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Arredare in Stile Nordico: Cos'è Davvero e Come Si Applica in un Appartamento Italiano

Decorating in Scandinavian Style: What It Really Is and How to Apply It in an Italian (or Any European) Apartment

by Restylit Interiors in Furnishing Tips

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.

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Come Arredare Casa con un Budget Limitato: Dove Mettere i Soldi e Dove Non Metterli

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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. 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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 la tua galleria foto e ti dirò chi sei

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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. 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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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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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