Building Spaces. Transforming Lives. T&T brings construction and interior design together to create practical and beautiful spaces for homes and businesses.
Building Spaces. Transforming Lives. T&T brings construction and interior design together to create practical and beautiful spaces for homes and businesses.
The best interior design company in Nairobi is the one that can show relevant completed work, explain its drawings and costs clearly, and take responsibility for the work your project needs. Look for a relevant portfolio, clear technical deliverables, an itemised quotation, realistic scheduling and accountable site oversight.
If you are preparing a home, apartment, office, restaurant or show house, those details affect both the result and your day-to-day decisions. Homeowners in Nairobi, Kenya property owners and Nairobi landlords may be planning work in Kilimani, Lavington, Karen, Westlands, Runda or Kiambu. The right choice should make responsibilities clear before you commit. The same checks apply if you are searching for the best interior design company in Kenya, whether your project is in Nairobi or another county.
An interior design company can take a project from an initial space plan to the installed finishes, with the exact scope agreed in advance. Some companies focus on design, while others also manage construction, joinery and installation.
Get the stages and deliverables in writing, including who is responsible for work on site. A typical project moves from consultation and site assessment through planning, design, implementation and handover.
Drawings should explain what is being built, and site decisions should follow the agreed design.
These services can be combined or priced separately. A client may appoint the designer for layouts and drawings, then hire a contractor for the build. The division matters when an installation detail changes or a material is unavailable. Ask for a written list of deliverables so both parties know which stages are included.
The right fit depends on how the space will be used, not just on how it should look. Prioritise experience with the same property type and the practical demands of its occupants.
Match the provider’s completed work to your intended use before comparing visual style. For a home or apartment, check how the design supports everyday living and storage. A landlord may also need finishes that suit the property’s intended tenants.
Office spaces need practical staff movement, meeting areas and clear customer routes. A restaurant has operational needs alongside its dining atmosphere, so consider how staff and customers move through the space. A show house needs a coherent presentation that helps visitors understand how its rooms work.
These projects may be in Kilimani or Westlands, a family home in Karen or Runda, or an apartment project in Lavington. Business owners and property owners in Kiambu may have different site and access conditions. Ask to see work that resembles your property type and intended use.
Look beyond room labels in a portfolio. Check whether the company has handled a similar scale, whether the finished space suits its users, and whether the work included construction or design only. Ask to see work that resembles your property type and intended use.
Design-and-build can simplify coordination by keeping design and construction with one team. Integration may reduce hand-offs between designer and builder.
Choose design-only if you have a construction team; choose design-and-build if you want one accountable delivery team. Compare the written responsibilities, not just the service name.
| Attribute | Design-only studio | Design-and-build company |
|---|---|---|
| Main responsibility | Design deliverables | Design plus execution |
| Construction team | Client appoints separately | Coordinated by the company |
| Change coordination | Pass design changes to contractor | Coordinate design and site changes within one team |
| Best suited to | Client already has a builder | Client wants one accountable delivery team |
Design-only commonly covers layouts, concept work, visualisation and drawings; you appoint a builder to price and carry out construction. It can suit clients with a trusted specialist who can coordinate the teams.
Design-and-build may bring design, construction, joinery, sourcing, installation and project coordination under one team. Fewer hand-offs can reduce coordination delays and disputes over site issues. A separate specialist builder may suit you if your construction team is already in place.
For commercial projects, check lease terms alongside delivery responsibilities. Some leases set a rent-free or reduced-rent fit-out period in days or months, with a clearly specified trigger. Record who handles design changes, site decisions and approvals in the written scope.
Start with completed work similar to your project in scale, use and finish. Evidence helps you assess whether the service fits your needs.
Apply the same brief and standards to each company, not just its portfolio.
The Consumer Protection Act, No 46 of 2012, deems suppliers to warrant[6] that goods or services supplied are of reasonable quality. Ask how drawing clarifications and agreed material substitutions will be recorded.
Planning ranges are about 2-6 weeks for a single-room fit-out and 8-16 weeks for a whole-home fit-out. Typical timing depends on scope and material lead times.
Size, finish level, custom joinery and structural changes affect budget and schedule. Costs vary with scope, materials and construction, so request a project-specific quotation rather than relying on an unsupported price range.
| Factor | Typical budget effect | Typical schedule effect |
|---|---|---|
| Space size | More area and items to finish | More installation work |
| Finish level | Higher-specification finishes can raise material costs | Sourcing and installation may take longer |
| Custom joinery | Bespoke pieces add fabrication cost | Measurement, fabrication and fitting add stages |
| Structural changes | Additional construction scope raises the budget | Assessment, approvals and site work can extend delivery |
Interior design cost in Nairobi depends on the defined work, not just floor area. A small room with extensive custom joinery may need more design and fabrication than a larger room with standard finishes. Compare specifications and exclusions as well as totals.
Procurement lead times, structural work and approval requirements can extend the planning ranges. Custom fabrication adds measurement and fitting stages; late decisions can delay orders or installation. Ask about dependencies, including approvals needed before work starts. Our guide to how long a residential fit-out takes in Kenya explains each stage in more detail.
For a home renovation cost in Nairobi, compare project-specific scopes, not another property’s total. Request separate design, materials, labour and installation costs.
A vague scope or an unexplained total is a reason to pause and get the responsibilities clarified in writing. Consistent questions make it easier to compare each company’s answers.
