Furnishing Tips
Decorating in Scandinavian Style: What It Really Is and How to Apply It in an Italian (or Any European) Apartment
Decorating in Scandinavian Style: What It Really Is and How to Apply It in an Italian (or Any European) Apartment How do you decorate in Scandinavian style? Simple! (just kidding — nothing is ever simple or obvious when it comes to interior design). Anyway, you do it by maximising natural light, using warm materials like light wood and linen, building a neutral palette with very few accents, and following a functional logic that puts practicality before aesthetics. Scandinavian style is not what you see in IKEA catalogues: it's an approach to domestic living born in countries with little sun and long winters, where home has to be a place where you feel good regardless of external conditions. In short: authentic Scandinavian style has three characteristics that almost no article mentions. The first is that it starts from function, not aesthetics. The second is that it uses colour intentionally, not to fill space but to create contrast. The third is that it ages well because it follows principles, not trends. What you'll find in this guide. The origins and principles of Scandinavian style, the difference between authentic Nordic and catalogue Nordic, how to adapt it to apartments with their specific characteristics, the right palette and materials, and the most common mistakes made by those who try to replicate it without understanding its logic. Where Scandinavian Style Comes From and Why It Works Scandinavian style emerged from a precise necessity: in Nordic countries, natural light hours are very few for many months of the year. Homes have to compensate for this absence through design choices that maximise available light, create visual warmth and make spaces pleasant to live in even during the darkest months. From this necessity emerge the principles we recognise as characteristic of the style: large windows often without heavy curtains, light colours on walls that reflect light, warm materials like light wood, wool and linen that compensate for cold light, and carefully considered artificial lighting distributed across multiple points. What has made Scandinavian style so globally influential is that these principles work extremely well outside their original context too. An apartment in London or Paris with little natural light benefits from the same considerations as a Swedish home. An apartment with low ceilings benefits from the same visual techniques that Nordic designers developed to compensate for the lack of light. The concept of hygge, which in Danish refers to that feeling of warmth, comfort and intimate wellbeing, isn't just a romantic idea: it's a practical philosophy that translates into precise choices about lighting, materials and the organisation of spaces. The Difference Between Authentic Nordic and Catalogue Nordic This is the distinction that changes everything, and almost no article makes it clearly enough. Catalogue Nordic is made of white furniture with light wood legs, terracotta pot plants, motivational quote prints in black frames, and white and grey cushions on every surface. It's a style you can buy in one afternoon and one that dates quickly, too quickly, because it follows a trend rather than expressing principles. Authentic Nordic is genuinely different. It has fewer objects, chosen with more care. Authentic Nordic design pieces aren't the ones you find everywhere: they have a history, a reason to be there, and are often made by craftspeople or brands with a precise tradition. It has more texture and less colour. Authentic Nordic compensates for the simplicity of the palette with a richness of materials. Which ones? Well: raw linen, thick-woven wool, wood with visible grain, irregular ceramics. Sensory complexity replaces chromatic complexity. The lighting? Designed, not added. Nordic lamps are not decorations — they're tools. Their position, their height, their colour temperature are precise choices that create the hygge atmosphere rather than simply illuminating the ceiling. Intentional empty space is another very important element. Authentic Nordic spaces have deliberately empty zones. Not because the furniture is missing, but because the empty space is part of the design: it creates breathing room, reduces visual stress and valorises what is there. How to Adapt It to Your Apartment Apartments in many European cities have specific characteristics that make adapting Scandinavian style a mission that's not simple at all. The differences to manage Apartments in historic city centres often have higher ceilings than Nordic homes. This is an advantage: Scandinavian style, born to compensate for typically compact spaces, expands well vertically. Natural light in Southern Europe is much more abundant than in Scandinavia for most of the year. This means the light colours used in Nordic style, which in Northern countries serve to reflect the limited available light, can feel excessively bright during the middle of the day in a sunnier climate. It's worth considering slightly more saturated tones or more light-absorbing materials to balance. The climate in much of Europe requires different solutions for ventilation and materials. The heavy textiles typical of Nordic style, thick wool and velvet, are perfect in winter months but can be uncomfortable in summer. Planning for interchangeable textiles — linen in summer and wool in winter — is the smartest approach. The similarities to leverage Italian and wider European design culture shares many points of contact with Nordic design: attention to material quality, appreciation of craftsmanship, preference for objects that last over time. These shared values make the integration between the two much more natural than it might seem. The Nordic Palette: White Is Not the Only Colour The most widespread misconception about Scandinavian style is that it's synonymous with total white. It isn't, and understanding this difference is important for an authentic result. The Nordic palette unfolds across three levels. The base is a dominant neutral, almost always warm white, warm ivory or very light grey. Not cold plasterboard white: a white with a warm undertone that reflects light without glaring. The natural tones are almost always the second level: sandy beige, grey, light brown, dove grey. These colours appear in the materials, textiles and wooden furniture. They're not decorative additions but the natural result of the materials chosen. The accents are used sparingly and intentionally. Moss green, teal, muted terracotta, matte black. No more than two accents per room, used on individual pieces or in small doses in textiles. The result is not a colourless space: it's a space where every colour has a precise reason to be there. The Right Materials for Scandinavian Style Material Where it's used Why it works Light wood (ash, pine, birch) Floors, furniture, details Visual warmth, reflects light Natural linen Curtains, cushions, bedspreads Texture, breathable, ages well Thick-woven wool Throws, rugs, cushions Tactile warmth, acoustic absorption Irregular ceramics Decorative objects, lamps Visible craftsmanship Matte metal (black, brass) Details, furniture legs, lighting Contrast without weight Natural stone or stone effect Floors, worktops Connection with nature Transparent glass Tables, doors, accessories Visual lightness The Most Common Mistakes — They Happen to Everyone! Too much white, too much emptiness. Authentic Nordic has white but also texture, warm materials and carefully chosen objects. Pure white on every surface without contrasting materials creates a clinical atmosphere, not a Nordic one. Plants as the only natural element. Plants in Nordic interiors are present but not dominant. The connection with nature happens primarily through materials — wood, stone, wool, linen — not through a large number of pots. Typographic prints. Prints with phrases in Danish or English on white backgrounds have become a recognisable cliché. Authentic Nordic style uses art with abstract forms, colours or landscapes, not motivational typography. Ignoring artificial lighting. Scandinavian style without designed lighting doesn't work. Candles, floor lamps with linen shades, pendants in natural materials are as essential as the wall colour. Using only IKEA. IKEA has democratised the Nordic aesthetic, but IKEA pieces alone produce a result that reads as "IKEA", not necessarily as authentic Nordic. Mixing a well-chosen IKEA piece with higher-quality vintage or artisanal objects is the right strategy. Want to bring Scandinavian style into your apartment but don't want the catalogue result? At Restylit we often work on exactly this kind of project: defining a version of Nordic style that is genuinely yours, with the right materials and proportions for your specific space. The Basic+3D consultation starts from €249. Book now → To quickly understand where to start, the Basic consultation (€129, 45-minute video call) is the most direct starting point. Discover the Basic package → FAQ What is Scandinavian style in interior design? Scandinavian style is an approach to domestic design developed in Nordic countries, characterised by maximised natural light, warm materials like light wood and natural textiles, a neutral palette with very few accents, and a functional logic that prioritises comfort and practicality. It's not a catalogue aesthetic but a system of design principles born from the necessity of creating spaces that are pleasant to live in climates with little light. What's the difference between Scandinavian style and japandi? Scandinavian style prioritises comfort and warmth, with soft materials, multiple light sources and a sense of welcome expressed through the concept of hygge. Japandi, a fusion of Japanese and Scandinavian, adds the principle of wabi-sabi — the celebration of imperfection — and tends to have fewer objects, more visual silence and a slightly darker palette. Nordic is warmer and more welcoming; japandi is more contemplative and essential. What colours are used in Scandinavian style? The Nordic palette is built on a dominant neutral (warm white, very light grey, ivory), the natural tones of the materials (beige, greige, light brown, dove grey) and a maximum of two accents used sparingly (moss green, teal, muted terracotta, matte black). Pure cold white alone is not typically Nordic: it's warm whites and natural textures that create the characteristic atmosphere. Does Scandinavian style work in a home with a lot of sunlight? It works very well, with some adaptation. Abundant natural light makes maximising light reflection less necessary, so you can work with slightly more saturated tones than classic Nordic. Materials should also be chosen with the climate in mind: lighter textiles like linen are preferable in summer compared to the thick wool typical of Nordic winter interiors. Restylit is an Italian interior design company, entirely online. Photorealistic 3D renderings, shoppable lists, technical drawings for the contractor. Over 500 completed projects, 4.8/5. Discover all packages →
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How to Furnish a Home on a Limited Budget: Where to Put Your Money and Where Not To
How to Furnish a Home on a Limited Budget: Where to Put Your Money and Where Not To How do you furnish a home on a limited budget? Certainly not by cutting uniformly across the board, but by choosing precisely where to concentrate the spending and where you can reasonably save without regrets. A €5,000 budget used well produces a better result than an €8,000 budget used badly. The difference isn't the amount — it's the hierarchy of choices. In short: the problem for those furnishing on a tight budget is almost never a lack of money. It's the absence of a project that establishes priorities before the first purchase is made. Those who buy piece by piece waste on average 25-30% of their budget on mistakes — things they'll sooner or later regret. Those who start with a defined layout and a priority list spend less and get more. What you'll find in this guide. The spending hierarchy by category — what has high impact and where it makes sense to invest, what has low impact and where you can cut. The five rules for allocating a limited budget well, the impact/cost summary table for each item, and why a professional project isn't a luxury even when the budget is tight. If you're furnishing and want every euro to count, this is the right guide. The Low Budget Paradox Before talking about money, I want to name something that nobody says clearly enough. Those who furnish on a limited budget can't afford to make mistakes. And yet they almost always make more mistakes than those with a higher budget. Not because they're less capable — but because economic pressure pushes towards impulse purchases, flash deals and choices made without an overall vision. The sofa bought on offer that doesn't fit the space. The rug bought because it was cheap that makes everything feel smaller (watch out for this one!). The replacement lamps that don't work with the light you already have. These mistakes, added up, are often worth 25-30% of the total budget. On a €6,000 budget, that's €1,500-1,800 in purchases that should never have been made. The paradox could be this: those who have less money need a project more, not less. The Spending Hierarchy: High Impact vs Low Impact