Illustrative pricing

Start with a number.
Understand the scope.

These example prices make the design studio useful. They are fictional USD allowances, not quotations, offers or a promise of a completed installation at a fixed price.

Three starting points

The Living Wall aquarium concept

wall inspiration

The Living Wall

$18,000 base example

A planted freshwater view, set on a walnut cabinet so the room and the aquarium feel designed together.

Planted freshwater, chalk finish, 71 in display. The timber and marine options add allowances.

  • Integrated joinery
  • Concealed service access
  • A considered view from the room
Explore this starting point
The Room Divider aquarium concept

divider inspiration

The Room Divider

$28,000 base example

An aquarium seen from both sides, bringing light and movement between two parts of a home.

Planted freshwater, chalk finish, 94 in display. The timber and marine options add allowances.

  • Two-sided viewing
  • Freestanding or fitted
  • Service access planned from the outset
Explore this starting point
The Quiet Cabinet aquarium concept

cabinet inspiration

The Quiet Cabinet

$12,000 base example

A beautifully proportioned aquarium and furniture piece, designed to belong without remaking the entire room.

Planted freshwater, chalk finish, 47 in display. The timber and marine options add allowances.

  • Furniture-led proportions
  • Equipment within the cabinet
  • Flexible placement options
Explore this starting point

What changes the estimate

The room matters
as much as the tank.

Length is only one part of the specification. The ecosystem, supporting joinery, access, equipment and installation conditions influence both the initial project and its ongoing care.

Ecosystem

The demonstration adds $6,500 for a marine equipment allowance. Freshwater and marine systems are designed differently. This is a comparison tool, not a universal upgrade price.

Finish & scale

Chalk is the base finish. Graphite, walnut and pale oak carry illustrative allowances. Changing the tank length in the studio also updates the estimate.

Site work

Structural assessment or changes, building work, electrical and plumbing work, unusual access, permits, taxes and travel are not priced by this demo.

Living system & care

Livestock selection, specialist consumables and ongoing maintenance need a specific plan. Example care pricing is shown separately from the project estimate.

Sample for this concept

What to expect.
Set out as a sample.

A sample of how a real studio would set out a project. Every figure here is illustrative.

Sample

Timeline

  • Design and site survey. 2 to 4 weeks.
  • Detailed design and specification. 3 to 6 weeks.
  • Making the tank and cabinet. 6 to 10 weeks.
  • Installation. 1 to 3 days.
  • Commissioning before any life is added. 4 to 8 weeks for freshwater, 6 to 12 weeks for marine.
  • Livestock introduced gradually, once commissioning is complete.

Sample

What the allowance includes

The display, the cabinet, indicative lighting and filtration, the aquascape and ordinary installation.

Excluded: structural work, unusual access, electrical and plumbing changes, livestock, travel and taxes.

Sample

Payment stages

  • A design deposit.
  • A stage payment when making starts.
  • A payment at installation.
  • The balance at handover, after commissioning.

Amounts are set in each real contract.

Sample

Aftercare

  • A handover walkthrough.
  • A first check once the aquarium is established.
  • An optional care plan, illustrated on the care page.

Any warranty is set in each real contract.

Sample

Who you work with

Fictional designer Mara Ellison in a natural studio setting
Mara EllisonSpatial design & client direction
Fictional aquatic designer Jules Navarro in a workshop setting
Jules NavarroAquatic systems & ongoing care

Fictional team.

Sample

Service region

Set for each real project.

A useful brief is better than a false quote.

The studio helps you compare ideas and save preferences. A real provider would verify the site, agree the scope and give you a written quotation before any order or payment.