Is There a Best Interior Firm in Dubai? Criteria and Warning Signs

What best should mean for your project

Rankings, directories and award lists rarely tell you whether a firm suits your project. A studio that designs striking hotel lobbies may not be the right choice for a family villa renovation, and a contractor that turns offices around quickly may have little to offer on bespoke joinery.

A more useful definition of best is the firm most likely to deliver your brief, to the standard you expect, with the least risk along the way. That comes down to four things: the type of work a firm does well, the service it offers, how it manages a project and how it responds when something goes wrong.

Decide what kind of help you need first

Before you shortlist anyone, decide which service model fits you. It narrows the field quickly.

• Design only. A designer produces the concept, drawings and specifications, and you appoint a contractor to build them. This suits owners who already have a trusted contractor or want to tender the build.
• Design and build. One company designs the project and then builds it, so a single team answers for both. This suits owners who want one point of contact and fewer handovers between parties.
• Fit-out only. You already have a finished design and need a company to deliver it on site. Our guide to choosing a fit-out company covers this route in detail.

Also be clear about scale. Refreshing a few rooms, fitting out a whole property and making structural changes are very different jobs, and firms tend to be strongest at one of them.

Selection criteria that apply to any firm

Whatever the size or style of the company, these are the points worth checking:

• Relevant completed work. Projects of a similar type, scale and finish level to yours, ideally in comparable buildings or communities.
• A defined process. Named stages, clear sign-off points and a way of recording decisions.
• Quality of documentation. Drawings and specifications detailed enough for accurate pricing and building.
• Approvals. A clear answer on who prepares submissions to the building, the community or master developer and the relevant authority.
• Site supervision. A named person responsible for the site, and a clear routine for inspections and updates.
• Joinery and procurement. Whether bespoke items are made in house or by suppliers, and who is responsible for their quality and delivery.
• Warranty and aftercare. A written defects period and a simple way to report issues after you move in.
• Communication. One main contact, regular updates and prompt answers to questions.

How to read a portfolio

A portfolio is the best evidence you will get, but only if you read it carefully.

• Separate photographs from renders. Renders show what a firm intended. Photographs of finished rooms show what it delivered.
• Ask what the firm actually did. Did it design, build, or both? Did it handle the joinery, lighting and furniture, or were those done by others?
• Look at the details. Joinery edges, stone joints, ceiling lines and how lighting sits in a space say more than a wide shot.
• Check the range. A firm with work across different styles can usually adapt to your taste. A very consistent portfolio may mean a strong signature style, which is fine if it is the style you want.

Where you can, ask to see a finished project in person or to speak with a previous client.

Comparing proposals and cost

Proposals are only comparable if they are based on the same brief. Give every firm the same information: location, size, existing plans, how you use the space and the standard of finish you expect.

The main things that move the cost of an interior project are:

• The size of the property
• The extent of bespoke joinery
• The grade of materials
• MEP and structural works
• The furniture specification

When proposals arrive, check what each one includes and excludes, which items are provisional allowances rather than fixed prices, and how payments are linked to stages of work. A lower price that leaves out approvals, furniture or supervision is not a lower price.

It also helps to understand how each firm charges for design. Some include design within a design and build contract, while others charge a separate fee for design and then quote for the build. Either can work well, as long as you know what you are paying for at each stage.

Questions to ask at the first meeting

• Which of your completed projects is closest to mine, and what did you do on it?
• Who will lead the design, and who will manage the site?
• How do you handle approvals for a property like mine?
• How are changes priced and agreed once work has started?
• How will you keep me informed during the project?
• What warranty do you give, and what happens if a defect appears after handover?

Warning signs

• A price far below the others with no clear explanation of what is different
• No written scope, or a scope that is vague on finishes and exclusions
• Pressure to commit or pay before the design and scope are agreed
• Uncertainty about who handles approvals
• A portfolio made up only of renders
• Reluctance to put the warranty and payment terms in writing
• Promises of speed that ignore approvals, lead times and the size of the job

One warning sign on its own does not prove a firm is unreliable. It does mean you should ask for a clear, written explanation before going any further, and walk away if the answer does not satisfy you.

How Xena Design & Build works

We will not tell you we are the best firm for everyone. We would rather you compare us against the criteria above, so here is how we work.

Xena Design & Build is an interior design, fit-out and design and build studio in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, led by our founder and Creative Director, Anita Surani. Our services cover interior design and space planning, 3D visualisation and mood boards, authority approvals, design and build, project management, on-site supervision, and procurement and installation. We also offer design-only consultancy. For villas, you can choose a renovation of selected rooms, a full turnkey project from design to handover, or a bespoke project with structural works and custom fabrication.

We tailor design and materials to an approved budget, produce detailed 3D renders before execution and handle authority submissions and NOCs as part of the programme. After handover, a 12-month defects liability period set out in your contract applies and manufacturers' warranties are passed on to you. Our Jumeirah Villa 23 and Imperial Avenue Apartment projects are good examples of a villa and an apartment we have completed. If you are still deciding what size of firm suits you, our comparison of boutique and large design firms may help.

To see what we offer, visit our interior design in Dubai page. When you are ready, send us an enquiry with your property's location, size and vision, and we will reply with an indicative estimate and proposed timeline within one working day.