Interior Design Cost Dubai 2026
Interior design cost in Dubai depends less on style than on scope. The same
apartment can be a decoration job, a partial renovation or a full turnkey fit-out, and each of
those is a different budget conversation. This guide explains what actually drives the number,
shows Deco Wood’s published planning ranges in AED per square metre and per project, and is
honest about what cannot be priced until someone has seen the property.
How much does interior design cost in Dubai?
Before any figure means anything, decide which of these you are buying:
- Design only — concepts, layouts, finish schedules and drawings that
somebody else will build. - Decoration and finishing — work applied to a space that is already sound:
paint, wall finishes, decorative panelling, lighting selection, window treatments, styling. - Partial renovation — one or two areas rebuilt, usually a kitchen or
bathroom, while the rest of the property stays as it is. - Full renovation — layout changes, services, wet areas and finishes across
the property. - Turnkey fit-out — design and execution delivered under one accountable
scope, handed over finished.
Deco Wood publishes planning ranges for delivered work — renovation, fit-out and joinery
executed on site. They are shown in the units they were prepared in: AED per square
metre for area-driven scopes and AED per project where the work is
defined by the room rather than the floor area. They are planning references for early
budgeting, not offers.
Planning ranges at a glance
Every range below is labelled owner-approved market planning range — not a
quotation. Figures assume executed works with agreed finishes; they move with condition,
specification and access.
Villa — per m²
| Finish level | Planning range (AED/m²) | Typical character |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | 1,600–3,200 | Refresh without layout change |
| Standard | 3,200–6,500 | New finishes, kitchen and bathroom upgrades, some joinery |
| Premium | 6,500–10,800+ | Layout change, full services upgrade, bespoke joinery |
Owner-approved market planning range — not a quotation. Planning reference only; confirmed after scope and site verification.
Apartment — per project
| Level | Planning range (AED/project) |
|---|---|
| Basic | 15,000–40,000 |
| Standard | 40,000–120,000 |
| Premium | 120,000–350,000+ |
Owner-approved market planning range — not a quotation. Planning reference only; confirmed after scope and site verification.
Bathroom — per project
| Level | Planning range (AED/project) |
|---|---|
| Essential | 15,000–30,000 |
| Standard | 30,000–80,000 |
| Premium | 80,000–150,000+ |
Owner-approved market planning range — not a quotation. Planning reference only; confirmed after scope and site verification.
Office fit-out — per m²
| Specification | Planning range (AED/m²) |
|---|---|
| Category B | 3,200–5,400 |
| Mid-range | 5,900–9,700 |
| Premium | 10,800–19,400+ |
Owner-approved market planning range — not a quotation. Planning reference only; confirmed after scope and site verification.
Restaurant and cafe — per m²
| Specification | Planning range (AED/m²) |
|---|---|
| Essential | 4,300–7,500 |
| Standard | 8,100–12,900 |
| Premium | 14,000–26,900+ |
Owner-approved market planning range — not a quotation. Planning reference only; confirmed after scope and site verification.
Working in square metres when your plans are in square feet
Dubai property listings usually quote square feet, while construction scopes are commonly
priced per square metre. The conversion is arithmetic:
square metres = square feet ÷ 10.7639
A 1,500 sq ft apartment is roughly 139 m². Convert the area first, then apply the
AED/m² planning range for the relevant scope. Deco Wood does not publish per-square-foot price
bands, because converting a range twice compounds its uncertainty and produces a number that
looks more precise than the underlying scope justifies.
Interior design, decoration and renovation are not the same purchase
These words are used interchangeably in search, but they describe different work and different
risk.
- Interior design produces the decisions: layout, materials, lighting plan,
joinery detailing, finish schedule. - Interior decoration applies the visible layer to a space whose structure,
services and wet areas are already sound. - Renovation changes the fabric: removing or moving walls, altering services,
rebuilding wet areas, replacing flooring and ceilings. - Fit-out delivers a space to a finished, usable state — most commonly used
for offices, retail and hospitality.
The practical consequence is that a decoration budget and a renovation budget are not
comparable, and a quotation for one is not evidence about the other. Our
renovation cost guide for Dubai
covers the construction side in more detail; this page is about how design and decoration
requirements turn into a number.
When decorative work quietly becomes construction work
This is where Dubai budgets most often move, and it is the part that a per-area rate cannot
tell you. Work that looks cosmetic becomes technical the moment it touches services or
waterproofing:
- Moving a basin, WC or shower changes drainage falls, which means opening
floors and re-waterproofing — a bathroom refresh becomes a bathroom rebuild. - Relocating a kitchen moves water, waste, gas where present, extraction and
dedicated circuits, not just cabinets. - Adding lighting layers — cove lighting, feature pendants, controlled
circuits — requires ceiling works, new wiring routes and sometimes distribution board
capacity. - Feature ceilings and bulkheads interact with air conditioning routes,
diffuser positions and access to services above. - Removing or opening walls raises whether the element is structural, and in
apartments whether the building permits it at all.
