Interior design companies in India: list, law and how to hire

The quick answer

There is no official register of interior design companies in India. Interior design is not a licensed profession: the Architects Act, 1972 protects the title "architect", not "interior designer", so anyone can open an interior design studio, and the nearest thing to a professional body is the Indian Institute of Interior Designers (IIID), a voluntary association. To find interior design companies you therefore work from directories and contact lists, then check each firm yourself. Starleads' Architects & Interior Designers list for India had 60,750 businesses on 31 October 2026, across 183 cities in 27 states, with a mobile number for 90% and an email for 53%. Mumbai alone has 19,901 of them. The all-India file is ₹1,999 and a city list ₹499, plus 18% GST, and you can download 60 rows free first.

This guide is for two kinds of readers. Some want to hire an interior design company: a business fitting out an office, a clinic, a shop, a restaurant or a show flat. Others want to sell to interior designers: brands and dealers of plywood, laminates, tiles, lighting, sanitaryware, modular kitchens and furniture, who know that a designer's specification decides what the client buys. It covers the kinds of firm the phrase covers, where they are according to Starleads' counts, what the law says about architects and interior designers, a step-by-step way to choose one, the contract clauses that prevent most disputes, how to sell to designers within TRAI's rules, and where Starleads' data falls short.

What an interior design company does, and the five kinds you will meet

"Interior design company" is used for businesses that work very differently. A studio that only draws and supervises is a different purchase from a firm that sends its own carpenters, and both differ from a modular kitchen showroom that also offers "free design". Decide which you need before you collect a single phone number, because the questions you ask, the contract you sign and the way you pay all change with the type.

The line between them is blurred. Many design studios will "arrange" execution through contractors they know, and many contractors have a designer on staff. What matters is who signs the contract for the work and who answers for defects. Ask that question on the first call.

Interior design companies in India by city: Starleads' counts

Starleads keeps one list for architects and interior designers together, because directories and the firms themselves mix the two: many practices do both, and many interior firms call themselves "architects and interior designers". The all-India list has 60,750 rows. By category, the biggest groups are "Designers" (20,662), "Architects" (6,748) and "Interior Decorator & Designers" (6,109); the rest carry labels such as "Interior Designers & Decorators" and "Architectural Design". The three biggest states, Maharashtra (24,940), Delhi (11,226) and Karnataka (5,673), hold 69% of the list. The figures in this guide are counts of contacts in Starleads' data as shown on the list pages on 31 October 2026, not an official census of India's interior design trade.

Three things stand out. First, Mumbai dominates: it holds 80% of Maharashtra's list and about a third of all of India's, so a supplier testing the market should start there, ideally in the western suburbs where the listed localities cluster. Second, Jaipur (1,956) has more listed firms than Hyderabad (1,899), which is a reminder that the trade is not only in the metros. Third, email coverage swings widely, from 37% in Mumbai to 76% in Delhi and 74% in Hyderabad, so the right channel depends on the city: phone-first in Mumbai and Bengaluru, email works for a larger share in Delhi and Hyderabad. The full state picture is on the Maharashtra list, where Nagpur (505), Nashik, Thane and Kolhapur follow Mumbai and Pune, and Starleads' Indian business statistics page shows how this list compares with other industries.

Live counts from the list pages

Today the Architects & Interior Designers list has 60,750 contacts in 183 cities, 90% with a mobile number and 53% with an email. These numbers update when the data does, so they may differ slightly from the table above.

• Mumbai 19,901 contacts · 37% email · 93% mobile ₹499
• Bengaluru 5,156 contacts · 51% email · 98% mobile ₹499
• Pune 3,437 contacts · 56% email · 88% mobile ₹499
• Jaipur 1,956 contacts · 49% email · 84% mobile ₹499
• Hyderabad 1,899 contacts · 74% email · 80% mobile ₹499
• Chennai 1,047 contacts · 66% email · 65% mobile ₹499
• Kolkata 975 contacts · 80% email · 78% mobile ₹499
• Ahmedabad 951 contacts · 59% email · 96% mobile ₹499
• Surat 885 contacts · 43% email · 91% mobile ₹499
• Vadodara 867 contacts · 45% email · 84% mobile ₹499
• New Delhi 715 contacts · 54% email · 15% mobile ₹499
• Gurugram 627 contacts · 67% email · 97% mobile ₹499

Lists that sit next to interior design

The firms interior designers specify and buy from, which are also the businesses that most want to reach designers:

• Architects & Interior Designers 60,750 contacts · 53% email · 90% mobile ₹1,999
• Modular Kitchen & Wardrobe Dealers 2,492 contacts · 43% email · 93% mobile ₹499
• Plywood & Laminate Dealers 12,188 contacts · 34% email · 89% mobile ₹1,999
• Tiles, Marble & Granite Dealers 24,745 contacts · 38% email · 88% mobile ₹1,999
• Sanitaryware & Bath Fittings Dealers 9,883 contacts · 29% email · 91% mobile ₹499

Architect or interior designer: what the law says

Buyers often ask whether an interior designer needs a licence. The short answer is no, but the word "architect" is protected, and that matters when you read a firm's letterhead.

