Building a custom home is like no other experience. You get to create something from the ground up that is just for you! Not all of us are so lucky, but with that opportunity comes a lot of design responsibility.
There are a million (and sometimes that’s not much of an exaggeration) decisions that need to be made throughout the entire project. From big decisions like floor plan and layout to all the small details like which shade of bronze for the cabinet pulls to which light bulbs will go into which sconce. Honestly, y’all, you could drive yourself crazy trying to wade through all these options alone. I don’t recommend it.
That’s why families turn to qualified interior designers to help guide them through the process and design the space of their dreams. But choosing the right interior designer for new construction is not as easy as it sounds. Sure, you want to like what’s in their portfolio, but as important, you need to find someone who can understand your vision, foresee what it life will be like for your family to live in the home, collaborate with your architect and builder, and ensure all those savvy design decisions add up to one beautiful, cohesive home.
How, exactly, do you find that person?
Here’s what I recommend looking for when choosing an interior designer for your custom home build, including when to bring them in, what questions to ask, and why the right working relationship matters just as much as the stunning final pictures.
The short version? Choose a designer who knows new construction, asks the right questions on how you plan to live in your space before talking about finishes, plays nicely with your builder and architect, and has a clear process from day one. Make sure you can be honest with them. And bring them in early, ideally while your plans are still on paper. Now for the why.
Does Your Interior Designer Understand New Construction?
First things first, designing a home that already exists and designing one that is being built from the ground up are two different beasts.
With new construction, your designer may be weighing in on decisions long before there’s even walls to decorate. We’re thinking about cabinetry layouts, lighting placement, flooring transitions, plumbing fixtures, tile specifications, built-ins, millwork, and how materials will carry from one part of the home to another. These early decisions are so important because they have a ripple effect throughout the entire project.
Move a wall and suddenly the closet layout changes. Change the vanity and your sconces may need to move. Fall in love with a certain range, and now we need to make sure the cabinetry and ventilation plan support it.
You want a designer who understands those relationships and can think several steps ahead. That ability becomes particularly important during a custom build because decisions are often happening simultaneously, and changing them later can be difficult, expensive, or both.
Does the Designer Ask How You Live in Your Home?
I will beat this drum forever, y’all. Your home should be designed around your life. Not your neighbors, not your parents, not even your life as you may fantasize about it if it were a movie. We’re talking real life, day-in, day-out. And you need to find a designer who considers this before diving into the fun stuff like finishes and furniture. Your designer should really dig into questions and considerations like these:
Do your kids pile backpacks onto the kitchen counter every afternoon? If so, it’s time to give those backpacks a better place to land.
Do you host Thanksgiving for 25 people every year? That matters when we’re thinking about your kitchen, dining space, seating, and traffic flow.
Do you work from home? Does the dog need his own little kingdom? Are you serious cooks - and is the chef of the home left-handed? Are you absolutely not serious cooks, but you do make a mean reservation?
These details influence design decisions in ways that Instagram reels can’t, so when interviewing designers, pay attention to the questions they ask you. If the entire conversation is about the look you want to achieve and very little of it is about how you live, then I would mosey right along.
How Will Your Designer Work with Your Builder and Architect?
Collaboration is the name of the game when it comes to custom home construction. No one player on the team has all the skills it takes to create a gorgeous home alone. Your architect, builder, interior designer, trades, vendors, and various specialists all have different responsibilities, but those responsibilities constantly overlap. The smoother the communication between everyone involved, the smoother your build tends to be.
A good designer should be comfortable collaborating with everyone on the team, as well as comfortable enough advocating on your behalf when necessary to ensure your vision stays true.
Ask a prospective designer how they communicate with builders and architects, and what their involvement typically looks like during construction. You want someone who sees collaboration as part of the job, not an inconvenience that comes with it.
What Should You Look for in an Interior Designer's Portfolio?
Of course you should look at a designer’s portfolio. Please do! (Ahem, here’s mine). But don’t get fixated on trying to find the exact home you want.
If every project in a designer’s portfolio looks the same, that can be a bit of a flag. Did all their clients seriously happen to want the same thing? Or is it more likely that the designer has one particular look, and they apply it to every project?
Your custom home should not be a replica of someone else’s but rather a reflection of your style, your life, and your story.
Here’s what to look for in a designer’s portfolio instead. Do the rooms feel cohesive? Are there interesting details? Does each home have personality? Can you see how different projects might reflect different clients? Most importantly, does the work make you want to see more?
These are evidence of thoughtful design. A strong designer should have a point of view without requiring your home to become an extension of theirs.
What Should You Ask About a Designer's Process?
