Best commercial interior designers in London

A successful commercial interior must do more than photograph well. Offices need to support concentration, collaboration and changing working patterns. Restaurants and hotels must handle customer flow, acoustics, service routes and operational pressure. Retail environments have to express a brand while remaining practical to staff, clean and maintain.

Commercial interior designers can become involved at very different stages of a project. Some provide concept design, space planning and material specification before handing the scheme to a separately appointed contractor. Others operate as design-and-build businesses, taking responsibility for the design, technical coordination and physical fit-out under one contract.

Neither route is automatically better. A design-only appointment can give the client greater freedom to tender the construction package competitively. Design and build can simplify communication and create one principal point of responsibility. The most suitable structure depends on the project, the client’s internal experience and how much commercial risk they want the appointed team to manage.

This guide covers seven London studios with different areas of strength. Liqui Group works across offices, hospitality, retail and branded environments. Peldon Rose and Oktra are substantial workplace specialists, while COR London and DLSM Studio concentrate more heavily on hospitality and customer-facing spaces. Designed by Woulfe and Kia Designs are best considered for selective commercial briefs where a residentially influenced, highly tailored design approach is relevant.

Interior design, design and build, or fit-out?

These terms are connected, but they do not describe the same service.

Interior design studio

A commercial interior design studio may provide:

• Client brief development
• Workplace or operational research
• Concept design
• Space planning
• Mood boards and visualisations
• Material selection
• Furniture specification
• Lighting concepts
• Technical drawings
• Planning coordination
• Listed-building coordination
• Tender information
• Contractor review
• Site inspections
• Snagging

The client may appoint a separate contractor to carry out the construction.

This can make pricing easier to test through competitive tendering, although it also creates additional contracts and requires clear coordination between the designer, contractor and specialist consultants.

Design-and-build company

A design-and-build company provides the design and delivers the fit-out.

Its services may include:

• Workplace consultancy
• Concept and technical design
• Cost planning
• Mechanical and electrical coordination
• Construction
• Joinery
• Furniture
• Technology integration
• Move management
• Snagging
• Aftercare

The client gains one principal commercial relationship, but should still understand how design decisions, contractor margins, procurement costs and variations are controlled.

Fit-out contractor

A fit-out contractor specialises in constructing the interior.

Some fit-out businesses employ substantial in-house design teams. Others deliver schemes created by an external architect or interior designer.

The appointment should make clear who remains responsible for:

• Design completeness
• Building regulations
• Mechanical and electrical systems
• Fire strategy
• Accessibility
• Landlord approvals
• Planning
• Cost control
• Programme
• Construction quality

What does commercial interior design cost in London?

There is no meaningful universal hourly rate or percentage that covers every commercial interior project.

Studios may charge through:

• Fixed design fees
• Stage-based fees
• Percentage fees
• Day rates
• Monthly retainers
• Pre-construction agreements
• Procurement margins
• Design-and-build margins
• Contractor overheads and preliminaries

The total project cost is influenced by much more than the visible furniture and finishes.

An office moving into a usable Cat A space may require partitions, meeting rooms, flooring, furniture and technology. A shell-and-core unit may also need complete mechanical, electrical, ventilation, fire and welfare installations.

Hospitality interiors can require:

• Commercial kitchens
• Extraction
• Drainage
• Specialist ventilation
• Acoustic treatment
• Feature lighting
• Bar equipment
• Refrigeration
• Licensing work
• Durable bespoke joinery
• Customer and staff welfare facilities

Retail projects may need display systems, stock storage, security, signage and repeatable details that can be rolled out across several sites.

A useful commercial cost plan should separate:

• Design fees
• Surveys
• Specialist consultants
• Planning
• Building control
• Landlord approvals
• Mechanical and electrical systems
• Construction
• Furniture
• Lighting
• IT and audiovisual systems
• Signage
• Branding
• Professional fees
• Contingency
• VAT
• Aftercare

Liqui Group

London office: Thomas House, 84 Eccleston Square, London, SW1V 1PX

Phone: 020 3130 4069

Interior enquiries: interiors@liquigroup.com

Business hours: Consultations by appointment

Website

Liqui Group is a commercial interior design-and-build studio working across workplace, hospitality, retail and public-facing environments.

