Interior Designer Interview Questions

“I was always the person rearranging furniture at home, but what really hooked me was a studio project in my second year where we had to fit a family of four into a very small flat. I loved that it was a puzzle first and a style exercise second. After graduating I joined a small practice doing mostly apartments, where I learned drawings, site visits and a lot about dealing with contractors. Over the last two years I've done more full-home renovations, and that's where I want to grow. I like projects where I'm there from the first measure to the day the client moves in, because that's where you see whether the planning actually worked.”

“It starts with the brief: I meet the client, find out how they live or work, the budget and the timeline, and I do a full measured survey with photos. Then comes concept, where I do space planning options and mood boards and get the direction signed off. Design development is where I choose actual materials, finishes, lighting and furniture, and check costs. After approval, I produce the drawing set and specifications, get contractor and supplier quotes, and place orders. During construction I visit site regularly, answer queries and check quality. At the end I do a snag list, get the defects fixed, style the space and hand it over with care instructions and warranties.”

“I use a CAD program for the technical drawings, so plans, elevations, sections and joinery details, and I've also worked in a BIM tool on a larger project where the model fed the drawings and schedules. For design and client presentations, I build a 3D model and produce renders, and for early ideas I'm often faster with a quick sketch over a plan. I use a layout program for mood boards and presentations, and spreadsheets for finish schedules and budget tracking. I'm not attached to one brand of software. I learned a new modeling tool in about a month when my last studio switched, so I'm comfortable picking up whatever your team uses.”

“For a living room project I presented a concept with deep greens, dark timber and brass, and the client went quiet and then said it felt heavy. I was a bit disappointed, but I asked her to show me photos of rooms she'd felt good in, and to point at what she liked in each one. It turned out she loved warmth and texture, but she wanted lots of light because the room faced north. So I kept the timber and the textures, but moved to warm off-whites, lighter oak and softer greens as accents only. She approved the second concept almost straight away. Now I always ask for rooms a client has actually lived or stayed in, not just images they've saved, because it tells me much more.”

“I'd start by not making a fuss about it, because they're clearly excited. I'd get the actual dimensions and lay it into the plan to see what really happens to the walkways and the other furniture. If it can work with a different layout, like floating it in the room or losing a side chair, I'd show them that. If the colour is the issue, I can often bring the scheme around it with cushions, a rug and the wall colour. If it truly blocks the room, I'd show them the plan so they can see it themselves, and help with a return if that's still possible. And I'd gently offer to check any other big buys against the plan before they order.”

“I'd listen properly first and ask what's driving the change, because a senior designer has usually seen something I missed, like a cost risk or something the client said in an earlier meeting. If I still think part of my scheme answers the brief better, I'd say so briefly and point back to the brief, not to my taste. Something like, I kept the palette light because the client asked for a calm room, but I'm happy to try a darker version. Once we agree a direction, I'd commit to it fully and not do a half-hearted version. And I'd note what I learned, so my next first draft is closer to where the studio wants it to be.”

“Layered lighting means using several kinds of light together instead of one central fitting. There's ambient light, which gives general, even brightness, like ceiling lights, cove lighting or a large pendant. There's task light, which is focused where people do something, like a reading lamp beside the sofa. And there's accent light, which picks out features, like a picture light over art, or a grazing light run close to a stone or brick wall so the texture shows. In a living room I'd use all three, and put them on separate circuits with dimmers so the client can go from bright and practical to warm and relaxed in the evening. I also try to keep light at different heights, not just from the ceiling, because that makes a room feel much more comfortable.”

“I went through your website and the projects you've shared online, and the one that stood out was the restaurant fit-out with the timber ceiling. What I liked was that it looked calm but clearly worked hard, with the acoustics handled and a layout that let the staff move easily. Most of my experience is residential, but I've done two small café projects and I'd like to do much more hospitality work. I also noticed you take projects all the way through site, rather than stopping at concept, and that's how I like to work. I think I'd bring solid technical drawings and site experience, and I'd learn a lot about commercial projects from your team.”

