When the time comes to overhaul the look and feel of your interior you’ll need to reach out and enlist the help of a professional interior designer. Or is that interior decorator? Confusion has long reigned when it comes to understanding what, if any, difference there is between the two. This confusion is only compounded by the fact that the two terms are often used interchangeably both by members of the public and the media. The truth is that interior design and interior decoration are two distinct professions that encompass different education requirements, different skillsets and different experience.
The Interior Designer
Interior design has been an important element of civilization since the ancient Greeks first wrestled with the notions of balance, beauty and proportion. Visiting the Parthenon today you can see how feverishly they worked to control your experience of the structure and how much effort they put into the transition between exterior and interior space. It wasn’t until the 19th century however, that interior design officially became a recognized trade related to, but separate from, architecture.
Interior designers today wear many different hats and are sometimes involved in a building project from its inception. Ultimately they’re tasked with creating an interior space that fulfils the practical goals of the homeowner while also generating visual interest and a foundation that is fertile ground for the imagination and skill of the decorator. In general the designer determines:
- The overall relationship between interior spaces.
- The major traffic lanes throughout the house.
- Foundation materials like hardwood flooring.
- The basic lighting scheme.
Interior designers then are not quite architects and not quite decorators. Their goal is to bring purpose and even meaning to a space whether it be a multi-storey townhouse atop a highrise on Lake Ontario or a bungalow in Hamilton or Burlington.
The Interior Decorator
People have been decorating their living spaces since those living spaces consisted of little more than partially finished cave dwellings. Certainly the visual record is clear that the Romans took a great interest in decorating their interior spaces and so we do today. Like interior design, interior decorating first achieved formal recognition as a trade/craft back in the mid-19th century. In the wake of the industrial revolution the new middle class were looking for ways to tastefully display their newfound wealth and status and interior decoration was a perfect vehicle.
The job of the interior decorator can be just as daunting and involved as that of the interior designer and for the same reason: both are charged with carving interest and engagement out of the physical spaces of your home. No small task that. As such an interior decorator will also wind up wearing many hats during the course of performing her duties which typically include:
- Determining the colour scheme of the space.
- Selecting pillows, throw rugs, tables and more.
- Making furniture design and sourcing recommendations.
- Selecting fabrics, artwork, wall coverings, window treatments and more.
- Coordinating her efforts with those of various trades (painters, flooring specialists etc.)
- Making sure everything works together to generate the desired look and feel.
Choosing a Decorator or Designer
In short, consider hiring an interior designer when there are potential building code issues involved and/or when your renovation project will encompass changes to the physical structure itself. Hire an interior decorator when your goal is to embellish the space you have.
If you have any questions regarding the difference between the two vocations or simply wish to discuss a decoration project you have in mind for your home or office in Hamilton, Burlington or anywhere else in the GTA call Decor Isabelle on (416) 573-2301.
