Get Quotes from Top Interior Designers in New York City, NY

Are You Registered or Certified to Practice as an Interior Designer in New York City?

There are no mandatory local registration requirements for interior designers who wish to practice in New York City. However, under Article 161 of the NY Education Law, any individual in the city who wishes to use the title "Certified Interior Designer" must complete a state-level licensure process overseen by the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) through its Office of the Professions before doing do.

The unauthorized practice or use of the Certified Interior Designer title is considered unlawful, and violators can receive civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation and other statutory penalties.

Interested parties who wish to be licensed and certified as interior designers by the NYSED can initiate the process with the department online. Note that applicants are typically required to meet certain eligibility criteria, which include:

• They must be at least 21 years old
• They must be of good moral character
• They must have accrued at least seven years of combined educational and experience credits. These must include
  • At least two but no more than five years of postsecondary education in an approved interior design program
  • At least two years of satisfactory and verifiable interior design work experience
• They must pass all three sections of the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ) Examination.
• They must pay all stipulated fees.
• They must provide any other additional forms and documentation that the NYSED may deem necessary at the time of the application.

Queries concerning the licensure process for NYC interior designers can be directed to the New York State Department of Education's Office of the Professions online or by calling (518) 474-3817, pressing 1, and then ext. 570.

Always hire NYC interior designers who have been properly licensed and certified by the NYSED, as this provides confidence that they have attained the minimum required qualifications and experience needed to get the job done competently and professionally.

You can confirm your intended interior designer's licensing status online via the NYSED's Verification Searches platform. It is always in your best interest to do this before signing any contracts with the interior designer, especially if they refer to themselves as "certified interior designers".

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Interior Designers in New York City?

Professional interior designers in NYC typically use one or a combination of the following methods when charging clients for their services:

• Flat/Fixed Rates: this involves the interior designer charging a flat fee for their services or specific aspects of the job like consultations and design reviews. These fees are typically paid upfront.
• Percentage Rates: this involves the interior designer charging a percentage of the overall cost of the remodeling project, which often ranges from 10 – 25 percent. These fees are typically not paid upfront, and this method also allows the client to have a clear estimate of the cost of hiring the interior designer. However, dishonest interior designers may take advantage of clients under this method by recommending expensive and unnecessary materials for the project to inflate its total cost, thereby increasing their fees.
• Hourly Rates: this involves the interior designer charging an agreed-upon hourly rate for their services, and this method is preferable for relatively small projects. Note that the client is often required to pay a retainer upfront.

Getting and comparing rates from at least three different interior designers before hiring any interior designer in NYC is an effective way to avoid being scammed or overpaying for your project, and you should always do this when searching for suitable interior designers in the city. Note that certain factors will affect the overall cost of hiring these interior designers, such as:

• The size of the space to be designed
• The scope of interior design services to be offered
• The interior designer's local reputation
• Your location within the city

Interior designers in New York City earn an average annual wage of $72,390. The list below provides the average hourly wages of these professionals compared with the average hourly wages of interior designers across the rest of New York State as well as several other locations in the United States:

What Kind of Interior Design Services Do You Offer?

Professional NYC interior designers typically offer clients a wide range of design and decorating services for residential and commercial spaces, such as:

• Space planning
• Preparation of layout drawings, specifications, and schedules
• Light, sound, and interior floral design
• Selecting, purchasing, and arranging surface coverings, furniture finishes, and other similar items and materials
• Project monitoring and post-occupancy review

Bear in mind that even though the terms "interior designer" and "interior decorator" are often used interchangeably, these titles are different. Interior designing typically requires formal education and training, and these professionals often work closely with architects, engineers, general contractors, and other similar craftsmen when providing their services, which involve enhancing the design and functionality of spaces.

On the other hand, interior decorating is a subset of the interior design industry that focuses mostly on the aesthetics of spaces, and interior decorators do not typically need formal education or training.

Nevertheless, you should always find out and agree on the specific nature, scope, and cost of services that your preferred interior designer is equipped to offer before finalizing any hiring arrangements with them. Failing to do this can result in unsatisfactory service delivery at the end of the day.

Provided below are cost estimates for NYC interior design services based on the different fee structures:

Residential interior design services cost estimates

Commercial interior design services cost estimates

What is Your Favorite Interior Design Style?