“This is a two-bedroom apartment for a couple who both work from home. The brief was two proper workspaces without losing the guest room, on a fixed budget and a ten-week programme. The big decision was turning the guest room into a study with a wall bed and built-in desks, so it could flip back for visitors. I also moved the dining table next to the window to free up the living area. The problem came at demolition: the wall we planned to open had a drainage pipe in it, so I redesigned that opening as a half-height partition with shelving instead. We handed over one week late, but within budget, and they've told me the study gets used every single day.”

“In my first year, I specified a wall-hung toilet but didn't check the frame depth, so the boxed-in wall I drew was too shallow for the frame. The plumber found it when he started. I told my senior and the client the same day and said plainly it was my error. We fixed it by bringing that section of wall forward a little and turning the extra depth into a small shelf above the cistern, which the client actually liked. The contractor's extra time was covered by the studio. After that I started checking every sanitaryware and appliance spec sheet against the drawings before issue, and I built a short checklist that the team still uses for bathrooms and kitchens.”

“A full set usually starts with a demolition plan showing what comes out, then a construction plan for new walls and openings. I include a furniture layout and a flooring plan. Then there's a reflected ceiling plan showing ceiling heights, bulkheads and light positions, plus an electrical layout with sockets, switches and which lights are on which switch, and a plumbing points plan. For walls, I do elevations of key rooms like the kitchen and bathrooms, with tile setting out, and sections where heights matter. Joinery gets its own detailed drawings. Finally, there are schedules for finishes, furniture and fittings, doors and hardware, with product codes, so the contractor can price and order exactly what I specified.”

“I had a client renovating a kitchen who changed the cabinet colour four times, and each time after I'd issued drawings. When I talked to her properly, it turned out she couldn't picture the colours at small sample size. So I stopped sending swatch photos and instead brought large painted door samples to her actual kitchen, in daylight and in the evening. I also agreed a simple rule with her: each stage gets signed off, and after that any change comes with a written note of what it adds in cost and time. She picked a colour that week and stuck with it. Since then I always use bigger samples and put the sign-off steps into the proposal from day one.”

“I'd stay calm and make it clear I'm not picking a side. Usually the disagreement is about a surface choice, like one wants dark and moody and the other wants bright and white, but the needs underneath can fit together. So I'd ask each of them what they want to feel in the room and how they'll use it. Often one wants cosiness and the other wants light and space, and I can design for both, maybe light walls with warm textures and a darker accent in one area. I'd take that away and come back with two options that both reflect it, and I'd agree with them that they'll decide together before our next meeting, so it doesn't stall the programme.”

“On a site visit I noticed the niche in a bathroom wall was framed about a hand's width lower than my elevation showed. Before I said anything to the contractor, I checked my own drawings, because sometimes it's our mistake. My elevation was right, but the height was only on that one sheet, and the carpenter framing the walls had worked from the plan, which didn't show it. So I raised it calmly with the site lead, showed both sheets, and we agreed it was a shared miss. Since it was only framing, they moved it before the tiling started, so it cost very little. After that I made sure key heights appeared on every sheet where a trade would look for them, and I started walking through elevations with the site lead before work began.”

“I wouldn't tell them trends are bad, because they're often a sign of what someone genuinely enjoys. I'd first ask what draws them to it, the colour, the texture, the mood. Then I'd split the project into things that are expensive and hard to change, like flooring, kitchen cabinets, tiles and built-ins, and things that are easy to swap, like paint, cushions, lighting fixtures and rugs. I'd suggest keeping the fixed layer calm and well made, and letting the trend show strongly in the loose layer. I'd show that in a mood board so they can see it still feels fresh and like them. If they still want the trend in the fixed pieces after that, it's their home, and I'd do it well.”

