How Much Does Interior Design Cost in Atlanta?

Jun 8
4 min read

A Practical Guide for Homeowners

One of the most common questions we receive is:

"How much should I budget for interior design?"

Whether you're furnishing a new home in Alpharetta, renovating a basement in East Cobb, refreshing a living room in Marietta, or building a custom home in Milton, understanding realistic investment levels can help you plan with confidence.

The truth is every project is different. However, after working with homeowners throughout Atlanta, Roswell, East Cobb, Marietta, Alpharetta, and Milton, we've found that most successful projects start with a clear understanding of both design fees and furnishings investment table. On this blog, we break it down and even share per-room investment guidance.

First: What Are You Actually Trying to Accomplish?

Most homeowners fall into one of three categories:

Furnishing an Existing Home

"We love our house, but it doesn't feel like us."

This is often the case when:

● You've recently moved.

● The kids are older and your needs have changed.

● Your home feels unfinished.

● You want a more cohesive, elevated look without major construction.

Renovating

"We need the home to function differently."

This may include:

● Kitchens

● Bathrooms

● Basements

● Main floor remodels

● Mudrooms

● Laundry rooms

Building a New Home

"We want to make thoughtful decisions before construction starts."

The earlier an interior designer joins the process, the more intentional - and often more cost-effective - the final result becomes. We help clients visualize their future home long before the drywall goes up, making intentional decisions early rather than reacting later.

Before vs After Dining Transformation - Project Martha

Furnishing Budget Guidance

One of the biggest misconceptions about furnishing a home is that the investment stops at the sofa. To create a designer-curated space, we layer furnishings, lighting, artwork, and accessories to bring the vision to life. Rather than designing room by room, we create one cohesive story for the home, with a consistent palette and unique feel in each space. Some rooms may feel moodier, like an office or guest bedroom, while others, such as the primary bedroom, feel calm and restorative.

Even if your home only needs a furnishing refresh, the transformation can be dramatic.

Check our recent Home Transformation full furnishing Atlanta Project HERE

A completed room typically includes:

Furniture
Lighting
Rugs
Window treatments
Artwork
Styling accessories

Here are the investment ranges we commonly see for full-service furnishing projects:

Room	Thoughtfully Curated	Luxury Investment
Living Room	$20–30K	$45–55K+
Primary Bedroom	$15–25K	$30–50K+
Dining Room	$12–20K	$25–40K+
Home Office	$10–15K	$20–40K+

These ranges do not include sales tax, white-glove delivery, installation, or styling accessories.

Our full-service furnishing projects begin with a $35,000 furnishings investment, with many clients investing between $50,000 and $150,000+ depending on the number of rooms and level of customization

How Long Does a Furnishing Project Take?

Most furnishing projects take approximately 5–6 months from kickoff to installation. Timelines vary based on room count, furniture lead times, customization, and overall project scope. Clients planning ahead often enjoy the smoothest experience, especially for whole-home furnishing projects.

What Does Full-Service Interior Design Include?

At Design & Curations, our furnishing projects typically include:

Spatial planning
Design concept development
Color and material direction
Furniture selections
Lighting selections
Rug sourcing
Window treatment design
Artwork and styling recommendations
3D renderings
Procurement and purchasing
Delivery coordination
Installation oversight
Final styling

Our goal is simple: you should be able to walk into your completed home and enjoy it without managing hundreds of decisions, deliveries, and contractor conversations.

Many clients tell us installation day feels like an HGTV reveal - and honestly, that's one of our favorite parts!

What About Design Fees?

Every studio approaches pricing differently.

Some charge hourly. Others work entirely on markup.

At Design & Curations, we prefer transparency and clarity. No Surprises. Most furnishing design fees begin around $3,000 per room and vary based on complexity, custom features, and project scope. For our most recent fee guidance, you should visit our services page HERE.

The benefit of fixed-fee design is that you will know what to expect upfront, with no surprises as the design phase progresses. Our design process is structured and transparent, providing clear deliverables, timelines, and expectations from the start.

You know what to expect, when to expect it, and what to pay.

Renovation Costs

Renovation projects require a greater level of planning and coordination.

Beyond selecting finishes, renovation design often includes:

Space planning
Cabinet layouts
Electrical planning
Plumbing coordination
Elevations
Material selections
Contractor collaboration
Site visits

Although our per-space design fee currently starts at $5,000, we would encourage you to check our most recent fee guidance. You can always visit our services page HERE.

Construction costs vary significantly depending on scope, finishes, and contractor pricing, making it difficult to provide one-size-fits-all renovation budgets.

New Build Design Costs

For new construction homes and unfinished basements, we recommend involving an interior designer as early as possible.

Our new build clients often receive a detailed specification package that includes:

Floor plan reviews
Electrical planning
Finish schedules
Plumbing selections
Lighting schedules
Paint schedules
Hardware schedules
Cabinetry design
Furnishing plans

Most new build design projects are customized based on square footage, level of detail, and scope.

Is Hiring an Interior Designer Worth It?

For many homeowners, the greatest value isn't simply having a beautiful home.

It's having clarity

A clear plan

A clear budget

A clear vision

And someone helping you avoid costly mistakes along the way.

One of our Alpharetta clients shared:

"Their diagrams, drawings, and simulations were so detailed and meticulous that it made the contractor's job so much easier."

Life is busy.

Managing furniture orders, construction decisions, delays, damages, and installations can quickly become overwhelming. Our role is to simplify the process, create a beautiful outcome, and allow you to enjoy the journey.

If you're looking for a quick rule of thumb:

2-room furnishing project → $50K+
Main living spaces → $75K+
Whole-home furnishing → $150K+
Renovation and furnishing projects → highly dependent on construction scope

Every home is different, but having realistic expectations from the start often leads to a smoother and more enjoyable process.

Thinking About Your Atlanta Home?

Whether you're furnishing a home in Roswell, renovating a basement in Alpharetta, refreshing a family room in Marietta, building a custom home in Milton, or transforming your home in East Cobb, we'd love to help. Book your complimentary discovery call.