Interior Design vs. Interior Decorating
Although the terms interior decorating and interior design are similar, and thus are often used interchangeably, there are many differences between the two. If you are considering a career in design, it is extremely important that you understand each title so that you can make the appropriate decision about your education and your career.
Interior Design requires professional experience and training because to truly call yourself an interior designer, you must be certified. There are still people who refer to themselves as interior designers without the proper qualifications, but it is becoming increasingly more difficult to legally do this; in 18 states it is explicitly against the law to call yourself an interior designer if you are not certified. In order to become certified, you must pass an exam administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), which applies to both the U.S. and Canada. After passing this exam, an interior designer must also follow the professional standards set by the American Society of Interior Designers. An interior decorator, on the other hand, is not subject to all of these specifications.
Interior Decorators require no formal education, but in most cases it's necessary. Since this is the case, you could start working as an interior decorator today, but there is still a lot you need to know. Interior decorators typically work with the insides of buildings including homes and businesses and focus mainly on the surface decorations. They may be working with an entire building or just a single room and work to make the space aesthetically pleasing. To do so, interior designers concentrate on space-planning (layout), color schemes, furniture, paint, wallpaper, window coverings, fabrics, flooring, carpeting, lighting, art, etc. Because you are working with clients' living spaces, your main goal as an interior designer should be your client's approval of (and excitement for) your decorations. In order to achieve this, you will need to be able to review and measure space, prepare room layout proposals, obtain cost estimates, present samples to clients, arrange and oversee painting, wallpapering, flooring, etc., select and purchase furnishings and accessories, and much more.
An Interior Designer needs a more specific skill set. Their job can include interior decoration, but also extends to the actual buildings as well. The NCIDQ definition of an interior designer's objective is, "to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces for the purpose of improving the quality of life, increasing productivity, and protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public." Interior designers can work in homes, office buildings, airport terminals, hospitals, manufacturing plants, government institutions, etc. and must be prepared to: analyze clients' needs, goals, and safety requirements; create working illustrations and specifications in compliance with universal accessibility guidelines and other applicable codes; work closely with other licensed professionals such as mechanics, electricians, and load-bearing designers. Finally, interior designers, who typically work for furniture and home furnishings stores, interior design services and architectural firms, or independently as freelance designers, must explicitly understand: flame spread ratings, smoke toxicity, and fire rating classifications and materials; space planning for public and private facilities; national, state, and local building codes; ergonomics, which is the application of scientific information concerning humans to the design of a space; the quality and quantity of lighting a room requires; and acoustics and sound transmission.
As you can see, interior decoration and interior design can lead you down two very different career paths. It is important to consider which profession suites you best before making a commitment, but by carefully comparing your career and education options you are sure to find what's right for you.
Featured Interior Design Schools:
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The Art Institutes - Multiple Locations
The Art Institutes system of schools is a leading educator of students in the creative and applied arts, including design, media, fashion, and culinary programs.
Every program of study offered to you is regularly reviewed by industry leaders, advisors, and employers for relevance in the marketplace. Changes are made, if necessary, to integrate subject matter into the curriculum so that our degree programs reflect the way things are done in the real world of work. Programs listed are not offered at all locations.
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Brooks College - Long Beach, CA
Do you have a passion for design? A knack for space-planning? Consider honing those skills at Brooks College in Long Beach. Conveniently located near the Southern California hub of Los Angeles, the college will prepare you to enter this region's exciting and progressive interior design job market with internship and job placement services. The Brooks College design program is accredited by FIDER, so in as few as two years, you could be starting your new career.
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Harrington Institute of Interior Design - Chicago, IL
If you're looking to get your career in interior design rolling as quickly as possible, consider the Harrington Institute of Interior Design. In as few as two years, you could earn your degree, reaping the benefits of training by experienced professionals in classes that accommodate your schedule. Upon graduation, you'll be prepared for an entry-level position anywhere in the design industry.
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International Academy of Design and Technology - Tampa, FL
If you're creative but have ended up in a job where that creativity isn't being put to good use, consider expanding your education at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Tampa, FL. The academy offers exceptional interior design programs that will harness your artistic abilities and will help you to find a career when you graduate. Don't let your skills go to waste any longer.
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International Academy of Design and Technology - Las Vegas, NV
Turn your talent into a rewarding opportunity at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Las Vegas. In the Interior Design program, in which you can earn an associate's or bachelor's degree, you can discover how properly designed interiors can actually improve the quality of life. As a student, you can experiment with form, space, texture and color, drawing on holistic and cultural references, technical expertise, intellectual disciplines, creative sensitivity, and environmental and global awareness.
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International Academy of Design and Technology - Orlando, FL
The International Academy of Design and Technology in Orlando prepares students for exciting, new careers in interior design. You'll learn design and layout specifications, furniture selection, color coordination, and more. IADT strives to produce graduates with a desire to enhance the function, quality, and safety of interior spaces.
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American InterContinental University - Los Angeles, CA
The American InterContinental University at Los Angeles prepares you for your interior design career in the most practical way possible-looking at today's trends and continually reevaluating what its graduates need to know in order to succeed. With professional interior designers teaching the courses, sophisticated computer technology, and graduates that are qualified to enter directly into the interior design field, AIU gives you the skills you'll need for tomorrow's jobs, today.
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American InterContinental University - Atlanta, GA
The American InterContinental University in Atlanta teaches the hands-on skills you'll need for a successful career in the exciting, creative field of interior design. The goal of AIU's interior design department is to prepare its students to practice as professional interior designers who are qualified by education, experience, and examination. With students from over 100 countries and small classes that allow for personal interaction, the American InterContinental University offers a unique learning experience that will prepare you for a successful career in interior design.
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American InterContinental University - London, England
The American InterContinental University in London will provide you with small classes, the latest technology, and a variety of inspiring interior design-related field trips. All teachers are highly accomplished industry professionals and some of London's most successful interior designers even attend class occasionally, so you will be meeting potential employers throughout the term. AIU provides its students with a world-class interior design education in a cosmopolitan atmosphere.
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International Academy of Design and Technology - Chicago, IL
The International Academy of Design and Technology in Chicago strives to turn students into professionals that are able to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces, thereby improving quality of life and protecting the safety and welfare of the public. With its exceptional program in interior design, the academy prepares its students for the workplace with hands-on, personal attention, and is always focused around your next career.
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International Academy of Design and Technology - Detroit, MI
Graduates of the International Academy of Design and Technology in Detroit become specialists in the relationship between people and spaces. The curriculum encourages students to experiment and to develop their own techniques and styles within the structure of the interior design industry standards. Students learn about visual communication, working with clients, perfecting the technical aspects of design, and, overall, environmental and global awareness.
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International Academy of Design and Technology - Toronto, Canada
The best way to prepare yourself for a new career is to get the attention you need from those who have been there before. At the International Academy of Design and Technology at Toronto, you'll get personal help from interior design industry professionals in a small classroom setting. With an exceptional interior design program, you'll quickly be ready for your next career!
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Westwood College - Multiple Locations
If you want to use your creative talents to design someone's home or office, Westwood College can fulfill your dream. At one of its numerous campuses across the Western United States, the college will rapidly train you in the latest skills and technologies you'll need to know to succeed in the interior design industry. Furthermore, you're always welcome to come back to Westwood College for retraining at no charge. It's a sound investment.
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International Academy of Design and Technology - Montreal, Canada
Who knows more about today's working environment than active industry professionals? At the International Academy of Design and Technology in Montreal, these will be your teachers for your intensive 14-month interior design program. With instruction on how to use space efficiently and effectively, the academy prepares students to enter their own successful new careers.
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