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Quanto Costa una Consulenza di Interior Design? Prezzi, Formati e Cosa Aspettarsi nel 2025

How Much Does an Interior Design Consultation Cost? Prices, Formats and What to Expect in 2025

by Restylit Interiors in Furnishing Tips

How Much Does an Interior Design Consultation Cost? Prices, Formats and What to Expect in 2025

By Alberto, co-founder — Restylit.com

How much does an interior design consultation cost? Prices vary significantly depending on the format: an online consultation starts from €129 for a single video call, reaches €300–500 for a project with 3D renderings covering one or two rooms, and rises to €3,000–8,000 or more for a complete project with a traditional studio. The main difference isn't quality — it's the model: online vs in-person, single room vs full apartment, consultation vs complete executive project.

In this guide we break down every format, the real market prices in 2025, and what you should expect at each price point.

Why Prices Vary So Much

The first thing you notice when searching "interior designer prices" is the enormous range — from €50 per hour to €10,000 per project. How is that possible?

Because you're comparing very different things. The factors that determine the price are mainly these.

The service format. A quick consultation, a full project with renderings, a project with site supervision — these are three completely different services at completely different price points. Comparing them on price alone without understanding what's included is like comparing the cost of a taxi to a flight.

Online vs physical studio. A physical studio has high fixed costs — rent, staff, site visits, travel. These costs are passed on to the client. An online service has much lower operating costs, and that difference goes back to the client.

The scope of the project. A single room is very different from a full apartment, which is very different from a renovation with executive technical drawings. Each level of complexity has its own price range.

Geographic location. Milan and Rome have rates 20–30% higher than the national average, even for physical professionals.

The professional's reputation and portfolio. A designer with a strong portfolio and well-known clients can charge three to five times the rates of someone starting out — and that's often justified.

Available Formats and Market Prices in 2025

Hourly consultation — physical studio

The most traditional format. The architect or interior designer meets the client, carries out a site visit (sometimes free, sometimes charged), and then works by the hour.

Average market rate: €60–150 per hour Project minimums: often €1,500–2,000 even for small interventions What it includes: site visit, in-person consultation, advice on materials and furniture Pros: physical presence, ability to see the space in person Cons: high cost for small projects, geographic limitations, long turnaround times

Per-room packages — online or hybrid

The intermediate format, which has grown significantly in recent years. You pay per room or per square metre, and everything happens remotely via video calls and renderings.

Average market rate: €200–600 per room Typically includes: moodboard, 3D renderings, shopping list, video call Pros: accessible, fast, lets you see the result before purchasing anything Cons: doesn't include technical drawings for the contractor, not suitable for major renovations

Full project with technical drawings — online

The format for those planning a renovation or who need a complete executive project. Includes everything required to hand over to a contractor.

Average market rate: €25–60 per sqm Typically includes: 3D renderings with revisions, executive technical drawings, shopping list, multiple video calls Pros: everything included, suitable for full renovations Cons: more significant investment, longer timelines (6–8 weeks)

Full project — traditional physical studio

The classic service — site visit, complete project, often with site supervision included.

Average market rate: €80–200 per sqm, with minimums of €3,000–5,000 For an 80sqm apartment: €6,400–16,000 and above Pros: continuous physical presence, site management, maximum personalisation Cons: very high cost, long timelines, geographically limited

Summary Table: Prices 2025

Format Indicative price Average timeline Best for
Hourly consultation (in person) €60–150/hour Variable Specific questions, small interventions
Per-room package (online) €200–600/room 2–4 weeks Single room furnishing
Full project (online) €25–60/sqm 4–8 weeks Full apartment, renovations
Full project (physical studio) €80–200/sqm 2–6 months Major renovations requiring physical presence

Restylit Prices: Full Transparency

One of the things that sets us apart is that our prices are public — no "quote on request." Here's the full breakdown.

Consultation BASIC — €129 A 45-minute video call with an architect. Personalised advice on furniture, colours, materials and lighting for 1–2 rooms. No renderings — ideal for those who need an expert opinion on a specific question. You receive a PDF with everything discussed.

