Interior Designer versus Interior Decorator: What’s the Difference?

If you’re about to tackle a home design project, you may be wondering if you should hire an interior designer or an interior decorator, and what the difference is between the two. Here’s a breakdown from a full service interior designer.

Interior design is a blend of creativity and technical know-how. It’s all about understanding the needs of the people who will use a space and then refining and transforming that space to be both functional and beautiful. Interior designers aim to enhance how people experience the spaces where they live, work, play, relax, and heal.

On the other hand, interior decoration is about making a space look attractive. 

Interior decoration is a subset of what interior designers do – the final touches that bring a room to life. Designing a space involves much more than just adorning a space with finishing touches.

If you ask any interior designer about this, you’ll likely hear some frustration about the confusion between the two roles. Yes, interior designers do decorate. It’s an essential part of what we do at Sketch Design Co., and personally, I love it as it’s like adding the perfect pair of stilettos and designer bag to make the perfect outfit of the day. I call it styling. 

Many people are familiar with this decorating aspect thanks to “room makeover” shows on HGTV or DIY projects they find on Pinterest and YouTube. You see transformations made from picking out paint colors and updating decorative accessories.

However, the critical difference between a full service interior designer and an interior decorator is the range of expertise. It’s like comparing a dental hygienist to a dentist. Both improve the aesthetics of a space (or the health of your teeth), but the depth of knowledge and the scope of work differ significantly.

Think of decorating as the icing on the cake – the pretty parts. Interior designers, however, dive into the nitty-gritty details of a space long before the decorating phase. We work with clients to understand their needs and preferences, then develop concepts, plans, and functional layouts to meet those requirements.

Our interior design process often includes space planning, creating room layouts, considering wall relocations, determining cabinetry specifications, making material and finish selections, creating construction documents, preparing detailed construction drawings, and coordinating with architects and contractors. 

Interior design is truly a full service approach with every detail in mind from start to finish. We handle everything that goes into creating a functional and one-of-a-kind design. This extensive interior design process includes collaborating with architects, contractors, and developers, conducting research, developing concepts, creating detailed plans, analyzing feasibility, managing costs, overseeing procurement, and supervising installation. 

Because of these extensive considerations, interior designers usually have more education and experience. We’re knowledgeable about design styles, space planning, color theory, construction processes, materials, finishes, and residential building codes. 

As someone who has been in the industry for years, I don’t know many people who call themselves interior decorators these days. The role of an interior designer is much more comprehensive and more often you’ll find professionals in the field who have elevated their expertise through training and experience so they can call themselves interior designers. Head to our about page to learn more about our experience. 

If you’re a homeowner or real estate developer who is looking to remodel, build new, furnish a room from scratch, or even just refresh your space, we strongly encourage working with an interior designer. Most home projects involve more than just decorative elements, and a qualified, experienced interior designer can help you consider every detail to achieve the best results.Please email us at studio@sketchdesigncompany.com to learn more about working together.