Not all spending categories have the same visual and qualitative impact on a space. Some radically change how a room is perceived. Others are details only noticed up close. On a limited budget, the rule is to invest where impact is high and cut where impact is low. High impact — invest here Lighting It's the category with the best impact/cost ratio in the entire home. Bulbs at 2700K instead of cold ones: a few euros, immediate difference. A floor lamp in a corner of the living room: €80-150. A ceiling light replaced with a pendant: €100-200. Light isn't seen — it's lived. A space with the right light seems designed even when it isn't. A space with the wrong light seems mediocre even when the furniture costs twice as much. Wall colour Painting one wall — even just the back wall of the living room or the one behind the headboard — is one of the highest impact/cost interventions that exists. A tin of quality paint costs €30-60. Labour, if you do it yourself, is zero. The visual result is what separates an anonymous room from a room with character. Rule: one wall with the right colour is worth more than five new decorative cushions. The rug The rug is the element that more than any other unifies a space and makes the surrounding choices look considered. A rug of the right size — one where the front legs of the sofa sit on top — literally transforms the living room. It doesn't have to be expensive: there are jute or raw cotton rugs between €80 and €200 that work very well. The mistake to avoid is buying a rug that's too small to save money. A small rug in a large space makes everything feel more impoverished, not more restrained. The layout Moving the furniture you already have costs nothing. But there's almost always a better configuration than the current one. The sofa doesn't have to be against the wall. The bed doesn't necessarily have to be centred on the wall. The dining table doesn't necessarily have to be where you put the dining table. Spending an afternoon experimenting with different layouts — even just mentally, with paper and pencil, or with the help of a professional — is worth more than any new purchase. The main piece of furniture In every room there's a protagonist piece: the sofa in the living room, the bed in the bedroom, the bookcase in the study. That's where the spending is concentrated. A good sofa lasts fifteen years. A cheap sofa shows and feels it in six months. The rule I always use: one strong piece and everything else quiet. Not three average pieces — one good one and two basic ones. Medium impact — spend with judgement Textiles Cushions, throws, curtains. They have a real visual impact but also a high risk of excess. The problem with textiles is that they accumulate easily — you buy a cushion, then another, then the matching throw — and the result is an accumulation that makes the space look cluttered. Rule: few textiles, coherent palette. Two colours maximum, materials that work together. Raw linen, washed cotton, wool — all work. Shiny polyester doesn't. Decorative accessories Vases, plants, decorative objects. The impact depends entirely on how they're used. One strong object in a corner can be enough. Ten mediocre objects scattered around the room create only visual noise. The rule of less: before adding something, remove one. The space breathes better with fewer things, not more — I really mean this! Low impact — cut here without regrets Frames Picture frames have marginal aesthetic impact relative to the content. A quality print in an IKEA frame works better than a mediocre print in an expensive frame. Invest in the content, not the container. Bathroom accessories The soap dispenser coordinated with the toothbrush holder and the ceramic cup. They have very low visual impact relative to their cost. If the bathroom needs attention, what really changes things is the light and the order — not the accessories. Small decorative objects Ornaments, candles, decorative trays. If you count them, in many homes there are twenty or thirty. The impact of each one is almost zero. The impact of them all together is often visual confusion. And Now the Point You've Been Waiting For: The 5 Rules for Allocating a Limited Budget Well 1. Establish the hierarchy before buying anything Write a list of everything you want to buy or change. Then put each item in one of three categories: high impact, medium impact, low impact. Start with the first category. Move to the second only if you still have budget. The third category, most of the time, isn't necessary. 2. One strong piece, everything else basic In every room, choose one piece to concentrate the spending on. The sofa, the bed, the bookcase, the lamp. Don't save on that one — choose well and choose to last. For everything else, go functional and restrained. 3. Colour before new furniture If the budget is really tight, the first thing to do is paint, not buy. The right colour on one wall transforms a room more than any new piece of furniture. It costs a fraction of any purchase and can be done yourself. 4. Buy secondhand for structural pieces, new for textiles Structural solid wood furniture — tables, chairs, bookcases, bedside tables — secondhand is often better quality than new furniture in the same price range. Textiles, on the other hand, always buy new: secondhand linen is never quite the same thing. 5. Don't buy until the layout is defined This is the most important rule and the most ignored. First define where every piece of furniture goes — even just on paper, with measurements — then buy. Not the other way around. Every purchase made without a defined layout has a high probability of being wrong. Summary Table: Impact vs Cost by Category Item Visual impact Indicative cost Priority on limited budget 2700K bulbs High €5-15 each First thing to do Wall colour (one wall) High €30-80 Second thing to do Right-sized rug High €80-250 Invest well Protagonist piece of furniture High €200-800 One strong piece Floor lamp / pendant High €80-200 Worth the cost Textiles (cushions, curtains) Medium €50-200 With judgement Plants Medium €10-60 One large, not ten small Frames and artwork Low €20-100 Cut here Bathroom accessories Low €30-80 Not a priority Small decorative objects Low €10-50 each Cut here Why a Project Isn't a Luxury Even on a Limited Budget This is the part I most want to say, because it's the most counterintuitive. When the budget is tight, the first thing to cut is the professional. It seems logical: if I have €5,000 to furnish, every euro that goes to the project is one less euro for the furniture. It's the wrong reasoning. Here's why. Those who furnish with €5,000 without a project make on average €1,000-1,500 in recoverable mistakes (it happens): wrong purchases, wrong proportions, choices that don't work together. The effective budget that actually reaches the right furniture is €3,500-4,000. Those who furnish €5,000 with a Restylit Basic+3D consultation — which for a 60sqm apartment costs around €350-400 — have a photorealistic rendering of every room before making the first purchase. They see the mistakes when correcting them is free. Every purchase is validated against the overall project. The effective budget that reaches the right furniture is €4,600. The project doesn't cost €350-400. It saves €600-1,100 compared to going without. It's not a luxury. It's the most rational choice you can make on a limited budget. The Right Starting Point If you're furnishing on a limited budget and want every euro to count, the correct process is this. First: define the layout. Paper, pencil, measurements. Where every piece of furniture goes. Before opening any furniture website. Then: establish the hierarchy. One strong piece of furniture, the colour of one wall, the right bulbs, a rug of the correct size. In that order. Finally: consider whether a professional consultation lets you reach the result with fewer wasted euros. Almost always the answer is yes. At Restylit we often work with clients who have contained budgets. The starting point is always the same: understand where to concentrate the spending to get the most from what you have. The free 15-minute call is the right place to start this conversation. Book the free call → FAQ What's the minimum budget to furnish a room from scratch? It depends a lot on the room and what's already there. A living room from scratch with mid-range quality furniture requires between €2,000 and €4,000. A bedroom between €1,500 and €3,000. With a lower budget it's possible, but requires much more careful selection and strategic use of secondhand for the structural pieces. Is it worth buying secondhand furniture on a limited budget? For structural solid wood pieces, yes, almost always. Secondhand tables, chairs, bookcases and bedside tables often have better build quality than new furniture in the same price range. For textiles and soft furnishings, always buy new. How do you make a room look larger without spending much? The three things with the best impact/cost ratio for visually expanding a space are: 2700K bulbs (warm light expands the perception of space), a rug of the right size (not too small), and reducing the number of objects present rather than adding more. Empty space, in a small room, is an ally. Is it better to spend more on a few pieces or spread the budget across many? Always better to concentrate on a few pieces. One strong piece and the rest basic works much better than many average pieces. The eye needs a point of reference — one or two quality elements give character to the whole room. Ten mediocre pieces never add up to a quality result. How do you choose wall colour on a limited budget? Start with just one wall — the back wall of the living room or the one behind the headboard. Choose a warm colour, not pure white, not cold grey. Buy a tester for €5-8, paint an area of at least 30×30cm and observe it at different times of day before deciding. This is the only thing to do before buying a full tin. Is it worth paying an interior designer on a limited budget? If the overall furnishing budget exceeds €3,000-4,000, almost always yes. The cost of a Restylit Basic+3D consultation (from €249) is more than recovered in the purchasing mistakes you avoid. With a budget below €2,000, the quick consultation packages (Basic at €129) can give valuable guidance on layout and the spending hierarchy. Restylit is an Italian interior design company, entirely online. We design residential spaces with photorealistic 3D renderings, shoppable lists and technical drawings for the contractor — across Italy and Europe. Over 500 completed projects, 4.8/5 average. Discover all Restylit packages →
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Mostrami la tua galleria foto e ti dirò chi sei
Mostrami le tue foto salvate e ti dico quanto sei più vicino a quella casa di quanto credi Di Alberto — Co Founder, Restylit.com Nella prima call, quasi tutti i nostri clienti fanno la stessa cosa: aprono il telefono, scorrono velocemente come se stessero cercando qualcosa di specifico, e poi mi mostrano una serie di immagini che non hanno niente a che fare con la casa in cui vivono. Camere con soffitti altissimi. Soggiorni dove la luce sembra progettata da qualcuno che conosce i segreti della fisica. Terrazze che sembrano le prime due settimane di agosto in un posto in cui non sei mai stato ma che riconosci come tuo. Le foto sono sempre bellissime. E quasi sempre, subito dopo, arriva una frase che ho imparato a riconoscere: "Lo so che è irrealistico, però..." Non è irrealistico. O meglio — è molto meno irrealistico di quanto quella persona creda nel momento in cui me lo dice. E il mio lavoro, spesso, è esattamente questo: mostrare quanto è più vicina quella casa di quanto sembri. Le foto non mentono. Le parole intorno alle foto sì. Gil Melott, un designer americano che seguo con ammirazione, ha scritto una cosa che mi è rimasta in testa: "Those saved images are a diary." Le immagini salvate sono un diario. Tre mesi di screenshot fatti di notte, quando la casa è silenziosa e tu stai guardando un riad marocchino pensando sì, qualcosa del genere. Quello che ho aggiunto io, dopo anni di prime call con clienti italiani, è questo: il diario spesso racconta una storia che il budget non conferma. Qualcuno mi manda venti foto di case che costano tre milioni di euro e poi mi dice che il budget è diecimila. Qualcun altro mi manda foto di interni da boutique hotel e poi aggiunge "però non voglio spendere troppo" . Non li giudico, anzi, li capisco profondamente. Perché anche io ho una cartella di foto salvate su Pinterest di case che non posso permettermi. Anche io guardo certi spazi e penso vorrei vivere così. La differenza è che abbiamo imparato, a forza di farlo per gli altri, che tra quella foto e la realtà c'è spesso meno distanza di quanto si creda. Non zero. Ma meno. L'archetipo italiano che l'articolo americano non poteva conoscere Nell'articolo di Melott ci sono sette archetipi di clienti. Sono tutti riconoscibili, tutti veri. Ma manca quello che incontro più spesso in Italia. È quello che guida una macchina che costa settantamila euro e vive in una casa che non ha visto un progetto da quando è stata comprata. Non è ipocrita, è semplicemente cresciuto in una cultura dove la macchina è uno status visibile e la casa è uno spazio privato che "si sistema piano piano". La macchina la vedono tutti. La casa solo tu. Questa persona non ha paura di spendere. Non ha ancora capito che