WHAT IS INTERIOR DECORATING ?

Although people often think interior decorating and interior designing are the same, they are not. Interior decorators choose the paint color for your wall, while interior designers will knock it down to alter the structure of the room. Interior decorating deals with the look and feel of a room by adding accessories like drapes and rugs; interior designers make the best use of the space.

Job Description

Interior decorating concentrates on the aesthetics of a space—how to pair an open floor plan with complementary furniture and decor accents, or create atmosphere or mood with lighting or wall sconces.

Responsibilities

Interior decorating “dresses” an existing space. It begins with a broad concept, such as postmodern, retro or traditional aesthetics, and works in the details of that style. An interior decorator typically stays with one design style from start to finish to create continuity in a space, and works with you on color selection, textures and patterns you prefer but that are consistent with the overall style concept. Redecorating a room or updating an outdated style falls under the heading of interior decorating, or use of the existing space; new construction blueprints and building permits are not in the interior decorator’s toolkit.

Style Selection

A decorator may decide to use refined art deco elements to emphasize the sophistication of your living room, or to go retro with uber-cool, shabby chic accents. He will provide samples of design features to help you choose. Interior decorating draws from varied styles and trends and brings them together to express your personal style.

Budget

You provide a budget, and a good decorator stays on course. She keeps you on budget and communicates with you before making purchases that could break your expense account. Along with having artistic flair, the savvy decorator should possess financial savvy—knowing to devote more money to, say, the antique hutch that will become the room's focal point and less on more inconspicuous decor.

Industry

The interior decorating industry dovetails well with residential projects: large commercial jobs rarely call on interior decorators to update a lobby or conference hall. An interior decorator usually helps a homeowner with a complete renovation, or a minor update like adding "green" elements to a room—bamboo or cork flooring, or recycled glass tiles—to freshen the look of an already well-decorated space.