What Is Interior Design? All Your Questions Answered!
Interior design is a hot topic at the beginning of every single year. People look to make changes to their home to better suit their lifestyle after noticing issues during the previous year and some people dedicate entire budgets to make changes to their interior style at the start of each year.
With this in mind, we wanted to go into some detail about your common questions when it comes to interior design. What is interior design? What does an interior designer do? What's actually the difference between an interior designer and a decorator?
If you're interested in pursuing a career in interior design, we've also given you some information at the bottom of the blog as to how you can get started!
Grab a coffee and let's get into it!
Side Note: Interested in taking on your own interior design work as you're spending more time at home? Check out these tips from Veejay's Renovations!
Image Credit: Dulux
What is Interior Design?
Interior Design is the art of improving the interior of the building to make the environment more aesthetically pleasing for the people that inhabit the space. Interior design can be anything from buying the right furniture and paint for a room all the way to a full-scale renovation. It does this by focusing on the architecture and space planning to create the ideal space for the inhabitants. An interior designer can work on simple home improvements to designing a whole new hotel lobby, so they have a wide range of creative views.
Having a good interior designer can easily turn an average looking room into a gorgeous space that you will feel proud to show off to guests.
Image Credit: Emily Henderson
What Does An Interior Designer Do?
Interior designers work to create a space that is functional, safe and aesthetically pleasing. An interior designer has multiple jobs when it comes to creating an interior. They advise on the layout of the room and suggest any changes as well as recommending products and surfaces. They will also create a 2D or 3D plan and a schedule for the products, layout plans, heating and electrical socket plans for their location. The interior designer may also be the point of contact for any contractors you might have and they’ll be part of a design team alongside architects, engineers and electrical and mechanical engineers.
Interior designers may do the following:
Sit with a client and discuss the project
Sketch design plans
Pick out materials to furnish the space with
Create a schedule for the project
Estimated cost
Oversee construction and renovation installation
Coordinate with contractors
Make sure the client is happy with the final product
Depending on the scale of your project, an interior designer could get involved with the entire project, organising work with architects and contractors all the way through to planning the furniture and décor items that are placed in the space. Some people also choose to employ interior designers purely to reorganise their room and add some new furniture into the space. It's common for interior designers to be brought in to a project and then consult on things like where sofas are placed, what colours are needed to paint the walls and whether a wool rug or an acrylic rug is going to fit the space the best.
Image Credit: Real Homes
What's the Difference Between an Interior Designer and Interior Decorator?
Because of the complexity of the role an Interior Designer has to have a specific degree of schooling and formal training. They can get this degree through a university course, college course or an apprenticeship. You’ll usually need 1 or 2 A levels for entry on a foundation degree or 2 to 3 A levels for entry into a degree. Once they graduate, they typically apprentice with an established interior designer so they can build a portfolio and attract there own clients before going solo.
An interior designer also works closely with architects or developers to create the space of a building being built or remodelled. They’ll use the architect’s basic designs to make a basic floor and wall plan while taking into consideration the building regulations that they have to comply with as well as fire safety, functionality and accessibility. Designers may also do the role of a decorator once the space has been designed.
An Interior Decorator requires no formal training or schooling for the job. An Interior Decorator specializes in making the space aesthetically pleasing by organising furniture arrangements, colour schemes and other cosmetic features that will bring life into the space.
How to Get Started in Interior Design?
To get started in interior design you’ll need to get a qualification through either an apprenticeship, college course or university course. You’ll need basic design skills and knowledge, customer service skills, the ability to accept criticism, knowledge of building and construction, the ability to work well with others, to be able to use computer software packages and to have a good eye for detail.
You’ll need to develop your skills and create a portfolio and that should help you get an entry level job. There you will develop your project and client management skills. You also want to have your own specialist area but you still need to do everything else at a high level.
- Posted On: 24 January 2022