Ah, yes. This topic of what is Interior Design vs. what is Interior Decorating has confused innumerable people since the explosion of the Interior Design sector as a whole. Most often, we hear about Interior Design as an umbrella term encompassing architecture, decor, even engineering, and more. We’re here to set the record straight on what the difference is between Interior Design and Interior Decorating, and what each of them encompasses.

When you think of interiors, you tend to think of walls, ceilings, floors, and furniture, right? Well, what if we told you that what you’re thinking of actually incorporates both Interior Design and Interior Decorating, and that they are not the same thing? Your mind would probably be blown, as we suspect is happening in this moment. These are, in fact, two distinct areas of the Interior Design world, and we’re going to explain each in depth.

We believe it’s important to know a bit of the background in order to fully appreciate what Interior Design has become today. This realm of home improvement began with only the most affluent in society being equipped to achieve interiors they believed to be beautiful, and not just functional alone, which was the default standard of living. However, once the Industrial Revolution occurred, Interior Decorating became more accessible to the every person. One’s opportunity to travel significantly grew and so did one’s ability to decorate their home using items found from across the globe. This, therefore, became the birth of eclecticism. Fast forward to today, we now have a full-blown industry at our fingertips, ready for us to take advantage of and indulge in. Specialized companies flourish thanks to the Interior Design sector boom such as flooring companies, cabinetry manufacturers, home decor shops, plumbing fixture companies, lighting stores, art handlers, and so much more. This is no longer a rich person’s game what with all walks of life growing to understand the value of having a well-thought-out home. Hurray!

Now that you have a little bit of background, we can begin dissecting the two major categories that fall under the Interior Design umbrella. These are important to distinguish in order to properly hire for your next project, as well as simply to have in your own knowledge bank. Let’s get into it!

We’ll start with Interior Design. Interior Design is the specialized branch of architecture focused on a structure’s interior whose function and creation are planned and executed according to that specific area’s building code. This means that the location of walls, plumbing, electrical, and cabinetry fall under the domain of the Interior Designer, and they all must work in unison for a fully functional home. Now, it is important to note that a typical “Interior Designer” is more often than not a team of people who collaborate on the overall design and end result, based on their individual specialties. This is because the scope of a typical interior design is quite vast and burdensome both in terms of time and labour. When done well, a home’s design will be evidenced by its seamless functionality as well as its beautiful design details.
As it is an integral part of accurately and efficiently planning the Interior Decorating of a home, the Interior Design must be planned and executed first. Doing this in the reverse order will result in oodles of wasted time, going back to the drawing board to reassess and plan accordingly - meaning using the home’s updated size and layout. This will make much more sense once you’ve read through the following paragraphs of the blog. But take heed of our warning: Do not make this mistake!

Interior Decorating, on the other hand, is the planning and coordination of the colours, items, and finishes in a space for a functional and aesthetically pleasing result. This means that for your best bet in acquiring an interior that becomes a visual feast for the eyes, you’ll want to hire a certified Interior Decorator (like us!). Everything from the light fixtures down to the perfectly sized and coloured rugs, is the domain of an Interior Decorator. We believe a home is a sanctuary; a refuge from the world, and that we should feel at peace within them. If the design or decor of a home is disjointed, whether you know it on a conscious or subconscious level, peace will elude you, and who wants that? NOT US. We make sure to create spaces of holistic beauty, comfort, and function.

Interior Decorating begins with the more permanent, limiting, and limited finishes, as those are the least likely to be changed out in a short period of time, and/or can typically encompass the largest swaths of area in the home. Cabinetry and flooring materials and colours, mouldings, and often wall colours. Then we move into working (usually) from the ground up, again (typically) in order of what is most limiting or difficult to change out in a short amount of time. Rugs to start, as these are what ground the entire room, and then we move into the large pieces of furniture like sofas and beds, case goods like sideboards and buffets, and tables (coffee, dining, and otherwise) because these air on the more difficult side of items to change. After these, seating including accent chairs, counter stools, etc., and then artwork and lighting are usually best to decide upon as the options are plentiful. Finally, the finishing touches of decor are chosen such as cushions, books, vases, candles, baskets, plants, and so on.

Sounds like a TON of work, right? Right! But don’t think that while we’re considering all these moving parts, there isn’t another layer of planning going on, because there is. More specifically, space planning. This is where we consider the space of each room or area of the home and plan how best to use it to achieve the most effortless daily living. Space planning is crucial when decorating to achieve a functional and blissful home. How many chairs will comfortably sit around the dining table? How much space should there be between the coffee table and the surrounding seating? How far apart should the different types of lighting live? These are just a snippet of the questions we think about when planning a home. Be that a new home, or a home that is being renovated or redecorated.

As you can start to get a sense for, the Interior Decorating is just as important a job in achieving a harmonious home as the Interior Design is. In order to do it right and well, there are countless decisions to be made and planned upon. Every home presents a different set of challenges, and every resident within that home has a different set of wants and needs. Hiring a professional is your best bet for making everyone happy and achieving the home of your dreams. We promise, if it’s us you hire, you’ll be thrilled with the end result - an optimally functional and beautiful residence.

Margarite & Alexandra