Do you need an Interior Decorator or an Interior Designer and what is the difference?
This can often be a confusing dilemma as the lines become blurred in the industry. Any Google search for an interior decorator will bring up the same search results as if you had searched for an interior designer, so what is the difference when the terms “interior designer” and “interior decorator” are often used interchangeably? And why hire and interior designer?
Interior Designers
The Interior Designer is formally educated and trained to be knowledgeable enough to consult on structural aspects of a new house build or a renovation and will often work hand-in-hand with the architect and engineers from the start of the architectural design process. Also known as architectural interior designers, these people liaise with all the building contractors and are often responsible for their works and trade results. An interior designer may remove or build wall structures, design and develop ceilings and bulkheads, they will advise on flooring levels, and guide the processes with HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and automation contractors who are reliant upon the interior designer’s technical and professional detailed drawings to build or renovate structurally.
According to Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interior_design an interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordinates, and manages such enhancement projects. Interior design is a multifaceted profession that includes conceptual development, space planning, site inspections, programming, research, communicating with the stakeholders of a project, construction management, and execution of the design.
An interior designer may custom design and build your furniture and fittings taking responsibility for the quality of workmanship. Other disciplines are space planning, cabinetry design and manufacture, municipality drawing submissions and approvals, safety, building codes, and homeowner association approvals.
Interior designers are professionals in the industry as they carry the qualifications and more importantly the experience to take on the responsibilities.
The similarity with interior decorators is as far as an interior designer can do the heavy lifting structurally with build management skills, they are also equally as capable of playing the role of an interior decorator being primarily focused upon the aesthetics, colour palettes, window treatments, furniture and soft furnishings, etc. right down to procuring and curating décor pieces and artworks. So, in essence, the interior designer can confidently and effectively play both roles for your build project.
Interior Decorators
By now you probably understand the difference between the designer and the decorator, the latter only being skilled in the aesthetics of your rooms, fabrics, blinds and curtains, cushions, upholstery, object, décor items, paint finishes, and to a degree space planning. An interior decorator may have creative flair and can create a luxury living room but that is where the service stops. Should you only require decorating services, then you have the option to hire an interior designer or decorator.
To reference Wikipedia once more, decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with decorative elements, sometimes complemented by advice and practical assistance. In short, interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design.
