Several fee models exist in our profession. One of the most common is to calculate the interior designer’s fees according to the total construction budget.

This approach may seem logical at first. Yet it raises a question that I consider important: if the fee depends directly on the amount spent, is the professional not naturally encouraged to propose the most expensive solutions?

I am not suggesting bad intentions. Most professionals work seriously and honestly. But the mechanism itself can sometimes create ambiguity.

The role of an interior designer should be to find the most appropriate solution for the project, the space and the client’s budget — not necessarily the most expensive one.

This is why we prefer fixed fees defined according to the complexity and scope of the project. Whether we specify a more affordable material or a more expensive one does not change our remuneration. This allows the design decisions to remain independent from the amount ultimately spent on construction.