How Much Should I Plan to Invest for the Interior Design of my Home?

When clients come to me to design and furnish their homes, they always as me this one question.

“What should I expect to invest per room?”

And I understand why that question comes up. Because when you’re looking at your home as a whole, it can feel hard to know where to even begin. Everything feels important. Every room carries weight. And without a clear understanding of how investment typically breaks down, it’s easy to either underestimate or feel unsure of what’s realistic.

As an interior designer in Athens, GA working with families through new build interior design and full home furnishings, I’ve seen this play out in so many different ways. And while every project is unique, there are patterns that tend to hold true across the board.

So instead of speaking generally,  I want to walk you through this in a more real and raw room-by-room way.

Because each project is different, I am not going to give you a rigid number, but I am going to give you a clearer sense of what goes into each space, and why underestimating the investment is not a good idea.

Living Room

One of my most favorite rooms to work on is the living room and when it comes to furnishings, this is a room that eats up the majority of the budget for good reason. This is often one of the most layered rooms in the home and one of the most underestimated when it comes to investment.

Why is the living room interior design so important? This oversized room is where your family gathers at the end of the day. Where guests are welcomed. Where comfort and function need to coexist in a way that feels effortless.

Because of that, the investment here is rarely tied to one piece. It’s the combination of furnishings, lighting, textiles, and the smaller details that bring everything together.

What Most People Plan to Invest: $5k - $15k (without considering taxes + shipping)

What it Actually Costs to Furnish a Living Room: $25k-$50k (including taxes+shipping+white glove service)

Since most of our clients are active families, the majority of their investment goes straight to the largest piece in the room, the sofa (I would say anywhere from 40-50% of funds). Secondary pieces that still will get lots of wear and tear would be the rugs, coffee table, and accent chairs. The next level of investment gets allocated to any light fixtures that need to be selected. The fourth layer that comes next in priority of investment is window treatments followed by side tables and accessories. 

The Kitchen

Now, the heart of the home is one of those places where allocating a larger upfront investment is essential. The kitchen tends to carry a significant portion of the overall home investment for good reason. It’s not just about aesthetics. It’s about function, durability, and how the room supports everyday life.

From cabinetry and countertops to appliances, lighting, and layout decisions, this is normally a large room where early planning makes a noticeable difference, not just in how it looks, but in how it lives for years to come. Keep in mind that these numbers are from full gut renovations and new build construction projects. For cosmetic only, your investment range would be slightly less depending on quality of materials and quality of labor.

What Most People Plan to Invest: $30k-$50k (not including permits + project management +contingency)

What it Actually Costs to Build Out a Kitchen: $150k - $250k (including premium finishes + contingency+ expert craftsmanship)

Based on past projects, the average kitchen project in a home is approximately 250 sq ft. The primary allocation of funds is going to be determined by whether or not the cabinetry is semi custom or custom which comes with a higher labor cost that is well worth the investment. Every detail is meticulously planned for how you live. The next bulk of the investment is allocated to high end appliances or panel ready appliances followed closely by countertops, fixtures, and tile. The final allocation of the budget is designated to lighting, flooring, and any decorative pieces such as bar stools and window treatments.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are interesting because they often feel smaller in scale but the level of detail required can be just as high. When it comes to the investment ranges for bathrooms, this is again for new build or full gut renovation projects. A powder bath will be significantly less than a full primary bathroom with a tub and walk in shower based on materials alone. We will be focusing on full primary bathrooms for these numbers.

Tile selections, plumbing fixtures, lighting, cabinetry — every layer matters, and each one contributes to both the function and the overall feel of the space. And in many cases, this is where clients begin to see how quickly decisions can add up.

What Most People Plan to Invest: $20k-$30k (not including permits if needed + project management +contingency)

What it Actually Costs to Build Out a Kitchen: $75k - $150k (including premium finishes + contingency+ expert craftsmanship)

Decisions will add up. Again, you have to think through custom or semi custom cabinetry. Next, when selecting tile, you have to consider the labor that will go into installing the specific layout or tile format which can drive up the investment. Countertops are another important allocation for my clients if they want a detailed edge or fun countersplash fabrication. Plumbing fixtures and hardware are a smaller detail that adds up if you are not careful. Last but not least are smaller soft accessories like rugs, countertop accessories, window treatments, and wall hooks.

Primary Bedroom

The primary bedroom is one of the most personal spaces in the home, but it’s also one that’s often left for last. What I’ve found is that when this room is approached with intention from the beginning, it changes the way the home feels as a whole.

This is where comfort, scale, and softness come into play in a different way. The investment here tends to be quieter but equally as important. For most of our full home projects, furnishing the primary bedroom also includes a sitting area of some sort to create a corner for relaxation outside of the bed.

What Most People Plan to Invest: $5k - $10k (not including shipping + taxes)

What it Actually Costs to Furnish a Primary Bedroom: $20k - $35k (including shipping + taxes + white glove installation)

The bedroom’s main allocation goes towards the pieces you use most, the bed frame, mattress, and bedding. We always choose these pieces first because nothing can replace a good night’s rest. Secondary pieces like an oversized lounge chair, nightstands, dressers, window treatments, and end of the bed bench follows close behind in the investment priority. In a bedroom, the area rug comes next since it needs to be a soft place to land but doesn’t normally have as much traffic as the living room area rugs. Lighting and accessories are the final investment allocation to round out the room and make it feel layered.

Kids’ Rooms

Kids’ rooms are always a balance. CLients often want to reduce the investment in these areas or skip them all together and I would definitely not recommend the latter.

I understand that you want them to feel personal and reflective of your child, but also practical enough to evolve over time.

This is one of the rooms where I often guide families to be thoughtful about where to invest and where to remain flexible. Because while the space may change, the foundation can still be timeless and easy to transition into the next phase of their life.

What Most People Plan to Invest: $0k-$10k (not including shipping +taxes)

What it Actually Costs to Build Out a Kitchen: $15k - $20k (including shipping + taxes + white glove installation)

For kid’s bedrooms, we have a slightly different approach on investment. I always start with functionality. Most of the time storage is the biggest place to invest heavily in whether that is additional dressers or larger nightstands with multiple drawers. The next step is creativity before investing any further. How does this room need to feel for the stage of life the child is in? Then we determine where to allocate the investment. We focus next on transitional larger pieces. Window treatments and lighting are next on the allocation priority list. The final layer are fun accessories or pieces that the child already has to make the room feel special to them.

At the end of the day, these numbers are not meant to feel overwhelming—they’re meant to bring clarity.

Because when you understand how your investment is typically layered across a home, it becomes much easier to make decisions with intention rather than hesitation.

And this is where working with a family-focused interior designer can make a meaningful difference.

When I’m working with clients, whether it’s a new build interior design project or furnishing a home around Athens, GA, we’re not just selecting pieces of furniture or materials. We’re thoughtfully allocating your investment across the rooms that matter most, prioritizing quality, longevity, and how your home will actually be lived in.

That often means pulling from a network of trusted vendors and resources that prioritize craftsmanship and customization so that what you’re investing in is not only beautiful, but built to last for the next 15-25 years.

Because ultimately, it’s not about how much is spent in any one room. It’s about how it all comes together. And how it feels to live in it every day.