Two properties of identical size can therefore price very differently: one keeps every service
where it is, the other moves them.
What changes the number
Existing condition
Age and prior workmanship decide how much has to be undone before anything new goes in. Failed
waterproofing, previous unpermitted alterations, uneven substrates and dated distribution boards
are found on site, not on a floor plan.
Specification level
The same layout can be delivered in standard or premium materials. Tile format, stone, joinery
carcass and hardware quality, sanitaryware, ironmongery and lighting all move cost independently
of area — which is why the ranges above are bands rather than single figures.
Custom joinery
Wardrobes, kitchens, wall panelling, vanities, reception counters and display units are made to
the space. Cost follows drawings, material, finish and hardware rather than a published rate, so
joinery is quoted from the detail: SCOPE-SPECIFIC QUOTATION REQUIRED. See
joinery and carpentry in Dubai
for what the workshop scope covers.
MEP works
Mechanical, electrical and plumbing changes are the most common reason a budget moves between
tiers. Extending circuits, relocating drainage, altering air conditioning routes and upgrading
distribution boards are trade activities with their own sequencing and inspection needs.
Flooring, ceilings and wall finishes
Floor build-up affects thresholds and door clearances. Ceilings determine whether services stay
accessible. Wall finishes range from paint to panelling and stone, each with different substrate
preparation. These three items alone can separate an Essential from a Standard scope.
Access and building requirements
Apartment work is shaped by the building, not only by the apartment: service lift booking,
permitted working hours, protection of common areas, waste removal routes and material delivery
windows all affect programme and therefore cost. Where a building or authority requires approvals
or a no-objection certificate, those requirements are confirmed for your specific property and
scope rather than assumed.
What the planning ranges do not include
Unless a written scope says otherwise, treat the following as outside the ranges above:
- Loose furniture, soft furnishings, decorative accessories and appliances (FF&E)
- Design-only engagements without execution
- Decoration-only or styling packages
- Procurement of client-selected items from third-party suppliers
- Building or authority fees where applicable
- Works discovered after opening up an existing installation
Each of these is priced against the actual requirement:
SCOPE-SPECIFIC QUOTATION REQUIRED. Deco Wood does not publish a standalone
design fee, a percentage-of-project fee, a furniture package price or a procurement margin,
because those depend entirely on what is being specified and supplied.
Design only, or design and build?
A design-only engagement ends with documentation; someone else carries the risk of building it,
and any gap between drawing and site condition becomes a variation later. Design-and-build keeps
specification and execution under one accountable scope, so buildability is resolved before it
becomes a cost. Deco Wood works as a delivery contractor — the ranges on this page describe
executed work, not drawings alone. For the design service itself, see
residential interior design
in Dubai.
How Deco Wood prepares a quotation
- Scope review — you share the property type, location, rooms involved,
current condition and what you want changed, with photos or drawings if you have them. - Site verification — measurements, existing services and substrate condition
are checked in person, because these are the items that move a budget. - Specification — finishes, joinery and fixtures are agreed to a level that
can be priced rather than estimated. - Written quotation — measured quantities, inclusions, exclusions and
sequencing, so it can be compared line by line against any other offer.
A cheaper quotation is often a smaller scope rather than a better price. When comparing offers,
check whether waterproofing, making good, protection, waste removal and the finishing trades are
inside the number or waiting to be added later.
Frequently asked questions
How much does interior design cost in Dubai?
It depends on whether you need design only, decoration, renovation or a turnkey fit-out. For
delivered work, the planning ranges above start at AED 1,600–3,200 per m² for an essential villa
scope and AED 15,000–40,000 per project for a basic apartment scope, as planning references
rather than quotations.
Is interior work priced per square foot or per square metre?
Deco Wood prices area-driven scopes per square metre. Convert your area with
square feet ÷ 10.7639, then apply the relevant range.
Does the price include furniture?
No. Loose furniture, soft furnishings and accessories sit outside the ranges unless written
into the scope: SCOPE-SPECIFIC QUOTATION REQUIRED.
Does custom joinery change the budget?
Yes, materially. Joinery is fabricated to the space and priced from drawings, material and
finish rather than a published rate.
Can you quote without seeing the property?
A planning range can be discussed from photographs and drawings. A written quotation follows
site verification, because condition and existing services decide the real scope.
Why do two similar apartments price differently?
Usually because one keeps its services where they are and the other moves them, or because the
specification level differs. Building access rules can also change the programme.
Are approvals included?
Where a building or authority approval applies to your scope, the requirement is confirmed for
your property. Fees and conditions vary and are treated as a separate item.
Next steps
Send the property type, location, rooms involved and what you want changed, with photos if you
have them, and the team will confirm which scope your project falls into and what needs a site
visit before quoting. Dubai project enquiries only.
Send your project details on WhatsApp
or request a scope review.
Related: villa renovation ·
apartment renovation ·
bathroom renovation ·
office fit-out ·
restaurant and cafe fit-out ·
renovation and fit-out FAQ