Short answer: an interior in Sri Lanka has two costs: the design fee, and the cost of making and finishing it (furniture, joinery, ceilings, lighting, paint and floors), which is usually the larger part. Designers charge for design either per square foot of the area designed or per 3D rendered view, and some companies include the design with the build if you order the furniture from them. As an example, SM Interiors’ design fees start from Rs 95 per sq ft for homes of 1,200 to 4,000 sq ft, and Rs 120 per sq ft for commercial spaces of 300 to 5,000 sq ft (prices in Sri Lankan rupees, LKR; design fee only; guide prices, October 2026; may change without notice). Furniture, fabrication and finishes are quoted separately, based on the approved design. Charges may vary with the complexity of the design.
Prices on this page are guide prices for SM Interiors’ design services, current as of October 2026. They may change without notice. Your final fee is confirmed in your quote.
How designers in Sri Lanka charge
Per square foot. The fee is based on the area being designed. It usually covers every space in the scope, so it’s straightforward to compare between designers, provided the deliverables are similar.
Per rendered view. The fee is based on the number of 3D images (“shots”) produced. It can look cheaper at first, but a beautiful render on its own doesn’t tell a carpenter how to build anything.
Included with the build. Some companies include the design at no separate charge if you order the furniture from them. The design cost is then usually built into the build price. This can work well if you already know you want that company to build. Before you agree, check how many 3D views and revisions you get, whether item sizes, materials and electrical changes are included, and what you pay for the design if you decide not to build with them.
What per-render pricing can leave out
When comparing a per-render quote, check whether these are included, or charged extra:
- Sizes of every item: wardrobes, cabinets, TV units, beds, shelving.
- Materials and specifications: board types, fabric codes, finishes and hardware.
- Colours for walls, panels and furniture.
- Electrical layout changes: switches, sockets and lighting points moved to suit the design.
- Practicality checks: whether furniture actually fits, opens and works in the space.
Without these, the render is an image, not a design you can build from. The missing details end up being decided later, often by whoever is on site.
What a complete interior design should include
Whoever you hire, a complete design for a home or office should give you:
- 3D renders of all the spaces and items in the scope, not only one or two views,
- the size of every item to be made,
- colours and materials, including fabric codes and board specifications,
- changes to the electrical layout where the design needs them,
- a set number of revisions, agreed upfront.
What affects the design fee
- Complexity and level of detail: a room with custom joinery, panelling and lighting needs more design work than a simple layout.
- Area: some designers reduce the rate per square foot for larger areas.
- Type of space: commercial spaces often involve more technical requirements than homes.
- Number of spaces and items included in the scope.
What does the rest of an interior cost?
The design fee is usually the smaller part of the budget. Most of the money goes on making and finishing the interior. There is no fair single figure for this, because it depends on what your home needs. The main cost drivers are:
- How much built-in joinery you need: wardrobes, pantry cupboards, kitchen cabinets and TV units are usually a large share of the total.
- Board choice: melamine-faced board, MDF, HDHMR, plywood and solid wood differ in cost, strength and how they cope with damp. See Melamine, MDF, HDHMR, plywood or solid wood.
- Hardware: hinges, drawer runners (the slides that drawers run on), handles and lift-up fittings vary widely in price and in how long they last.
- False ceilings and lighting: the ceiling design, the number of lighting points and the fittings you choose.
- Painting and flooring: the area covered and the finish you pick.
- What’s already done: a new apartment may already have its floors and paint finished, which reduces the finishing work. An older house being renovated often needs more.
A total given before the design is settled is only an estimate. It often changes once sizes, materials and hardware are decided.
How we price it: furniture, fabrication and finishes are quoted separately, based on the approved design.
Our advice, whoever you hire: approve the design first, then ask for an itemised quote that lists each item with its size, material and hardware. It makes quotes easier to compare and shows you where you can save. For what else to ask, see 15 questions to ask before hiring an interior designer in Sri Lanka.
Our design fees
For the area ranges below, we charge for design per square foot; the rate depends on the complexity and the level of detail. See what our interior design service covers.
| Type | Area | Design fee |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | 1,200 to 4,000 sq ft | From Rs 95 per sq ft |
| Commercial | 300 to 5,000 sq ft | From Rs 120 per sq ft |
| Smaller or larger areas | Below or above these ranges | Quoted after a site visit or a discussion about the design |
These are design fees only, not the cost of furniture or finishes. Discounts may apply to residential projects. Guide prices, October 2026; they may change without notice.
