What is the 30 60 90 design rule?

What is the 30-60-90 Design Rule?

The 30-60-90 design rule is a guideline used in interior design and architecture to balance how a project is planned, executed, and completed. It provides a structured timeline for reviewing progress and making decisions at different stages of design.

• 30% Stage (Concept Phase)
  At 30% completion, the focus is on concept development. This includes floor plans, mood boards, layouts, and preliminary ideas. Clients and designers finalize the overall vision and scope at this stage.
• 60% Stage (Design Development)
  At 60%, the design is more detailed. This stage involves material selection, finishes, furniture layouts, lighting, and cost estimates. It’s the point where clients give feedback before moving into execution.
• 90% Stage (Final Design / Pre-Execution)
  At 90%, almost everything is finalized. Detailed drawings, 3D renders, vendor lists, and budgets are locked. Only minor refinements are expected before the design goes into implementation.

Why is the 30-60-90 Rule Important?

• Ensures clear communication between client and designer
• Prevents last-minute costly changes
• Allows clients to visualize progress step by step
• Creates a structured approval process

✅ Featured Snippet Optimized Answer (short):
The 30-60-90 design rule is a project timeline guideline where design progress is reviewed at 30% (concept), 60% (detailed development), and 90% (final design). It ensures smoother approvals, better communication, and fewer last-minute changes in interior projects.

👉 Some people confuse this with the 30-60-90 color rule (another design principle where you decorate a room using 60% dominant color, 30% secondary color, and 10% accent color).

Would you like me to also prepare a FAQ set (20–25 questions) covering both versions — the design timeline rule and the color ratio rule — so your content ranks for both keyword variations?