So How is Interior Design Different from Interior Decorating?

There was quite a bit of web chatter over Thrive Mag's article “I'll Tell You One More Time: Decorators Aren't Designers.” Because the magazine's URL may have violated a trademark belonging to another business, and the website was subsequently taken down.

On Being an Interior Designer

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

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

Beginning with CIDQ's definition of interior design, a second rebuttal article outlined the author's feelings on the assumption of many (including many architects) that interior design is no more than decoration.

On Architects and Interior designers

Architects: don’t call yourself an architect unless you’re licensed. No, for real, it’s illegal. Also, don’t shy away from working with designers. They specialize in the psychology of space.

Interior Designers: don’t be elitist. You need to know when to open your arms to interior decorators, and architects. Interior Designers work with many other professionals because it's impossible to control every part of a project.

Also, it’s your duty to educate! If someone calls you a decorator, they disrespect the field of design 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.

Interior Design vs. Interior Decoration

Interior Design is the art and science of understanding people’s behavior to create functional spaces within a building.

Interior Decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with fashionable or beautiful things.

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 is to help interior designers overcome a challenge in their careers – the NCIDQ Exam.

This exam tests interior designers on building and fire codes and the health, safety, and welfare of occupants. Aesthetics does not play any role on this exam.

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 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 the Practicum and am so excited! Thank you very much for all your help Lisa!

Lauren Tolles

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