Do not proceed until you know who owns the work, site decisions and material changes. Pause if you encounter any of these warning signs:
Ask every company to show completed Kenyan projects that resemble yours. Confirm which drawings and renders are included, how the quotation is broken down, and who supervises the site. Ask how the schedule may change and how the team will tell you when a decision or delay affects it.
For commercial premises, check your lease for permitted alterations and any required landlord approval. A lease may also define a rent-free or reduced-rent fit-out period and the event that starts it. This is one practical consideration when agreeing a commercial fit-out period.[7]
If you are comparing builders as well as designers, use the same written brief when choosing a construction company in Nairobi. Compare each company’s written answers against the same project brief.
Truth and Tikva Building Works is a Nairobi-based design, construction and interior fit-out company with services spanning concept work through implementation. Its stated scope may suit clients seeking support for design, construction, renovation or fit-out.
Many people searching for the best interior design company in Nairobi or the best interior design company in Kenya want one team to handle both design and construction. That combined service is what Truth and Tikva offers, and the projects below show the work so you can judge it yourself.
The company is based at 23 Olenguruone Avenue in Nairobi and offers both design and construction services. Its stated services include concept renders, architectural and working drawings, interior design and construction, renovation, and in-house fabrication and implementation.
The named projects cover several types of work. They include a Ruiru residential home, a Kiambu lounge wainscoting installation and the Watamu Beach House design. They also include the Burhani Towers restaurant fit-out and a Velvet Apartments show house.
That range gives homeowners, landlords and business owners examples to compare with their own project. A residential client can look at the home work, while a restaurant operator can consider the fit-out project. A show-house brief can be compared with the company’s named show-house work.
As with any provider, judge the finished work against your required scope and ask what the company will deliver on your project. Readers can compare the company’s stated scope and named projects with their own brief.
For commercial premises, agree permitted work and landlord approval requirements in writing before fit-out starts. Clear terms can cover reinstatement when the tenancy ends.
Substantial or structural work requires qualified practitioners, complete drawings, appropriate materials and active site supervision.[4][5] State which alterations are allowed and whether landlord approval is required before work begins.
A lease may set a rent-free or reduced-rent fit-out period in days or months. Record its exact trigger, such as the date or event that starts it, and specify who handles reinstatement and the premises’ required condition at tenancy end.
Substantial or structural work should involve qualified practitioners, complete drawings, appropriate materials and active supervision. Ask which inspections are planned at key stages, such as the structural framework, roofing and the final check before occupancy.
Do not treat a drawing, material or site change as agreed until the responsible parties have recorded their approval.
Keep the signed scope, approval records and inspection notes together.
Match completed apartment work to your brief, then compare scope, drawings and communication. Ask whether the examples include a similar room layout and level of finish. Check what the designer will provide, how decisions will be recorded and who will answer questions during the work. A clear written scope helps you compare providers without assuming that similar-looking proposals include the same services.
A single-room fit-out commonly takes about 2-6 weeks, while a whole-home fit-out commonly takes about 8-16 weeks. Custom joinery can extend those planning ranges because the team needs to measure the site, fabricate the pieces and fit them. Material lead times, structural work and required approvals can also affect the schedule. Treat the range as a planning guide, not a promised handover date.
No, design-and-build is not always cheaper than hiring separate teams. A combined team may reduce coordination overhead, but compare like-for-like written scopes and totals before choosing. Check whether both proposals include the same design work, construction, joinery, materials, installation and supervision. A lower total may leave out a task you expected, while a separate builder may suit you if you already have a construction team.
Send the property location, plans or measurements, photographs, intended use, desired scope and budget. Add any known constraints, such as rooms that must remain in use or items you want to keep. If you do not have formal plans, clear measurements can still help the company understand the space. A concise brief lets the provider identify what needs clarification before preparing a project-specific quotation.
Check your lease and obtain any required landlord approval before making alterations. The lease may set limits on permitted work, require approval for particular changes or state what must be reinstated when the tenancy ends. Ask for the approval process and any fit-out conditions in writing. Do not assume that a contractor’s acceptance of the work means the landlord has approved it.
A quote should define the approval process and state the cost and schedule effect of each change. It should identify who can approve a substitution, how the proposed material will be assessed and when work may proceed. Written records help prevent disagreement over whether a change was accepted or included in the original scope. Ask how the company will update the quotation and schedule after approval.
The best interior design company in Nairobi is the one that can show completed work similar to your project, explain its drawings and costs in writing, and take responsibility on site. The same test applies to the best interior design company in Kenya: compare portfolios, itemised quotations, schedules and who supervises the work, then choose the company whose written answers are clearest.
The best interior design company in Nairobi, and the best interior design company in Kenya, is the one that can prove its work with relevant projects, clear drawings, an itemised quotation and accountable site supervision. A suitable company should be able to connect your brief to clear drawings, costs and delivery responsibilities. Prepare a concise summary of your property type, location and intended scope, with any plans or photographs that help explain the work.
Last reviewed 5 November 2026. Regulations and fees change, so confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before you sign.
Related reading from Truth and Tikva: how long a residential fit-out takes, home renovation costs in Nairobi, choosing a construction company and our completed projects.
Truth and Tikva Building Works brings concept design, working drawings, joinery fabrication and site implementation under one team. Share your property type, location and scope, and we will help you understand the next steps.
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