Interior Designer vs. Decorator: What's the Difference?
Interior designer and interior decorator are often used interchangeably, and it's easy to understand why. Both are focused on creating a beautiful, cohesive home, but the type of work they do can be very different.
Understanding that difference can help you figure out what kind of support your project actually needs.
The short version:
An interior decorator works primarily with the furnishings and finishing layers of an existing space. An interior designer can work with the space itself, including layout, lighting, cabinetry, finishes, and how a home functions.
At Maya Axt Interiors, we do both. We work with clients throughout Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, Phoenix, and surrounding Arizona communities on everything from furnishing and decorating existing homes to full-scale renovations and new construction.
What Does an Interior Decorator Do?
Interior decorating focuses on making an existing space feel finished and cohesive. That can include furniture, rugs, window treatments, paint colors, artwork, accessories, and styling.
If you already love the layout and architecture of your home but the rooms don't feel complete or reflective of your style, decorating may be exactly what you need.
What Does an Interior Designer Do?
Interior design goes deeper into how a home functions.
For renovations and new construction, an interior designer may be involved in space planning, kitchen and bathroom layouts, cabinetry, lighting and electrical plans, flooring, tile, plumbing fixtures, millwork, and other decisions that need to be made before or during construction.
Designers also often collaborate with architects, builders, contractors, and trades to make sure the architecture and interiors work together.
Why the Distinction Matters
The important question isn't really what you call the person you hire. It's whether their experience and services match the scope of your project.
If you're building a custom home, renovating a kitchen or bathroom, moving walls, changing layouts, or making decisions that affect construction, you need a designer who understands space planning and the construction process. And the earlier that designer is involved, the better.
If your home's layout already works and you're focused on furniture, window treatments, art, accessories, and creating a more cohesive look, your needs are much closer to decorating.
And sometimes you need both.That's one of the benefits of working with a full-service interior design firm. The same vision that guides the architecture, cabinetry, finishes, and lighting can continue through the furniture and final styling so the home feels intentional from beginning to end.
What Does Your Project Need?
The easiest way to determine whether you need interior design, decorating, or a combination of both is to look at the type of project you're planning.
Furnishings-Only Projects
If you love the bones of your home but the rooms don't feel finished, a furnishings and decorating project may be all you need. We can help with furniture, rugs, window treatments, artwork, accessories, and styling to create a home that feels cohesive and personal without changing the architecture.
This is a great fit for clients who have recently moved into a home in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, or Phoenix and want to make it their own, as well as those who are simply ready to refresh spaces they've lived in for years.
New Construction
When you're building a new home, interior design should begin early, ideally during the planning and pre-construction stages. We work alongside your architect and builder to think through space planning, cabinetry, lighting and electrical, plumbing fixtures, finishes, and the details that affect how your home will ultimately function and feel.
Bringing an interior designer in from the beginning also allows the furnishings and final layers of the home to be considered as part of the overall design rather than as an afterthought.
Renovations
A home renovation project often falls somewhere in between. You may love parts of your home but need to rethink the kitchen, update bathrooms, improve the layout, or create better flow from one space to another.
For renovations, we can help with everything from space planning and finish selections to cabinetry, lighting, fixtures, furnishings, and final styling. The goal isn't simply to make the renovated spaces look new. It's to make the entire home feel like it was designed that way from the beginning.
Whether you're furnishing an existing home, planning a renovation, or building from the ground up, Maya Axt Interiors can help with both the interior design and decorating sides of the project.
Not sure what your project needs? Schedule a Discovery Call and we'll talk through your plans and help you determine the right place to start.