“In a home, the client is usually the person living there, and the design is about their comfort and taste. In commercial work, the client is a business, so the design has to serve its goals, its brand and its staff as well as customers. The rules are also much stricter: fire safety, escape routes, accessibility and rated materials all matter more, and there are usually approvals and more consultants involved. Materials need to be contract grade, because a restaurant chair or an office carpet gets far heavier use than anything at home. And delivery is different: tight programmes, sometimes working at night or in phases so the business can keep running, and a lot more coordination on site.”

“I try to learn from real spaces more than feeds, so I visit new restaurants, hotels and showrooms and notice how they feel, not just how they look in photos. I go to supplier showrooms and materials libraries when I can, because touching materials teaches me more than images. I also look outside interiors, at fashion, product design and architecture. To filter trends, I ask whether an idea solves something, like better storage or healthier materials, or whether it's just a new colour of the season. For me, what lasts is good proportions, honest materials and good light. Trends can sit on top of that, but they shouldn't be the foundation.”

“I start with how the person actually lives, like whether they work from home, cook a lot or have guests often, because that tells me which zones matter. Then I draw the circulation first: the main walking routes, door swings, window access and the space you need in front of things like wardrobes, ovens and the bed. Only then do I place furniture. In a small flat I look for pieces that work twice, like a dining table that doubles as a desk, a bed with storage underneath, or a bench with drawers. I use full-height built-in storage to free the floor, keep furniture scaled to the room, and protect sight lines to windows so the place feels bigger than it is.”

“I start with the workflow. The classic idea is the work triangle between the sink, the cooktop and the fridge, keeping them close but not cramped, with no through-traffic cutting across it. These days I also think in zones: storage, prep, cooking and cleaning, in the order people actually use them, so you take food from the fridge, prep near the sink, then cook. I make sure there's landing space beside the cooktop and fridge for putting things down. I check the aisle is wide enough when the dishwasher or oven door is open, and I avoid putting the cooktop right at the end of a run or under a window. And I confirm early where water, drains, power and the extractor can actually go.”

“Colour temperature describes how warm or cool white light looks, and it's measured in kelvin. Lower values, around 2700 to 3000 kelvin, look warm and cosy, which is what I'd usually use in homes, restaurants and hotel rooms. Around 4000 kelvin is more neutral and suits offices, workrooms and task areas. CRI, the colour rendering index, tells you how accurately a light shows colours compared with a reference light source, on a scale up to 100. A low CRI makes skin, food and fabrics look dull or off. For homes, retail and anywhere colours matter, I look for a CRI of 90 or above. I also make sure all the fittings in one space have the same colour temperature, because mixed whites look messy.”

“For a busy family home, I'm thinking about kids, pets, spills and comfort. Good options are durable engineered wood with a hard-wearing finish, a quality vinyl or laminate in heavy-use areas, or porcelain tile in kitchens, with rugs to soften and quieten living spaces. For a hotel lobby, the traffic is far heavier, with rolling suitcases and wet shoes at the entrance, so I'd look at hard stone or large-format porcelain with a proper slip rating, plus a recessed entrance mat area to trap water and grit. In commercial spaces I also check the material meets local fire and slip requirements, and I think about how the cleaning team works and how easily a damaged tile or plank can be replaced.”

“In a bathroom, water is the enemy, so I start with what's behind the tiles. There should be a proper waterproofing membrane under the tiles in the shower and on the floor, and the floor needs to fall correctly to the drain. For surfaces, I usually go with porcelain tiles because they absorb very little water, and on the floor I check the slip rating, often using smaller tiles in the shower because the extra grout lines give more grip. I specify a stain-resistant grout, like epoxy, where it'll get heavy use. I make sure there's good mechanical extraction, moisture-resistant board and paint, and that light fittings are rated for the zone they're in, following the local electrical rules.”

“On a full-home renovation, the joinery quotes came back well above what I'd allowed, and once I added the electrical changes the client asked for, we were clearly over. I told her the same week, with a one-page summary showing where the money had gone. Then I gave her three options: keep the kitchen joinery as designed but switch the wardrobes to a simpler carcass with custom fronts, swap a natural stone worktop for a good quality engineered stone, or move the study fit-out to a second phase. She chose the first two, and we landed back inside the budget with the contingency still intact. What I changed after that was getting early price checks on joinery before detailed design, not after.”

