Interior designer cost per square metre in Italy: how fees work

Per square metre, fixed fee, percentage or hourly: how interior designers charge in Italy, what a project includes and why the “average” rates you find online deserve a second look.

Interior designer cost per square metre in Italy is not set by any official scale: it is agreed between designer and client and depends on floor area, the stages included, the level of customisation and the complexity of the job. For architects, professional fee scales were abolished in 2012, and the fee must be agreed in writing when the job is commissioned; interior designers who are not architects work in a profession that is not organised into a statutory professional body.

That is why per square metre figures quoted online should be treated with caution. Without a dated source and a clear scope of work, a number on its own says very little. It is more useful to understand how the price is built, so you can compare different quotes on the same basis.

How much does an interior designer cost in Italy?

What an interior designer costs in Italy depends on the agreement you reach: there is no minimum or maximum reference fee for private commissions. Italy’s National Council of Architects (CNAPPC) notes that article 9 of decree law 1/2012, converted by law 27 of 24 March 2012, abolished the fee scales of regulated professions, and that the fee is agreed between professional and client when the job is commissioned, as explained on its page Sistema di calcolo, compensi e costi. The professional is free to choose the calculation method they consider most appropriate, the Council adds, but must explain the complexity of the job and provide an outline quote.

You will find plenty of per square metre ranges online for Italy. We could not trace any of them to an official, dated source, so we do not use them as a benchmark. If you want a reliable order of magnitude for your city, ask several designers to quote on exactly the same scope of work.

How do interior designers charge?

There are four common ways to charge, and they are often combined within one project:

Method	How it works	When it makes sense
Per square metre	A set amount for each square metre designed	Full flat renovations, where the workload grows with floor area
Fixed fee	One amount for a defined set of services	Single room projects or consultations with a clear deliverable
Percentage	A share of the value of the works or supplies	Projects with site supervision and significant building costs
Hourly	An hourly rate multiplied by the time spent	Short consultations, colour and material choices, one off site visits

The percentage approach echoes Italy’s ministerial parameters. Ministerial decree 140/2012, in force since 23 August 2012 according to the CNAPPC, uses a formula that starts from the value of the works and combines it with coefficients for complexity and type of service. That decree, however, applies only when a court has to set the fee because the parties never agreed one; separate decrees cover fees for public contracts, and neither governs a private home project.

How is the cost per square metre worked out?

The cost per square metre is simply the total proposed fee divided by the floor area of the project, and it is only comparable when the services included are the same. The usual process looks like this:

First meeting

An initial meeting sets out goals, style, budget and special requirements. It may be free or carry a small fee, so ask beforehand.

Estimate

The designer assesses area, complexity and customisation and suggests an order of magnitude. This is the moment to ask which stages the per square metre price includes.

Detailed quote

A written quote should separate the designer’s fee from everything else: building works, materials and supplies, permits and contingencies. The architects’ code of conduct, the CNAPPC points out on its page Compensi professione, requires a written contract when the job is commissioned.

What stages does an interior design project include?

A typical project includes a survey, a concept, developed and detailed design, furniture and material selection and, where agreed, site supervision. The total cost depends mainly on how many of these stages you buy:

1. Survey and analysis: measurements, existing layout and services.
2. Concept: space planning, mood boards, first style proposals.
3. Visualisation: drawings and, if requested, photorealistic renders.
4. Detailed design: construction drawings, bespoke joinery, lighting, cost plan.
5. Selection and procurement: furniture, finishes and fabrics, with optional help placing orders.
6. Site supervision: coordinating contractors on site, when the professional is qualified to do so.

What affects an interior designer’s price?

Floor area, customisation, complexity and location are the main drivers:

• Size of the space: more square metres mean more design hours, although the rate per square metre may fall on larger areas.
• Customisation: bespoke furniture, rare materials and construction details need more drawings and more checking.
• Complexity: demolition, moving services or building restrictions add time and responsibility.
• City and market: fees vary between regions and between studios.
• Studio reputation: well known names, such as some of the Italian interior designers you should know, work in a different price bracket from a young practice.

Architect or interior designer: does the fee work differently?

In Italy both follow the same principle of free negotiation, but they can sign off different services. An architect is registered with a professional order and can also handle planning applications and site supervision; Italy has a long tradition of architects who design interiors, as our overview of famous Italian architects shows. An interior designer who is not an architect works in a profession not organised into orders, governed by law no. 4 of 14 January 2013. AIPI, the Italian association of professional interior designers active since 1969, is listed under that law by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, according to its page Chi siamo. If your project needs permits, the quote should state who will sign them.

How can you keep the cost down?

Define goals and budget before you start, compare like for like quotes and choose carefully which stages to commission:

• Planning: bring measurements, photos, a budget and priorities to the first meeting to cut consultation time.
• Comparing designers: ask for at least three quotes with the same list of services, or the per square metre comparison will be misleading.
• DIY: painting and furniture assembly can be handled yourself, leaving the technical parts to the designer.
• Targeted advice: for a single room, a fixed fee or hourly consultation may be enough instead of a full project.

The fee is only part of the spend. To estimate the furniture budget in advance, one reference is the Arredare Moderno catalogue, useful for getting a feel for price ranges before you talk to your designer.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official fee scale for interior designers in Italy?

No. Architects’ fee scales were abolished in 2012 and there is no mandatory scale for interior designers who are not architects. The fee is negotiated.

Does the quote have to be in writing?

For architects, the professions reform introduced a duty to provide a quote and the code of conduct requires a written contract. In any case, putting services and fee in writing protects both sides.

What if no fee was agreed?

Under article 2233 of the Italian Civil Code, if the parties did not agree a fee it is set by a court and must be proportionate to the importance of the work. For architects, the court applies the parameters of ministerial decree 140/2012.

Sources

• CNAPPC, “Sistema di calcolo, compensi e costi” (updated 22 April 2021, in Italian)
• CNAPPC, “Compensi professione” (updated 23 February 2021, in Italian)
• CNAPPC, “Disciplinari d’incarico e contratti tipo” (in Italian)
• AIPI, “Chi siamo” (in Italian)
• Italian Civil Code, art. 2233 (Brocardi.it) (in Italian)