Interior design studio website cost in Cork: local agencies vs Kolonell (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

In Cork, a local agency charges, as a 2026 order of magnitude, between 5 000 and 20 000 EUR excluding VAT for an interior design studio website, and more when the studio runs office fit-outs and residential work side by side with two separate portfolios. Kolonell delivers the same kind of site at a fixed price of 2 700 EUR, 4 500 EUR or 8 200 EUR, in 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth, native English copywriting included. The gap shows in the three-year total cost and on two concrete points: who organises photography of completed projects, and who writes the case studies.

How much do a Cork agency, a freelancer and Kolonell cost?

These ranges are cautious orders of magnitude with no official value. They draw on public price pages of Irish agencies, the minimum project sizes visible on Cork and Dublin agency profiles on Clutch.co, hourly rates published by Irish agencies (often 65 to 110 EUR per hour) and the rates shown on Upwork by Ireland-based developers. Irish agencies generally quote excluding VAT (standard rate 23 %): always compare before tax.

Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery. The project manager is reachable on Irish time: Google Meet calls at your hours and a weekly written update. The team is in Senegal (GMT), so in the same time zone as Cork in winter and one hour behind in summer. Packages are detailed on our international websites offer.

Does a Cork studio need a different website from a Dublin one?

Often, yes, because of the projects. The Cork market combines three client groups:

• Commercial: office fit-outs for the pharma, medical device and tech employers based around the city, from Little Island to Ringaskiddy. These clients want clear references, a staged process and named contacts.
• Urban residential: Georgian and Victorian terraces in Montenotte, Sunday's Well or Douglas, often renovated room by room.
• Coastal homes: second homes and family houses in Kinsale, Crosshaven and West Cork, with materials chosen for damp and salt air.

For a studio covering all three, the site must separate the portfolios clearly, or a facilities director lands on a Kinsale kitchen and a homeowner on an open-plan office floor. Project pages should also explain the studio's exact role alongside the main contractor and the architect. For photography, ask your photographer for a written licence covering web and social use, and get the agreement of the homeowners or companies whose spaces you show.

On regulation, a few facts. In Ireland, the title architect is protected by the Building Control Act 2007, with a register kept by the RIAI; interior designer is not a protected title, and membership of a body such as the Institute of Designers in Ireland is voluntary (check with the local professional association). The GDPR applies, supervised by the Data Protection Commission: keep the enquiry form minimal, treat photos of private homes as potentially personal data, and blur faces and addresses. The European Accessibility Act, applicable since 28 June 2025, targets certain digital services such as e-commerce; a studio showcase site is not necessarily in scope, but WCAG 2.1 AA remains the right reference, starting with alt text on every image. This is not legal advice.

What three-year budget for an eight-person studio?

A larger studio often needs Premium, with two portfolios and a full site structure. The table therefore compares a Cork agency with Kolonell Premium, using an identical maintenance assumption, since Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request.

The gap is real but smaller than for a small studio: with Premium, the difference lies as much in timeline, included copywriting and fixed price as in the amount. Have every supplier fill in this table.

What does each package include for a mixed residential and commercial studio?

Premium can be bilingual FR/EN. Irish or any other language is supplied by the client or quoted separately. A client portal to approve plans and trade quotes is a custom application, quoted on request, as is ongoing SEO.

Which questions should you ask before signing?

• Is the price excluding VAT, and what exactly does it cover in pages, case studies and images?
• Who writes the copy, and with how many rounds of changes?
• Will the domain and hosting be in your name?
• How are images compressed to stay fast on mobile?
• What does adding a project cost once the site is live?
• What commitment period does the maintenance contract impose?

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Niamh O., managing director of an eight-person studio in Cork, splits her work between office fit-outs and coastal homes in Kinsale. A local agency quotes 18 000 EUR excluding VAT, plus 2 000 EUR for copywriting, delivered in 12 weeks. Kolonell proposes Premium at 8 200 EUR, copywriting included, with a written 5-week plan. Two photographer days cost 1 600 EUR either way.

Build, copy and photography: 21 600 EUR against 9 800 EUR, a gap of 11 800 EUR. With the same maintenance over 33 months (3 630 EUR on each side), the three-year totals are 25 230 EUR and 13 430 EUR. Niamh also weighs a non-financial point: a single project manager follows both portfolios.

FAQ

How much does an interior design studio website cost in Cork in 2026?

As an order of magnitude, 5 000 to 20 000 EUR excluding VAT with a Cork agency and 1 500 to 5 500 EUR with a freelancer. Kolonell offers 2 700 EUR, 4 500 EUR or 8 200 EUR at a fixed price.

Do we need two websites for commercial and residential work?

Rarely. A single Premium site (8 200 EUR) with two portfolios and two enquiry paths suits most studios and avoids paying for two hosting plans.

Does Kolonell come to photograph our projects in Cork?

No, Kolonell does not do shoots or site visits. You book a local photographer, often one to two days for a first portfolio, and we check the web licence before launch.

Can the site be shown in Irish?

Yes, if the Irish text is supplied by the studio or quoted separately. Only FR/EN bilingual is included, from Premium (8 200 EUR).

How quickly does the site go live?

In 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth once content is in, usually 4 to 6 weeks for Premium according to the plan written at kickoff.

Let's scope your project. Send us your recent projects, the split between commercial and residential work and your deadlines, and you will receive a fixed-price proposal with a 3 to 6 week plan. Request your free quote or see the international offer.