Interior design for expats, in English, anywhere in Europe
The hard part is rarely the taste.
Most people who move abroad know roughly what they like. What they do not have is any of the local knowledge that normally sits underneath a decision, and that turns out to be most of the job.
You cannot tell whether a quote is reasonable, because you have no reference point. You do not know which shops are the good ones, which deliver, or which will not deliver to your postcode at all. You cannot judge whether a tradesperson is being difficult or whether that is simply how it works here. And the vocabulary is against you, because knowing the word for skirting board is not something six months of language classes prepares you for.
None of that is a design problem. But it is why furnishing a home in a new country takes people three times as long as they expected, and why so many arrive at the point of giving up and buying whatever the nearest large retailer has in stock.
In Germany, the flat may not come with a kitchen.
This is the one that genuinely shocks people. A great many German rental flats are let without an Einbauküche, meaning you arrive to find pipework, a gas or electrical connection, and an empty room. The previous tenant took theirs with them, because they bought it.
The same convention covers light fittings, which leave with the last tenant, and often wardrobes, since built-in storage is far less common than in British or American housing. Add it up and an unfurnished German flat can be considerably more unfurnished than the word suggests, and the first-month cost lands well beyond what most people budgeted when they signed.
It is worth knowing before you sign rather than after. It changes what you should be paying in rent, whether it is worth negotiating to buy the outgoing tenant's kitchen, and whether the flat that looked cheaper actually is. It also changes the design conversation entirely, because a kitchen you own and can take with you is a different decision from one fixed to somebody else's wall.
Most European tenancies require the flat to be returned in its original state, so anything drilled, mounted or painted has to be made good when you leave. That is not a reason to live in a bare flat, but it is a reason to know which decisions are reversible before you make them. A well-planned rental leans on freestanding pieces, good lighting and textiles rather than on anything that leaves a hole.
What changes when your designer knows the country.
Everything in English
The brief, the drawings, the shopping list and the calls. Nothing gets lost because a word did not translate, and you never have to check a specification you only half understood.
Suppliers who will deliver
Every item on your list comes from a supplier that ships to your country, priced in euros, with lead times that reflect reality rather than the German or Spanish website's optimism.
Drawings a local trade can read
Plans in metric, drawn to the conventions the trades here expect. A Handwerker who can see what is wanted is a Handwerker who quotes properly and turns up.
We are interior designers, not relocation agents. We will not find you a flat, deal with your landlord, or handle a permit application. What we do is the design and the sourcing, and we will tell you plainly when something you are planning needs an architect, an engineer or a registered trade rather than us.
Asked by people who have just arrived.
I am renting. Is there any point?
Often more than for an owner, because the constraints are tighter and getting it wrong is expensive. A rental scheme leans on freestanding furniture, lighting and textiles, so almost everything moves with you to the next flat. That is worth more when you may not be in this country permanently.
Do you know which shops actually deliver here?
Yes, and it is one of the more useful things we bring. Your shopping list is built from suppliers that ship to your country, not from whatever looks good online. If you would rather not place the orders yourself, our procurement service handles the ordering, the chasing and the delivery tracking, and passes on our trade discounts, which run from five to forty per cent depending on the supplier. The supplier network page lists who we work with.
Can you deal with my landlord or my Hausverwaltung?
No, and we would be doing you a disservice if we pretended otherwise. Those conversations need to come from you as the tenant. What we can do is make sure that what you are asking for is reasonable and clearly drawn, which is usually the difference between a yes and a no.
What if my German, French or Spanish is not good?
That is largely the point of us. Everything on our side happens in English. Between them our designers also cover several other languages, so if a supplier or a trade needs something explained, it is usually possible.
I have just moved and nothing has arrived yet. Is it too early?
It is the best possible time. Decisions made before the boxes are unpacked are cheaper than decisions made around furniture that is already in the wrong place. If you are still flat-hunting, an hour of consultancy on a floor plan can tell you whether a place will work before you sign.
Do I need to be in Germany?
No. We work with English-speaking residents across Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland and beyond. Everything is delivered online, which is precisely why where you are matters less than it used to.
