What interior design costs in the Sea-to-Sky.

Almost nobody in this corridor publishes interior design pricing, which is why this question comes up on every discovery call. We'd rather answer it once, here, in plain numbers. The ranges below are what full-service design typically runs at LRD Studio in 2026. Every project is different — this is not a quote — but it is an honest floor and ceiling for what to expect.

Three tiers of engagement

Full home design (new build or full renovation) — $80K to $250K+ design fee. Typical engagement: 12–24 months. Covers concept, schematic design, construction documents, finishes specification, millwork design, lighting plan, FF&E selection and install, and weekly site coordination through the build.

Single room (kitchen, principal living space, primary bath) — $15K to $45K design fee. Typical engagement: 4–8 months. Full design for one room — millwork, material, lighting, FF&E.

Refresh or FF&E-only — $8K to $25K. Typical engagement: 3–6 months. Furniture, art, and accessories for an existing home. No construction.

What the design fee does not include

The design fee covers our time, our process, and our intellectual property. It does not include construction, cabinetry, stone, appliances, plumbing fixtures, flooring, lighting fixtures themselves, furniture, or art. Those are separate line items billed by the trades and vendors who supply them. On a full Sea-to-Sky home, design fees typically represent 8–15% of the total interior project cost — the rest is trades, finishes, and FF&E.

How we structure the contract

Fixed-fee for defined phases (concept, schematic design, construction documents, FF&E). Hourly when scope is genuinely unknown — usually only for small refresh work or unusual site conditions. No percentage-of-total fees. No hidden markups on materials. Our margins are transparent and disclosed in the contract. Clients see what we see.

When full-service is worth it

Almost always, if the scope is more than a single room. The cost of hiring a designer is almost always less than the cost of fixing what gets built without one — wrong outlet locations, cabinet heights that don't work, a stone selection that clashes with the tile. The real return, though, is a home that doesn't need to be redecorated in five years because it was designed for how you actually live.

FAQ

Common questions.

Why don't most firms publish pricing?

Two reasons: every project is different, and some firms don't want the conversation to start at dollars. We think the opposite — a budget conversation in the first meeting filters out mismatches and lets us focus on whether the work is a fit.

What's the difference between an interior designer and a decorator?

A registered interior designer (RID) is professionally trained and certified (typically NCIDQ-credentialed) to work on the built environment — including millwork, lighting plans, space planning, construction documents, and code compliance. A decorator works on aesthetic layering: furniture, art, finishes in a non-structural scope. Both have their place. Our work is primarily the former.

Is design fee billed up front or over time?

Over time. Billed monthly as the work is delivered, against a defined phased scope. Retainer on signing (typically 15% of the total), then monthly invoices through the project.

Can we phase the project to spread the cost?

Yes, and we often do. Phase one might be kitchen and primary suite; phase two might be the lower-level family room and guest suites. We design the whole home at the start — so future phases stay coherent — then execute in chapters.

Let’s talk about how your family lives.

Every project starts with a conversation about who you are and how you actually live.

Start a Project or email hello@lrdstudio.ca

Interior Design Cost & Process Guide — Sea-to-Sky | LRD Studio