Consultation BASIC + 3D — from €249 Our most popular format. Includes a complete moodboard, photorealistic 3D renderings, a shopping list with direct product links, a lighting concept, and a 45-minute video call. Price varies based on sqm — selected at checkout.

Consultation PLUS — from €499 Everything in Basic+3D, plus one executive technical drawing of your choice: furnished floor plan with measurements, lighting layout, ceiling design, built-in joinery drawings. For those who need a specific document to hand over to their contractor.

PLAN 2D — from €299 Floor plan only — up to 4 layout alternatives in 2D, without renderings or furniture specification. For those who need to resolve how to redistribute the spaces before making any other decision.

Essential — €33/sqm (min. 100sqm) Full design service for renovations. Includes 3 video calls, 3D renderings with 2 revision rounds, up to 4 executive technical drawings, and a complete shopping list. Delivered in approximately 60 days.

Advanced — €55/sqm (min. 100sqm) Our most comprehensive service. 5 video calls, renderings with 3 revision rounds, up to 8 technical drawings, cost estimate, and remote design supervision. For complete renovations where nothing can be left to chance.

What's Not Included — The Transparency Others Skip

No service includes everything. Here's what falls outside Restylit consultations — because we believe clarity is more useful than vague promises.

We don't manage the site physically. The project is delivered with all the necessary documents, but physical execution is delegated to the client's local contractor. We don't provide in-person site supervision, except in specific cases agreed separately.

We don't guarantee supplier prices. The shopping list includes products with direct links. Prices can vary. We have no commercial agreements with any supplier — this is an advantage, because our recommendations are completely independent.

The Basic package doesn't include renderings. The Basic video call is a consultation session, not a visual project. If you want to see the room in 3D before purchasing, you need at least the Basic+3D package.

How to Decide If the Price Is Worth It: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself

Before choosing any interior design service — including ours — it's worth answering these questions honestly.

1. What is my total budget for furniture and works? If you're spending €5,000 on furniture, a €300 consultation is 6% of the total. If you're spending €20,000 on a renovation, a €1,500 project is 7.5%. Less than the cost of a single significant purchasing mistake.

2. How much is it worth to me to avoid a wrong purchase? A wrong sofa costs €600–1,500. Wrong flooring on 80sqm costs €3,000–5,000. If the consultation prevents even one of these mistakes, it's already paid for itself.

3. Does the professional show me the result before I commit? This is the most important question. A 3D rendering that shows the finished room before you buy a single piece of furniture is the most concrete guarantee against regret that exists. If the service doesn't include renderings, you're buying advice — not vision.

The Comparison Nobody Makes: Physical Studio vs Online at Equal Quality

This is the point traditional studios often focus their marketing on: "online can't match being there in person."

In some specific cases that's true — very complex sites, luxury spaces with materials that are hard to assess remotely, projects that require weekly on-site presence. For the vast majority of residential projects, however, the real difference is almost eliminated by the quality of digital tools available today.

What changes significantly is the price.

An 80sqm apartment with a traditional physical studio: €6,000–10,000 and above. The same apartment with Restylit Advanced (€55/sqm on 80sqm): €4,400.

Same quality of design thinking. Faster delivery. No geographic limitations.

The question isn't whether online is "the same" as in-person. It's whether the difference is worth twice the price.

For most clients, the answer is no.

FAQ

Can I pay in instalments? Yes. On the Restylit website you can pay via Klarna (3 interest-free instalments) or PayPal. For Essential and Advanced packages it's possible to agree a split payment: 50% on order, 50% on project delivery.

Does the price change based on location in Italy? No. The service is entirely online and the price is the same whether you're in Milan, Palermo, London or Vienna. That's one of the structural advantages of the model.

Can I get a personalised quote before purchasing? For PLUS, Essential and Advanced packages, a free 15-minute introductory call is available. For Basic and Basic+3D, the price is determined by the sqm you select at checkout — transparent and with no surprises.

