How to Choose an Interior Designer in Greece: A Buyer's Checklist for Expats & Investors
Not a lot of checklists exist before you hire a designer 6,000 miles from home. Here is the one I wish every client had before they called the first name on your search result.
You Are Not Just Hiring Taste. You Are Hiring Risk and Project Management.
If you have typed some version of "what should I look for when choosing an interior designer in Greece for a contemporary home makeover" into Google or asked an AI assistant the same thing, here is the real answer, not a sales script.
Most people start the search for an interior designer in Greece the same way they would anywhere else: a few Instagram saves, a recommendation from a friend, maybe a Google search at midnight. Then they remember they are buying or renovating from another country, in a language they do not speak and a building system that runs on different rules than the one they are used to.
At that point, "I like their style" stops being enough of a reason to hire someone.
This is the checklist I give people before they sign with anyone, including us. Use it as a filter for any inquiry you might send.
The Seven Things Worth Checking Before You Hire
1. Portfolio Fit, Not Just Portfolio Quality
Beautiful photos are not the same as relevant experiences. A designer with a stunning Athens apartment in their portfolio may have never touched a coastal Airbnb, a Golden Visa property, or a contemporary home makeover in a building with the structural quirks common in older Greek construction. Ask to see work that matches your property type and your style goal, not just their best work overall.
2. Local Technical Knowledge, Not Just Local Address
Living in Greece and knowing how to navigate Greek permitting, plumbing realities in older buildings, and the trade network that actually shows up on time are two different things. Ask directly: who pulls permits, who manages the contractors, and what happens when a building reveals a surprise mid-project, because in Greece, it usually does.
3. Scope Clarity Before Anything Else
"Interior design" can mean a styling consultation or a full structural remodel, and the price difference between those is enormous. A designer worth hiring will define scope in plain terms before talking numbers. If you want to see how we break this down, our own Refresh, Redesign, Renovate, and Remodel tiers exist for exactly this reason, so the scope conversation happens before the budget conversation, not instead of it.
4. Budget Transparency, Not "Contact for Quote"
Real ranges, even rough ones, tell you whether a designer works in your world. A flat refusal to discuss numbers during a discovery call or design strategy call is not a quality signal. It is a sales tactic.
You can also ask for ranges that match your own goals to see if the design studio takes on your kind of project. For example: a low-budget turnkey furnishing project for an economy apartment can range from €10,000 - €15,000, while anything of real quality is realistically €30,000 + at minimum, not including design fees.
5. Process and Communication, Especially If You Are Remote
If you are managing this from abroad, ask exactly how updates happen, how often, and through what channel. Weekly WhatsApp photos are not project management. Ask what happens when you are asleep and a decision needs to be made on-site, or how they handle supply chain disruptions, damages, returns and replacements.
6. References From People Just Like You
A reference from a local client tells you less than a reference from another expat, foreign investor, or remote buyer who managed a project the way you will need to. Ask for that specific comparison.
Remember that there are all kinds of designers and design studios out there. Hiring a designer with a niche is more beneficial than hiring one who does a little bit of everything, afterall, a cafe and a home require very different considerations.
7. Red Flags Worth Walking Away From
No written scope. No fixed point of contact. No clear answer on who is liable if a contractor's work fails inspection. Vague answers to direct questions about permits or VAT. Any of these on their own is a yellow flag. Two or more together, walk away.
Watch: Why Local Expertise Beats Doing It Yourself
I talked through a lot of this checklist out loud with Chloe Mason of My Greek Expat Journey, the same partner who handles relocation logistics for a lot of our shared clients. We cover why hiring local experts consistently outperforms a DIY renovation, the specific red flags we have both seen from contractors, why insisting on proper invoices protects you legally and financially (not just for VAT), and the logistics challenges that catch foreign buyers off guard in Greece.
Watch the full conversation here
It is the same advice as the checklist above, just with the real stories behind why each point made the list.
Why This Matters More in Greece Than Almost Anywhere Else
Greece rewards designers who have already made the mistakes so you do not have to: who knows which import timelines actually hold, which contractors disappear mid-project, and which permit office quirks will derail a renovation timeline if nobody plans for them in advance. That experience does not show up in a portfolio photo. It only shows up when you ask the right questions before you sign.
Use This List on Us, Too
If you run this checklist against our own process and still have questions, that is a good sign you are taking this seriously. The honest answers to all seven of these are exactly what a Design Strategy Call is built to give you, whether you end up working with us or simply walk away better equipped to choose someone else.
