For our inaugural blog, I thought I would share a topic that most people are
unaware of. Interior Designer versus Decorator… Is there a difference? YES!
Does your designer inwardly cringe when referred to as a “decorator”?
YES, OUCH!
All of this is said in jest of course, but seriously to set the record straight, here
are the differences…
To put it bluntly, we operate at two different levels. A Decorator is perfect for the projects Designers do not want, and a Designer is perfect for the projects that Decorators do not want. We can coexist.
WHY?
A Decorator is perfect for that last layer of decor. Your home may be fantastic and just needs a little tweaking and a few cosmetic details or updates. A Decorator will help you make color selections, help furnish, and accessorize your home. Decorators are not required to have formal training. There are some amazing and very talented Decorators out there. So if you have a simple project, a Decorator is who you will want to seek out!
An Interior Designer is a profession that aligns the aesthetic goals and functional needs within a space. Designers are more suited to the larger more in depth projects like custom homes and remodels. To help a client achieve this a designer will have a greater understanding and knowledge of:
Space Planning | Code Requirements |
Construction Schedules | Building Systems |
Building Materials | Textiles |
Lighting Design | Furnishings |
All of this requires a higher level of education, training, and continuing education.
An Interior Designer is often a member of a team of experts on a project. We are not architects or engineers and cannot move walls. We do however work with those experts in a tandem to create the optimal spaces that mould themselves to our clients' lifestyle and needs. A whole house project is overwhelming for a client, and we have the innate training, ability and talent, to listen to our clients and bring all the building and finish elements together to achieve what they cannot do on their own. The exterior material selections, scale, cabinets, floors, paint, counters, lighting and a million other little details before furnishings ever come into play! But we do furnishings too!
I think Wikipedia Sums it up best:
“In short, interior designers may decorate, but
decorators do not design”.
At JE Design Group every project is unique. We are often brought in to help refine the blueprints before the house ever emerges from the ground. This is exciting as we work with the clients along the way, making all of the selections to build the house and create something beautiful and unique to suit their taste and needs. Other clients we have worked with for years and they are ready for that next phase or update. We always take our projects to the next level as well with the planning of furnishings (furniture, window coverings, wallpaper, art, lamps, and much more). We work direct with furniture manufacturers and local work rooms to create a home that is a reflection of you!
I get just as excited at each phase of a project… blueprint, framing, the install
of all of the finishes that have been carefully assembled and crafted, to seeing
the delivery truck pull up knowing that in a few more hours the project will be
further transformed to turn what was a house into your home.
JE DESIGN GROUP