What happens if I'm not satisfied with the project? Renderings are presented during a video call before final delivery. If something doesn't convince you, it's discussed in that session and revised. Essential and Advanced packages include structured revision cycles within the process. The workflow is designed so that the client has approved the result before final delivery.

How long do I have to wait for the project? Basic+3D: approximately 30 days from when materials are received. PLUS: approximately 30 days. Essential: approximately 60 days. Advanced: approximately 60–70 days. Available slots each month are limited to maintain quality — there are sometimes short waiting lists.

Ready to Start?

If you'd like to understand which package is right for you before purchasing, you can book a free 15-minute introductory call with the Restylit team — available for PLUS, Essential and Advanced packages.

For Basic and Basic+3D you can go ahead and book directly online, selecting your sqm at checkout.

Discover all packages →

Restylit is an Italian interior design company, entirely online. Co-founded by Alberto and Mattea (qualified architect), we design residential and commercial spaces across Italy and Europe. Over 500 completed projects. 4.8/5 average across hundreds of verified reviews.

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The corner is the worst position for a television because it forces viewers to sit at an angle relative to the sofa. I know it sometimes seems like the only solution — but almost always it isn't. The right position. On the wall opposite the sofa, centred relative to it, at seated eye level. If there's a fireplace, the television doesn't go above the fireplace — it goes on another wall. If space doesn't allow it, there are design solutions (built-in walls, panels) that solve the problem without sacrificing your neck. Layout by Room Shape: The 4 Most Common Cases The ideal furniture arrangement changes depending on the shape of the room. Here are the four cases I encounter most often. Rectangular living room The most common shape and the one that causes the most problems, because people tend to put the sofa along the short wall, isolating it from the rest of the space. The best solution: sofa along the long wall, focal point on the short wall opposite. This uses the full length of the room and creates balanced proportions. Adding an armchair on the short side completes the conversation area without blocking circulation. Square living room The square living room is the easiest to get right — and the hardest to get badly wrong. Symmetry helps naturally. Sofa centred opposite the focal point, two symmetrical armchairs on either side, coffee table in the centre. The risk to avoid: too much furniture. In a square room, the empty space is part of the design. L-shaped layout (open-plan with kitchen) Here the main question isn't furniture arrangement — it's zone definition. The sofa naturally divides the living area from the dining or kitchen area. Positioning it with its back towards the kitchen is the most effective solution. The rug in this case is essential: it's what visually defines the boundary of the living zone, even without walls. Living room with no separation from the entrance The solution I most often see working well: the sofa positioned to create a visual barrier between the entrance and the living area. Someone walking in doesn't find themselves immediately inside the sitting room — there's a transition, even a minimal one, that gives the space a sense of order. The Mistakes I See Most Often After hundreds of projects, these are the errors that repeat themselves almost every time. Everything against the walls. I've already said it, but I'll say it again because it's the most widespread. Furniture against the walls doesn't "create space" — it creates a dead void in the centre of the room and makes everything feel too far apart. The coffee table is too large. A coffee table that takes up more than 60% of the distance between the sofa and the wall opposite is too large. It crowds the space, makes movement difficult, and visually