lo spazio in cui vive ogni sera, dove scarica la giornata, dove si sveglia, dove passa il tempo con le persone che ama, quello spazio ha un ritorno sull'investimento che nessuna macchina può garantire. Non è una critica. È un'osservazione culturale. E quando questa persona arriva alla prima call con le foto di case bellissime e un budget che sembra timido rispetto alle ambizioni visive, il mio lavoro non è ridimensionare il sogno. È aiutarla a capire dove mettere i soldi per avvicinarsi il più possibile a quelle foto. La permanent non è un'utopia Una cosa che sento spesso, e che ogni volta mi colpisce, è questa: "Vorrei che casa mia sembrasse un posto in cui sono in vacanza." La prima volta che l'ho sentita ho pensato fosse una richiesta impossibile. La casa è la casa ha le bollette sul tavolo, le scarpe nell'ingresso, il bambino che urla. Non è il Cipriani. Poi ho cambiato idea. Perché la sensazione che si prova in un buon hotel non è il risultato del budget dell'hotel. È il risultato di scelte precise: la luce a 2700K che scalda invece di azzerare, il letto che è nel posto giusto rispetto alla finestra, i materiali che si toccano con piacere, lo spazio che non ha niente di superfluo ma non ha niente che manca. Sono scelte progettuali. Non sono necessariamente scelte costose. Ho visto appartamenti di 60m2 che ti fanno venire voglia di non uscire mai. E ho visto case enormi con budget enormi che sembrano sale d'aspetto. La differenza spesso non sono i soldi ma il progetto. Quando qualcuno mi manda le foto del boutique hotel di Tulum e mi dice che il budget è limitato, non rispondo con un ridimensionamento. Rispondo con una domanda: cosa ti fa sentire così in quel posto? Quasi sempre non è il marmo. È la luce. È l'ordine. È la sensazione che ogni cosa abbia un senso preciso di essere lì. Quelle cose si possono fare. Con metodo, con priorità, con qualcuno che ti aiuta a scegliere dove mettere i soldi e dove non metterli. Leggere il gap è il vero lavoro Ho imparato da Mattea che il momento più importante di una consulenza non è quando si sceglie il colore delle pareti o il pavimento. È quello molto prima, quando si capisce cosa sta cercando davvero la persona dall'altra parte. Le foto che mostrano sono una parte della risposta. Le parole che usano per descriverle sono un'altra parte — spesso contraddittoria. E poi c'è il gap tra le due cose, che è dove sta tutto quello che non riescono ancora a dire. "Qualcosa di caldo ma non troppo." "Elegante ma non freddo." "Moderno ma con carattere." Queste frasi non sono vaghe perché le persone non sanno cosa vogliono. Sono vaghe perché non hanno ancora il vocabolario per dirlo. Il nostro lavoro, quello che mi è diventato più chiaro anno dopo anno, è dare un nome a quello che le foto già mostrano. Tradurre il desiderio in scelte concrete. Fare in modo che quando consegniamo il progetto, la persona guardi il rendering e pensi sì, è esattamente questo anche se non avrebbe saputo descriverlo prima. Quando succede, è la cosa più soddisfacente che esista in questo lavoro. Una cosa prima di chiudere Se stai leggendo questo e hai una cartella di foto salvate che non hai mai mostrato a nessuno — immagini di spazi in cui vorresti vivere ma che ti sembrano lontani per qualche ragione che non hai del tutto esaminato — ti chiedo una cosa. Guardala. Cosa hai salvato tre volte senza accorgertene. Cosa ti fa venire voglia di stare in quel posto invece che dove sei adesso. Quella cartella dice qualcosa. Non su quanto puoi spendere. Su come vuoi vivere. E da lì si parte. Alberto, co-founder di Restylit Restylit è una interior design company italiana, interamente online. Progettiamo spazi in cui le persone si sentono finalmente se stesse — a partire da €289. Scopri come funziona →
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How Much Does an Interior Designer Cost to Renovate a Home in 2025: Real Prices and What Changes with Restylit
How Much Does an Interior Designer Cost to Renovate a Home in 2025: Real Prices and What Changes with Restylit How much does an interior designer cost to renovate a home? In Italy prices range from €50 to €150 per hour for an hourly consultation, from €3,500 to €8,000 for a complete project with a physical studio on a 70-80sqm apartment, and from €33 to €55 per sqm for an online executive project with Restylit. The price difference between online and offline does not depend on the quality of the project (or at least it shouldn't) — it depends almost always on the studio's operating costs, which in the online model simply don't exist and are not passed on to the client. In short: an online interior design project costs on average 60-70% less than a traditional physical studio, with half the timeline and no significant differences in quality for the vast majority of residential renovations. What you'll find in this guide. Real market prices line by line, an honest comparison between available formats (hourly consultation, physical studio, online), when it makes sense to spend more and when it doesn't, the difference between an interior design project and site supervision, and the questions to ask before signing any quote. If you're renovating and don't know where to start on the design side, this is the right place. Why Prices Vary So Much The first thing you notice when searching "interior designer prices" is the enormous variation. From €200 to €25,000 per project — quite a range. How is that possible, you might wonder. Because you're comparing very different things. The factors that determine the final price are essentially these. The type of intervention. A colour consultation is different from a layout project. A project with 3D renderings is different from an executive project with technical drawings for the contractor. Each level of depth has a different cost. Online vs physical studio. A physical studio has high fixed costs: rent, staff, site visits, travel. These costs are passed on in the fee. An online service has much lower operating costs. That difference goes to the client. Project complexity. A 35sqm studio with a simple layout is not as complex as a 120sqm apartment with a full renovation and relocated plumbing. Geographic location. An interior designer in Milan costs 20-30% more than the national average. In Rome about 15-20% more. In Southern Italy you can find prices 15-20% below the national average. The brand. Yes, there are great architects who have thoroughly earned their reputation and the possibility of charging substantial fees for their projects. Available Formats and Market Prices in 2025 Hourly consultation — physical studio The most traditional format. The interior designer comes to your home, carries out a site visit, and gives advice on materials, layout and furniture. Average rate: €50-150 per hour Project minimums: €500-1,000 even for small interventions What it includes: site visit, in-person consultation, verbal or written guidance When it makes sense: for specific questions about an existing space, not for a full renovation Complete project — physical studio Site visit, complete project with drawings and renderings, often with site supervision. Average rate: €80-200 per sqm for standard apartments For an 80sqm apartment: €3,500-8,000 for the project alone, works not included Timeline: 2-6 months from first meeting to delivery When it makes sense: complex renovations, those who want continuous physical presence, those with no budget or time constraints Online consultation — per-room packages The intermediate format, which has grown significantly in recent years. Everything happens remotely via video calls and renderings — guaranteeing, once you find the right partner, an extremely satisfying result. Average market rate: €200-600 per room Typically includes: moodboard, 3D renderings, shopping list, video call When it makes sense: furnishing one or two rooms from scratch, restyling without renovation Online executive project — Restylit Essential and Advanced The format for those who are renovating and need the complete project: from layout to technical drawings to hand over to the contractor. Essential — €33/sqm (minimum 100sqm) Complete design for renovations. Includes 3 video calls, 3D renderings with 2 revision rounds, up to 4 executive technical drawings, complete shopping list. Delivered in approximately 60 days. Advanced — €55/sqm (minimum 100sqm) The most comprehensive service. 5 video calls, renderings with 3 revision rounds, up to 8 technical drawings, cost estimate, remote artistic direction. For complete renovations where nothing can be left to chance. Concrete example: 100sqm apartment with Restylit Essential → €3,300 for the complete project with renderings, technical drawings and shopping list. The same project with a physical studio in Milan: €8,000-20,000. Summary Table: Prices 2025 Format Indicative price Average timeline Best for Hourly consultation (physical) €50-150/hour Variable Questions about existing space Complete project (physical) €80-200/sqm 2-6 months Those who want physical presence Per-room package (online) €200-600/room 2-4 weeks Furnishing a single room Essential Restylit €33/sqm ~60 days Full renovation Advanced Restylit €55/sqm ~60-70 days Renovation where nothing can go wrong In summary on prices: an online interior design project costs on average 60-70% less than a traditional physical studio. On a 100sqm apartment the difference is concrete: €3,300 with Restylit Essential versus €8,000-20,000 with a Milan studio. With half the timeline. And no significant differences in project quality for the vast majority of residential renovations. What Happens If You Don't Hire an Interior Designer This is the question nobody asks explicitly enough. So I'll ask it. Those who renovate without an interior design project almost always find themselves in the same situation: the building work finishes, it's time to choose materials and furniture, and that's where the problems begin. The floor that looked perfect in the sample but mounted across 80sqm feels cold. The kitchen that doesn't align with the plumbing connections. The sofa that doesn't scale with the space. The bathroom tiles ordered short, the site at a standstill waiting for a reorder that might not match the original batch. These aren't stupid mistakes. They're structural errors that come from the absence of an overall vision before any work begins. The average cost of recoverable mistakes in a renovation without a project ranges between €1,500 and €4,000. Often more, when it comes to choices like flooring or wall finishes that stay for twenty years even when they stop feeling right or start to tire quickly. A Restylit Essential project on 100sqm costs €3,300. The Difference That Matters: Online vs Physical at Equal Quality This is the point many traditional studios focus their communication on: "online can't be the same as physical presence." Nothing could be further from the truth. That said, in some very specific cases it's true. Sites with complex structural issues, historic buildings with particular constraints, those who need someone in the site every week to supervise. In these cases a local physical professional is the right choice. For the vast majority of residential projects, the real difference is almost eliminated by the quality of digital tools available today. 95% of the information needed to design a space well comes from a floor plan, photos and a video call conducted properly. What changes significantly is the price. A 100sqm apartment with a physical studio in Milan: €8,000-20,000 for the project alone. The same apartment with Restylit Advanced: €5,500. Same quality of design. Less time. No geographic limitations. When It Makes Sense to Spend More That said, there are situations where investing more in the project makes sense. Very complex renovations. If you're merging two apartments, relocating many services, working on load-bearing structures — the technical complexity requires more design work and more technical drawings. The cost increases justifiably. High-value properties with special materials. If the project involves rare marbles, bespoke design furniture, finishes requiring specialist craftspeople — the professional needs specific relationships and expertise in that segment. The higher cost is justified. Those who want weekly physical site supervision. Going on site, checking the execution, resolving problems in real time. It's a specific service that online packages don't include — and one that has a justified cost when genuinely needed. Site Supervision: A Choice, Not a Limitation This is the part where I want to be completely transparent, because it's a question we receive often and it deserves an honest answer. Site supervision is the service through which a professional physically oversees the execution of the building work, verifying that works are carried out according to the agreed project and intervening when something goes wrong. Restylit does not carry out physical site supervision. Not because we're not capable — but because we've chosen not to, and that choice has a precise logic. Effective site supervision requires physical presence, local knowledge, direct relationships with local contractors, and the ability to intervene quickly when something goes wrong. A remote professional cannot do these things as effectively as someone who is physically on site. What we do instead — and what many people underestimate — is deliver to the contractor a project so detailed that it drastically reduces the need for continuous supervision. Photorealistic renderings, executive technical drawings, a shopping list with precise specifications for every material, a cost estimate. A competent contractor who receives this material knows exactly what to do and how to do it. The margin for error drops significantly. We always recommend entrusting site supervision to someone who does it professionally and is on the ground: the site manager of the contractor itself, a local surveyor or trusted technician. This is the person who knows that specific firm, its workers, its habits. They know how to communicate with them, they know where to step in. What we offer in addition is an initial brief for the contractor: a document that explains the project, the priorities, the design choices and the materials, so that whoever supervises the work has a clear reference to follow. It doesn't replace site supervision — it supports it. If you're looking for someone to manage every aspect of the site physically, Restylit is not the answer for that part — and we tell you so clearly. But if you're looking for a serious, complete and well-documented interior design project that puts that person in the best possible position to do their job well, that's where we come in. How to Evaluate a Quote Before Accepting It Three questions to always ask before signing. 