Interior Designer vs Interior Decorator

Difference between designer and decorator?

If you’re looking to hire a professional to help with renovating and styling your home, it’s important to know what each design profession entails.

A lot of people don’t realise there is a distinction to what interior stylists, decorators, and designers are trained in.

It’s common to think that hiring an interior decorator is the same as hiring as interior designer (as some decorators call themselves interior designers which is false advertising) so you have to be aware they are not the same as it will make a big difference to what services they can offer.

To avoid any more confusion….

Interior designers are tertiary qualified

An interior designer holds a tertiary qualification either a degree or an advanced diploma in Interior Design. Interior designers develop the skills and knowledge required for creative and technical solutions for built interior environments.

Once qualified, interior designers can assist with space planning and detailing of complex residential, commercial and institutional buildings.

Interior design skills

Interior designers also have sound knowledge of:

• Lighting Design
• Materials, finishes and colour
• Design theory and history
• Building systems and technologies
• Sustainable design/building practices
• Design for accessibility and utility
• Project management
• Relevant Australian Codes and Standards
• Construction and documentation practices

Interior designers create computer aided drawings

Interior designers are also taught to hand draw and use computer aided design for plans and perspective renders.

Builders and subcontractors then interpret these plans to help with installation and construction.

Interior designers can work confidently with other tradespeople to ensure that the interior spaces they design are appropriate and properly implemented.

Interior designer versus interior architect

If you still tend to get confused just think of interior designer like an architect but dealing with every aspect of inside a building oppose to the outside. To throw another spanner in the works some interior designers can call themselves interior architects, which again is different.

Interior architects are normally either trained architects who choose to specialize exclusively on interior projects, or graduates of an ‘interior architecture’ degree.

What is an Interior Decorator? 

Interior decorators hold a qualification in interior decoration (normally a diploma or certificate), and are exclusively concerned with decorating what’s already been built with things like paint, furnishings, floor coverings, and fabrics for aesthetic purposes.

Interior decorators don’t move walls

Interior decorators may study and work on many of the same things as interior designers, but their services don’t involve major space planning like moving walls and installing services.

Interior stylists are like decorators but usually without formal qualifications or sound education in this field. They’re usually hired to style properties or magazine shoots.

3 Tips on how to hire a professional

Before you hire a professional, it’s well worth doing your homework to find a good designer or decorator. Remember to:

1. Check credentials, qualifications, insurance and references– ensure you’re employing someone with the right qualifications, and with current professional indemnity insurance.
2. Get at least three comprehensive quotes– itemised quotes will help you to ensure you understand what you’re paying for.
3. Look at the designer’s work and make sure the designer you pick shares your personal vision and can communicate it well. Most designers have specialty, so check what they specialise in before hiring them.

At Inspired Spaces we can assist you with all your interior designing and interior decorating needs. Please contact us or check out our youtube video below for more info.