A comparative analysis of the cost and quality of interior design services in the United States and Eastern Europe

Alina Stopina

Authors

Alina Stopina Interior Design Technologist Digital Visualization Researcher Founder of IDVP Methodology CEO Silno LLC USA

Keywords:

interior design, comparative analysis, United States, Eastern Europe, cost of design services, 3D visualization, hybrid business model, CGI studio, International Property Awards, competitiveness.

Abstract

The globalization of the design services market has made the comparative study of price and quality characteristics across different geographic contexts increasingly relevant. The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic comparative analysis of the cost, delivery speed, and quality of interior design services in the United States and Eastern Europe, with particular attention to business models that secure competitive advantage. The methodological framework combines comparative analysis, a systematic review of academic and industry sources, and a case analysis of the real-world practice of a company operating under a hybrid transcontinental model. The findings indicate that Eastern European studios offer design services starting at USD 5/ , while delivering projects at roughly twice the speed and with a superior level of 3D visualization compared with comparable firms in the U.S. market, where prices begin at USD 10/ . A substantial shortage of qualified CGI competencies and general contractor partners was identified in the American segment. An original concept, the Hybrid Design Delivery Model (HDDM), is proposed as a mechanism for combining European quality with local implementation capacity. The information presented in the article may be of interest to developers, investors, property management companies, and design industry professionals oriented toward international markets.

References

U.S. Houzz State of the Industry | Houzz Research. Retrieved from: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/2023-u-s-houzz-state-of-the-industry-stsetivw-vs~165882055 (date accessed: March 15, 2023).

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS): Interior Design Services (541410) | U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from: https://www.census.gov/naics/?details=541410&input=541410&year=2022 (date accessed: April 4, 2023).

Specialized Design Services - May 2022 OEWS Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2022/may/naics4_541400.htm (date accessed: July 14, 2023).

ASID 2022 State of Interior Design Report | American Society of Interior Designers. Retrieved from: https://www.asid.org/digital_downloads/products/view/49/332 (date accessed: June 9, 2023).

Mustapha, A. A., Mohamad, M. F., & Ahmad Noorhani, N. M. (2021). A framework of an interior design work delivery process. International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering and Technology, 12(3), 322–332. https://doi.org/10.30880/ijscet.2021.12.03.031.

Celadyn, M. (2019). Interior architectural design for adaptive reuse in application of environmental sustainability principles. Sustainability, 11(14), 3820. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143820.

Interior Designers (27-1025): Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2022 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2022/may/oes271025.htm (date accessed: July 18, 2023).

Salary for Position Interior Designer in Poland | Pensjometr. Retrieved from: https://www.pensjometr.pl/en/salaryinfo/construction-real-estate/interior-designer (date accessed: August 3, 2023).

Labour Cost Levels by NACE Rev. 2 Activity | Eurostat. Retrieved from: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/lc_lci_lev/default/table?lang=en (date accessed: August 10, 2023).

ASID 2023 Trends Outlook Report | American Society of Interior Designers. Retrieved from: https://www.asid.org/digital_downloads/products/view/51/339 (date accessed: July 27, 2023).

People, Places and Economic Value | Design Council. Retrieved from: https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/fileadmin/uploads/dc/Documents/DC_DE_Eco_Value_Exec_Sum_digital_Final.pdf (date accessed: August 15, 2023).

State of Design & Make | Autodesk. Retrieved from: https://damassets.autodesk.net/content/dam/autodesk/docs/pdfs/2023-state-of-design-and-make.pdf (date accessed: May 12, 2023).

Bruseker, G., Carboni, N., & Guillem, A. (2017). Cultural heritage data management: The role of formal ontology and CIDOC CRM. In Heritage and archaeology in the digital age: Acquisition, curation, and dissemination of spatial cultural heritage data (pp. 93–131). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65370-9_6.

Womack, J. P., & Jones, D. T. (2003). Lean thinking: Banish waste and create wealth in your corporation (Rev. ed.). Free Press.

Workforce Survey Analysis | Associated General Contractors of America. Retrieved from: https://www.agc.org/sites/default/files/users/user22633/2022_AGC_Workforce_Survey_Analysis.pdf (date accessed: February 17, 2023).

The State of Organizations 2023: Ten Shifts Transforming Organizations | McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-state-of-organizations-2023 (date accessed: June 21, 2023).

Award Categories | The International Property Awards. Retrieved from: https://propertyawards.net/about/award-categories/ (date accessed: August 21, 2023).

Eligibility - CIDQ | Council for Interior Design Qualification. Retrieved from: https://www.cidq.org/for-exam-candidates/eligibility/ (date accessed: August 24, 2023).

Resilience and the Culture of Winning Work | DesignIntelligence. Retrieved from: https://www.di.net/media/website_pages/di-media/articles/2023-quarterly/q1/resilience-and-the-culture-of-winning-work-by-bob-fisher-and-phyllis-goetz/resilience-and-the-culture-of-winning-work-by-bobfisher-and-phyllisgoetz.pdf (date accessed: June 28, 2023).

Commercial Real Estate Outlook | Deloitte Insights. Retrieved from: https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/financial-services/financial-services-industry-outlooks/commercial-real-estate-outlook-2023.html (date accessed: August 30, 2023).