When many people hear the term “interior design,” they often think of HGTV, “room makeover” challenges, or DIY decorating projects on Pinterest, but what they actually think of is interior decor.
While decor plays a role in creating functional and beautiful living spaces, the work of an interior designer differs from interior decorator in important ways.
So, what is the difference between interior design and interior decor?
Design versus decoration
While there is some overlap in interior design and interior decorating, they are fundamentally different.
Interior design is the art and science of understanding people’s behavior to create functional spaces within a building.
While interior decoration is the furnishing or decorating of a space with decorative elements to achieve a certain aesthetic.
In short, interior designers can decorate, but interior designers do not design.
What interior designers do
The interior design process follows a structured and coordinated methodology – including research, analysis, and integrating knowledge into the creative process – to meet the client’s needs and resources.
Whether they work in a corporate or residential space, interior designers face…
A challenge to apply creative and technical solutions within a structure that is functional, attractive and beneficial to the quality of life and culture of its occupants.
Designers must respond and coordinate with the building structure and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project.
By implementing thoughtful solutions, interior designers can create spaces that dramatically improve the experiences of the people who inhabit them.
For example, there has been a lot of research on how design elements in healthcare organizations impact patients.
Studies have shown that surgery patients who have landscapes in their room recover faster than those who do not.
Another study found that infants who experienced daylight cycles during their stay in the neonatal unit developed their wake and sleep cycles earlier.
Of those exposed to dim, constant hospital lights.
Professional requirements for interior designers
Due to the complexity of their role, interior designers are generally expected to achieve a higher educational level than interior designers,
Who do not require formal training or licensing.
In addition to learning the principles of applying the collected knowledge to the creative process of space design,
Designers must also adhere to code and regulatory requirements and encourage principles of environmental sustainability.
Many US states and Canadian provinces have passed laws requiring interior designers to obtain a license or registration – documenting their formal education and training.
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