Interior Designer

An interior designer is professionally trained to create a functional and quality interior environment. Qualified through education, experience and examination, a professional designer can identify, research and creatively resolve issues and lead to a healthy, safe and comfortable physical environment.

Interior designers provide various services including:

  • consulting services to help determine project goals and objectives
  • generating ideas for the functional and aesthetic possibilities of the space
  • creating illustrations and renderings
  • developing documents and specifications relative to interior spaces in compliance with applicable building and safety codes
  • allocating, organizing and arranging a space to suit its function
  • monitoring and managing construction and installation of design
  • selecting and specifying fixtures, furnishings, products, materials and colors
  • purchasing products and fixtures
  • designing and managing fabrication of custom furnishings and interior details
  • designing lighting and specifying

Source: American Society of Interior Designers

Interior Designer vs Interior Decorator

The terms interior designer and interior decorator are sometimes used interchangeably. There is an important distinction to be made between the two.

  • Interior designers plan and create the overall design for interior spaces,
  • Interior decorators focus on the decorative aspects of interiors.

In other words, interior design includes interior decoration, but interior decoration does not encompass interior design.