Examples at these rates (design fee only):
- a 1,500 sq ft home: from Rs 142,500
- a 2,000 sq ft home: from Rs 190,000
- a 1,000 sq ft commercial space: from Rs 120,000
These are starting figures. The final fee depends on the complexity and level of detail, and is confirmed in your quote.
Smaller apartments and single rooms are welcome; as the table shows, we quote these after a site visit or a discussion.
For an apartment we’ve worked on, see The Heights in Narahenpita. For commercial work, the films of Venus Clinic and Aura Wellness on our portfolio show two full interiors.
What’s included:
- 3D renders of all spaces and items included in the design
- sizes of every item
- colours and materials, including fabric codes and board specifications
- changes to the electrical layout if needed
- three revisions, free of charge
Other details beyond this list can be provided for an extra charge.
If you build with us: the design fee is deducted if you choose to do the full job with us (design, fabrication and finishes).
If you only want the design: the design listed above gives a builder the sizes, materials and specifications they need, so you can take it to any builder and compare prices.
How payments work: the design fee is paid upfront. For fabrication, we take a 60% advance when fabrication starts, a 25% interim payment, a further 10% in stage payments as the work progresses, and the final 5% at handover. We provide a signed quotation.
Site visits: free in Colombo and suburbs. Elsewhere, there is a visit charge, paid in advance. It is credited to the fabrication cost (not to design fees) if you go ahead with us building the furniture.
For a quote: send us the approximate area, the rooms you want designed and a floor plan or photos on WhatsApp (077 707 3072), or book a free site visit in Colombo and suburbs.
How to compare design quotes
- Put the quotes side by side and list the deliverables of each, not just the price.
- Check how many revisions are included.
- Ask whether item sizes, materials and electrical changes are part of the fee.
- Ask whether the design fee is deducted if the same company builds it.
- If the design is included with a build, ask what it covers and what you pay for it if you don’t go ahead with the build.
- Make sure the designer will measure the site before designing.
Related: How to choose an interior designer in Sri Lanka · 15 questions to ask before hiring an interior designer in Sri Lanka · Interior designer, carpenter or design-and-build?
Common questions
How much does an interior designer charge in Sri Lanka?
It depends on how the designer prices their work. Many charge per square foot of the area designed; others charge per 3D rendered view. Some companies include the design at no separate charge if you order the furniture from them, and the design cost is then usually built into the build price. As one example, SM Interiors' design fees currently start from Rs 95 per square foot for homes of 1,200 to 4,000 square feet and Rs 120 per square foot for commercial spaces of 300 to 5,000 square feet, so the design fee for a 1,500 square foot home starts from Rs 142,500. These are design fees only, and guide prices (October 2026) that may change without notice. Charges may vary with the complexity of the design.
What does a full home interior cost in Sri Lanka?
There is no fair single figure, because most of the cost is in what gets made and finished, and that varies a lot from home to home. The main factors are how much built-in joinery you need (wardrobes, pantry cupboards, kitchen cabinets, TV units), the boards and hardware chosen, false ceilings and lighting, painting and flooring, and whether the floors and paint are already done. The design fee is usually the smaller part. The most reliable way to get a total is to approve a design first, then get an itemised quote based on it. At SM Interiors, furniture, fabrication and finishes are quoted separately from the design fee, based on the approved design.
Is it better to pay per square foot or per rendered image?
Per square foot is usually easier to compare, because it covers the whole area. Per-render pricing can look cheaper, but check whether item sizes, materials, colours and electrical changes are included, or charged extra.
Why pay for design when some companies offer it free?
When the design comes with a build, its cost is usually built into the furniture price, and you may be expected to build with that company. That can suit you if you already know who will build. Either way, check what the design actually gives you. SM Interiors' design fee covers 3D renders of all the spaces and items in the design, the size of every item, colours and materials (including fabric codes and board specifications), electrical layout changes if needed, and three revisions free of charge. You can take the design to any builder and compare prices, and if you do the full job with SM Interiors (design, fabrication and finishes), the design fee is deducted.
Does the interior design fee include furniture and fabrication?
Usually not. The design fee covers the design work, drawings and specifications. Furniture, fabrication and finishes are quoted separately, based on the approved design.
How many design revisions are included?
It varies between designers, so ask before you start. SM Interiors includes three revisions free of charge.
Is the design fee deducted if I go ahead with the same company?
Some companies deduct it. At SM Interiors, the design fee is deducted if you choose to do the full job with us (design, fabrication and finishes).