I'm surprised by many people ( in the building's construction field ) who are asking about what the FF&E stands for in the interior design, and they surprised when I explained how the interior designer would be involved in a hardworking job like this.
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Well, here's the full details about how the Interior designers work for FF&E.

It Considered by many as the pretty side of the design process, FF&E (furniture, fixtures & equipment) has a major role in the whole design course of a project. Contrary to what some believe, it’s not all about cushion fluffing and pretty pictures, it involves so much more, it's an important part of most construction and rehab projects like hotels, shops, and restaurants, hospitals, shopping malls, residential properties, theatres, and cinemas, Offices, banks, schools, Yachts, spas, etc..

- To go for more details it will be a very long story but I'll try to make it so briefly, Besides the Technical Building Installations and the Technical Contract Work, FF&E is the third core service section in the renovation or initial fit-out of any project. FF&E summarizes all the project furnishings.

* The FF&e included ( for example ) the followings in any projects but not limited to:

* Regarding the furniture, most the people refer to the movable furniture that doesn’t have a permanent fixture to the building or utilities, like chairs, tables, bookcases and partitions, computers, electronic equipment, but I would add that the fixed furniture is involved too as it's Integral, like wall wood cladding, build-in closets, doors, build-in decoration, but part of these items consider under the fit-outs category, and this is another story.

* The fixtures included Fixed partitions and doors, Electrical installations, Electric sockets, Light fittings, Security alarm systems, Television aerials, and satellite dishes, Fires and fire surrounds, Central-heating boilers and radiators, Plumbing installations, Bathroom suites and other sanitaryware installations, Vanity Furniture, Cubicles/ shower screens, Kitchen units, Sinks, Integrated appliances, Adhered floor finishes, Door furniture, Built-in furniture, including proprietary reception desks, worktops, Built-in wardrobes/ cupboards/ shelf units ( if they use a wall to form one of their sides and would thus be incomplete if they were removed),Wall paintings and finishes, Plants and shrubs [rooted] in land belonging to the property.


* Fittings/ furnishings, included- Demountable partition systems, Telephone systems, CCTV systems, Edge-fitted and loose-laid carpets, Blinds, curtains and curtain rails, Paintings or mirrors that are not bolted but hung or screwed to a wall, Notice boards, Plumbed-in/ connected but free-standing equipment (for example commercial catering equipment, laboratory equipment), Free-standing ovens, refrigerators, washing machines and other white goods, Lockers, changing room furniture etc., Beds/sofas and other freestanding items of furniture or equipment, Computers and other IT equipment, Lamps and lampshades, Potted plants and shrubs (in containers)


* FF&E is part of the design documentation under the responsibility of Interior Designer(s). Preparation of the FF&E is a complex and interactive process that started in the early phases of the design process with a lot of coordination between the different consultants from the Project team.


* During the Schematic Design, the Interior Designer prepares a preliminary indicative FF&E, a preliminary indicative schedule of proposed finishes, quantities of proposed furnishings and provide further help, to the Client’s Cost Consultant for the improvement of the estimated budget for the Project.


* In the Design Development phase of work, Interior Designer develop the design, coordinate it fully with other members of the Project team and confirm the costs of the project with the Client’s Cost Consultant.


* In this phase, the Consultant prepare Preliminary co-ordinated general arrangement plans indicating and setting out floor and ceiling layouts, finishes, positions of low-level electrics and the layout of the FF&E for the spaces under the Contract and provide FF+E specifications including quantities.
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​- FF+E selection should be in line with the approved budget.

* On receipt of final drawings from other members of the design team, the Interior Designer prepares the Consultant’s own final design documentation. This information is in enough detail to describe the works from which the Client can tender the interior works and the appointed Contractor(s) can produce full working drawings/shop drawings (as appropriate) for construction and manufacture.
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- The final documentation includes:

• Co-ordinated general arrangement plans indicate floor finishes, ceiling and lighting layouts, positions of low-level electrics and the layout of the FF&E. The final furnishing plans will accurately identify the location and placement of all FF+E.
• Typical elevations
• Typical details (profiles of ceilings, moldings and hard finishes as appropriate, typical profiles and details of door types, fixed cabinetwork, and other joinery (millwork) items..)
• Material selection and finishes schedule for hard finishes, paintwork, and joinery
• Selection and specification of sanitary-ware
• Selection of decorative ironmongery
• The decorative Light fixture schedule
• Door hardware schedule coordinated with Door Hardware Consultant, Security Consultant, and Architect
• Accessories schedule
• Other if necessary depending on the Project.

​*The FF&E schemes will contain specifications, illustrations/samples of each item of furniture, decorations, decorative light fittings, fabrics trimmings, carpets, and rugs, etc.

It will be useful if Specifications also include detailed fabrication line drawings of all custom designed items, weave-down fabric samples and finish samples, images of standard items, quantities, recommended suppliers, fireproofing and budget prices for all items. Each item will be coded and cross-referenced to the FF&E layout plans.

​*The consultant will provide a matrix per area showing the quantities of each piece of furniture, lighting, and accessories.

* In the further phases of Project realization, Interior Designer coordinate and approve shop drawings, finish and product samples of the interior fit-out and FF&E submitted by the selected contractor(s) and suppliers. Later on, his obligation will be to inspect the works, and after inspecting the finished works provide the schedule of defects and omissions to be corrected.