“First I'd separate what's already spent or ordered from what's still open, because only the open part can really move. Then I'd sit down with the client and ask what matters most to them, maybe the kitchen, maybe the main bedroom. With that, I'd put together options: swapping some finishes for similar-looking cheaper ones, simplifying joinery, keeping existing items where they still work, or moving whole rooms to a later phase. For each I'd show roughly how much it saves and what they'd notice. Once they choose, I'd update the budget, scope and programme in writing and tell the contractor and suppliers the same day, so nobody keeps working on the old plan.”

“I'd start by asking what luxury actually means to them. Often it's not marble everywhere, it's calm, softness, good light and no clutter. Then I'd be honest: with this budget and timeline we can't rebuild the kitchen and bathrooms, but we can make the home feel far more expensive than it is. I'd spend where the eye and the hand land most, so layered warm lighting on dimmers, heavy full-length curtains, a good bed and bedding, one or two hero pieces, and hidden storage so surfaces stay clear. Paint and hardware changes are quick and do a lot. I'd put that in writing, with a phase two list for bigger items later, so they know exactly what they're getting now.”

“At the start I turn the client's total into a cost plan, split into construction, joinery, finishes, furniture and fittings, and our fees, and roughly room by room. I keep a separate contingency, because older homes nearly always reveal something. At each design stage I check real prices, like getting early quotes for joinery or stone, instead of waiting until the drawings are finished. I keep one live budget sheet the client can see, with committed, spent and remaining for each line. Any change, whether from the client or from site, gets a written price and time impact and a sign-off before the work happens. That way there are no surprises at the end, and if something goes up, we decide together where to take it back.”

“On an apartment project, half of the floor tiles arrived chipped, and the tiler was booked to start two days later. I photographed every damaged box on the spot and sent it to the supplier the same morning. I also asked the tiler to start with the bathroom walls, which used a different tile we already had, so we didn't lose his booking. The supplier could replace the tiles but not from the same batch, so I asked for samples from the new batch and checked them against the good ones in daylight before accepting. I called the client that evening, explained the plan and the likely few days' delay. We finished only three days late, and since then I always check deliveries on arrival, not when the trade opens them.”

“The first thing I'd do is ask the contractor to stop work on that wall, because nobody should decide on the spot whether something structural can come out. I'd bring in a structural engineer to assess it and the plumber to say whether the pipes can be moved and what that involves. Depending on the building, some changes also need approval from the building owner or the local authority, so I'd check that too. Meanwhile I'd work up two options, maybe keeping part of the wall as a feature with a wide opening, or a supported opening if the engineer confirms it's possible. Then I'd take the client through each one with a cost and time estimate, and get their decision in writing before work restarts.”

“I'd first confirm it, by checking the product labels or packaging on site against my specification and taking photos. Then I'd ask the site lead why, without accusing, because sometimes the specified item was out of stock and someone made a call. Either way, the rule is that substitutes need approval from me and the client, because they can affect how it looks, how it wears and sometimes safety, like fire rating or slip resistance. If the substitute truly isn't equal, it has to be replaced, and if it's been installed without approval, that's normally at the contractor's cost under the contract. I'd tell the client what I found and what we're doing, and confirm it all in writing with the contractor.”

“Before I go, I check the latest drawings, any open queries, and what stage the work should be at, because that decides what's worth checking. Early on, I look at the setting out of walls and openings, and the positions and heights of sockets, switches and plumbing points before anything gets closed up, because that's cheap to fix now and expensive later. In wet areas I want to see the waterproofing done and tested before tiling. As finishes go in, I check them against the approved samples, including batch numbers for tiles and paint. I also answer the trades' questions on the spot. Afterwards I send a short note with photos and a list of actions, who owns each and by when, the same day.”