Before discussing colours, furniture and visualisations, it helps to explain what you expect from your future interior. An interior design brief brings together information about your property, everyday needs, budget and constraints. It gives your designer a concrete starting point rather than leaving important decisions to assumptions.
You do not need to write a technical document or have every answer ready. Start by distinguishing what you have already decided, what you want to change and where you need professional guidance.
What is an interior design brief?
A brief describes the project’s goals and requirements. It explains who will use the space, how it will function and what you want to achieve. It can begin as a short document, a list of priorities and a folder containing plans and photographs.
It does not replace a measured survey, technical drawings or design work. For example, a kitchen island may be part of your wish list, but its suitability depends on the room dimensions, circulation space, services and the way you use your kitchen.
A useful brief describes the need without necessarily prescribing the solution. “We would like a comfortable breakfast spot for two” allows more flexibility than “We must have an island” before the space has been assessed.
Start with information about the property
Gather the documents you have and describe the property’s current condition. If information is missing, note that clearly. You do not need to postpone the first conversation until everything has been measured and confirmed.
- Property type: apartment, house, office or another space.
- Location and approximate floor area: include the number of floors where relevant.
- Current condition: newly built, occupied or already undergoing renovation.
- Scope: the entire property or selected rooms.
- Available information: architectural plans, drawings, photographs and details of existing services.
- Items to retain: flooring, doors, furniture, appliances or lighting.
A developer’s or estate agent’s floor plan is useful for orientation, but it may not accurately represent the completed property. Dimensions and important technical conditions need to be checked before furniture manufacture and work that depends on them.
Which photographs should you prepare?
Photograph each room from several angles. Show windows, doors, radiators, visible pipes, existing sockets and any areas that cause difficulties. Wider shots explain the space, while close-ups record particular details.
Describe the people and their daily routines
The same layout can suit one household and be impractical for another. Your brief should therefore describe real habits alongside your preferred appearance.
- How many people will regularly use the property?
- Are there children, pets or particular accessibility requirements?
- Do you work from home, and do you need a separate workspace?
- How often do you cook and entertain guests?
- What needs storing: clothes, books, sports equipment, technology or seasonal belongings?
- Do you expect the way you use the property to change over the next few years?
Describe the frustrations in your current home too. Insufficient shoe storage, poor task lighting or the lack of a quiet workspace provide specific starting points for the design.
Set out your requirements room by room
For each room, separate essential requirements from desirable additions. This makes decisions easier when the available space or budget cannot accommodate everything.
Kitchen and dining area
Explain how you cook, which appliances you use and how many people usually eat together. Note whether you prefer a separate kitchen or a connection with the living area, and identify any appliances you want to retain.
Consider food preparation space, food storage, small appliances and crockery. If you have already chosen particular appliances, include their model numbers and technical specifications.
Living room
Describe the main activities: conversation, watching television, reading, working or playing with children. Specify the seating you need and any furniture you want incorporated into the new layout.
Bedrooms and storage
State your preferred bed size, wardrobe requirements and any additional functions. A desk, dressing table or space for a cot should be considered during the initial planning.
Bathrooms and utility areas
Explain your preferences for a shower or bath, storage, washing machine, tumble dryer and household supplies. These requirements need to be assessed against the available space and technical conditions.
Business premises
For an office or commercial property, include staff and visitor numbers, the service process, equipment and movement between different areas. Identify any known operational requirements that need verification by the appropriate specialists.
Define your budget and priorities
Provide a budget range and explain what it covers. Design fees, renovation, furniture, appliances and lighting are separate parts of the overall investment. Combining them into one figure without clarification can lead to different expectations.
- Design: the scope of design work you need.
- Renovation: work still required and work already completed.
- Furnishing: furniture, appliances, lighting and textiles.
- Additional costs: delivery, installation and other necessary services.
- Contingency: provision for unforeseen work, particularly when renovating an existing property.
Rank your priorities. A practical kitchen and sufficient storage may matter more to you than decorative wall finishes. This allows proposals to be assessed against your goals as well as their appearance.
If you have not settled on a budget, say so. The first task may be to define the scope and assess whether your expectations for implementation are compatible with the funds available.
Explain your timetable and constraints
Distinguish your preferred completion date from deadlines that are genuinely fixed. An upcoming move, the end of a tenancy or a business opening date are important planning considerations.
- When will you have access to the property?
- Have you already appointed contractors or ordered products?
- Will people live or work in the space during renovation?
- Are there building restrictions on noise, deliveries or access?
- Which decisions have already been made and would be difficult to change?
These conditions affect the sequence of work. Design, product selection, manufacture and installation need coordinated schedules rather than being treated as one undifferentiated period.
Choose visual references and explain what you like
Prepare a small selection of images rather than a large folder of unrelated ideas. Add a short note to each example explaining whether you like the lighting, colours, materials, layout or a particular piece of furniture.
Examples of solutions you dislike are useful too. They help clarify the boundaries of the desired look.
Your references do not all need to belong to the same style. If you like different approaches, explain what attracts you to each. The project should create a coherent solution for your property rather than copy individual photographs.
An interior design brief checklist you can use
Copy this list and complete it with the information you currently have:
- Property and location: type, floor area and current condition.
- Rooms included: the entire property or selected areas.
- Users: number of people and important daily routines.
- Main problems: what does not work well at present.
- Essential requirements: functions and features you do not want to compromise on.
- Desirable additions: ideas to consider depending on space and budget.
- Items to retain: furniture, appliances, flooring and other elements.
- Budget: a range and the costs it needs to cover.
- Timetable: preferred dates and actual constraints.
- Support required: space planning, visualisations, technical design, furnishing selection or assistance with implementation.
- Attachments: floor plans, photographs, selected appliance models and visual references.
- Open questions: decisions for which you would welcome proposals.
Common mistakes when preparing a brief
Describing only the style
“A modern, welcoming interior” is a starting point, but it does not explain how the space needs to function. Add information about activities, storage and everyday difficulties.
Leaving the budget scope unclear
Explain whether your figure covers furniture alone or also renovation, appliances, lighting and design fees. Different interpretations of the budget can lead to unsuitable proposals.
Omitting decisions already made
Ordered furniture, selected appliances and completed installations can restrict the available options. Share these details at the beginning.
Fixing solutions before assessing the space
Record your preferred solution, but explain the reason behind it too. Your designer can then suggest an alternative if the initial idea does not suit the property.
Frequently asked questions
Does the brief need to be professionally written?
No. A clear description of your main needs, constraints and questions is sufficient for an initial discussion. The information can be refined and expanded together with your designer.
Can I start without an accurate floor plan?
Yes. Available plans, photographs and approximate information can support an initial conversation. The actual conditions need to be verified before technical design and manufacture of elements that depend on precise dimensions.
What if I do not know which style I want?
Describe how you want the space to feel and how you intend to use it. Prepare a few references with notes about what you like. You do not need to choose a named style beforehand.
Can the brief change?
Yes. It is usually refined at the beginning. Changes after decisions have been approved may affect drawings, costs and schedules, so they should be discussed and confirmed before implementation.
From a brief to a defined project
A prepared brief makes the first meeting more productive: it explains what matters to you and identifies the questions that need resolving. If you are looking for interior design in Sofia, it provides a practical foundation for discussing your project’s scope.
Discuss your project with Atmosphera. Tell us briefly about the property and the support you need. If you have plans and photographs, you can send them to office@atmosphera.bg.