Its services include:

• Commercial interior design
• Brand-experience design
• Space planning
• Office design
• Restaurant and café design
• Retail design
• Fit-out
• Bespoke furniture
• Lighting design
• Product development
• Technical coordination
• Project delivery

The studio’s defining strength is the way it combines interior design with its own furniture and lighting capabilities.

Liqui operates from London and Sussex, with design and manufacturing resources that allow custom pieces to be developed alongside the wider interior. This can be particularly useful where furniture, joinery and lighting are central to the identity of the finished space rather than selected from standard catalogues.

Workplace design

Liqui publishes office projects covering headquarters, collaborative spaces, meeting environments and client-facing workplaces.

Its workplace service can include:

• Brief development
• Space planning
• Interior concept
• Meeting-room layouts
• Bespoke joinery
• Furniture
• Lighting
• Construction
• Installation

This integrated approach suits organisations that want the interior, furniture and visual identity to feel deliberately connected.

The studio is particularly relevant where the workplace also serves as a customer or brand environment, such as an investment office, creative business, showroom or mixed office-and-event space.

Hospitality and retail

Liqui’s design background translates naturally into restaurants, cafés and retail interiors.

These projects can require:

• Counters
• Banquette seating
• Display furniture
• Custom tables
• Decorative lighting
• Signage
• Branded finishes
• Durable customer-facing details

Keeping these elements within one design language can create a more coherent result than sourcing them through several disconnected suppliers.

Its portfolio also covers spaces combining several commercial uses. A retail environment may include product display, hospitality and events, requiring the layout to work differently throughout the day.

Bespoke manufacturing

Direct involvement in furniture and lighting manufacture gives Liqui more control over details that another studio might outsource entirely.

Clients should still obtain a clear breakdown showing:

• Which items are custom made
• Where they will be manufactured
• Lead times
• Prototype or sample stages
• Warranties
• Installation responsibility
• Replacement arrangements
• Ownership of design drawings

Custom products can strengthen a brand environment, but they may also require more advance planning than readily available furniture.

Sustainability

Liqui places sustainability prominently within its studio positioning.

A client should translate that ambition into measurable project requirements, which could include:

• Reuse of existing furniture
• Responsible timber certification
• Low-impact materials
• Local manufacture
• Product repairability
• Embodied-carbon targets
• Material passports
• Waste reporting
• SKA or BREEAM objectives

The chosen measurement should be written into the brief rather than left as general environmental language.

Pros

• Cross-sector commercial portfolio spanning workplaces, hospitality and retail
• Design, fit-out, bespoke furniture and lighting available through one group
• London design presence supported by Sussex manufacturing facilities
• Particularly well suited to branded and customer-facing interiors
• Detailed case studies across different project types
• Can coordinate custom products with the wider interior concept

Best for: Branded commercial interiors requiring design, fit-out, furniture and lighting to be coordinated through one creative team.

What to confirm: Contract structure, cost-plan transparency, custom-product lead times, statutory responsibilities, procurement margins and aftercare.

An exceptional workplace

“Steve and the team helped transform our ordinary Pall Mall office into an incredible workplace that respects the architecture and combines elegance with comfort.”

Nancy, Google review

Professional and detailed

“We were impressed with the professionalism and attention to detail shown by Liqui Group. They were easy to work with and maintained high standards.”

Demitasse London, Google review

Peldon Rose

Phone: 020 8971 7777

Business hours:

• Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
• Saturday to Sunday: Closed

Website

Peldon Rose is a London workplace strategy, office design, fit-out and maintenance company.

Its services include:

• Workplace strategy
• Building search support
• Test fits
• Office interior design
• Space planning
• Cat A fit-out
• Cat A+ fit-out
• Cat B fit-out
• Office refurbishment
• Furniture consultancy
• Relocation support
• Landlord services
• Ongoing workplace maintenance

Peldon Rose is primarily an office specialist rather than a general commercial interior studio.

This focus is valuable for businesses managing a relocation, lease event or substantial workplace transformation. Its process considers how the organisation uses space before progressing into design and construction.

