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Interior Designer vs. Decorator: A Few Tips for Redecorating Your Home

Apr 05, 2017 05:27PM ● By Linda Ditch
Have you ever watched a remodeling show on TV and wished you could get help for your home from Joanna Gaines or those clever property brothers? The thought of hiring an interior designer or decorator can be a bit intimidating, but it’s possible to find one to fit both your style and your wallet.

Yes, you can hire a designer or decorator on a budget. They can come into your home for just an hour or two and give you advice about room arrangements and color schemes. They can also point out furniture and accessories from other rooms in your home that you can use in new ways in the one you want to redecorate. In addition, if you have a specific room in mind, such as a kitchen or bathroom, or if you plan to purchase furniture, many home improvement and furniture stores have in-house designers. Brown Furniture and Cabinetry Concepts is one such company.   

There is a difference between an interior decorator and a designer. Interior decorators focus on the aesthetics of a room—the colors, textiles, textures, accessories, and furnishings. They are not required to have any formal training (although they can take courses and attend programs on decorating), and often, these people just have a knack for creating pleasing rooms that fit homeowners’ styles. 

Interior designers do all the work decorators do, but they also have a formal education in design, either residential or commercial. They know building codes and often work with an architect or builder to ensure that a room’s design fits the needs of the homeowner. They also focus on the layout of a room and can plan complete room renovations, from moving walls to lighting design.

Word of mouth is the best way to find a designer or decorator. If you see a room that fits your style, ask the homeowner if a designer or decorator helped create the look. Look for a designer or decorator that fits your personal style. Start by checking out their websites for photos of past projects. Some are more eclectic than others, but most will adapt to your tastes. Moreover, they can be as involved in the project as you want them to be, from creating a decorating plan that you implement on your own to helping with remodeling or purchasing furniture, window treatments, and wall coverings.

Keep in mind that, unlike those television shows that complete a design project in a few hours, most projects take much longer, depending on how much work there is to be done. Completely redecorating a room can take two or three months. If a total redesign is in order with remodeling involved, it can take much longer.


If you are looking for some in person ideas, help, suggestions look locally to Northcape Design-Build.

Northcape Design-Build - Sunapee NH

Northcape Design-Build

From Blueprints to Brillance! For over thirty-seven years, Northcape Design’s talented design-build team has created many beautiful renovations and additions, as well as new homes, in the... Read More » 

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