So, you’re ready to furnish your next (or first!) space, but where do you start? One of the most important, and most challenging steps, is to establish a furnishings budget.

I know.

Talking about money can be uncomfortable. But this step is crucial for a successful project, because:

Establishing a furnishings budget ensures that there are clear expectations around furniture quality and design, and what you are willing to invest in both.

Just like all relationships, clear communication is a best practice when it comes to working with a designer.

When we start our design process, one of the first questions we ask is “what are you willing to invest in this space?” A lot of homeowners we talk with are not sure how to answer this question, as they’re uncertain about what a “reasonable” amount is for furnishings

But, before we jump into the numbers, a few notes:

No project & no budget is the same.

Budgets are not only based on the furnishings & quality of furnishings that is being sourced, but other factors such as what you’ll need to purchase, the size of the room, and the existing condition of the room.

As you look through the budget guidelines below, keep in mind that you can mix and match product quality. For instance, you may want to choose a high-quality, larger piece of furniture (like a sectional) from one of our trade-only vendors, but then elect to have us source retail for the lighting pieces.

This is one of the integral parts of crafting a space you love at your communicated investment—something that we are experts at helping with!

Keep the value of your home in mind.

When looking at the investment of a full furnishings design, it’s important to consider the overall value of your home. As a rule of thumb, it’s typical to allocate anywhere from 10-25% of your home’s value to fully furnishing the home. You can expect retail furnishings on the lower end of the spectrum, while “designer” level finishes dictate the estimated 25%+ investment.

For example, for a home that costs around $500k, to completely furnish the home with “designer” level furnishings, you can expect to invest at least $125,000. It’s important to make the distinction that this estimate is for furnishings only and does not include any renovation or construction costs.

If your palms are getting sweaty at all the talk about money, we get it! That’s why we prefer to use the term “investment” instead of “budget,” because you are literally investing in the spaces where you and your family spend the most time.

There are also ways to offset some of the costs, such as mixing the quality of furnishings, utilizing existing heirloom pieces or reupholstering existing pieces.

Prepare to go over budget.

Yikes, right? But we say this because, in working with many clients, we notice that people tend to go over their budget, whether that’s adding in a few more furnishing elements along the way or going with higher-quality pieces to achieve the look they want.

All these additions and upgrades increase the scope of work, therefore increasing the budget. To avoid having disappointed expectations, we suggest adding 10-20% onto your initial investment number as a buffer.

Designer fees

If you’re reading this, you probably already know that interior designers charge for their services. We are professionals and therefore are compensated as such. But, while you’re here, let’s go over the benefits of hiring a professional designer.

It may seem counterintuitive based on the investment needed to furnish a space, but:

An interior designer can save you money in the long run.

There are a few reasons for this.

Designers have access to exclusive furnishings through trade vendors. These are products available only to the trade and they are of superior quality and design.

Quality makes all the difference; the higher the quality a piece of furniture is, the longer it will last. This will help you avoid having to repurchase that sofa three years down the road.

When looking at a space, designers create the space holistically, instead of piecing it together.

This does a few things: most importantly it allows the designer, with their experience & expertise, to value- engineer your space. There will be items worth splurging on and instances where splurging doesn’t make sense, but will still allow you to achieve the vision for your space.

This takes a lot of planning and experience, and this is where a designer can really add value.  

Designers do their best to honor a communicated budget.

We always do our best to stay within your budget which, if you’ve been reading this whole article, begins with clear communication and expectations—all things that are part of our onboarding process.

When working with Allis Interiors, we may suggest items with upgraded features or optional “better & best” categories, only to make you aware of furnishings that will allow us to better achieve your vision.

After thinking over the options, some clients stay with the original selections within their budget, while others may select a few higher quality pieces, after understanding how their space would be more elevated if they spent just a bit more money.

Our philosophy at Allis Interiors is to always keep our clients’ investment top of mind. That’s why we are the experts and what we are here for—we pride ourselves on being stewards of your money & stretching it as far as it will go.

Thanks for reading so far!

Now let’s get to what you came for: how much will this cost? We created three lists below to give you a good idea, but keep in mind that every project & budget is different.

As you will see, the lists are separated out by room with “quality retail,” “entry trade,” and “entry designer” categories. The quality and custom design of each piece increases as we move to the trade and designer categories.

This is by no means an exhaustive list as prices will fluctuate, but it will at least give you an idea of where you can expect to invest your money within your home.

Primary Bedroom Budget

Dining Room Budget

Living Room Budget

Final Thoughts

Establishing a well thought out furnishings budget for your interior design project is the foundation of creating a space that reflects your style and meets you and your family’s needs. By understanding your priorities and allocating resources wisely, you can achieve a home that feels both intentional and inviting. With this balanced approached, we can help you create a space that is beautiful, functional and feels like you.

We’d be honored to help bring your vision to life. Click here to book your discovery call with a team member.

This post handcrafted with care by an actual human in the Mountain West 🤎