Workplace strategy

The strategic stage can examine:

• Headcount
• Growth plans
• Hybrid-working patterns
• Desk utilisation
• Meeting-room demand
• Quiet-working requirements
• Team adjacencies
• Visitor experience
• Staff wellbeing
• Organisational culture

This can help a business avoid fitting out an office based solely on current desk numbers or assumptions about how people work.

A test-fit exercise can also be used during a building search to compare whether shortlisted properties can accommodate the required working environment.

Design and fit-out

Peldon Rose provides an end-to-end office service covering design, technical development and construction.

A typical project may include:

• Site surveys
• Briefing
• Workplace analysis
• Concept design
• Cost planning
• Technical design
• Mechanical and electrical coordination
• Construction
• Furniture
• Move support
• Snagging

The single-team structure can make responsibility clearer, particularly for organisations without an experienced internal property department.

Clients should still request cost alternatives and a transparent variation procedure so that design development remains connected to the approved budget.

Landlords and occupiers

The company works with both building owners and occupiers.

Landlord services can include Cat A, Cat A+ and managed workspace preparation, while occupier projects focus on the business moving into or refurbishing the space.

This gives Peldon Rose experience on both sides of commercial leasing and fit-out.

Everyday Services

Post-completion maintenance is one of the company’s more distinctive services.

Its ongoing workplace support can cover:

• General repairs
• Mechanical and electrical maintenance
• Minor alterations
• Decoration
• Furniture changes
• Planned maintenance

This can provide continuity after the original project team has completed the main fit-out.

The maintenance arrangement should be priced and contracted separately so the client understands what is included after the initial defects period.

Pros

• Strong London workplace strategy and office-delivery specialism
• Covers early building analysis through design, construction and occupation
• Experience with Cat A, Cat A+ and Cat B fit-outs
• Furniture, relocation and landlord services available
• Ongoing maintenance can support the workplace after completion
• Extensive portfolio across multiple business sectors

Best for: Office relocations and substantial refurbishments requiring workplace strategy, design, construction and continued maintenance.

What to confirm: Workplace research scope, fit-out cost benchmarks, furniture fees, landlord approvals, contingency, maintenance charges and warranty periods.

Oktra

London office: 6 St Cross Street, London, EC1N 8UB

Phone: 020 7553 9500

Email: info@oktra.co.uk

Business hours: Contact the London office for appointment availability

Website

Oktra is a large office design-and-build company headquartered in Clerkenwell.

Its services include:

• Workplace consultancy
• Office design
• Office fit-out
• Office refurbishment
• Furniture
• Small works
• Aftercare
• Landlord solutions
• Tenant fit-outs
• Coworking design
• Serviced-office design
• Higher-education environments

Oktra’s portfolio focuses on workplaces and provides unusually clear information about project scale, delivery periods and scope.

This can help prospective clients assess whether the company regularly undertakes work similar to their own proposed office.

Workplace consultancy

Before beginning the visual design, Oktra can examine how the organisation currently uses its space and how its requirements may change.

This can include:

• Staff engagement
• Occupancy research
• Space utilisation
• Hybrid-working patterns
• Meeting behaviour
• Growth forecasts
• Team relationships
• Brand and culture
• Building suitability

The findings can inform the balance between desks, meeting rooms, focus spaces, social areas and specialist facilities.

Office design and build

Oktra provides a complete route from design through construction.

Its office fit-out work can include:

• Briefing
• Concept design
• Space planning
• Technical coordination
• Cost development
• Programme planning
• Mechanical and electrical services
• Construction
• Furniture
• Installation
• Move-in support

The company’s own Clerkenwell office is published as an 18,300-square-foot project delivered over 12 weeks, illustrating the type of project information available in its case studies.

Small works and refurbishment

Although Oktra is known for substantial office projects, it also provides refurbishment and small-works services.

These may be suitable for:

• Meeting-room alterations
• Reception changes
• Furniture updates
• Reconfiguration
• Decoration
• Technology upgrades
• Phased improvements

Clients should confirm which London team would manage the project and whether a minimum contract value applies.

Sustainability and certification

Oktra publishes guidance and case studies involving BREEAM, SKA and sustainable material choices.

