An interior decorator works by assisting clients in transforming spaces, focusing on aesthetics and ambiance rather than structural changes. They help clients decide on a style, choose a color scheme, and purchase furniture and accessories to create the desired look and feel. Often, they are hired to spruce up an existing space that needs to be updated or redone.
Interior decorators typically follow a process tailored to the client's needs and the specific project. This process involves understanding the client's vision, planning the design, and executing the changes.
The Interior Decorator's Process
Decorators focus on the visual elements of a room. Their work primarily revolves around selecting and arranging decorative items and finishes.
Key Tasks of an Interior Decorator
Based on the services they offer, the work often includes:
- Style Consultation: Helping clients define their preferred aesthetic, whether it's modern, traditional, bohemian, minimalist, or a combination.
- Color Selection: Choosing appropriate paint colors, wallpapers, and fabric colors that align with the chosen style and create the desired mood.
- Furniture and Accessory Curation: Recommending and sourcing furniture, lighting, rugs, art, and decorative objects that fit the design plan and budget.
- Space Sprucing: Working with existing spaces to refresh their look, which might involve rearranging furniture, updating soft furnishings, adding new accessories, or applying a fresh coat of paint.
Project Stages
While each project is unique, the work often flows through several stages:
- Initial Consultation: Meeting the client to discuss their needs, preferences, budget, and the scope of the project.
- Concept Development: Creating a design concept, potentially including mood boards or preliminary sketches.
- Selection and Sourcing: Choosing specific items like paint colors, fabrics, furniture, and accessories.
- Implementation: Overseeing the procurement and placement of selected items.
- Finishing Touches: Arranging decorative elements and ensuring the space is complete according to the design.
Comparing Decorators and Designers
It's worth noting the distinction between interior decorators and interior designers. Decorators typically focus on the surface-level aesthetics – the look and feel of a space. Interior designers, on the other hand, may have formal training that allows them to handle more complex projects involving structural changes, blueprints, and working with contractors.
| Aspect | Interior Decorator | Interior Designer |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Aesthetics, style, color, furnishings | Functionality, space planning, aesthetics |
| Scope | Updating existing spaces, surface changes | New constructions, renovations, structural changes |
| Training | Often informal or certification-based | Formal education, degrees, licensing (often required) |
| Work Example | Selecting paint, furniture, accessories | Redesigning a room layout, moving walls, adding windows |
In essence, an interior decorator focuses on making a space beautiful and harmonious through careful selection and arrangement of decorative elements, helping clients achieve their desired environment by defining style, choosing colors, and sourcing furnishings.
