Interior Design –
Questions Answered

Interior design is more than choosing wall colours, furniture or a visual style. The main task of a designer is to understand what problem needs to be solved in a space and find a practical, comfortable and visually strong solution for it.

The problem might be:

• An inconvenient layout or a lack of storage
• A complex kitchen, a small bathroom, or an empty room with no clear direction
• A commercial space without a clear logic or flow
• A renovation that's difficult to explain to builders

At WHAT Interiors, work begins with understanding your situation: how you use the space, what isn't working, what you want to change and what the right result looks like for you. Floor plans, 3D visuals, drawings and material selection are tools – not ends in themselves.

Services can include:

• Consultation and space analysis
• Floor planning and layout development
• Design concept, moodboard and visual direction
• 3D visualisation
• Material, furniture and lighting selection
• Kitchen, bathroom and fitted furniture design
• Technical drawings for builders, joiners and contractors

These are not separate packages or pretty documents – they are tools that help solve your problem. A floor plan helps you understand how to use the space better. 3D visualisation lets you see the interior before renovation. Drawings give builders and joiners what they need to execute the idea correctly.

It starts with a conversation. We discuss your space, objectives, budget, timescales and what's causing difficulty right now.

From there I suggest an appropriate format: a consultation, layout plan, design concept, 3D visualisation, technical drawings or a fuller design package. Each stage is chosen to solve your specific problem – not as a box-ticking exercise.

Before choosing furniture, colours and materials, it's important to work out how the space needs to function:

• Who will use it, and how?
• What tasks does it need to support?
• Where is there not enough room?
• What is currently frustrating?
• What needs to stay – and what definitely needs to change?

Once that's clear, you can move to the floor plan, zoning, visual direction and technical solutions. This approach avoids spending money on random purchases and decisions that don't end up working.

Yes. WHAT Interiors works with both residential and commercial spaces, including:

• Offices and co-working spaces
• Boutiques and retail environments
• Hospitality interiors and reception areas
• Any venue where atmosphere and function both matter

In commercial interiors, design should serve the business – making the space legible, comfortable and visually strong for clients, staff or visitors.

WHAT Interiors is an independent design practice – you work directly with the designer, not through a large studio with a complex team structure.

For the client this means:

• A more personal, flexible and attentive approach
• Direct engagement with your brief from start to finish
• One person thinks through the floor plan, furniture, visuals and technical solutions
• Where needed, direct liaison with your builders, joiners and other specialists

Yes – at the initial stage you don't need a ready-made technical specification. Many clients arrive with just the feeling that "something isn't working" but can't yet explain exactly what. That's perfectly normal.

Simply describe what's bothering you, what you'd like to change, which areas matter most and what result you're hoping for. From there I'll help to structure the brief and identify which format of work will be most useful for you.

Yes – a full design project isn't always needed. A consultation works well if:

• You're not sure about a layout or furniture arrangement
• You want to check an idea before committing to renovation
• You're choosing between several options and want a professional view
• You want to understand where to start

Sometimes one professional consultation saves time, prevents costly mistakes and helps you make a more confident decision.

Yes – you can start with one room, one zone or a specific task, not the whole project. This could be:

• Living room, bedroom, children's room or kitchen
• Bathroom, study, wardrobe room or hallway
• Reception area, office corner or retail zone

This approach is especially useful when the problem is localised: not enough storage, an awkward furniture arrangement, a difficult room shape, poor lighting or a lack of coherence in the interior.

Yes – some projects can be done remotely. This works well when you already have floor plans, measurements, photographs or drawings.

Remote work can suit:

• Consultation, floor plan and layout review
• Design concept and 3D visualisation
• Furniture selection and fitted furniture design

If a project requires precise technical solutions, site measurements or on-site coordination with builders, a site visit may be needed. It all depends on the task – not on a pre-chosen package.

A design concept establishes the overall direction for the interior. It can include:

• Moodboard and visual references
• Colour palette and material proposals
• Furniture and lighting examples
• The general atmosphere and character of the space

Its main purpose is not simply to show attractive images. A concept helps you make the right directional decisions before spending money on renovation, furniture and materials – checking in advance that the interior will match your taste, lifestyle and budget.

Yes. 3D visualisation lets you see the interior before work begins. It helps you understand proportions, materials, colour, lighting, furniture and storage – all before a single wall is touched.

For clients, it often saves both time and money: many mistakes are better caught on screen than discovered after the renovation is done.

Yes. I can prepare drawings and technical documentation for builders, joiners or contractors. Depending on the project, this can include:

• Floor plans and wall elevations
• Furniture drawings and dimensions
• Material specifications and construction notes
• Details and drawings for fitted furniture and bespoke joinery

The purpose is to make the design idea clear to the people who will execute it – reducing the risk of errors, wrong dimensions and unnecessary questions on site.

Yes – this is one of WHAT Interiors' strengths. Kitchens, bathrooms and fitted furniture require not just good taste but practical thinking: dimensions, storage, materials, construction, comfort and how everything will be manufactured and installed.

I can help with:

• Kitchen and bathroom design
• Wardrobe rooms and fitted wardrobes
• Media units, storage walls and open shelving
• Bespoke joinery and other built-in furniture

The aim is not simply to make it look good – but to find a solution that works comfortably every day.

Yes. Depending on the project, I can help with selecting:

• Materials, finishes and surface treatments
• Furniture and storage solutions
• Lighting – ambient, task and decorative
• Textiles, wall colours and flooring

Selection is not simply a list of attractive things. Good choices need to work with the floor plan, budget, lifestyle, timescales and the overall concept. The goal is not to buy more – but to choose well.

Not always – it depends on how complex the renovation is. If you're changing the layout, kitchen, bathroom, lighting or fitted furniture, it's better to have at least a clear foundation: a plan, key decisions, dimensions and a visual direction.

This avoids making decisions on the fly during the renovation – under pressure and without an overall logic. Good preparation often saves more than the designer's fee itself.

The cost depends on the size of the space, complexity and level of detail required. As a guide:

• Consultation – from £250
• Layout review / planning solution – from £350–£450
• Design concept for one room – from £650
• Kitchen, bathroom or fitted furniture design – from £950–£1,250
• Fuller design package for one room – from £1,250

These figures give a sense of the likely budget range. The final cost depends on the brief, number of spaces, level of detail and how deeply the project needs to be developed.

At WHAT Interiors, I first try to understand what problem needs solving – not which package to sell. Sometimes a consultation is enough. Sometimes visualisations, drawings or technical materials are required. The aim is to find the level of help that genuinely enables you to make the right decisions and move forward.

The simplest step is to send a short message describing your project. Include:

• Where the property is located and what the space is
• What isn't currently working and what you'd like to change
• Whether you have floor plans, measurements or photographs
• What stage you're at

From there we can work out what kind of help will actually be useful – a consultation, floor plan, design concept, 3D visualisation, drawings or a full package. The format isn't the main thing. The main thing is finding the right solution to your problem and giving you a clear next step.