Where an accreditation matters, the client should confirm:

• Target rating
• Assessor
• Included evidence
• Responsibilities
• Programme impact
• Cost impact
• What happens if the target is not achieved

An accredited building does not automatically mean the tenant fit-out will meet the same standard.

Pros

• Large and experienced office design-and-build operation
• Workplace consultancy available before the design is fixed
• Detailed case studies frequently include size, programme and scope
• Provides fit-out, refurbishment, furniture, small works and aftercare
• Works with occupiers, landlords and flexible-workspace operators
• Strong London presence in Clerkenwell

Best for: Medium and large office projects requiring workplace analysis, design, construction and managed delivery.

What to confirm: Named project team, contract route, cost reporting, change control, design responsibility, sustainability targets and aftercare.

COR London

Phone: 020 3747 7107

Business hours:

• Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Weekend consultations: Confirm directly

Website

COR London is a boutique interior design, branding and strategy studio specialising in hospitality and customer-facing commercial spaces.

Its services include:

• Hospitality strategy
• Concept development
• Market and audience analysis
• Brand strategy
• Naming and identity
• Interior design
• Restaurant design
• Bar design
• Café design
• Retail design
• Selected workplace projects

The studio’s approach begins with the commercial concept rather than treating the interior as an isolated decorative exercise.

Hospitality strategy

A new hospitality venue needs more than an attractive aesthetic.

Before design begins, questions may include:

• Who is the customer?
• What is the expected spend?
• How long will guests stay?
• How many covers are required?
• What service model will be used?
• How should staff move through the space?
• Which areas need the greatest visibility?
• What should customers remember?
• How does the concept differ from nearby competitors?

COR’s strategy work can help connect these commercial questions with the eventual design.

Branding and interiors

The studio can develop the brand alongside the physical environment.

This may include:

• Brand positioning
• Naming
• Logo and identity
• Signage
• Menus
• Packaging
• Interior concept
• Customer journey
• Material and colour direction

Combining the brand and interior under one creative team can create a more coherent experience than commissioning them independently.

Restaurant and bar design

Hospitality design requires careful operational coordination.

A restaurant or bar brief may need input from:

• Kitchen designers
• Mechanical engineers
• Extraction specialists
• Lighting designers
• Acoustic consultants
• Licensing advisers
• Fire consultants
• Contractors
• Brand teams

COR can lead the creative and strategic direction, but the appointment should define who manages each specialist and who carries responsibility for construction delivery.

Boutique studio model

COR’s scale may appeal to founders and operators who want a direct relationship with the senior creative team.

It is especially relevant to:

• Independent restaurants
• Bars
• Cafés
• Emerging hospitality groups
• Customer-facing concepts
• Brands entering physical retail or hospitality

Pros

• Strong hospitality and customer-experience specialism
• Connects commercial strategy, branding and interior design
• Particularly relevant to restaurants, bars and cafés
• Boutique studio model can support direct creative collaboration
• Considers audience, concept and positioning before material selection
• Suitable for distinctive founder-led businesses

Best for: Restaurants, bars and cafés requiring commercial strategy, brand identity and interior design to be developed together.

What to confirm: Operational planning, consultant appointments, kitchen responsibility, planning and licensing support, tender process and site-management scope.

Expert design knowledge

“Camila and the COR London team did a great job designing my space. It was my first time working with an interior designer, and I was pleased with the result.”

Florian Webster, Google review

A seamless process

“I was thrilled with the end result. They made the planning and execution process seamless, and I would work with them again.”

Mimi JR, Google review

DLSM Studio

UK studio contact: 01273 820033

Email: hello@dlsmstudio.com

Studio teams: UK, Dubai and Europe

Business hours: Consultations by appointment

Website

DLSM Studio, formerly known as DesignLSM, is a hospitality strategy, branding and interior design practice working across hotels, restaurants, bars and leisure destinations.

Its services include:

• Hospitality strategy
• Brand strategy
• Naming and identity
• Interior architecture
• Interior design
• Restaurant design
• Hotel design
• Bar design
• Food-hall design
• Design management on site
• Branded leisure environments

DLSM’s portfolio is particularly relevant to established hospitality operators and larger customer-facing projects.

