Interior Designer vs Decorator – what is the difference and why does it matter? When hiring an interior designer, would you know who you needed?
The short answer is a designer has a degree and can work as a contractor, giving the client functional and accessible floor plans, finishes, lighting, and furniture plans as well as hiring trades. A decorator is someone who has a “good eye” and can select paint colors, wall paper, furniture, the finishing touches. The new ‘cool’ way refer to them is as stylists. However, some interior designers do not like decorating.
Kadie Kinney, a commercial interior designer for Noah’s, explains it simply; “Designers think about the project as a whole, start to finish, and have the training and education to recommend the solutions that can not only improve the aesthetics of a space, but also its function and overall sense of well-being. Decorators, or those who lack a higher education in Interior Design, may have an “eye” for what would look good, but simply lack the depth of understanding and knowledge to take a project from concept to completion.”
Here are my key tips for what to ask when hiring a designer.