1. What does it include exactly? 3D renderings yes or no? Technical drawings for the contractor yes or no? How many revisions? How many video calls? Purchasing support? The difference between a €1,500 project without renderings and a complete €4,000 one isn't just price — it's service. 2. Who actually works on my project? In a large studio the client pays for the principal's name but the project is done by a junior. At Restylit every project goes through the internal team coordinated by Mattea. Always ask who signs off and who does the work. 3. Can I see the result before the works start? The photorealistic 3D rendering is the answer. If the service doesn't include renderings — or only includes generic conceptual sketches — you're buying advice, not vision. The difference is enormous when it comes to making purchases. If you're planning a renovation and want to understand which package is right for your project, book a free 15-minute call with the Restylit team. No commitment — just a conversation to understand where to start and what makes sense. Discover the Essential and Advanced packages → FAQ How much does an interior designer cost for a 100sqm apartment? With a traditional physical studio: between €5,000 and €15,000 for the project alone, depending on city and complexity. With Restylit Essential: €3,300. With Restylit Advanced: €5,500. In both cases the project includes 3D renderings, executive technical drawings and a shopping list. Is the interior designer included in the renovation cost? No, almost never. The cost of the interior design project is separate from the building work. It needs to be planned as a standalone line item in the budget — and done before the works, not during or after. Can I deduct the cost of an interior designer? The interior designer's fee is not directly deductible as a professional expense. However, if the professional is registered with the architects' board and signs the planning applications, their fee may fall within the 50% Renovation Bonus expenses. Always check with your accountant. How long does it take to have the project ready? With Restylit Essential and Advanced: approximately 60 days from when materials are received. With a traditional physical studio: 2-6 months. The difference depends mainly on the timelines for site visits, revisions and coordination, which in the online model are much more streamlined. Is it worth paying more for a studio with a famous name? Depends on what you're looking for. A famous name brings a precise aesthetic positioning and a network of relationships in the luxury furniture world. If you're looking for a project that reflects that positioning and you have the budget, yes. If you're looking for a quality project that works for your daily life in your specific apartment, a famous name doesn't necessarily add value compared to a competent and methodical team. What's the difference between an interior designer and an architect for a renovation? A registered architect can sign planning applications, carry out structural calculations and take on the technical and legal responsibility of the project. An interior designer handles the interior design: layout, materials, furniture, lighting, the aesthetic of the spaces. For a renovation involving structural modifications or planning applications you need an architect or engineer. For the interior design project that defines how the space will be lived in, you need an interior designer. The two figures often collaborate: the architect manages the technical and regulatory side, the interior designer the design and furnishing side. What is an interior design executive project and what does it include? An interior design executive project is the complete document that translates the design vision into concrete instructions for the contractor. It includes: furnished floor plans with precise measurements, photorealistic 3D renderings of every space, executive technical drawings (lighting layout, services layout, construction details), a shopping list with exact specifications for all chosen materials and products, and a cost estimate. It's the document a competent contractor can pick up and follow without ambiguity. Without an executive project, every choice is made on site — often badly and in a hurry. Restylit is an Italian interior design company, entirely online. We design residential spaces with photorealistic 3D renderings, shoppable lists and technical drawings for the contractor — across Italy and Europe. Discover the Essential and Advanced packages →
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How to Furnish a Studio Apartment of 30sqm: What Nobody Tells You Before You Buy the First Piece of Furniture
How to Furnish a Studio Apartment of 30sqm: What Nobody Tells You Before You Buy the First Piece of Furniture By Alberto, co-founder — Restylit How do you furnish a studio apartment of 30sqm? You start with the layout, not the furniture. First you decide where to sleep, where to work, where to eat. Then you choose what to buy — not the other way around. A studio furnished without a layout rarely works: the individual pieces seem fine on their own but don't work together, the space always feels too small, and after six months you want to change everything. I've seen it happen too many times. And almost always for the same reason. The Problem Nobody Names When furnishing a studio, the temptation is to start buying. You go on IKEA or some furniture website, you search for "studio apartment ideas," you find beautiful rooms in the photos and try to replicate them. The thing is, those rooms were designed. Every piece of furniture was chosen in relation to the others, in relation to the light, in relation to how the person living there moves through the space. It's not luck. It's method. Without that method, you buy the sofa before realising it takes up 60% of the room's width. You order the bed before noticing that with the wardrobe open you can't get past. You choose the dining table and then don't know where to put it because there's no space left. Let's start from the beginning. Step One: Define the Zones Before Buying Anything A studio works when it has recognisable zones. Not walls, not doors: zones. The brain needs to understand where one function ends and another begins. Without that distinction, everything blurs and the space always feels chaotic even when it's tidy. The typical zones of a studio are four: sleeping, working, eating and living. Not all four are necessarily needed. It depends on how the space is used. But each of those that exist must have a clear boundary. The boundary doesn't have to be physical. It can be a rug that defines the living zone. It can be the arrangement of furniture that creates a visual barrier. It can be a change in lighting. It can be tall shelving positioned to separate the sleeping area from the rest. The first thing to do, before opening any furniture website, is to sketch on paper where those zones go. Even by hand, even without being good at drawing. The point is to understand the logic of the space. The Bed: The Most Important Decision In a studio the bed is the piece of furniture that determines everything else. It takes up the largest surface area, conditions the circulation, and defines the sleeping zone that then influences the rest of the layout. The main options are three. Fixed bed in the sleeping zone The simplest solution and often the best one. You dedicate part of the studio to the bed permanently, create a visual boundary with the rest (shelving, panels, a difference in lighting), and live with that division. It's not a waste of space: it's clarity. And clarity in a studio is worth a lot. The bed doesn't have to be in the darkest corner. The sleeping zone can be near the window if the light is manageable with the right curtains. What matters is that it makes sense in the overall floor plan. Mezzanine bed Works well if the ceiling height allows it, meaning at least 2.70 metres to have a liveable daytime zone underneath. Under the mezzanine you create the work zone, the living zone, or both. The advantage is real: you gain usable surface. The downside is that sleeping on a mezzanine is not the same as sleeping in a normal bed, and going up and down at night gets tiring after a while. Murphy bed (wall bed) The most radical solution. During the day the bed disappears into the wall and the space becomes fully liveable. In the evening it comes down and becomes a bedroom. Higher cost than a normal bed, installation requires some work, but the space gain is concrete. The detail that matters: quality murphy beds have smooth mechanisms and mattresses that hold up well over time. Cheap ones don't. If you go with this solution, it's not the place to save money. The Sofa: Almost Always Too Big The sofa is the second most common mistake in studios, after getting the layout wrong. People choose the sofa they'd want in a normal apartment. A nice three-seater, maybe with a chaise longue. And then it doesn't fit through the door, or it fits but takes up the whole room, or it fits and it's there but there's no space for anything else. In a thirty square metre studio the sofa can't be the protagonist. It needs to be functional, compact and visually light. A two-seater sofa with legs, leaving the floor visible underneath, takes up much less visual space than a three-seater that sits on the floor. The difference is felt. The alternatives to a traditional sofa that work well in small spaces are the sofa bed (which also solves the problem of guests), the small sofa with integrated storage (useful in studios where storage is always an issue), and modular seating that can be rearranged. The Work Zone: You Can't Ignore It If you work from home, even just a few days a week, the work zone is not optional. Working on the sofa or the bed is comfortable for a few hours, but after a while it becomes a physical and mental problem. The body can no longer distinguish between "I'm in work mode" and "I'm in rest mode." And that, over time, is draining. In a studio the work zone can be small. A desk sixty centimetres deep and ninety wide is enough for a laptop and a little more. What can't be missing is the visual separation from the rest: a shelf behind you, a position that faces away from the bed, dedicated lighting. Fold-down wall desks are an interesting solution if you use the work space rarely. They open when needed, close when not, and the wall goes back to being free. They're not comfortable for working eight hours a day, but for a few hours a week they work. Kitchen and Dining Zone: The Compromise Almost Everyone Makes In a thirty square metre studio the kitchen is almost always small and the dining zone even more so. The solution that I see working best in most cases is the extendable table. A table that in its minimum configuration measures eighty by eighty centimetres (enough for two people) and extends to one hundred and twenty-four or one hundred and forty to seat four or six. In the closed configuration it doesn't weigh on the space. When needed, it transforms. A round table works better than a rectangular one in studios because it has no corners that visually "cut" the room and integrates better into irregular space configurations. Stackable chairs or Tolix chairs (light, slim, stackable) are the logical choice when space is limited. Storage: The Real Problem in Studios In thirty square metres there isn't room for everything. That's the reality. But there's almost always room for more than you'd think, if you think vertically instead of horizontally. Walls are the most underused resource in any studio. Tall shelving up to the ceiling, kitchen wall units up to the ceiling, storage under the bed (if the bed allows it), ottomans with storage, benches with drawers at the entrance. Every piece of furniture can have a double function, and in a studio it almost should. The principle I always use: before buying new furniture, ask whether what you already have can do something else too. Often the answer is yes. Colours: The