How do I measure a room I have only just moved into?
We send a guide and you send back photographs and dimensions in centimetres. It takes about half an hour with a tape measure. If the flat is unusual or you would rather not, a site visit can be arranged in some locations.
Just arrived, or about to? Book a free call and we will tell you honestly what your home needs, including when the answer is far less than you feared.
Transform any room into a space you’ll love - affordable interior design, delivered online.
How It Works
Kick-off Call – We start with a video or phone call to understand your space and style preferences.
Design Creation – We create a mood board, layout plan, and curated shopping list tailored to your room and preferred style.
Final Presentation Call – Your designer presents the design and explains how to bring it to life.
(On-site visits are not included but can be booked separately depending on location.)
What’s Included
Mood Board – a visual direction for your new look (including a new colour scheme if required)
Black & White Floor Plan with furniture distribution – optimised for flow and function
Curated Shopping List – tailored furniture & décor recommendations across Europe
Two Online Calls – one to kick off, one to present the final design
Optional Add-Ons
(Customise your package with these extra services)
3D Visualisations – see your new room before implementation
Furniture concierge Service – we handle sourcing & logistics
On-Site Visit – available depending on location
Extended Design Support – additional calls or styling sessions
Custom Furniture Design – bespoke furniture concepts designed to fit your space perfectly
Lighting Plan – detailed lighting layout to enhance mood, function, and atmosphere
How It Works
Kick-off Call – Start with a video or phone consultation to discuss your needs and preferences.
Design Development – Mood boards, colour layouts, and detailed technical plans tailored to your space.
Final Presentation Call – Review the full design package with your designer.
(On-site visits are not included but can be booked separately depending on location.)
Why Choose Premium?
Unlike our Room Makeover, the Premium Package gives you in-depth technical plans, on-site or online consultations, and extra design time for those special finishing touches.
Perfect for:
Full room redesigns (open plan space, living rooms, bedrooms, nurseries, home offices)
Bathroom refurbishments requiring technical drawings & tile layouts
Clients who want more personalised support & detail in their project
How It Works
Kick-off Call – We begin with a video or phone call to review your project goals.
Design Development – Mood boards, technical drawings, and plans developed over several weeks.
Final Presentation Call – We present your full design package and guide you through next steps.
(On-site visits are not included but can be booked separately depending on location.)
Why Choose Deluxe?
Lighting Plan Included – wiring, switching and circuits with layered ambient, task & accent lighting.
Renovation-Ready Drawings – 2D colour floor plans, elevations & tile/finish layouts for builders & electricians.
Advanced Space Planning – furniture distribution plan (in colour) to optimise flow & proportions before you buy.
More Designer Time – extended development of 4 hours plus two calls (kick-off & final) for a polished result.
Shopping List with Savings – curated EU furnishings & décor, with trade discounts passed directly to you.
Flexible Add-Ons – 3D visuals, procurement & ordering, custom furniture design, extended lighting consultancy, on-site visit*, and extra support.
Two homes, both started from an empty flat.
Every project on this page began the same way somebody else's does: keys collected, boxes unopened, and no idea where to start in a country that was still new. The photographs below are the same rooms before and after.
A family relocation to Germany
A bland rental with generous proportions and nothing to hold it together. We worked out the layout first, then specified furniture that could move with the family when the tenancy ends, and brought in local artisan pieces to stop it feeling like a showroom.
Rental / whole homeYoung professionals in Berlin
An empty shell, which is more common here than newcomers expect. A complete layout plan, visuals to test it before anything was ordered, furniture sourced from suppliers that deliver in Germany, and styling at the end to finish it properly.
Purchase / full design“James and Claudia did a fantastic job with our apartment! They understood my expectations very well. Being first time home owners we were absolutely lost and confused and they made this whole process easy. Their work is organised, transparent and the communication was clear and precise. Thank you for helping us build our dreams.”
“I wanted to work with an interior designer but wasn’t sure my budget allowed for one. The virtual design service by Akiva was the perfect halfway house.
Nour came up with several great ideas that I hadn’t even thought of and unified my thoughts into a color and design palette. Very highly recommended.”