Hospitality interiors

The studio’s published work covers:

• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Bars
• Pubs
• Food halls
• Members’ environments
• Mixed food-and-beverage destinations
• Leisure concepts

Its projects often require the design to respond to an existing building, operating brand or wider property development.

This differs from the work of a studio designing only the customer-facing finishes. DLSM may be involved in the concept, brand, circulation, public areas, dining spaces and the relationship between several hospitality uses.

Branding and strategy

DLSM provides branding and hospitality strategy alongside interior design.

This can include:

• Market positioning
• Customer profile
• Brand story
• Naming
• Visual identity
• Signage
• Interior narrative
• Guest journey
• Food-and-beverage concept

The service can be especially useful where a new hospitality concept is being developed rather than simply refurbishing an established brand.

Hotels and larger operators

Hotel projects often require coordination between:

• Owner
• Operator
• Brand team
• Architect
• Interior designer
• Project manager
• Mechanical and electrical consultants
• Lighting designers
• Main contractor
• Procurement teams

DLSM’s experience with established hospitality brands and operators makes it particularly relevant to this type of project structure.

Its London portfolio includes major hotel and food-and-beverage environments, as well as restaurants and bars for recognised operators.

Design management

The studio provides design management through the project, including involvement during delivery.

This should not automatically be interpreted as acting as the main contractor.

The client should establish:

• Who holds the construction contract
• Who administers it
• Who certifies payments
• Who reports cost
• Who manages the programme
• How often the design team attends site
• What is included during snagging

Pros

• Specialist hospitality studio with hotel, restaurant and bar experience
• Provides strategy, branding and interior design
• Suitable for complex projects involving operators and established brands
• Substantial London and international hospitality portfolio
• Can develop the commercial concept alongside the physical environment
• Offers design management during delivery

Best for: Hotels, restaurant groups and substantial hospitality projects requiring strategy, branding and interior design.

What to confirm: UK project lead, construction contract, consultant team, local site involvement, procurement responsibilities and brand-approval process.

Designed by Woulfe

Phone: 020 3957 9863

Business hours:

• Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Saturday to Sunday: Closed

Website

Designed by Woulfe is a luxury interior design studio founded by Brian Woulfe.

Its work includes high-end homes alongside selected boutique hospitality, retail, private members’ environments, show homes and developer projects.

Commercial services can include:

• Concept development
• Interior design
• Space planning
• Bespoke furniture
• Material specification
• Lighting coordination
• Audiovisual coordination
• Procurement
• Contractor coordination
• Installation
• Styling

The studio is most relevant to commercial projects where atmosphere, custom detailing and a residentially influenced sense of comfort are central to the brief.

Boutique commercial interiors

Designed by Woulfe may be a good fit for:

• Boutique hotels
• Private clubs
• High-end spas
• Premium retail
• Show homes
• Serviced apartments
• Luxury customer suites
• Hospitality spaces seeking a residential character

These environments often need to feel personal and layered rather than overtly corporate.

Bespoke approach

The studio promotes a tailored design process rather than a fixed house style.

This can involve:

• Bespoke furniture
• Decorative lighting
• Art
• Custom finishes
• Specialist makers
• Detailed styling
• Carefully coordinated accessories

The service is therefore more closely aligned with experience-led and luxury commercial spaces than with high-volume office delivery.

Procurement and coordination

Designed by Woulfe can coordinate furniture, finishes and specialist suppliers.

Commercial clients should ask for a clear procurement schedule identifying:

• Supplier
• Product
• Lead time
• Studio margin
• Delivery
• Storage
• Installation
• Defects
• Replacement responsibility

They should also distinguish design coordination from the role of principal contractor or construction manager.

Commercial references

The studio publishes commercial capability, although its most visible portfolio remains strongly residential.

A prospective commercial client should request recent examples that match the proposed sector, scale and operational complexity.

Pros

• Strong luxury and bespoke interior-design capability
• Suitable for boutique hospitality, retail and members’ environments
• Bespoke furniture, procurement and styling can be coordinated
• Residentially influenced approach can create warm customer-facing spaces
• Central London studio
• Well suited to highly tailored briefs rather than standardised rollouts

Best for: Boutique hospitality, private clubs and premium customer-facing interiors requiring detailed, residentially influenced design.