Thing Most People Get Wrong The advice you always hear is "use light colours to make the space feel bigger." It's partially correct but incomplete. Light colours reflect light and visually widen the space. But it doesn't mean a studio has to be all white. It means the palette needs to be coherent and not fragmented. Three colours maximum, used consistently throughout the space, make a studio feel larger than five different colours in every corner. Visual fragmentation shrinks, continuity widens. A choice that works very well in studios is using a slightly darker colour in the sleeping zone, to create the visual separation mentioned earlier, and lighter colours in the rest. It doesn't need to be dramatic: even just one wall in a warmer or deeper tone creates the distinction that's needed. Lighting: The Element That Transforms Everything In a studio lighting is the most important design choice after the layout. Because lighting defines the zones, creates atmosphere, and physically influences how the space is perceived. The basic rule: each zone needs its own light source. Not just the central ceiling light that illuminates everything uniformly. Soft light for the living zone, functional light for the work zone, low and warm light for the sleeping zone. All at 2700K. This isn't an aesthetic preference: it's the colour temperature that more than any other creates a comfortable domestic atmosphere in the evening. The Checklist Before Buying Anything These are the questions I always go through before starting a project on a studio. Layout Have I defined where the four zones are (sleeping, working, eating, living)? Does each zone have a clear visual boundary? Are the circulation flows free? Can I move through the space without manoeuvring between furniture? Furniture Is the bed in the right position relative to the window and the door? Does the sofa leave at least 90 centimetres of clearance on at least one side? Does every piece of furniture have the right dimensions for the space? Did I measure before ordering? Storage Have I used the vertical space? Do the shelves reach close to the ceiling? Do at least two or three pieces of furniture have a double function (storage plus seating, bed plus storage)? Lighting and colours Does each zone have a dedicated light source? Is the palette coherent? No more than three main colours? Are all the bulbs at 2700K? If you're furnishing a studio and want to start with the right layout instead of a wrong purchase, at Restylit that's exactly where we begin. Floor plan, photos, a call. And we show you how it'll look before you move a single piece of furniture. Book a free 15-minute call → FAQ Is it worth buying custom furniture for a studio? In some cases yes. The areas where custom is worth the investment are storage (fitted wardrobes that use every available centimetre) and bed or murphy bed systems. For standard furnishing pieces, custom adds cost without necessarily adding value. How do you separate the sleeping zone from the rest without walls? The most effective solutions are tall shelving used as dividers, decorative panels, ceiling-mounted curtains (affordable and removable), and a difference in lighting between the zones. Even just lowering the colour temperature in the sleeping zone relative to the rest creates a perceived separation. What's the best bed for a studio? It depends on how much space you have and how you want to use it. A fixed bed is the most comfortable solution for everyday living. A murphy bed is the right choice if you need to maximise daytime space. A mezzanine works if the ceiling is high enough. There's no universal answer: it depends on the specific floor plan. How do you manage the entrance in a studio? It's almost always ignored. It's actually one of the most important spaces because it creates the first impression and is often where everything that comes through the door ends up. A bench with storage, a wall-mounted coat rack, a mirror. Not much is needed. But it needs to be thought about. A thirty square metre studio isn't a space that "has no potential." It's a space that requires more design than a large apartment, not less. Because every centimetre matters and every wrong choice shows. See how we work → Restylit is an Italian interior design company, entirely online. We design residential and commercial spaces with photorealistic 3D renderings, shopping lists and technical drawings, across Italy and Europe.
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How Much Does Kitchen Renovation Cost in 2025: Real Prices, Line by Line
How Much Does Kitchen Renovation Cost in 2025: Real Prices, Line by Line By Alberto, co-founder — Restylit How much does a kitchen renovation cost? For a complete renovation of a medium-sized kitchen (8-10sqm), the real cost ranges between €8,000 and €17,000, furniture and appliances included. Labour and installation work alone, without furniture, comes to €3,000-6,000. A renovation involving relocated plumbing, structural work and designer kitchen can exceed €20,000. Below €3,000 you're doing a restyling, not a renovation. That said, the number alone tells you nothing. What matters is understanding where that money goes, what makes a quote explode, and where you can reasonably save without regretting it later. The Distinction Nobody Makes Clearly Enough When people talk about "kitchen renovation" they mean very different things. And the cost changes completely depending on what's actually being done. Restyling You change the cabinet fronts, replace the worktop, repaint. The plumbing stays where it is, the furniture stays where it is. The visual effect can be very good, but the kitchen functions exactly as before. Cost: €1,500-4,000. Timeline: one week. Partial renovation You replace the complete kitchen with a new one, redo the wall tiles, possibly change the floor. Plumbing is adapted but not relocated. Cost: €5,000-10,000. Timeline: two weeks. Full renovation Everything opens up. Plumbing is relocated, the layout is modified, walls, floor, tiles are redone and a new kitchen with appliances is installed. This is the intervention that genuinely transforms the space. Cost: €10,000-20,000 and above. Timeline: three to four weeks of work plus material delivery times. Line by Line: Where the Money Goes This is the part I most want to explain clearly, because it's what's almost always missing from generic quotes. Demolition and disposal (€500-1,200) The first line item that almost nobody puts in the initial budget. Removing the old kitchen, stripping the tiles, disposing of everything at an authorised site. It's not free and it's not quick. Plumbing (€800-2,500) Depends entirely on what's being done. If the sink stays in the same position, the existing plumbing is adapted and the cost is contained. If it moves even half a metre, the floor has to be opened and costs grow. If a second water point is added (island sink, filtered drinking water), costs grow further. The practical rule: every relocation of a water connection adds €400-800 to the quote. Electrical installation (€500-1,500) The kitchen has more electrical loads than anywhere else in the home: oven, dishwasher, fridge, induction hob, microwave, extractor. Each lighting point and each dedicated socket has a cost. If the existing installation can't handle the new loads, it needs to be partly redone. Average cost per electrical point in a kitchen: €25-40. Tiles and flooring (€1,500-4,000) Depends on surface area and chosen materials. Mid-range porcelain tiles cost €20-40 per sqm in materials, plus €25-35 per sqm to install. In a 10sqm kitchen with 15sqm of walls to tile, this line alone can reach €2,000-2,500. The splashback above the hob is the most aesthetically free-ranging item: decorative tiles, large-format porcelain, glass, steel. Prices range from €30 per sqm to €200 per sqm for special materials. Kitchen furniture (€2,500-8,000) The range is enormous and depends almost entirely on material quality and brand. A complete IKEA Metod kitchen for a three-metre run can be taken home for €2,000-3,000. A mid-range Italian kitchen (Scavolini, Snaidero, Ernestomeda) starts from €5,000-6,000. A bespoke design kitchen has no ceiling. The detail that matters: the kitchen price almost never includes installation. Installing a medium-sized kitchen costs €500-1,200 depending on complexity. Appliances (€1,500-5,000) You can do almost everything for €1,500 choosing entry-level brands. You can also spend €5,000 on the hob alone if you go for Gaggenau or Bora. The mid-range that I see working well in most cases is around €2,500-3,000 for oven, hob, extractor and dishwasher of decent quality. Summary table Item Indicative cost Demolition and disposal €500-1,200 Plumbing €800-2,500 Electrical installation €500-1,500 Tiles and flooring €1,500-4,000 Kitchen furniture and installation €3,000-9,200 Appliances €1,500-5,000 Total full renovation €7,800-23,400 The Three Things That Make a Quote Double In the projects we follow, when a quote doubles during the work, it's almost always for one of these reasons. Relocating the plumbing Deciding mid-site to move the sink, add a dishwasher connection where it wasn't planned, or bring the gas to the other side of the kitchen. Every plumbing change made during the work costs twice what it would have cost in the original project, because it means reopening what's already been closed. The only solution: decide everything before starting. Final layout, position of every connection, every appliance, every socket. And don't change it during the work. Hidden problems Damp under the tiles. Electrical installation not up to code. Leaking pipes. Things that emerge only when you open up. Nobody's fault, but they need to be budgeted with a 15-20% buffer. On a €12,000 quote, keeping €1,800-2,400 aside for unexpected costs isn't pessimism: it's realism. Changes during the work "While we're at it, let's add the dropped ceiling." "I saw that finish and I want that one instead." Every variation made during the work has a cost that's always higher than it would have been in the original project. Not because contractors take advantage, but because modifying something already started requires more work than doing it right from the beginning. How Much You Recover with Tax Incentives The kitchen falls under the Renovation Bonus and the Furniture Bonus. It's worth understanding how they actually work. Renovation Bonus (50%) 50% IRPEF tax deduction on up to €96,000 of expenditure, spread over ten years. In practice: if you spend €10,000 on building and installation work, you recover €5,000 over ten years (€500 per year less in taxes). Not immediate cash, but a real saving. Conditions: payment by dedicated bank transfer, compliant invoices, tax return declaration. Nothing complicated. Furniture Bonus (50%) 50% deduction on the purchase of new furniture (including fitted kitchens) up to €5,000 of expenditure, spread over ten years. Only applies if you also claim the Renovation Bonus in the same year or the previous year. In practice: if you spend €5,000 on a new kitchen, you recover €2,500 over ten years. Reduced VAT at 10% On extraordinary maintenance work on residential properties, VAT drops from 22% to 10%. Applies to both labour and some materials. An automatic saving with no additional paperwork. The Geographic Factor: How Much It Varies by City Milan is the most expensive city, with prices 20-30% above the national average. Rome is about 20% higher, Florence 15%. Cities in Southern Italy can be 15-20% below the national average. In practice: the same kitchen that costs €12,000 in Milan can cost €9,000 in Naples. Labour is the line item that varies most: materials have more uniform prices at national level. How Long It Takes Basic work takes 5-7 working days. Mid-range interventions take 10-15 working days. Complete projects take 20-30 working days. To these times you need to add delivery times. Mid-range or custom kitchens have production times of 6-10 weeks. High-end appliances can take 4-8 weeks. If you order everything only when the work starts, the site stops and waits. The right order is always: final project, order materials and kitchen, then start work when everything is delivered or incoming. Where It Makes Sense to Save and Where It Doesn't After some years of following renovation projects, I have a fairly clear idea of where saving makes sense and where it tends to cost more in the long run. Where you can save without regrets The splashback tiles don't need to be designer: there are porcelain tiles of excellent visual quality under €30 per sqm that hold up well over time. A quality laminate worktop has improved enormously: to the eye you can't distinguish it from quartz or marble, and it costs a third of the price. The extractor is a functional appliance: if you don't want a design piece, an efficient built-in extractor can be found for €150-400. Where saving doesn't pay off The tap. A quality mixer costs €100-300 and lasts 15-20 years. A cheap one breaks in 3-5 years and often causes leaks. The replacement cost, including labour, exceeds the initial saving. The induction hob if that's what you want. Not all hobs are equal: the difference between a good quality hob and a cheap one is felt in daily use and seen in longevity. The electrical installation. Not the place to take the lowest offer. An electrical installation done badly in a kitchen is a safety problem before it's an aesthetic one. The