• The Architects Act, 1972 set up the Council of Architecture and its register. Section 37 bars anyone who is not a registered architect (or a firm of registered architects) from using the title and style of "architect".
• The Supreme Court explained the scope in Council of Architecture v. Mukesh Goyal (17 March 2020). As SCC Online's report of the judgment summarises it, section 37 does not stop unregistered people from doing architectural and related work; it stops them from calling themselves architects. So an interior design studio may legally plan your office, but if a person on its team signs as "architect", they should be on the Council's register.
• Interior designers have no statutory register. The Indian Institute of Interior Designers (IIID) says it was established in 1972 and that it has "10,000 members and 35 Chapter & Centres across India". Membership is a sign of engagement with the profession, not a licence, and many capable firms are not members.
• Building approvals are a separate matter. Structural changes, change of use, new openings in load-bearing walls and fire-safety work in commercial premises usually need drawings signed by a registered architect or engineer and the approval of the local body, the society or the landlord. A good interior firm tells you when that applies; a poor one says "no permission needed".

In practice this gives you two simple checks. If the firm calls itself "architects", ask for the registration number of the architect who will sign, and check it on the Council of Architecture's register. If it calls itself "interior designers", judge it on completed sites, references and its paperwork, because no licence will do that for you. Our guide to architects lists covers the architects' side in more detail.

How to choose an interior design company, step by step

These steps are written for a business fitting out premises, but they work for a home too. They take about two to three weeks before work starts, which is far cheaper than a dispute halfway through.

1. Write a one-page brief. Carpet area, number of seats or rooms, what must stay (AC units, flooring, partitions), the date you must open, the landlord's or society's rules, and a budget range. Firms quote wildly different numbers for vague briefs.
2. Decide the model. Design-only if you have a contractor you trust; design-and-build if you want one party answerable for time and defects. See the table above.
3. Build a long list of ten to fifteen firms near the site. Local firms visit more often and know local contractors and suppliers. A city list such as the Pune list lets you filter by locality and category in Excel; also ask your landlord, neighbouring tenants and building-material dealers whom they see on good sites.
4. Check that each firm exists. Look up its GSTIN on the GST taxpayer search (legal name, status, date of registration, place of business) and, if it is a company or LLP, its record on the MCA portal. Our company search guide explains each look-up. A firm that will not give a GSTIN cannot give you a proper tax invoice.
5. Shortlist three to five and visit their sites. Photographs and 3D renders show what was intended; a finished site shows edges, joints, finishes and whether the electrical work is tidy. Ask the owner of that site how the firm handled delays and changes.
6. Ask for a priced BOQ, not a single number. Every quote should list items, specifications (brand, grade, thickness), quantities, unit rates and what is excluded. Only then can you compare like with like.
7. Compare on specifications first, price second. A cheaper quote often uses a lower plywood grade, thinner laminate or unbranded hardware. Our plywood guide and tiles guide explain the grades buyers ask for.
8. Agree the drawings before you sign. Layout, ceiling, electrical points and furniture drawings should be approved and attached to the contract, so "that was not in the design" cannot arise later.
9. Sign a written contract with the clauses in the next section, and pay in stages tied to finished work.
10. Hold a weekly site meeting with written minutes. Every change goes into a signed change order with its price and effect on the dates.

The contract: clauses that prevent most disputes

Most complaints about interior firms come down to the same few things: delay, extra charges, poor finish and defects nobody will fix. A written contract that covers each one is the best protection. Take advice from a lawyer for large projects; the table is a checklist, not legal advice.

If a home interior job goes wrong and talking fails, households can register a grievance with the National Consumer Helpline, which takes complaints on the toll-free number 1915 (8 am to 8 pm), by web portal, mobile app, UMANG and WhatsApp. Businesses buying for their own premises should rely on the contract and, if needed, legal advice.

Selling to interior designers: why specification decides the sale

For a supplier, an interior designer is not usually the buyer. The client pays, the contractor installs, but the designer decides which laminate, which tile, which light and which tap appear in the drawings and the BOQ. Once a brand is in the BOQ, substitution needs the designer's approval. That is why tile, lighting, furniture, modular kitchen and sanitaryware brands work through architects and interior designers to get "specified", as the Starleads list page puts it.

What designers specify, and the Starleads lists for the dealers who sell it:

• Boards and surfaces: plywood, MDF, laminates and veneers (12,188 plywood and laminate dealers).
• Floors and walls: tiles, marble, granite, wooden flooring and wallpaper (24,745 tile, marble and granite dealers).
• Bathrooms: sanitaryware and fittings (9,883 dealers).
• Kitchens and storage: modular kitchens, wardrobes and hardware (2,492 modular kitchen and wardrobe dealers, 1,538 of them listed as "Modular Kitchens"), and 5,735 door, window and hardware fittings dealers.
• Furniture and furnishings: loose and office furniture, curtains and carpets. Our furniture guide covers the makers and the BIS rules.
• Paint and finishes: paints, textures and polishes; see our paint companies guide.
• Lighting, switches and automation, plus ACs, glass partitions and acoustic panels in offices.