What to confirm: Relevant commercial references, consultant scope, construction responsibility, procurement margins, site involvement and aftercare.

Meticulous detailing

“We loved working with Brian and his team. He focused on every detail and brought wide-ranging ideas to the project. The process felt highly customised.”

Mary Pang, Google review

Commitment to quality

“We have collaborated with Designed by Woulfe for several years and have been impressed by the commitment to quality and fine detailing on site.”

Steve Richardson, Google review

Kia Designs

Phone: 020 8065 5317

Email: studio@kiadesigns.co.uk

Business hours:

• Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
• Saturday to Sunday: Closed

Website

Kia Designs is a London Bridge interior design studio led by Kia Stanford.

The practice is known primarily for luxury residential interiors, but also publishes commercial design capability and a service covering interior architecture, bespoke joinery, furniture, lighting, procurement and installation.

Its commercial relevance is strongest where the intended environment shares qualities with high-end residential design.

Suitable commercial briefs

Projects that may align with the studio’s strengths include:

• Boutique accommodation
• Serviced apartments
• Premium show homes
• Private healthcare waiting spaces
• Residential-style offices
• Luxury customer lounges
• Small hospitality environments
• Developer presentation suites

These briefs often prioritise comfort, material detail and a less corporate atmosphere.

Interior architecture and joinery

Kia Designs provides interior architecture and detailed furniture planning.

This can include:

• Space planning
• Bespoke joinery
• Storage
• Decorative lighting
• Furniture specification
• Material selection
• Technology concealment
• Procurement
• Installation coordination

The studio’s experience with high-specification homes may be valuable where a commercial environment requires extensive custom storage, integrated technology or carefully layered furnishings.

Procurement

Kia Designs offers procurement and coordinates delivery and installation.

The studio has previously clarified that procurement and installation coordination should not necessarily be interpreted as day-to-day construction project management.

Commercial clients should therefore confirm:

• Whether the studio administers the building contract
• Who manages the contractor
• Who controls the programme
• Who manages statutory approvals
• How often the designer attends site
• What happens when construction issues arise

Commercial capability

The studio states that its team has experience across residential and commercial work, although the current public portfolio is more heavily weighted towards homes.

Recent comparable references are therefore particularly important for a business considering Kia Designs for an office, hospitality or customer-facing environment.

Pros

• Detailed luxury interior-design and interior-architecture capability
• Bespoke joinery, furniture, lighting and procurement available
• Well suited to boutique commercial spaces seeking a residential character
• London Bridge studio
• Can coordinate delivery and installation of specified furnishings
• Strong attention to storage, technology integration and decorative detail

Best for: Boutique commercial environments deliberately seeking a high-end residential atmosphere and detailed bespoke joinery.

What to confirm: Comparable commercial references, statutory consultant team, contractor-management responsibility, professional indemnity, procurement fees and site attendance.

Structured and professional

“Kia and her team went above and beyond to create a beautiful holiday home. Their attention to detail ensured it was fully equipped and ready for guests.”

Sarah Dean, Google review

A stress-free refurbishment

“I used Kia Designs again after a previous project. The team did a fabulous job, and the process was stress-free.”

Alison Burns, Google review

Comparing London commercial interior designers

Which commercial interior designer should you choose?

Choose Liqui Group when the project requires a cross-sector commercial team able to coordinate interior design, fit-out, custom furniture and lighting.

Choose Peldon Rose for an office relocation or refurbishment requiring workplace strategy, design, construction and longer-term maintenance support.

Choose Oktra for a medium or large workplace project needing consultancy, design-and-build delivery, furniture and structured aftercare.

Choose COR London for a restaurant, bar or café where the commercial concept, branding and interior should be developed as one customer experience.

Choose DLSM Studio for a hotel, restaurant group or larger hospitality project involving operators, brand standards and multiple specialist consultants.

Choose Designed by Woulfe for a boutique customer-facing environment where luxury detailing and residentially influenced comfort are more important than large-scale fit-out infrastructure.

Choose Kia Designs where the commercial brief closely matches the studio’s residential design strengths and recent comparable references are available.

Questions to ask before appointing a studio

1. Is the appointment design only or design and build? The contractual structure affects responsibility, tendering and cost control.