compresses the room. The lamps are too high. Floor lamps in the living room shouldn't light the ceiling — they should create atmospheric light at eye level and lower. If the shade is above the head of someone seated, the lamp is too tall. The artwork is too high. The visual centre of wall art should be around 150cm from the floor — eye level. In almost every home I visit, artwork is hanging 20–30cm higher than it should be. Just move it down. Ignoring the window. The window is the source of natural light — and natural light is the most valuable material you have. The layout should always make the most of it, not block it with furniture or heavy curtains. How to Tell If Your Layout Works: 5 Questions Before treating a layout as final, answer these questions. 1. Can I move from one side of the room to the other without manoeuvring? If the answer is no, something needs to move. 2. When I'm sitting on the sofa, where does my eye naturally go? It should be towards the focal point — fireplace, television, main window. If I'm looking at a blank wall or towards the entrance, the sofa is in the wrong place. 3. Are the front legs of the sofa on the rug? If not, the rug is too small or badly positioned. 4. Is there at least one atmospheric light source beyond the main overhead light? A floor lamp, a wall light, LED strips under furniture. Without a secondary light source, the room feels like an office in the evening. 5. Can I see the whole room when I walk in through the front door? If the first thing I see is the back of the sofa or a storage piece, the entrance isn't being handled well. Layout Before Purchases — Always There's one thing I always say to clients at the start of every project: the layout is decided before buying any furniture. Not the other way around. Deciding the layout first means choosing the sofa already knowing where it will go — and therefore with the right dimensions. It means knowing whether there's room for an armchair or whether an ottoman works better. It means not buying a coffee table that then won't fit between the sofa and the opposite wall. At Restylit, the layout is always the first step of every consultation — before wall colours, before materials, before the shopping list. Because everything else depends on it. FAQ How far should the sofa be from the wall? It depends on the depth of the room, but as a general rule: at least 10–20cm. In larger rooms you can go up to 50–60cm without any problem. The important thing is that it's not pressed against the wall. Can the sofa go in the middle of the room? Yes, especially in large open-plan spaces where the sofa acts as a divider between the living and dining zones. In this case the back of the sofa also becomes a decorative element — choose one that looks good from behind too. How do you arrange a living room with two sofas? The two sofas should be positioned to create a conversation — facing each other or at an angle, never parallel along the same wall. The rug is even more important in this case because it's what unifies the two pieces. Is it possible to have both the sofa and the dining area in the same space? Yes — and it's the most common situation in modern apartments. The rug defines the living zone, the table defines the dining zone. The sofa with its back towards the table creates the visual separation without needing walls. How important is lighting in a living room layout? Enormously — and it's almost always the last thing anyone thinks about. Lighting isn't a decorative detail: it's what transforms a correct layout into a room that actually feels good to be in. Think about how you want the room to feel in the evening before deciding where to put the electrical sockets. If you're furnishing your living room and want a professional layout before buying anything, this is exactly how we work at Restylit — we start with the floor plan, build the layout, then add everything else. See how it 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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Rendering 3D degli Interni: cos'è, a cosa serve e perché cambia tutto prima di ristrutturare