When undertaking interior design projects in NYC, it is always a good idea to confirm that your intended interior designer has the right level of experience and imagination needed to bring your desired vision for your new or remodeled space to life. Failing to do this can see you ending up with a space that leaves you feeling uncomfortable and highly dissatisfied.

Similarly, if you plan to hire a well-known interior designer, you can also request their portfolio and check to ensure that this designer's particular style aligns with the ideas you have for your home.

While Minimalist is one of the most popular interior design styles in NYC, many homeowners also favor the Scandinavian design style. Other popular style options that you can implement for your interior design include:

• Bohemian
• Art Deco
• Organic Modern
• Transitional
• Contemporary
• Coastal/Hamptons
• Eclectic
• Shabby Chic
• Traditional

If you do not have your mind set on a specific interior design style, you can consider working with your interior designer to develop a style that uniquely complements your personality and age. Some of the more popular interior design styles amongst various NYC age groups are:

• Generation X/Baby Boomers – Rustic, Traditional
• Generation Y/Millennials – Contemporary, Minimalist, Organic Modern
• Generation Z –Eclectic, Rustic

Can You Provide References from People You Have Served in the New York City?

When planning your home remodeling project in NYC, it is common to get referrals to interior designers in the city from friends and relatives who have completed similar projects or from online sources like:

• The Interior Design Society of New York City
• The American Society of Interior Designers

Regardless of how you get in touch with any interior designers in the city, you should always ask them to provide you with references from clients they have worked for before finalizing any hiring arrangements with them. This is a good way to determine their legitimacy and get reviews on their professionalism, work ethic, and service delivery.

Professional interior designers in NYC will not hesitate to provide you with references, and many of them will even offer you a work portfolio with "before and after" images of their work and designs. Consider it a red flag if any interior designer cannot provide up to three local and verifiable references, and strike them off your list of potential hires.

After checking references, you should also consider reviewing reviews and complaints on the contractor on platforms like the NYSED's Enforcement Actions webpage, the Better Business Bureau, Yelp, and Google Review.

How Do You Structure Your Interior Design Projects?

How interior designers structure their projects is a crucial factor to consider when looking for qualified interior designers for your home remodeling project in NYC. Finding out how your preferred designer organizes their projects helps you understand how they manage their time and also gives you a sense of the outcome of the design process.

This, in turn, helps you ascertain if the interior designer's projected timeline will coincide with any particular milestones you may have for your remodeling project, such as anticipated move-in dates and visits from relatives or friends.

NYC interior designers typically structure their design processes as follows:

• Discovery: This step involves determining the client's unique style and needs, reviewing inspiration images and drawings, and discussing the overall plan for the project
• Inspiration: This step involves the interior designer and their design team creating a concept statement for each room that is to be remodeled, which will be used to guide the project's overall direction
• Design: This step involves the interior designer presenting the client with fully developed design ideas for the project. During this stage, design reviews, revisions, and adjustments are made to meet the client's unique needs and demands until a final design is mutually agreed on
• Procurement: This step involves the interior designer procuring all necessary items and materials to implement the agreed-upon design style. These typically include furnishings, accessories, and fixtures.
• Installation: This step involves installing the fixtures, furnishings, and accessories in the living space undergoing remodeling. While this step typically takes one to five days to conclude, this timeframe is largely dependent on the scope of the project.
• Big reveal: This is the last step of the interior design process, and it involves the interior designer revealing the remodeled space to the client

What Builders, Architects, or Contractors Do You Work With?

Interior designers often work hand-in-hand with other professionals, often as general contractors subcontracting parts of the remodeling project to craftsmen like carpenters and flooring installers or as collaborators with general contractors, builders, architects, and other similar design professionals.

To this end, you should always confirm the types of professionals your intended designer works with and the cost of working with them. It is equally important to ensure that every party involved in the project is appropriately insured and licensed to perform the services they intend to provide.

Per data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 57,780 on-the-job injuries were recorded amongst interior designers and construction trade workers in 2020. Failing to verify the insurance status of any workers involved in your project makes you liable for any injuries they may sustain during its execution and implementation.

To this end, always ask your intended interior designer for proof of insurance coverage and validate these documents with the appropriate insurance providers before concluding hiring arrangements with the designer. Ensure every subcontractor working on your project has general liability coverage that can adequately cover the project's scope.

Similarly, ensure that your interior designer also carries general liability and professional liability insurance coverage and state-mandated Workers' Compensation Insurance and Employee Disability Coverage for their employees, if any.