Quote You Should Expect A professional quote for a kitchen renovation should have these characteristics. If any are missing, ask. Separate, detailed line items, not grouped. Not "kitchen works: €8,000." Demolition, plumbing, tiles, installation: line by line. Reference to specific materials. Not "tiles": brand, format, reference. Not "kitchen": brand, model, configuration. Defined timelines with estimated start and end dates. Clear payment terms: deposit, progress payments, final balance at end of works. Never pay everything upfront. VAT treatment clearly stated: 10% or 22%, with the reason. If you're planning a kitchen renovation and want to understand the real budget before contacting contractors, at Restylit we do this as part of the project: definitive layout, material specifications, technical guidance to hand over to the contractor. So you arrive at the site with a quote you can compare line by line. Book a free 15-minute call → FAQ Is it worth renovating the kitchen before selling a property? Almost always yes, if the kitchen is clearly dated. A kitchen in good condition is one of the elements that most influences how buyers perceive a property's value. A light restyling (€2,000-4,000) almost always returns more than it costs. A full renovation is harder to amortise: it depends on the local market and the property's value. Is it better to have a custom kitchen or a modular one? Depends on the space. A modular kitchen works well in standard spaces. In spaces with irregular corners, lowered ceilings or columns, a custom kitchen uses every available centimetre. The cost of custom is higher but not always dramatically so: depends on the joiner and the complexity. Do I need planning permission to renovate the kitchen? For replacing the kitchen without structural modifications or relocating the gas column, in many municipalities no building permit is needed. If plumbing is relocated, a CILA declaration is almost always required. If the structure is modified, a SCIA is needed. The exact boundary depends on the municipality. It's always worth checking before starting. How long does a well-renovated kitchen last? With mid-range materials and correctly executed installation, the kitchen structure lasts 20-30 years. Appliances need replacing sooner: 10-15 years for good quality ones. Taps after 15-20 years if quality. The worktop depends on the material: quartz lasts decades, quality laminate 10-15 years. Can I live in the house during the work? In a partial renovation yes, with some disruption. In a full renovation that includes relocating plumbing, no. Kitchen work makes it impossible to cook for the entire duration of the site. If it's the only kitchen in the apartment, plan an alternative. Renovating the kitchen is one of the interventions with the best ratio between investment and daily quality of life. Not because a new kitchen is more beautiful, but because a space that works well is used every day, and every day you feel the difference. The point is to get to that result without unpleasant surprises along the way. See how we work → Restylit is an Italian interior design company, entirely online. We design residential and commercial spaces with photorealistic 3D renderings, shopping lists and technical drawings, across Italy and Europe.
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ChatGPT and Interior Design: What AI Can Do for Your Home (and What It Can't)
ChatGPT and Interior Design: What AI Can Do for Your Home (and What It Can't) By Mattea, co-founder and Interior Architect — Restylit Can ChatGPT replace an interior designer? For certain tasks, yes — and I say this as someone who actually works as an interior designer. For finding inspiration, understanding a style, building a colour palette, getting generic layout ideas: AI is useful, fast and (almost) free. But it can't see your actual space. It doesn't know how light comes through your north-facing window at three in the afternoon. It doesn't know your corridor dimensions. It can't guarantee that the sofa it suggests will fit through your door. For that reason, on a real project, it's not enough. This isn't a defence of my profession. It's the honest answer I wish I'd read before figuring it out myself. The Context: What's Actually Happening According to a 2025 Houzz survey, 34% of homeowners already use AI tools for design inspiration before making any purchase. That's not a niche — it's a third of the market. There's no point ignoring it. AI has entered the decision-making process of people who want to improve their homes. The question isn't "AI yes or no" — it's "AI for what, and when do you need something more." What AI Does Well — Genuinely Let's start here, because an honest answer begins by acknowledging what actually works. 1. Inspiring you when you don't know where to start You're facing an empty space and have no idea what you want. Describe your apartment to ChatGPT — square footage, light exposure, rough budget, a style you like — and in thirty seconds you have five possible directions with explanations. It's a great starting point. It's not a project, but it helps you understand what you're looking for. 2. Explaining design concepts in simple terms "What is wabi-sabi?" "How does the 60-30-10 rule work?" "What's the difference between Japandi and Nordic style?" For questions like these, AI responds well. Quickly. Without making you feel awkward for not knowing. It's like having an architect available at any hour who won't judge you for asking basic questions. 3. Building a starting colour palette "I have beige walls, light oak flooring and I want to buy a sofa. What colours work?" AI answers with reasonable consistency. It's not infallible, but as a first filter for ruling out clearly wrong options, it works. 4. Generating generic layout ideas If you describe a room's dimensions along with the positions of doors and windows, AI can suggest rough layouts. Useful for understanding the possibilities, not for making final decisions. 5. Building a rough shopping list "What furniture do I need for a 25sqm living room in a minimal style?" The list you get isn't the right one for your specific space, but it gives you a picture of the pieces to consider. A starting point, not a list to buy from. What AI Can't Do This is the point nobody says directly. AI doesn't fail because it's unintelligent. It fails for a precise structural reason: it doesn't have enough information about your real space. See how a Restylit consultation works → It can't see your home. You can describe your apartment in exhaustive detail, but AI genuinely doesn't know what it's like. It doesn't know the undertone of the light coming through that specific window. It doesn't know the entrance corridor feels narrower than it is because of a protruding door frame. It doesn't perceive that the "neutral" wall has a green undertone that clashes with your flooring. An architect working from your photos and floor plan sees things that no written description can convey. It doesn't know the real dimensions. The difference between a 220cm sofa and a 240cm sofa in a living room with 3.5 metres of depth isn't a detail — it's the difference between a space that works and one that suffocates. AI thinks in general categories. A real project thinks in centimetres. It can't guarantee material coherence. A palette suggested by AI can be theoretically correct and practically wrong. Because the beige on your walls has a pinkish undertone you can't articulate. Because your flooring's grain changes how grey reads in the room. Because the artificial light you use in the evening is at 4000K, not 2700K — and that changes everything. It doesn't take responsibility. If you follow ChatGPT's advice and buy the wrong floor, the problem is yours. A professional puts their signature on what they propose. That's a practical difference, not just a formal one. The Concrete Case: What Happens When You Use Only AI This is the pattern we see playing out every day. Someone renovates. Uses ChatGPT for ideas. Finds inspiration, builds an aesthetic direction, starts buying. The sofa arrives — the dimensions seemed right, but in the actual living room it's twenty centimetres too wide. The bathroom tiles were chosen on AI advice but once laid they read much colder than expected because the room has no natural light. The kitchen was designed without accounting for the drain position — now you either move the drain or give up the layout you'd imagined. None of these are stupid mistakes. They're structural errors that come from the absence of a project built around the real space. How We Use AI at Restylit — The Honest Answer AI has entered our process as a tool for initial exploration and as an execution accelerator. It helps us quickly generate palette variations, test style combinations, build starting moodboards. It's useful in the phase where possibilities are explored — before entering the specific project. But the specific project — the one built from your actual floor plan, your photos, the direction of your windows, the exact dimensions of your spaces — that's what we do. With real eyes on real materials. With the responsibility of signing what we propose. The difference isn't about tools. It's about method. When to Use AI and When to Call a Professional Here's the honest map, with no hidden agenda. Use AI if: You're exploring styles and don't yet know what you want You need explanations of design concepts You want a first list of furniture to consider You're looking for inspiration before making any choices Your intervention is small — changing a few objects, choosing a colour for one wall Call a professional if: You're renovating and need to choose materials that will last twenty years You have a small apartment where every centimetre counts You're furnishing from scratch and the budget is significant You've already bought things that don't work together and don't know why You want to see the result in 3D renderings before buying anything Use both if: You want to start from AI inspiration and then bring it into a real project You've already used ChatGPT to explore and now want someone to translate it into your specific space If you've used ChatGPT to explore ideas and now want to turn them into a real project for your specific apartment, that's exactly what we do. Start with the inspiration, arrive at the project. Book a free 15-minute call → Why Restylit Is Different from ChatGPT — and Where It Isn't I'll say something that probably nobody in the industry would say: on certain general questions, ChatGPT answers as well as I do. "What is the 60-30-10 rule?" — answers well. "What colours work with light wood?" — answers well. "How do you arrange furniture in a rectangular living room?" — answers reasonably well, with the limitations already described. What ChatGPT cannot do is see your apartment. It can't build a 3D rendering of your specific living room with your specific furniture. It can't tell you whether that sofa will fit through the door. It can't guarantee that the palette it proposes will work with the light you actually have. At Restylit we start from your floor plan and your photos. We build the project around what you have, not a generic room. We deliver photorealistic renderings — not descriptions, not generic moodboards, but images of what your room will look like before you buy a single piece of furniture. That's the difference. It's not a small one. FAQ Can ChatGPT generate a rendering of my apartment? It can generate images of generic rooms that resemble what you describe. It can't generate a rendering of your specific apartment — because it doesn't know your actual dimensions, the positions of doors and windows, or the existing materials. The result is visual inspiration, not a project. Is it worth paying for a professional consultation if I already have ChatGPT? It depends what you're doing. If you're choosing a cushion or looking for inspiration, probably not. If you're renovating, furnishing from scratch, or making choices that will last for years, yes — because the cost of mistakes is much higher than the cost of the consultation. Do professionals use AI? Yes, many do — us included. They use it as an exploration tool in the initial phase. They don't use it to replace professional assessment of the real space. Can I send Restylit the ideas I found with ChatGPT? Absolutely — it's a great starting point. Knowing what you like accelerates the process. We take those inspirations to your specific space and turn them into a concrete project. Will AI improve to the point of completely replacing designers? It will probably improve a great deal further. But the structural problem — not seeing the real space, not knowing the precise dimensions, not perceiving the materials — isn't solved by more powerful language models alone. It's solved by sensors, 3D scanners, technologies that aren't yet in the average consumer's reach. In the short to medium term, the answer is no. AI and professionals aren't in competition. They're different tools for different phases of the process. Our work begins where ChatGPT ends — when inspiration needs to become a real project, tailored to your specific space. See how a Restylit consultation works → Restylit is an Italian interior design company, entirely online. We design residential and commercial spaces with photorealistic 3D renderings, shopping lists and technical drawings — across Italy and Europe.
