Whether to Hire a Home Interior Decorator or a Home Interior Designer
It’s common for homeowners and home investors to plan to decorate and design on a budget, without hiring a professional. But it’s just as common for the same do-it-yourself designers to lose time, money and patience in between finding low-VOC carpet and plotting a wall plug.
A home interior decorator decorates a space with the right fabrics, materials, textures and colors. A home interior designer also decorates, but as a specialist in many areas including structural space planning, architectural design and safety issues. But telling a decorator from a designer is not always so obvious. While interior designers generally receive degrees with rigorous accredited training, home interior decorators are now receiving accredited certifications, with higher standards of learning than in the past. At the same time, professionals in the industry without formal training can call themselves decorators or designers. With terms not always clear, you should learn as much as you can about what a home interior professional brings to the table. Ask about certifications and experience.
What A Home Interior Decorator and a Home Interior Designer Can Both Do for You
A consultation with either an interior decorator or a designer can be the catalyst for a successful home redesign. You might be stuck for ideas or on a deadline. Having another experienced set of eyes can help you rethink the big picture, process the possibilities and find practical solutions.
A top home interior decorator or designer will help you work with what you have, while showing you the latest designs to develop a more customized look. Both decorators and designers also have buying power with access to top quality brands and products.
Whether you have a limited budget or lots of resources, consulting with home interior experts will show in a more polished look of your home.
Why Hire a Home Interior Decorator
A well-trained interior decorator understands the principles and trends of design. Top decorators are experts in colors, textures and furniture placement. They can efficiently redesign the look and ambience of a space by working with every surface material wall coverings, floor coverings, window treatments, upholstery and surface lighting.
Consultation with a home interior decorator can be more affordable than with a designer, since decorators are not degreed or state regulated. But a talented, certified decorator can cost as much as a designer, and be well worth it.
Home interior decorators also called home stagers or interior redesigners are especially helpful for those homeowners who need affordable home redesign using existing resources.
Why Hire a Home Interior Designer
Hire a home interior designer early in the planning of your home construction or renovation. Qualified interior designers, whether registered, certified or licensed, bring a multidimensional scope to your home planning. Trained in architectural and space planning, a designer can help you safely structure every functional detail of your living space from door, wall and electrical placement to choosing materials that comply with building codes.
Planning your home design upfront with an interior designer will pay off with smoother overall home improvements. But professional design will also produce a safer, more functional, accessible living space. Expect a home environment with sophisticated lighting and color schemes.
Most states require home interior designers to complete a certificate with the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). Many certified designers belong to the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).
Choosing Your Decorator or Designer
Check the reputation and affiliations of your home interior decorator or designer. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. Dedicated design professionals know how important details are. Ask for references and years of experience and training. A local professional is ideal, although long distance consultation is available. Make sure you feel comfortable working with whomever you hire.
Once you realize the capabilities of a particular home interior expert, the value of hiring can suddenly outweigh the cost. Many homeowners and home investors hire contractors for everything but design and decorating. But it is the overall design and cosmetics of a home, which sells and makes it worth living in.
QUICK TIPS
• While the expertise of home interior decorators and designers often overlaps, there are differences between the two professions, which influence who you hire.
• A home interior decorator decorates a space with the right fabrics, materials, textures and colors.
• A home interior designer decorates but is also a specialist in functional space planning, architectural design and safety issues.
• Interior designers receive degrees and certification with rigorous accredited training.
• Many home interior decorators can now receive accredited certifications, but not degreed or as comprehensive as that of interior designers.
• Consumers should be careful since professionals without formal training can call themselves home interior decorators or designers.
• Sometimes just a consultation with either a home interior decorator or a designer can be the catalyst for a successful home redesign.
• Both qualified decorators and designers have buying power with access to top quality brands and products.
• Consultation with a home interior decorator can be more affordable than with a designer but not always.
• Home interior decorators also called home stagers or interior redesigns are especially helpful to homeowners and home investors who need affordable redesign.
• Hire a home interior designer early in the planning of your home construction or renovation since designers are trained in architectural space planning and universal design.
• The overall design and cosmetics of a home is what sells and makes it worth living in.