A plan for reaching designers

1. Pick one city and one segment. For example, design-and-build firms in Andheri and Kandivali, or office fit-out firms in Bengaluru. Filter the list by category and locality.
2. Lead with something useful to a designer: a sample kit, a swatch book, a technical sheet, a visit to your experience centre, or a short talk their team can attend. Designers are visual and busy; a price list alone rarely gets a reply.
3. Call in the late morning, after site visits start and before client meetings in the afternoon, and keep the first call to one question: "Do you specify [product] for offices or homes, and who in your studio chooses the brand?"
4. Follow up with an email or WhatsApp only where they agree, with your catalogue and the name of your nearest dealer.
5. Track who specifies you. A designer who puts your brand in three BOQs a year is worth more than a hundred who took your brochure. Our cold calling tips give scripts you can adapt.

The rules for calls, SMS and WhatsApp

Selling to a design studio is business-to-business, but you will mostly be calling mobile numbers, and TRAI's rules on commercial communication apply to them. Under the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), 2018, people register their preferences on the National Customer Preference Register (DND) by SMS or call to 1909, through an app or the web; the TRAI preference registration page lists the categories they can block or allow, including real estate and consumer goods, and lets them choose by mode (voice, SMS, auto-dialer, robocall), time band and day. Check numbers before you call (our DND check guide shows how), send promotional SMS only through a DLT-registered header and template (see our DLT registration guide), and use WhatsApp only with the person's opt-in through an approved business account. Stop at once when someone asks you to.

Where Starleads' interior design data falls short

Starleads compiles business listings that firms have published in directories; it does not inspect studios or rate their work. Know these limits before you buy:

• It is a mixed list. Architects, interior designers and decorators are in one file, and some rows are suppliers who list themselves under interior categories: the free sample for India includes a curtain-rod and blinds firm, a carpet seller and furniture makers next to design studios. Filter by the category column, and check the 60 free sample rows before you pay.
• "Designers" is a broad label. The largest category, "Designers" (20,662), will include some graphic or fashion designers. For a pure interior list, keep the rows labelled interior and architect, and drop the rest.
• Coverage of each field varies by city. Mobile numbers are on 80% to 98% of rows in the cities above, but emails range from 37% (Mumbai) to 76% (Delhi), and the contact person's name is on 57% of rows across India. Plan calls where emails are thin.
• Location fields are not always clean. In the Delhi list a few rows carry junk place names; sort by PIN code or address rather than trusting the city column alone.
• It is not a ranking. The list does not say which firms are large, award-winning or good. For hiring, it is a starting point for the checks above, not a recommendation.
• Businesses change. Studios move, merge and close. Expect some numbers to be out of date, and don't promise a client a fixed number of meetings from a list.

If you need contractors rather than designers, our contractors list guide covers civil and electrical contractors, who often execute what designers draw.

Questions people ask

Which are the top interior design companies in India?

There is no official ranking, and the "top 10" lists that rank in search are mostly written by design firms or publishers about themselves or their clients. Starleads does not rank firms either. For a real shortlist, filter firms near your site, look at their completed projects, check their GSTIN and references, and compare priced BOQs.

How many interior designers are there in India?

No census counts them. Starleads' data has 60,750 architects and interior designers across 183 cities, with 19,901 in Mumbai, 10,215 in Delhi and 5,156 in Bengaluru, and IIID reports 10,000 members. Both are partial counts: many small studios are in neither.

Do interior designers need a licence or registration in India?

No licence is needed to practise interior design. A firm needs the ordinary business registrations (GST above the threshold, and company or LLP registration if it is one), and anyone who calls themselves an "architect" must be registered with the Council of Architecture under the Architects Act, 1972.

Can an interior designer call themselves an architect?

Not unless they are a registered architect. The Supreme Court held in 2020 that section 37 of the Architects Act stops unregistered people from using the title "architect", although it does not stop them from doing design work.

How do interior design companies charge?

Usually in one of three ways: a design fee (lump sum or per square foot) for design-only work; a project price built from a BOQ for design-and-build; or a percentage of the project cost. Ask which model a firm uses and what exactly the fee includes, such as the number of site visits and revisions.

What GST applies to interior design work?

GST applies to both design fees and execution, but design services and works contracts can be classified and invoiced differently. Ask the firm to show the SAC code and rate on each invoice, check its GSTIN on the GST portal, and ask your CA how to treat the invoices, especially if you want to claim input tax credit.

How can I get a list of interior designers with contact numbers?

Starleads' all-India list has 60,750 contacts in Excel, 90% with a mobile number, for ₹1,999 plus 18% GST; city lists such as Bengaluru cost ₹499. Download the 60 free sample rows first, and follow TRAI's DND rules before calling.