# Writing an interior design brief for a UAE fitout

An interior design brief should explain how the space must work and what decisions the consultant is being appointed to support. A folder of inspiration.

Category: Interior Designers & Architects
Published: September 13, 2026
Source: https://www.vendoreye.ae/blog/writing-an-interior-design-brief-for-a-uae-fitout

An interior design brief should explain how the space must work and what decisions the consultant is being appointed to support. A folder of inspiration images is useful context, but it cannot define surveys, deliverables or approval responsibilities. Build the brief around the premises, users and project boundary before requesting a fee.

## Describe the space and intended use

List the areas, users and operational needs. Identify existing plans and mark information that needs verification. Explain which assets or finishes should remain and where change is expected. Avoid presenting uncertain dimensions as confirmed facts merely because they appear on an old drawing.

State the budget basis and programme assumptions. Distinguish a firm constraint from an early estimate. Ask the consultant to identify decisions that affect feasibility or cost so the client can resolve them before approving a concept that depends on unsupported assumptions.

## Define the appointment stages

Specify the purpose of each output: concept discussion, client selection, contractor pricing or another defined use. Ask bidders to describe layouts, schedules, details and other deliverables at each stage. A visual presentation and a coordinated pricing package should not be treated as interchangeable simply because both contain drawings.

Clarify specialist interfaces and exclusions. Structural, building-services and other technical work may belong to separate appointments. Identify who coordinates those inputs and who confirms applicable approval requirements. A brief should expose the responsibility map rather than assume the interior consultant covers everything associated with the premises.

## Set the decision process

Name the client representatives who can approve function, appearance and cost. Explain how stakeholder comments will be consolidated. Multiple independent feedback streams can create contradictory instructions and consume revisions without improving the design. Give the consultant one controlled route to a final client decision.

Ask for the proposed revision allowance, meeting schedule and response to contractor questions. Include procurement support or site attendance only where needed, but state the boundary clearly. The client should know which services require an additional appointment or fee.

## Request a comparable response

Require a deliverable schedule, assumptions, exclusions and price basis. Ask bidders to identify information they need before confirming their programme. Compare the complete appointment rather than the headline fee alone. A well-defined brief becomes the project's reference for assessing whether design work is complete and whether a later request is a correction, clarification or genuine scope change.

## Related buying guides
- [Comparing UAE interior design fee proposals](/blog/comparing-uae-interior-design-fee-proposals)- [Best UAE interior consultants for hospitality refreshes](/blog/best-uae-interior-consultants-for-hospitality-refreshes)- [How to choose an interior designer in the UAE](/blog/how-to-choose-an-interior-designer-in-the-uae)[Browse all Interior Designers & Architects guides](/blog?category=Interior%20Designers%20%26%20Architects).

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