How to Choose an Interior Designer: a 6-Point Checklist

Choosing the wrong designer is expensive: months of renovation and millions of tenge invested in decisions you will live with for years. Here are six things to check before signing a contract.

1. A portfolio with completed projects

Many can make beautiful renders. Check whether the portfolio includes completed projects and whether photos of finished interiors match the visualizations. A studio showing a project "in 3D" and the same one "in real life" is the main sign the drawings actually work.

2. Project scope on paper

Ask for a sample of complete documentation: layouts, elevations, electrics, material schedules. A professional project is 30–60 sheets of drawings that builders can follow without calling the designer.

3. Education and tools

An architecture degree is not a formality: it means the designer understands structures, engineering and codes, not just styles. Certification in professional software (such as Autodesk Revit) speaks to drawing precision.

4. Process and timelines in the contract

A professional splits the work into stages: brief and measurement, layout, visualizations, working drawings. Each stage is approved separately; timelines and the number of revisions are fixed in the contract.

5. Reviews and references

Read reviews beyond the studio's own site: ask for past clients' contacts, check Google and 2GIS reviews. Pay attention to details — calculation accuracy, behavior under force majeure, meeting deadlines.

6. Compatibility

A design project means 2–4 months of close communication. A good designer asks about your lifestyle and habits at the first meeting instead of selling a "trendy style". The interior should reflect you, not the designer's portfolio.

When choosing a studio you choose a process, not pictures. Send us your property — we will show how our process works using completed projects in Almaty and Astana.