For owners of prime London homes
Best High-End Interior Design and Build Firms: How to Choose
Sviatoslav JerdetchiiCEO & Founder of Craftex. Updated , 5 min read
The short answer
The best high-end interior design and build company in London designs and prices at the same time, controls its joinery and specialist trades, and runs a quiet, tightly managed site. Beautiful drawings are common; drawings built to the millimetre, on budget, are not.
- Decide first: designer then contractor, contractor-led, or design and build.
- Ask when you will see a real price, and how cost is kept in view during design.
- Ask who makes the joinery and who applies the specialist finishes.
- See finished homes, not renders, and meet the people who will run your site.
A prime London interior rarely fails on the drawings. It fails when the drawings come back from tender far over budget. Or when the stone doesn't line up with the joinery, and nobody owns the gap. Or when the neighbours in a mansion block stop the work.
This guide compares the ways you can buy a high-end interior in London and the seven criteria that matter. It also shows where Craftex fits, including when you'd be better off with someone else. Planning a prime home refurbishment? Book a site visit and we'll talk through the property with you.
Three ways to buy from high-end interior design and build companies
Before you compare firms, choose the route. It decides who carries the risk.
- Designer, then contractor. An interior studio completes the design, then the work is tendered to a fit-out contractor. You get design freedom and a competitive build price, but two firms and a gap between them.
- Contractor-led. A luxury fit-out contractor builds to a design you already have.
- Design and build. One company designs and builds. Design and cost decisions are made together, and one party owns the result.
None of these is right for everyone. Our guide to design and build vs traditional procurement explains the trade-offs in contract terms.
Seven criteria for a prime interior
These are the questions we would ask if we were hiring a firm for our own home.
1. Design that is priced as it is drawn
The most common failure in high-end work is a design that comes back far over budget. Months of value engineering follow. Ask how the firm keeps cost in view during design, and when you'll see the first real price.
2. Joinery made, or tightly controlled, by the firm
Bespoke joinery defines a prime interior. It is often the longest lead item, too. A firm that makes or directly manages its joinery controls quality and timing. One that hands it to a subcontractor controls neither.
3. Specialist finishes done by trained hands
Polished plaster, decorative paint, stone, panelling and mirror work show every flaw. Ask who applies them, and how those people were trained.
4. Long-lead items ordered up front
Stone, joinery, lighting and ironmongery can take months. Ask for a procurement schedule before work starts on site.
5. Discretion and neighbour protection
Prime addresses come with neighbours, managing agents, building rules and limits on working hours. In a leasehold flat, the freeholder's consent and rules also apply. Plan noise, access, deliveries and protection before day one.
6. One point of accountability
When the stone doesn't line up with the joinery, someone has to own it. Ask who.
7. A real handover and aftercare
At this level, clients inspect closely. Ask how snagging is handled and what happens in the first months of living in the home.
How the main types of interior firm compare
Typical patterns, not judgements on any one firm.
| Type of firm | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Interior design studio | A particular designer's style | Tender coming back over budget |
| Architect-led practice | Major remodelling, listed buildings | Fees and programme |
| Luxury fit-out contractor | Owners with a finished design | Design gaps left to the site |
| Project management company | A representative on a large project | An extra layer of fees |
| Design and build (Craftex) | Design, cost and build decided together | Whether our work matches your taste |
What our high-end work shows
Three homes and one flagship shop, all in London.
Herbert Crescent, Knightsbridge
Herbert Crescent was a £1.5M prime refurbishment of 450 m² over 32 weeks. We managed the bespoke joinery and every specialist trade directly. We controlled noise and access for the neighbours. We checked finish quality as we went, not at the end. A defined aftercare period followed handover.
Kensington Olympia penthouse
The Kensington Olympia penthouse is 400 m². We designed and refurbished it in 12 weeks as main contractor. More than 1,000 m² of walls and ceilings were redecorated, including Italian decorative paint by decorators trained for the finish. We added bespoke wardrobes, a dressing room and bevelled mirror cladding.
Pan Peninsula penthouse, Canary Wharf
At Pan Peninsula we designed and rebuilt a 290 m² penthouse in 10 weeks. Walls came out for an open plan. All services were reconfigured and tested, smart home features added and the balcony restored.
Drake's, Savile Row: the same craft in a shop
Drake's is commercial, not residential, but the craft is the same. It was a £410K refit of a flagship shop with bespoke timber fixturing. We did 120 m² in 12 weeks while the shop kept trading.
This was a full high-end renovation of my Victorian rental apartment in Westminster, just off Sloane Square and Belgravia. The scope included full fit-out: electrics, plumbing, a new bespoke kitchen, and a luxury bathroom refurbishment. Craftex took care of everything and made the process easy. They weren’t the cheapest, but you can tell they really know what they’re doing when it comes to prime London property renovations. The team was professional, organised, and genuinely seemed to care about getting everything right. I was especially impressed with the quality of the finish – the attention to detail really shows in every corner. I’m very happy with the results and would definitely recommend Craftex to anyone looking for reliable, high-quality renovation work in Central London.
The team
Earlier projects named here are from each person's career before Craftex.
- Joe Crawford, Operations Director. 37 years in construction, on projects of up to £135M, including the Dior flagship on Bond Street.
- Martin Hickey, Preconstruction Director. More than 50 years in construction.
- Konstantin Jegorovs, Projects Director. 16 years, an Oxford Brookes construction management graduate.
- Sviatoslav Jerdetchii, CEO and Founder. Mechanical engineering background. He founded Craftex in 2016 as a carpentry and joinery company.
Where Craftex is not the right fit
- Design budgets under £15,000. Our minimum design order is £15,000, and construction starts from £100,000. A smaller studio or decorator will serve you better below that.
- Furnishing and styling only. If you don't need building work, a styling studio is the right choice.
- You love one designer's signature style. Hire that designer, then a build-only contractor.
- Major structural change to a listed house. Where heritage consent drives everything, start with an architect-led team.
How to choose in five steps
- Decide which of the three buying routes suits you.
- Look at finished projects, in person if you can, not only renders.
- Ask who makes the joinery and who applies the specialist finishes.
- Ask when you'll get a real price, and how cost is controlled during design.
- Meet the people who will run your site. Ask about neighbours, building rules and aftercare.
Read our guide to luxury home design costs to set the budget. Then see our high-end interior design service and our high-end residential renovation work. When you're ready, book a site visit and we'll walk the property with you.
