Hiring an interior designer in Lagos should be one of the best decisions you make for your space. Too often, it isn’t — not because the designers aren’t talented, but because the client and designer had different understandings of what was being agreed to.
The result: a beautiful mood board that doesn’t translate to reality. A project that runs over budget. A finished space that looks like the designer’s vision, not the client’s life.
These six questions, asked before you sign anything or pay a retainer, will dramatically increase your chances of getting this right.
Question 1: “Can you show me spaces you’ve designed for people who live the way I live?”
Most interior designers in Lagos show their best work in their portfolio. That’s appropriate. But ‘best’ often means most photogenic — not most functional, not most suited to how real people use real spaces.
What you actually want to see is work done for clients with a similar lifestyle to yours. If you have young children, ask for residential projects with families. If you work from home, ask about home office integrations. If you entertain frequently, ask about how they’ve handled living and dining spaces for a social household.
A designer whose portfolio is full of minimalist bachelor apartments may not be the right fit for a busy family home in Lekki — regardless of how beautiful those apartments are.
Question 2: “What is your process between the first meeting and the finished space?”
This question reveals more than almost any other. A clear, structured answer — ‘we start with a discovery session, then we present a concept, then we get approval before sourcing anything, then we…’ — tells you that this designer has delivered projects before and knows how the process works.
A vague answer — ‘we’ll discuss what you want and go from there’ — is a warning sign. It means the process is informal, the scope is undefined, and disputes about expectations are more likely.
Specifically, you want to know:
- When do you present the design concept, and what does that presentation include?
- At what point do I give approval before money is spent on sourcing?
- Who manages vendors and contractors — you or me?
- What happens if something I’ve approved isn’t available or arrives wrong?
Question 3: “What’s not included in your fee?”
In Lagos, the gap between what a designer’s fee covers and what the project actually costs is often where misunderstandings live.
Some designers charge a design fee but expect clients to handle all procurement. Others include procurement but charge separately for site visits. Others include everything but cap the number of revision rounds.
The clearest question you can ask: ‘Give me a complete list of everything that is not included in your quoted fee.’ If the designer can answer this fluently and specifically, they’ve had this conversation many times before and know what they’re offering. If they hesitate or generalise, the scope is probably undefined.
“The most expensive part of an interior design project in Lagos is rarely the designer’s fee. It’s the unplanned decisions made without a clear scope.”
Question 4: “How do you handle budget overruns?”
In Lagos construction and sourcing, material costs can shift, items can be discontinued, and custom pieces can run long. A designer who has delivered completed projects will have a clear answer to this question — because it will have happened to them before.
What you want to hear: a structured process — written change orders, client approval before any spend that exceeds the agreed budget, and a clear hierarchy of what gets adjusted if money runs short.
What you don’t want to hear: ‘we’ll figure it out as we go’ or ‘it usually stays on budget.’ In Lagos, where material prices have increased significantly in recent years, ‘usually’ isn’t a contractual commitment.
Question 5: “Can I speak to a previous client whose project had a problem?”
This question is unusual, and that’s exactly why it’s useful.
Every design project in Lagos encounters problems — delayed deliveries, discontinued fabrics, contractors who underperform. The question is not whether problems occur. It’s how the designer handles them.
A designer who can refer you to a client whose project had a complication — and who that client will speak positively about despite the complication — is a designer with strong professional character. That’s rarer and more valuable than a portfolio of flawless photography.
Most designers won’t be asked this question. The ones who answer it well are worth noting.
Question 6: “What do you need from me to do your best work?”
This one is for you as much as for them.
Interior design is a collaboration. The clients who get the best results are the ones who understand their role in the process — being available for approvals, making decisions within agreed timeframes, providing access to the space, giving honest feedback rather than vague reassurances.
A designer who answers this question specifically — ‘I need you to respond to design presentations within 48 hours, I need access to the space on these dates, I need honest feedback even if it’s negative’ — is a designer who knows how projects fail and is trying to prevent it.
Your answer to this question also tells you something: if the requirements feel manageable, the working relationship will probably work. If they feel like too much, you may need a more hands-off service model.
One more thing before you search
The best interior design relationships in Lagos start not with a sales pitch, but with a conversation about what’s actually wrong with your space. A designer who begins by diagnosing your problem — rather than showing you what they can do — is a designer who puts your result first.
That’s the kind of conversation we start with at C. Luxe. Every project begins with a consultation that is entirely about your space, your life, and what needs to change. No portfolio presentation. No pressure.