3D Interior Design Renderings: What They Are, What They're For and Why They Change Everything Before a Renovation

3D Interior Design Renderings: What They Are, What They're For and Why They Change Everything Before a Renovation By Mattea, co-founder and Interior Architect — Restylit What is a 3D rendering for in interior design? A 3D rendering shows you exactly how a space will look — with the actual materials, precise proportions and planned lighting — before any work begins. It lets you spot mistakes when correcting them costs nothing, not when fixing them costs thousands. It's the tool that separates a guided renovation from a "fingers crossed" one. The Problem That Renderings Solve Imagine choosing bathroom tiles from a 10×10cm sample under fluorescent lighting in a showroom. You order them. You lay them. And only then do you realise that in your bathroom's natural light they look completely different from what you had in mind. Or imagine choosing a wood-effect porcelain floor for the living room. Beautiful in the sample. Laid across 30sqm, with your grey sofa and white walls, it looks cold and clinical. These aren't rare cases. They're the norm for anyone making decisions without a complete picture of the result. A 3D rendering solves this problem at the source. It doesn't ask you to imagine how things will look — it shows you. What Exactly Is a 3D Interior Rendering A 3D rendering is a photorealistic, computer-generated three-dimensional image that shows a space as it will actually appear once completed. It's not a sketch. It's not a floor plan. It's not a Pinterest mood board. It's your room — your actual room, with your dimensions, the materials you've chosen, the furniture you'll buy, and the light that will come through that window at that time of day — reproduced digitally before a single brick has been laid. A good 3D interior rendering includes: Exact proportions — based on the real floor plan of the space Real materials — the textures of that specific flooring, those specific tiles, that specific finish Real furniture — the actual 3D models of the products you'll purchase, not generic placeholders Simulated lighting — how natural light enters the space and how it interacts with the chosen colours Multiple viewpoints — from the entrance, from the sofa corner, from the kitchen looking into the living room Why a 3D Rendering Is Worth the Cost: The Numbers Let's do a concrete comparison. Without a rendering: You choose bathroom tiles from a sample → you lay them → they don't work → redoing a bathroom from scratch costs €5,000–10,000 You choose flooring for the living room → you lay it → it clashes with the furniture → it can't easily be changed You choose wall colours → you paint → the light in the room makes them look wrong → repainting: €400–700 You buy the sofa → it's out of scale with the space → you return it or sell it at a loss: €300–700 Total potential avoidable mistakes: €1,500–15,000+ depending on the scope of the renovation. With a rendering: You see tiles, flooring, colours and sofa in your actual room before purchasing → you adjust in the rendering → zero physical mistakes Cost of a rendering for an 80sqm apartment with Restylit Basic+3D: approximately €490 The arithmetic is clear. What You See in a Rendering — and What You Can Change Before Starting The value of a rendering isn't just aesthetic — it's decisional. Every element you see in the rendering is a choice you can adjust digitally before it's built physically. You can change: Wall colours → without buying a tin of paint The type of flooring → without ordering a single square metre The position of the furniture → without moving anything physically The type of lighting → without drilling a ceiling Bathroom finishes → without laying a single tile Kitchen layout → without calling the builder What you can't change in the rendering: Structural constraints — where the columns are, where the waste pipes run The actual natural light — the rendering simulates standard conditions; reality varies with season and weather Personal taste — the rendering shows what you've chosen, not what you should choose The Process: How We Get to the Rendering at Restylit At Restylit, the process that leads to the rendering works like this. 1. The client sends the materials Floor plan (even a hand-drawn photo works), current photos of the space, visual inspiration. Nothing complicated — no technical knowledge required. 2. The architect studies the space Analyses the proportions, sources of natural light, and existing constraints. Develops the layout proposal — where the furniture goes, how the space flows, how every corner is optimised. 3. Materials and furniture are selected The architect selects flooring, finishes, wall colours, specific furniture pieces, and lighting. Every choice is integrated into both the rendering and the shopping list. 4. The rendering is built The room is modelled in 3D with all the chosen elements. Lighting is set up, images are rendered. The result is what the client will see in the video call. 5. Presentation video call The client sees the rendering for the first time. They can ask questions, request adjustments, and approve the choices. This is the most important phase — where the project is validated or refined before a single euro is spent on materials. 6. Delivery Approved renderings, shopping list with direct product links, lighting layout, complete PDF. Everything ready to proceed with purchasing and works. 