Romanians invest between 30,000 and 160,000 euros in home design

The interior design market has registered a considerable advance post-pandemic, approaching maturity, a trend that will continue in 2023, against the background of the growing interest of Romanians in furnishing their homes. Thus, Romanians invest on average between 30,000 euros and 160,000 euros in interior design services for apartments, and the costs can exceed 200,000 euros for houses, budgets which in the last three years have increased by over 50%, according to the data of MiSo Architects, one of the main companies of architecture and interior design from Romania.

Among the reasons for Romanians to invest more and more in home improvement is the desire to live in harmoniously arranged spaces to ensure well-being and increase the value of rents and the value of apartments for sale.

“During the pandemic, the interior design market has been revitalized, experiencing an accelerated growth process, which continues in 2023. The growth is supported by a growing interest in home design, which has risen to the top in terms of importance and investments made by Romanians. If in 2019 an average budget for interior design was between 20,000 euros and 90,000 euros, today it can be up to 3 times higher. In fact, with a change in mindset during the pandemic regarding the importance of things in people’s lives, it has become a priority for Romanians to furnish their apartments or houses. In addition, there is an increased dose of trust given to specialists in the field. The beneficiaries understood that home is not only the place where you come to sleep, it is much more than that, it is the place you identify with, where you leave the stress and everyday problems at the door and relax, and you become aware of the space that surrounds you surround. The whole design process took on a holistic dimension”, says Sorana Leru, co-founder and interior architect at MiSo Architects.

Most interior design projects, 80%, are for new homes, and the most sought-after interior design services are the turnkey services, many requested by Romanians settled abroad who buy homes in Romania and do not participate in the implementation, and the complete services of interior design, where the client gets involved in the implementation process.

Read more about

Ioan Pintea, Mendola Fabrics: Insights on Marketing, Technology, and Sustainability in the Interior Design Industry

read more

Thus, in the first half of the year, January-June, MiSo Architects registered a 15% increase in demand for interior design services for apartments, houses, and duplexes, compared to the same period last year. Among the most unusual interior design requests is the creation of saunas and spas, and the preferred styles are classic modern, minimalist with biophilic accents, and elegant with hints of glam.

As for the budgets for interior design services, they have increased in recent years, varying according to the needs of the clients. For example, for two-room apartments, with a usable area of ​​50-60 sqm, the value of the investment in interior design varies between 500 euros/sq m and 800 euros/sq m, which means between 30,000 euros and 48,000 euros per apartment. Budgets increase up to 1,500 euros/sq m, and in some cases exceed this amount, for interior design that involves significant interventions with materials and furniture from the premium category.

For a house or duplex with a usable area between 130 sq m and 300 sq m, with 6-8 rooms, the invested budget is between 600 euros/sq m and 1,650 euros/sq m, depending on the complexity of the project and the destination of the home, which represents total investments between 78,000 euros and 200,000 euros, but which can reach over 500,000 euros.

“Budgets for interior design cover complete services, from rendering to finding furniture and all other objects in the home to the actual design, and differ according to the needs of the clients. Although most requests are still for apartments or houses in which the future owners are to live, we have more and more requests for the arrangement of apartments to be rented, especially from Romanians living abroad. This is a sign that the openness to call on specialists in the field is increasing, a change favored during the pandemic and which has become an increasingly prominent trend. Thus, we believe that the interior design market in Romania is getting stronger and we will see an accelerated development in the coming years”, says Mihaela Tampiza, co-founder and interior architect at MiSo Architects.

As the pandemic has changed people’s perceptions and priorities, currently, in most cases, Romanians invest in interior design services because they attach increasing importance to the way they feel in their homes. The concern for well-being leads more and more Romanians to arrange or re-arrange their homes to create harmonious spaces to reduce stress levels and help maintain an emotional and physical balance.

Thus, the concept of home well-being appeared, a dominant trend in 2023, which manifests itself through increased demand for the creation and arrangement of dedicated spaces for meditation, yoga, spa, sauna, or fitness, in the homes of Romanians.