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Stile Japandi: Cos'è, Come Si Applica in Casa e Perché Non Si Compra da IKEA

Japandi Style: What It Is, How to Apply It at Home and Why You Can't Buy It at IKEA

by Restylit Interiors in Furnishing Tips

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

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. 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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? 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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

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. 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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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Quanto Costa un Interior Designer per Ristrutturare Casa nel 2025: Prezzi Reali e Cosa Cambia con 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 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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