I'M AN INTERIOR DESIGNER, NOT AN INTERIOR DECORATOR
"Oh! You're an Interior Designer. That's the same thing as an Interior Decorator. Right!"
WRONG!! Please do not call me an Interior Decorator because there is a substantial difference now. Let me explain. The Interior Design industry is working hard to demonstrate that this field is both credible and professional. National and international organizations are in place to ensure standards are being met in this arena, inclusive of education, work ethic, professionalism, and community involvement ~ organizations such as ASID, the American Society of Interior Designers and IIDA, International Interior Design Association.
Special accreditation is achieved through NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) exams. Additionally there may be state imposed licensing required to be a viable, practicing interior designer in a specified state.
An Interior Designer will generally possess a diversified range of skills, to include space planning, color analysis, furniture and architectural styles, perspective and marker rendering, custom design, lighting design and much, much more. Plus they must be knowledgeable in American Disabilities Act requirements and state/local building codes. On the other hand, an interior decorator often possesses no formal education or minimal at best and possesses limited training in any of the given areas described earlier. The bottom line is that while you may pay more for an interior designer, it is worth the extra money because you are paying for an individual who has received proper education, has familiarity with certain regulations, and often has achieved specialized skills.
The field of Interior Design is also much broader than one would expect, than what I even expected. It encompasses simple and high-end residential work. Its coverage in commercial is even broader. Here it can range from commercial business office set-ups to restaurants, to spas, to hotels, to institutions such as schools and hospitals, to model home designs, to automobile interior designs, to furniture and consumer products.
I HAVE SO MANY OPTIONS!
What would I like to do? My plans right now are to go into business with two other dear female friends, working on high-end residential properties. However this may not transpire until about one year to 18 months after I complete my degree program. My most likely route will be to enter the corporate world for that interim period and gain some commercial design background in hospitality design (hotels and restaurants). In the long-term, I would like to obtain my own line of furniture, home accessories,and fabrics, essentially creating a lifestyle branding of my own, perhaps similar to what Ralph Lauren has done with clothing, bedding, interior and exterior paints. It amounts to creating and promoting a LIFESTYLE IMAGE.
Hopefully this has explained a bit of the differences between an Interior Designer and an interior decorator. And perhaps it has given you an idea of my aspirations too. The attached pictures merely are of another philharmonic society project I was involved in and helped with the design layout of the tablescaping. It's one I am proud to have been involved in as my school received many accolades for the results.
WRONG!! Please do not call me an Interior Decorator because there is a substantial difference now. Let me explain. The Interior Design industry is working hard to demonstrate that this field is both credible and professional. National and international organizations are in place to ensure standards are being met in this arena, inclusive of education, work ethic, professionalism, and community involvement ~ organizations such as ASID, the American Society of Interior Designers and IIDA, International Interior Design Association.
Special accreditation is achieved through NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) exams. Additionally there may be state imposed licensing required to be a viable, practicing interior designer in a specified state.
An Interior Designer will generally possess a diversified range of skills, to include space planning, color analysis, furniture and architectural styles, perspective and marker rendering, custom design, lighting design and much, much more. Plus they must be knowledgeable in American Disabilities Act requirements and state/local building codes. On the other hand, an interior decorator often possesses no formal education or minimal at best and possesses limited training in any of the given areas described earlier. The bottom line is that while you may pay more for an interior designer, it is worth the extra money because you are paying for an individual who has received proper education, has familiarity with certain regulations, and often has achieved specialized skills.
The field of Interior Design is also much broader than one would expect, than what I even expected. It encompasses simple and high-end residential work. Its coverage in commercial is even broader. Here it can range from commercial business office set-ups to restaurants, to spas, to hotels, to institutions such as schools and hospitals, to model home designs, to automobile interior designs, to furniture and consumer products.
I HAVE SO MANY OPTIONS!
What would I like to do? My plans right now are to go into business with two other dear female friends, working on high-end residential properties. However this may not transpire until about one year to 18 months after I complete my degree program. My most likely route will be to enter the corporate world for that interim period and gain some commercial design background in hospitality design (hotels and restaurants). In the long-term, I would like to obtain my own line of furniture, home accessories,and fabrics, essentially creating a lifestyle branding of my own, perhaps similar to what Ralph Lauren has done with clothing, bedding, interior and exterior paints. It amounts to creating and promoting a LIFESTYLE IMAGE.
Hopefully this has explained a bit of the differences between an Interior Designer and an interior decorator. And perhaps it has given you an idea of my aspirations too. The attached pictures merely are of another philharmonic society project I was involved in and helped with the design layout of the tablescaping. It's one I am proud to have been involved in as my school received many accolades for the results.
posted by Tony @ 6/01/2006 12:00:00 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Your life as an interior designer sounds SO interesting... ~eg~ It is so funny how gender roles have gotten into so many occupations, like "male nurse" and "female truck driver" - thanks for educating everyone
I admire your ambition. Maybe someday all of us blogger buddies will own a piece from the brushstroke collection!! :)
Wow. I never knew the differences between the two. You are incredibly talented. Any suggestions for loft living?
Hmmm... I was the one that was so confused between the two fields. Thank you for so clearly explaining the differences... and with pictures to boot! :)
all those years of watching Designing Women, and I didn't know the difference.
You'll do great!
I only knew the difference because I had a similair speech about 6 years ago when a friend of mine, an interior designer, told me what the big difference was. I used to love going shopping with him for odds and ends, doorknobs and lighting fixtures, it was really fascinating, though I can't say I have great taste, I do know what I like when I see it, and those pictures of the philharmonic event are gorgeous!
Well you can desing my interior anytime big guy. There's probably a dirty joke in there somewhere.
The comparison of these two titles reminds me of a scene in Steel Magnolia's when Truvy and Annelle are talking and Anelle says "I can't believe it, I'm a beautician" and Truvy responds "uh, uh, uh! Glamour Technician! Your remember that, well just look at me Annelle, it takes some effort to look like this" :)
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