3D Rendering vs 2D Floor Plan: The Difference That Matters Many studios produce 2D floor plans — a top-down view of the space with the furniture positioned. They're useful for the contractor but they don't show how the room will look. The problem with a 2D floor plan is that it asks the client to "imagine" the three-dimensional result. And almost nobody can do that accurately. Proportions, heights, the relationship between volumes, colours, light — none of this comes through in a plan. 2D Floor Plan 3D Rendering Shows the layout ✓ ✓ Shows the colours ✗ ✓ Shows the materials ✗ ✓ Shows visual proportions Partially ✓ Shows the lighting ✗ ✓ Useful for the contractor ✓ Partially Useful for the client Limited Enormously The floor plan is for the builder. The rendering is for you. The Cases Where a Rendering Makes the Biggest Difference Bathroom renovation The bathroom is the space where material choices have the strongest visual impact — and are the most expensive to get wrong. Tiles, finishes, sanitaryware, taps, lighting — everything needs to work together. The rendering shows whether it does before a single grout line is laid. Open-plan kitchen and living room Two zones that need to communicate aesthetically while maintaining their own functional identity. Without a rendering, it's very hard to tell whether the boundary between the two areas is well managed or whether it will feel chaotic. Bedroom with walk-in wardrobe The wardrobe significantly changes the proportions of the bedroom. The rendering shows whether the room still "breathes" after it's added — or whether it becomes a corridor. Small apartments (under 60sqm) In a small space, every proportional mistake is amplified. The rendering lets you optimise every centimetre before it's committed. Buying or renovating a new property You're working on a home you don't know well yet — perhaps in another city. The rendering gives you the complete picture you can't build without visiting it multiple times. Photorealistic Renderings vs Conceptual Renderings: Not the Same Thing Not all renderings are equal. There are two main levels. Conceptual renderings Images generated quickly with simplified software. They give a general idea of the space — furniture positions, colour palettes — but they're not photorealistic. Materials look plastic, lighting isn't simulated correctly, and furniture pieces are generic. Photorealistic renderings Produced with professional software. Light interacts with materials in a physically accurate way. Textures are high-resolution. Furniture pieces are the actual 3D models of the products that will be purchased. The final image is difficult to distinguish from a professional photograph. At Restylit we produce photorealistic renderings — not conceptual ones. The difference is that what you see in the video call is genuinely what you'll build. Not an approximation — an accurate forecast. Before and After: Real Restylit Projects On the Restylit website, every case study shows two images side by side: the 3D rendering produced before the works, and the photo of the completed space. The comparison is consistently very close — not because we photograph well, but because the rendering is accurate. That's the internal benchmark we use: the rendering must predict the real result with the highest possible fidelity. If the client sees the rendering and then sees the finished room and recognises it, we've done our job well. How Much Does a 3D Rendering Cost at Restylit The 3D rendering is included in these packages: Basic + 3D — from €249 (price based on sqm) Photorealistic rendering, moodboard, shopping list, lighting concept, 45-minute video call. The most popular format for those furnishing from scratch or refreshing an existing space. PLUS — from €499 (price based on sqm) Everything in Basic+3D, plus one executive technical drawing. For those who need the rendering and a document to hand over to the contractor. Essential — €33/sqm (min. 100sqm) Rendering with 2 revision rounds, multiple video calls and up to 4 technical drawings. For complete renovations. Advanced — €55/sqm (min. 100sqm) Rendering with 3 revision rounds, up to 8 technical drawings, cost estimate. The most comprehensive service. For an 80sqm apartment on the Basic+3D package, the rendering costs approximately €490 — 6% of an €8,000 furniture budget. Real coverage against the most costly mistakes. FAQ Does the rendering include the exact products I'll purchase? Yes — the shopping list is built in parallel with the rendering, with direct links to the specific products. What you see in the rendering is what you can buy. If a product is discontinued between delivery and purchase, we suggest equivalent alternatives. Can I request changes after the first rendering? For Basic+3D and PLUS packages, significant changes after the presentation video call are generally billed separately. Essential and Advanced packages include 2 and 3 revision cycles respectively within the process. Does it work for bathrooms and kitchens too? Yes — and these are often the cases where the rendering delivers the most value, because material choices in these rooms are the most expensive to get wrong and the hardest to correct. How accurate is the rendering compared to the real result? With a precise floor plan and clear photos, accuracy is very high for proportions, colours and materials. The main variable is natural light — which changes with the time of day, season and weather conditions. The rendering shows light in standard conditions; reality varies around that baseline. Can I show the rendering to the contractor? Yes, and it's highly recommended. Renderings communicate the expected result far more effectively than any verbal description. Many contractors appreciate having a rendering as a reference — it reduces misunderstandings and change requests during the works. How long does it take to receive the renderings? For Basic+3D and PLUS packages: approximately 30 days from when the materials are received. For Essential and Advanced: included within the total 60–70 day project timeline. Start With the Rendering If you're renovating or furnishing and aren't sure where to begin, the rendering is the right starting point. Not because it's mandatory — but because it's the most economical way to have certainty before you spend. For a €10,000 renovation, a rendering that costs €490 is 5% of the total budget. Real protection against the most expensive mistakes. Discover packages with 3D renderings → Restylit is an Italian interior design company, entirely online. We design residential and commercial spaces with photorealistic 3D renderings, shoppable furniture lists and technical drawings for the contractor — across Italy and Europe.

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