How Much Does it Cost to Furnish a Living Room with a Designer in 2025?
Whether you’re moving into a first home and need all new furniture, you’re building a dream home and will take pieces with you from a previous home, looking for a refresh of your current home, downsizing, upsizing, or anything in-between, you may be wondering “How much does it cost to furnish a living room with a designer in 2025?”. Well, that can be a tricky question as there are a lot of variables that go into a final budget number including starting from scratch vs mixing pieces you currently own in with new, designer fees, furniture costs from mid-range to luxury brands/artisans, shipping fees, storage fees, and taxes based on location. Let’s break it down below.
Designer Fees
Interior designers can charge in a number of different ways when it comes to furniture selections, procurement, and installation. Below are a variety of fee structures you may come across when looking to hire an interior designer.
Flat Fee
Based on the scope of work, a designer will propose a flat rate for selecting & procuring furniture. Prices can range drastically based on the scope of work, but likely start at around $3,500 for a living room project and can go up from there.
-As a consumer, the benefit is up-front knowledge of what the project will cost.
Hourly Rate
As it sounds, a designer will charge an hourly rate for selecting & procuring furniture. This rate can vary based on the designer’s experience, reputation, and location, but typically ranges between $100-$500 per hour.
-As a consumer, the benefit is you will not be billed more than the time it takes the designer to accomplish the work and you can drive how many options are needed or how quickly decisions are made.
% Mark-up on Goods Sold
Designers will purchase product from a manufacturer at a discounted rate and mark up the product when re-selling to the client.
-As a consumer, you get access to products that are available to-the-trade only.
Cost Plus %
Based on the final cost of all products being procured, the designer will add a percentage on top of the final wholesale total.
-As a consumer, you get access to products that are available to-the-trade only and is very transparent.
Combination
There are a variety of ways the first four fees can be combined. At Sepal Design Studio, I charge an hourly rate for selections. Procurement & installation services are covered by my % mark-up on goods sold.
Designed with a team while working at Hufft, Photography by Michael Robinson
Furniture Costs
Furniture costs can also vary drastically. When hiring an interior designer, typically they will not source from less-reputable or lower-grade retailers as we want you to have high-quality pieces that will last you years. To-the-trade manufacturers also have much better customer service when an issue arises, whether that be damaged goods or a wrong finish. That being said, there are always times when it makes sense to mix a high-quality piece with a more affordable piece and it’s important to work with a designer that will respect your desires and financial needs.
Below is a low-cost and high-cost budget for a larger living room project I might source at Sepal Design Studio. I put these budgets together with the caveat that by mixing more affordable pieces into the low-cost number, or adding very high-end, one-of a kind pieces into the high-end number, the budget could land slightly below or above these numbers. And of course, selecting a mix of products could land you somewhere in the middle. The most important thing is to be up-front with your designer about your budget and goals for the project.
The low number represents mid-range product lines - retailers like Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Arhaus - that have good-quality pieces, but are not very customizable in terms of sizes and finishes. They are products available to the public and less bespoke.
The high number represents high-end, luxury pieces - to-the-trade only products, bespoke lines, artisans - that have amazing quality and craftsmanship, and can be customized in size and finish. They are pieces that would be rare to be seen (if ever) in someone else’s home and are made to perfectly fit your lifestyle and aesthetic.
Shipping, Storage, Installation & Taxes
As seems to be the the mantra of this post, these costs can vary from project to project. Where your designer is sourcing from, whether you as the client are accepting retail products in your home or a warehouse will be utilized for receiving/storage/white-glove installation (often needed for to-the-trade-only products and typically a nicer, full-service option), and what state you’re located in all factor into these costs. I typically like to add 25% (a very comfortable cushion) to the project total to account for these fees when budgeting leaving us with a grand total of...
Based on the information above regarding design fees, furniture costs, and additional fees, I would budget anywhere from $35,000 - $175,000 for a large, full-scope living room furniture update utilizing an interior designer. While some designers are fine to source from mid-range retailers, others only like to use high-end, luxury, bespoke lines, so be sure to ask these questions and share your budget when looking to hire a designer to help with furniture selections and procurements!
A Note on Vintage/Antiques
Right now is a wonderful time to consider incorporating vintage and antique pieces into your home! With high foreign tariffs and an increasing need to be mindful of our manufacturing and consumer impact on the planet, buying pieces that have a history and giving them a second life is a fantastic choice to add depth to your space.