I’m not going to sugar coat it - custom home construction can be a long, grueling process. I wish that weren’t the case, but the build will inevitably stretch over many months, sometimes longer, so you want to know how the relationship will work before you sign on.
Talk to the designer about their process from beginning to end. Key questions might include:
How are concepts presented?
How are selections approved?
How does purchasing work?
Who communicates specifications to the builder?
How are changes handled?
When does furniture sourcing begin?
How often should you expect to hear from your designer?
There doesn’t have to be one "right" process, but there should absolutely be a process.
You also want to understand what is included in the designer’s scope. Interior design for new construction can include everything from hard finishes and fixture selections to custom cabinetry, furnishings, styling, procurement, and final installation. Make sure you understand what your designer will handle and what will remain with you or another member of the team. Clarity at the beginning prevents a whole lotta "Wait, who was supposed to do that?" later.
Make Sure Your Vibes, Well, Jive
You don’t have to be best friends with your designer, but you do need to be able to comfortably and honestly communicate with them, because spoiler alert: you’re going to be spending a heck of a lot of time with each other.
There will be fun conversations about gorgeous stone slabs and ah-mazing wallpaper, but there will also be conversations about budgets, delays, discontinued materials, things that do not fit, and decisions you may have to make faster than you would prefer.
You need to feel comfortable being honest with this person. If you hate something, you should be able to say so. If you’re nervous about spending money on a particular feature, say it. If you’ve changed your mind, we need to know that too.
The designer-client relationship works best when there is trust on both sides. We’re here to guide you, explain why we recommend what we recommend, and sometimes nudge you toward a choice you may not have made on your own. But ultimately, we are designing your home. You should feel heard throughout the process.
Bring Your Interior Designer in Earlier Than You Think
One of the biggest misconceptions about interior designers and custom homes is that we come in after the construction part is finished. That’s definitely one we really want to avoid. It’s important that you bring your interior designer in as early as possible in the process.
By the time walls are framed and electrical is underway, hundreds of design decisions have already been made, whether anyone realized they were "design decisions" or not.
Ideally, your designer is part of the conversation early enough to review plans and think through how the interiors will function before those choices become expensive to change. We can look at a floor plan and start thinking about furniture placement before the furniture exists. That tells us where outlets may be helpful, where lighting needs to land, whether a doorway creates an awkward furniture arrangement, or whether that giant kitchen island you have been dreaming about leaves enough room to comfortably move around it. The earlier we can think about the whole picture, the more intentional the finished home can feel.
Choose the Designer Who Understands the Home You Want to Create
Building a custom home is a big investment, but it is also an incredible opportunity. You’re not adapting your life to a home someone else designed decades ago. You get to ask what works for you, what doesn’t, and what you want everyday life in this new home to feel like.
Your interior designer should help you answer those questions and then carry those answers through hundreds of decisions, big and small.
At KJI, we work with clients on new construction and custom homes here in Austin, throughout Texas, and nationwide. We collaborate with homeowners, builders, architects, and project teams to make sure the interiors are considered as part of the home from the beginning, not added as an afterthought at the end. Because when you’re putting this much time, energy, and heart into building a home from scratch, you deserve for the finished result to feel like it could only belong to you.
If you are planning a custom home and wondering when to bring a designer into the conversation, right now is the right time. Get in touch to see what we can dream up together.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I hire an interior designer for a custom home build? Ideally, bring your interior designer into the process early, often during architectural planning or before major interior selections begin. Early involvement allows the designer to think through space planning, lighting, cabinetry, finishes, furnishings, and other interconnected decisions before construction makes changes more complicated or costly.
What does an interior designer do during new construction? The scope varies by project, but an interior designer may help with space planning, cabinetry, lighting, plumbing fixtures, tile, flooring, countertops, paint, millwork, furnishings, and other interior selections. They can also coordinate with the architect and builder to help carry the overall design vision through construction.
Do I need an interior designer if my builder already has a selection process? A builder’s selection process can be incredibly helpful, but it does not necessarily replace interior design. An interior designer approaches selections as pieces of a larger vision, considering how materials, finishes, lighting, furniture, function, and the way you live all work together throughout the finished home.
Should I choose my builder or interior designer first? Either can come first, but ideally your core team comes together early. If you already have a builder or architect, your designer should be comfortable collaborating with them. If you start with a designer, they may also be able to help you think through what to look for as the rest of your project team comes together.
Can Kaki John Interiors work on custom homes outside Austin? Yes. KJI is based in Austin and works with clients throughout Texas and nationwide. The exact process and level of on-site coordination can be tailored to the location and scope of the project.