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Japandi Style: What It Is, How to Apply It at Home and Why You Can't Buy It at IKEA
Japandi Style: What It Is, How to Apply It at Home and Why You Can't Buy It at IKEA By Mattea, co-founder and Interior Architect — Restylit What is Japandi style? It's the fusion of Japanese minimalism — rooted in wabi-sabi, the beauty of imperfection — and Scandinavian design, rooted in hygge, the quiet warmth of everyday life. The result is a style that looks for very few things, chosen well, in natural materials, with a palette of neutral and earthy tones. It's not a trend. It's a philosophy of living that, applied correctly, lasts for decades. The word Japandi comes from Japan and Scandi combined. Simple enough. What isn't simple is actually applying it. Why Japandi Became So Popular Right Now It's no coincidence that Japandi took off after 2020. Years spent at home, spaces that didn't work, apartments designed for sleeping rather than living. People started asking themselves what they actually wanted from the spaces they inhabited. And the answer, almost universally, was: fewer things, but better. Calm. Order that doesn't feel heavy. Materials that feel good to touch. Japandi answers exactly that need. It's not a style for people who want to impress. It's a style for people who want to feel well. According to a 2024 PlanRadar study of designers across Europe, three out of five professionals identify biophilia — the connection between living spaces and nature — as the most lasting design tendency of the coming years. Japandi is its most accessible aesthetic expression. The Two Philosophies Behind It — Explained Without the Usual Romanticising To really understand Japandi, you need to understand where it comes from. Pinterest boards don't cut it. Wabi-sabi — the Japanese side Wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic concept that finds beauty in imperfection, simplicity and the passing of time. A ceramic bowl with a visible flaw. A wooden surface with the grain showing clearly. A lime-plastered wall that's not perfectly smooth. It's not sloppiness. It's the awareness that handmade things, natural materials, surfaces that age well — they tell a story. And what they tell is worth more than any catalogue-perfect finish. In design, wabi-sabi translates into: raw and natural materials, imperfections celebrated rather than hidden, objects with a history rather than interchangeable ones. Hygge — the Scandinavian side Hygge is a Nordic concept with no precise English translation. It's somewhere between comfort, warmth and quiet wellbeing. The light of a candle. A wool blanket. The room where you feel safe. In Scandinavian design it translates into: function before aesthetics, natural light maximised at every turn, warm materials — light wood, linen, cotton — nothing excessive but nothing cold. Japandi brings them together From Japan it takes the darker palette, the lower furniture, the connection with nature, the attention to craft. From Scandinavia it takes the luminosity, the functionality, the comfort. The result is a style that is neither austere nor warm — it's both, in balance. How to Tell Real Japandi from an Imitation This is the part I want to be straight about, because it's where I see the most mistakes. Fake Japandi looks like this: a greige IKEA sofa, a few plants on the windowsill, a scented candle and a ceramic vase from a homeware shop. There are millions of apartments like this in Italy right now. They're not Japandi. They're apartments with a few neutral objects in them. Real Japandi has these qualities: 1. Every object was chosen — not found. In authentic Japandi there are no impulse buys. Every piece makes sense in the overall composition. You don't add something because it's nice — you add it because it speaks to what's already there. 2. The materials speak for themselves. Wood with visible grain. Handmade ceramics with slight irregularities. Unironed linen. Natural stone. Texture is part of the project, not an afterthought. If all the materials look plasticky or too perfect, it's not Japandi. 3. The empty space is designed, not accidental. The empty space in a Japandi room isn't the result of not having bought enough yet. It's a choice. The clear spaces between furniture, the clean surfaces, the shelves without ornaments — all of it is deliberate. The empty space carries the same weight as the objects. 4. The palette is coherent, not monotonous. Neutral and earthy tones — beige, greige, warm ivory, matte black, olive green, warm brown, charcoal — but not all together and not all the same. There's always a subtle contrast: light wood with black details. White with dark ceramics. Linen with matte metal. 5. The lighting is part of the project. Japandi without warm, soft light doesn't exist. Rice paper lamps, linen shades, 2700K light distributed across multiple points. Lighting isn't an accessory — it's what brings every natural material to life. All of these choices — palette, materials, light, layout — require an overall vision that's very hard to build one purchase at a time. If you're wondering whether it's worth working with a professional or going it alone, we've written an article that runs the numbers on both options. Read: DIY interior design vs professional consultation → The Japandi Palette: Colours That Work Japandi works across two colour families that balance each other. Warm neutrals — the base of the palette: Warm ivory, sandy beige, cream, greige, milk white. Not pure, cold, plasterboard white. The white that has a barely perceptible yellow or beige undertone. Dark tones — accents and contrasts: Matte black, charcoal, tobacco brown, dark forest green. Used in small doses — a black detail on a light wood piece, a dark bottle green back wall — they create the contrast that's characteristic of the style. Earth tones — the connection to nature: Muted rust, ochre, quiet terracotta, olive green. They appear in textiles, ceramics, the occasional accessory. They don't dominate — they complete. What to avoid: Saturated colours, pastel rainbows, pure cold white on every wall, shiny metallics. Yes to matte brass, no to polished chrome. Real Japandi Materials Materials are where Japandi separates itself from anything sold in mass-market retail. Wood — real wood, with visible grain and natural imperfections. Oak, walnut, ash, bamboo. Not wood-effect paper, not laminate that's too uniform. Wood in a Japandi space ages well — it gets better over the years, not worse. Handmade ceramics — with the irregularities of hand-formed pieces. It doesn't need to be signed by a famous Japanese ceramicist. It needs to look like a person made it, not a machine. Raw linen and cotton — for textiles. Not ironed, not perfectly flat. The softness of natural linen is one of the materials most consistent with wabi-sabi philosophy. Natural stone and stone-effect porcelain — for floors and wall finishes. Matte, not glossy. Surfaces that feel natural even when they're composite materials. Rice paper and rattan — for lighting and a few decorative elements. Materials that filter light rather than blocking it or spreading it uniformly. How to Apply It Room by Room The living room Low furniture — a sofa with short legs, a coffee table close to the floor, soft seating. Not because it's fashionable, but because in both Japanese and Nordic culture the floor plane has a different living value than in Western homes. No furniture against every wall. An open space at the centre of the room. One strong element — a lamp, a large plant, a handmade piece — and everything else quiet. A rug in jute, wool or raw cotton. Large enough to hold the main seating. The bedroom The low bed is the most iconic Japandi element in the bedroom — and also the most misunderstood. You don't need a Japanese floor-level bed. A bed without a tall headboard, with a clean natural wood frame, set lower than Western standards — that's enough. Natural linen bedding — unironed, in neutral or warm white tones. This is the simplest and most effective single change you can make to get closer to the style without renovating anything. Nothing on the bedside table except what you actually need. A book. A lamp. A glass of water. The bedside table is not a storage unit. The bathroom The Japandi bathroom often works best because the limited space naturally forces you to choose. Few things, chosen well. Stone or concrete-effect porcelain — matte, not glossy. Matte black or brushed brass taps. A handmade ceramic piece or two on the vanity shelf. A plant. The single thing that most transforms a bathroom into something Japandi? Removing. Products along the bath edge, bottles in plain sight, towels everywhere. Remove first, then look at what's actually missing. Why It Works Particularly Well in Small Apartments This is the part I most want to talk about, because it's where I see the biggest difference in the projects we work on. Japandi was born for small spaces — even if nobody says so explicitly. Urban Japanese homes are small, functional, essential by necessity. Scandinavian homes are designed to be lived in completely, not to look large. Brought into a 55–70sqm Italian apartment, the style works because: Designed empty space makes the room feel larger A neutral, coherent palette eliminates visual fragmentation Low furniture visually raises the ceiling Natural materials add warmth without adding bulk Soft lighting expands perceived space It's not about imitating an aesthetic. It's about applying design principles that work regardless of square footage. If you have a small apartment and want to understand how to apply these principles to your specific space, at Restylit we always start from your floor plan and photos — and build the project around what you actually have, not an ideal apartment. Book a free 15-minute call → The Most Common Mistake: Confusing Japandi with Minimalism Japandi is not minimalism. It's actually the opposite of minimalism in the sense that empty space is not the goal. Minimalism eliminates. Japandi selects. In a Japandi space there's a ceramic with a visible imperfection, a plant, a linen blanket left on the sofa, a few books. It's not empty — it's full of chosen things. The difference is that everything is there because someone decided it should be. Not out of habit, not by accident. This is the hardest part to replicate without a project. Because selection requires an overall vision you don't have when you're buying piece by piece. FAQ Can you do Japandi without renovating? Yes, partly. You can start with textiles (change the bed linen, add a jute rug), with lighting (2700K bulbs, a rice paper lamp), with order (remove what's superfluous). But for a truly coherent result — palette, materials, layout — you need a project. Otherwise you end up with an apartment that has a few neutral elements, not a style. What's the difference between Japandi and Wabi-sabi? Japandi is an interior design style that incorporates wabi-sabi as one of its philosophical foundations. Wabi-sabi is a broader aesthetic philosophy — it finds beauty in imperfection, transience and the natural. Japandi uses it as a lens, alongside Scandinavian hygge, to create specific living spaces. Is Japandi suitable for families with children? More than you'd think. Natural materials are often more durable and easier to maintain than synthetic ones. Solid wood can be sanded, ceramics age well, linen washes. And a tidy space with fewer objects is genuinely easier to keep in order with children around. How much does it cost to furnish in Japandi style? It depends entirely on the quality of materials you choose. You can do Japandi on a limited budget — hunting for handmade ceramics at markets, buying solid wood furniture secondhand, choosing good linen bedding instead of spending on decorative objects. Or you can spend a lot, on signed design pieces. The style doesn't require a high budget — it requires conscious choices. Japandi and plants: how many and which ones? Plants in Japandi make sense, but not in quantity. One large, well-chosen plant is worth more than ten small ones. The forms most consistent with the style are simple and organic — Ficus lyrata, Monstera, indoor bamboo, herbs in handmade ceramic pots. No coloured pots, no plastic vases. If you're thinking about refreshing your home in a Japandi direction and want to understand where to start — materials, layout, palette — at Restylit we do exactly this as part of every consultation. We always start from the real space, not an ideal style. See how the consultation works → Restylit is an Italian interior design company, entirely online. We design residential and commercial spaces with photorealistic 3D renderings, shopping lists and technical drawings — across Italy and Europe.
