings, specifications and orders that builders and suppliers can deliver. On a full project they follow the work on site until the home is handed over.
This guide walks through what an interior designer does at each stage, using the British Institute of Interior Design's own project stages. It also explains how a designer differs from a decorator and from an architect.
We offer high-end interior design for London homes, with our own builders in the same company. Planning a home interior? Book a free design consultation and we will walk the rooms with you.
What an interior designer does, stage by stage
The National Careers Service lists the core of the job. A designer works with clients to understand what they want and advises on space, colour, fabrics, fittings and furniture. They prepare 2D and 3D plans, estimate materials, work and timescales, and find suppliers.
They may also draw up instructions for contractors, or run the project from start to finish. Which of these you get depends on the contract. The BIID sets out 20 project stages; for a home they fall into five steps.
- Brief and survey. What you need, and an accurate record of the rooms.
- Concept and layouts. The first ideas, shown as options.
- Detailed design and samples. Drawings and specifications a builder can price.
- Procurement. Ordering furniture, finishes and fittings.
- Site and handover. Checking the work and handing over the home.
Step 1 of 5
Brief and survey
The brief records what the project must achieve. The BIID lists what it should cover: the objective, the type of building, the size, the dates, the budget, any constraints and any approvals needed.
The designer then surveys the home, or commissions a survey. The BIID says a survey should record accurate measurements, the electrical and plumbing services, materials, physical features and fixtures and fittings.
In a London flat the brief also covers the lease and the building's rules. Your managing agent may limit working hours, lifts and deliveries, and the freeholder may need to approve the drawings. A good designer asks about these at the first meeting, not after the concept.
Step 2 of 5
Concept and layouts
The concept is the first set of ideas, drawn from the brief. The BIID describes it as concept plans with general layouts, sketches or visuals, and concept finishes: the colour, texture and shape of what is proposed.
For a home, this is where the big decisions are made. Which walls move, where the kitchen goes, how storage and light work in each room. A designer often shows more than one layout option before one is chosen.
This is also the point to test cost. A concept that looks right but cannot be built within the budget wastes every later stage. When we design, our builders price each option before you choose it.
Step 3 of 5
Detailed design and samples
Detailed design turns the chosen concept into information others can build from. The BIID calls it production information, detailed enough to obtain a tender and show the design intent. That means plans, elevations, furniture layouts and electrical layouts.
Alongside the drawings come schedules and specifications. A finishes schedule lists every surface, room by room. Joinery drawings fix every wardrobe, panel and kitchen unit to the millimetre. A lighting plan places each fitting and switch.
Samples are signed off at this stage, not on a screen. At Herbert Crescent in Knightsbridge, each layout, finish and fixing was agreed from drawings and samples before it was built.
Step 4 of 5
Procurement of furniture and finishes
Procurement means ordering what the design specifies: furniture, fabrics, lighting, stone, tiles, ironmongery and fittings. The BIID calls the furniture, fixtures and equipment FF&E, and treats product research for it as its own stage.
The designer chooses suppliers, checks samples against the specification and tracks orders. Long-lead items, such as bespoke joinery and stone, need ordering as soon as the design is signed off, or the move-in date slips.
If the build goes to tender, the designer also prepares the tender documents. Our guide to interior designer costs explains how fees for this work are charged.
Step 5 of 5
Site and handover
On site, the designer checks that the work matches the drawings and answers the builders' questions. The BIID's stages also cover the programme of works and site access, approvals and certification, and the handover.
At handover, the designer checks each room against the design and lists any defects. The BIID's stages end with operation and maintenance information: how to care for the finishes and run what has been installed.
How much of this a designer does varies. Some hand over drawings and step back; others run the site. With design and build, the same company that drew the scheme builds it, so there is no gap between the two. At Kensington Olympia we designed and refurbished a 400 sq m penthouse in 12 weeks.
I and my husband are very satisfied with Craftex's service and customer support. We bought a house in Hampstead and wanted to redesign and renovate it. On our initial free consultation with Sviat, we found out that we actually can do loft conversion and rear extension and add value to the property straight away. We worked with the Craftex design team to bring our vision to life and deliver planning approvals. At that time guys started stripping out to save time on the construction programme as we wanted to move in ASAP. We worked with very experienced project director Konstantin who was responsible for all aspects of project delivery from design to construction with a very good eye on details and customer care. We saved a lot of money by having professional advice from the start. Project management and quality at Craftex are at the highest level. Many thanks to Craftex Team.
Interior designer vs interior architect vs decorator
The three titles overlap, but they are not the same job.
| Role | Main work | Typical output |
|---|---|---|
| Decorator | Surfaces and furnishing: paint, paper, fabrics, accessories | A colour scheme and a shopping list |
| Interior designer | How rooms work and look: layouts, lighting, joinery, kitchens, bathrooms, finishes | Drawings, schedules and specifications |
| Architect | The building itself: structure, extensions, planning and building regulations | Planning and building regulations drawings |
The word architect is a protected title in the UK. Under section 20 of the Architects Act 1997, using it in business without being on the Architects Register is a criminal offence. The Architects Registration Board recognises only a few exceptions, such as landscape and naval architect. If a firm calls itself an interior architect, check the register.
Where a home needs structural work or an extension, the interior design runs alongside the building design. See our high-end residential architecture service for that side of the work.
How the process runs with one team
Most interior projects go wrong in the gap between the designer's drawings and the builder's site. When the designer and the builder are two firms, every gap becomes a site decision, an extra cost or a dispute.
Our designers and our construction team work in one company. Each option is priced as it is drawn, the build figure is fixed at detailed design, and our own trades build it. About 60% of the labour on our sites is our own.
Read our checks for comparing the best interior designers in London before you choose. When you are ready, book a free design consultation and we will show you what each stage would give you.
