[Video]How Interior Design is Different from Interior Decorating

Many people assume that interior design is no more than decoration. CIDQ’s definition of interior design spells out the differences.

Being an interior designer involves much more than personal interaction and deep psychological understanding.

On Being an Interior Designer

Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability.

The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology—including research, analysis, and integration of knowledge into the creative process—to satisfy the needs and resources of the client.

CIDQ

When someone calls you a decorator, they unintentionally disrespect the design field by not recognizing its vast sea of qualities. But they probably don’t know any better. Instead, you can help them by explaining what interior designers do.

As an interior designer, it’s your duty to educate!

Interior Design vs. Interior Decoration

“Interior Design” and “Interior Decorating” are two terms often used interchangeably, but they actually refer to two different things.

Interior design is the art and science of understanding people’s behavior, planning and designing a building's interiors, and considering factors such as functionality, aesthetics, safety, and accessibility.

Interior Decorating is furnishing or adoring a space with decorative elements, such as furniture, accessories, and color schemes, to create a certain style or ambiance.

While interior designers may decorate, decorators do not design. Instead, interior designers apply creative and technical solutions within a functional, attractive, and beneficial structure to the occupants’ quality of life and culture. Designs respond to and coordinate with the building shell and acknowledge the project’s physical location and social context.

Our mission at Qpractice is to help interior designers overcome a career challenge – the NCIDQ Exam.

This exam tests interior designers on much more than furnishings—including building and fire codes to protect the occupants’ health, safety, and welfare. Aesthetics does not play any role in this exam.

Interior designer vs decorator

While interior designers are also most often qualified to decorate, shaping the aesthetic environment of a space, this is often not their primary job function. Therefore, the NCIDQ Exam tests Interior Design, not interior decoration.

But in the real world of an interior design business, the roles of designer and decorator are not always unique – they often overlap.

Are you a designer AND decorator?

Are you an interior designer or interior decorator? Interior decorating or interior design? Aesthetic or interior systems?
Or even both.

I passed as well. Thank you for all your help Lisa and team!

Kevin Kleinchester

You can pass the NCIDQ Exam.
Join designers like you, and move ahead in your career!