2. Who holds the construction contract? Establish whether the designer, client or another contractor employs the construction team.

3. Who is the principal designer under CDM? This role must be clearly appointed.

4. Who manages building regulations? Do not assume this sits automatically with the interior designer.

5. Are planning applications included? Planning, listed-building and advertisement consent may require separate work.

6. Who coordinates mechanical and electrical services? These systems often represent a substantial part of the budget.

7. Is workplace or hospitality strategy included? Some studios provide research and operational planning, while others begin with a fixed brief.

8. How are construction costs tested? Ask whether the project is competitively tendered, negotiated or delivered under open-book pricing.

9. What procurement margin applies? Furniture, lighting and accessories may carry studio or purchasing fees.

10. Who carries professional indemnity insurance? Obtain cover details relevant to the design work.

11. Who carries construction insurance? Contractor all-risk and public-liability arrangements should be clear.

12. What contingency is recommended? The allowance should reflect the building condition and design stage.

13. How are variations approved? Additional cost should be documented before work proceeds.

14. Who manages landlord consent? Commercial leases frequently require licences to alter and technical review.

15. What is included in snagging? Confirm inspections, reports, return visits and responsibility for closing defects.

16. How long does aftercare last? Separate the formal defects period from paid maintenance.

17. What warranties are provided? Furniture, equipment, finishes and construction may have different warranties.

18. Can the studio provide comparable references? References should match the sector and approximate project scale.

19. Who manages the programme? Design, approvals, procurement and construction must work to one realistic schedule.

20. What happens if the project exceeds budget? The agreement should explain redesign, value engineering and approval procedures.

Before signing the appointment

Request a written scope divided by project stage.

The agreement should identify:

• Briefing
• Surveys
• Concept design
• Developed design
• Technical design
• Visualisations
• Drawings
• Number of revisions
• Consultant coordination
• Planning
• Building control
• Tender support
• Procurement
• Site visits
• Snagging
• Programme
• Fees
• Expenses
• Exclusions
• Intellectual-property rights
• Liability
• Suspension
• Termination
• Dispute resolution

The appointment should also identify what the client must supply, including:

• Existing drawings
• Lease information
• Landlord requirements
• Brand guidelines
• Operational brief
• Equipment schedules
• IT requirements
• Budget
• Decision-makers
• Approval timescales

Building a useful commercial brief

A strong design brief should describe the business problem before prescribing the visual answer.

For an office, this may include:

• Current headcount
• Forecast growth
• Attendance patterns
• Meeting demand
• Quiet-working needs
• Client experience
• Accessibility
• Technology
• Staff wellbeing
• Brand culture
• Storage
• Security

For hospitality, it may include:

• Target customer
• Average spend
• Number of covers
• Service model
• Kitchen relationship
• Staff circulation
• Peak periods
• Acoustics
• Licensing
• Cleaning
• Maintenance
• Outdoor areas

For retail, it may include:

• Product range
• Customer journey
• Stock storage
• Display flexibility
• Transactions
• Security
• Signage
• Accessibility
• Seasonal changes
• Rollout potential

The best design response is the one that connects appearance with the way the business actually operates.

Cost control and value engineering

Value engineering should not mean replacing every distinctive material with the cheapest available alternative.

A useful process identifies:

• Features central to the concept
• Areas customers interact with most
• Materials requiring durability
• Elements that can be simplified
• Standard products that can replace bespoke ones
• Items that can be phased
• Existing components that can be reused
• Details that are expensive but add little operational value

Cost discussions should take place throughout design development rather than only after the complete scheme exceeds budget.

Aftercare and maintenance

Commercial interiors begin working when the design team leaves.

Before completion, establish:

• Cleaning requirements
• Manufacturer instructions
• Spare materials
• Paint references
• Replacement furniture
• Lighting controls
• Equipment manuals
• Warranty contacts
• Defects procedure
• Planned maintenance
• Post-occupancy review

A post-occupancy review can help identify whether the space performs as intended.

In an office, this might examine meeting-room use, noise and desk demand. In hospitality, it could assess circulation, lighting, acoustic comfort and wear. In retail, it may reveal whether displays, queues and customer movement work as planned.

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