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Wall Colours 2025-2026: What to Choose, What to Avoid and Why Grey Is Finally Over (Maybe!)
Wall Colours 2025-2026: What to Choose, What to Avoid and Why Grey Is Finally Over (Maybe!) By Mattea, co-founder and Interior Architect — Restylit What wall colours work in 2025-2026? The colours that work right now are warm earth tones: terracotta, olive green, rust, mocha, sandy beige — and dark colours used with conviction on a single wall. Cold grey, which dominated the last decade, is dated. Do you agree? Pure white still holds up, but only when used well. The strongest trend right now isn't a specific colour — it's making a conscious choice instead of choosing by elimination. We've seen hundreds of apartments painted grey "because it goes with everything" — and it was almost never the right choice. But first: if you're choosing colours for a renovation or a new interior and want a professional opinion, at Restylit we do this as the very first step of every consultation — because colour, even before the furniture, defines the atmosphere of a room. See how the consultation works → Why Grey Is Over Grey has dominated Italian interiors for many years. It wasn't a mistake — it was a precise cultural response to the Nordic minimalism that flooded design magazines in the early 2010s. Then IKEA made it accessible to everyone, and for a decade grey became the default colour for anyone who didn't know what to choose — for walls and furniture alike. The problem isn't grey itself. The problem is the cold, bluish, clinical grey we still see in many of the apartments we work on. The one that becomes oppressive in the evening under artificial light. The one that doesn't speak to any warm material. The one chosen not because anyone actually liked it, but because "it didn't clash with anything." Warm greys — deep charcoal, tortora, greige — still hold up and will continue to. Cold grey won't. It's the colour that in ten years we'll look at in photos and say: "ah, that was so 2010s." The Colour of 2025 Pantone chose Mocha Mousse as the colour of the year for 2025 — a soft, warm brown with hints of cocoa and coffee. Not a random choice. After years of cold, minimalist, almost clinical palettes, the market has shifted towards something more enveloping. Mocha Mousse is exactly that: a colour that doesn't shout, doesn't impose itself, but warms everything around it. In practical terms, it's a colour that's hard to use badly. It works with natural wood, raw linen, olive green, black, cream. In a living room with Mocha Mousse walls, almost any piece of furniture works — as long as it's not white plastic. Using it on all four walls takes confidence and a room with good natural light. On a single wall — the back wall of the living room, or the wall behind the headboard in the bedroom — it almost always works. The Colours That Work Right Now: The Complete Map These aren't "trendy" colours in the superficial sense. They're the colours that in the projects we follow produce satisfying long-term results — because they speak to the materials, the light, and the way people actually live in spaces. Earth Tones — The Dominant Family Terracotta, rust, ochre, burnt clay, muted brick. These are the colours we're asked about most right now — and for good reason. They work because they bring warmth without being aggressive. They work because they pair naturally with the materials that are most popular right now — wood, rattan, linen, raw ceramics. And they have a quality that cold colours simply don't: in the evening, under warm 2700K light, they become even more beautiful. How to use them: on a single wall in the living room or bedroom. In the bathroom across all surfaces. In the kitchen as a backdrop to the cooking area. Avoid using them on all walls in small rooms with no windows — they absorb light and close the space in. What to pair them with: light or dark wood, brass or bronze metals, olive green, beige, black. Avoid light blue and cold grey — the contrast doesn't work. Green — But the Right One Sage green was the green of 2022-2023. In 2025-2026 green has shifted towards darker, more complex shades — olive green, bottle green, moss, forest green. It's the colour that more than any other transforms a room radically. A bottle green wall in a living room with light furniture and brass accents is one of the most elegant contrasts you can create right now. It's not for everyone — it takes a bit of courage — but when it works, it works very well. How to use it: best on a single wall, preferably the back one. In the bathroom across all surfaces — green in a bathroom is one of the most satisfying choices I see in projects. Avoid in rooms that are already dark or have small north-facing windows. What to pair it with: light wood, white or beige marble, brass, natural linen fabrics, white ceramics. Dark Blue — Not the Pastel Kind Blue has had many lives in recent years. The pastel blue of 2018-2020 is dated. Midnight blue, petrol, dark cobalt — these are holding up and actually growing. It's the most difficult of the trending colours to use well, because it needs a lot of natural light to avoid feeling heavy. In a bright room, however, a midnight blue wall is one of the most sophisticated choices you can make. How to use it: only on walls with good exposure. The back wall is better than a side wall. In the bedroom it works very well — it creates an intimate atmosphere and promotes rest. What to pair it with: pure white, brass, light wood, velvet fabrics in grey, ochre or terracotta. Never with cold grey — they clash. White — But the Warm Kind Pure, cold, plasterboard white has never been a good choice — even if for twenty years it was the default for rental apartments and newly renovated homes. The white that works in 2025-2026 is warm white — milk white, ivory, cream. The difference from pure white is subtle on a sample card, enormous on the wall. Warm white speaks to any type of light — natural or artificial. It doesn't clash with any material. It doesn't date. It's the right choice when you don't want the wall colour to become the protagonist — but you still want a quality result. How to use it: on all walls in small or poorly lit spaces. As a neutral backdrop for colourful or design-led furniture. Excellent in bathrooms where you want a bright, clean atmosphere without the clinical feel of pure white. Colours to Avoid — and Why Cold grey. Already covered, but worth repeating: any grey with blue or green undertones becomes oppressive under artificial light. Look at your walls in the evening with the lights on — if they look like a chalkboard, the grey is wrong. Bright yellow. Yellow is back in trend — but in ochre, mustard and butter yellow versions. Lemon yellow, canary yellow, the saturated yellows of the 1990s: no. These are colours that wear out quickly and reduce the perceived value of a space. Aqua green / Tiffany blue. It was the colour of the moment in 2019-2020. Now it's dated in the way lilac was dated in the 2000s. It's not ugly — it's simply aged visually, and you can feel it. Red on large surfaces. Red as an accent — on a cushion, an armchair, an object — works and always will. Red on an entire wall is one of the hardest choices to manage well, and I almost always see it become a regret within three years. How to Choose the Right Colour for Your Space: The Method These are the steps we follow at Restylit before recommending any colour. 1. Understand the room's exposure A south-facing room with warm, abundant light for many hours can handle darker, more saturated colours without becoming gloomy. A north-facing room with cold, limited light needs colours that don't absorb further luminosity — warm, light tones, or at most a dark accent on one wall only. Before looking at any sample, work out which direction your main window faces. 2. Assess the artificial lighting The colour you choose in daylight is not the same colour you'll see in the evening. If your lighting is at 2700K (warm), earth tones and warm colours are enhanced. If you still have cold lights, any colour will look different — often worse. Before choosing wall colours, sort out the bulbs. 3. Test on large samples The 10×10cm sample in the shop tells you nothing. Buy testers, paint at least 30×30cm on each wall you want to colour, and observe them at different times of day — morning, afternoon, evening under artificial light. Colours change significantly in different lighting conditions. The only way to understand this is to see it in your specific room. 4. Decide what you want the colour to do Colour can do different things: open a space, visually narrow it, create warmth, give energy, encourage concentration or relaxation. Before choosing a colour because "it's beautiful," ask yourself what you want it to do for you in that specific room. One Room, One Leading Colour: The Rule That Prevents Disasters The most dangerous thing isn't choosing the wrong colour. It's choosing too many colours. Every room should have one leading colour — the walls, or the main piece of furniture, or the rug. The other colours exist to support it, not to compete with it. When a living room has grey walls, a green sofa, an orange rug, blue cushions and pictures with gold frames, it's not "eclectic." It's chaotic. And visual chaos is tiring — even if you can't quite say why. The simple rule: choose one leading colour per room and build everything else around it. Secondary colours should be tones of the same colour, or colours that sit naturally close to it on the colour wheel. The Colour That Lasts vs the Colour That Tires There's a question that never gets asked enough: in five years' time, will I still be happy with this choice? Colours that last share some characteristics. They're complex — not fully saturated, not flat. They have undertones that speak to the light. They're never exactly "the colour of the year" — they're something slightly more personal, more nuanced. Colours that tire are almost always those chosen because they were trending at that precise moment. The aqua green of 2019. The mid-grey of 2015. The greige of 2012. All beautiful in their time. All visibly dated now. The advice I always give: look at the colours of homes you find beautiful in photographs from the 1960s and 1970s — the ones that still look good today. They were almost never the "trending" colours of those years. They were colours with character, depth, complexity. FAQ Is it better to paint all walls the same colour or do an accent wall? It depends on the room. In small or poorly lit spaces, all walls in the same colour (preferably light) creates coherence without dividing the space. In large rooms with good light, an accent wall in a darker or more saturated colour adds depth without feeling heavy. The accent wall works best on the back wall — the one you see when you walk in, or the one behind the headboard. Can I use the same colour in different rooms? Yes — and it's often a good idea, especially when rooms can be seen from one another (hallway, open plan, connecting spaces). Keeping the same base colour with variations in intensity creates a thread that gives the apartment coherence. What's the best colour for a small room? Not necessarily white. Warm, light tones — ivory, sandy beige, cream — work better than cold white because they don't reflect light in a metallic way. In some cases, a small room painted in a dark colour on all walls (bottle green, midnight blue) becomes more intimate and intentional — instead of feeling smaller, it feels like a deliberate space. How do I know if a colour works with my furniture? The most practical rule: take a fabric sample or a cabinet door into natural light next to the colour sample. If the undertones clash — one warm, one cold — the colour won't work. If they speak to each other, it almost certainly will. How often does it make sense to repaint? With good-quality paint and no particular events (damp, children, pets), walls hold up for 7–10 years without visible issues. Repainting doesn't necessarily mean changing colour — it often means refreshing the same one, or making a minimal shift towards something more current. If you're choosing colours for a renovation or a new interior and want a professional opinion before buying the first tin of paint, at Restylit we do this as the very first step of every consultation — because colour, even before the furniture, defines the atmosphere of a room. See how the consultation works → Restylit is an Italian interior design company, entirely online. We design living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms and complete spaces — 3D renderings, shopping lists, technical drawings. Across Italy and Europe.
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