Do I really need an Interior Decorator?
Over the last 40 years we have completed numerous professional offices, dental offices, medical offices, churches, retail stores, restaurants, schools and industrial facilities. In many of these projects the client has asked me “Do we really need to hire an Interior Decorator?” The short answer is “YES”. However, the person or firm required to make all the interior selections can vary quite a bit from one project to another. Let’s explore this topic a little more.
The first thing we need to discuss is word definitions. In my experience the phrase “Interior Decorator” is more than a bit outdated. The proper term now is “Interior Designer”. Historically, an Interior decorator is a person who would select wall colors, wall papers, furniture and artwork for a room or house. I can imagine John D. Rockefeller hiring an interior decorator to remake several of the rooms in his mansion. We use “Interior Designer” in the current era because these people are usually more trained with the ability to not only select wall colors, wall papers, furniture and artwork but they can do much more. An interior designer will assist in the selection of wall tiles, floor types, celling types, trim, lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures, door types, cabinetry design and more. They can also assist in designing the wall locations or space plans. If needed they can also select furniture and movable partition units.
As an architecture firm we seldom need the interior designer to complete wall locations or space plans. In some projects, the owners have engaged an interior designer to assist them with a large commercial remodel. In cases like this we would work alongside the owner’s interior designer. This type of relationship can also be used for a completely new building project of any size. In other cases, we have hired an interior designer to work for us as a consultant with interior finish selections as their primary duties. From an owner’s standpoint, the functions required of an interior designer for their project can come in the way of many avenues.
Here are the various options available for an owner as regards interior design.
The Owner Can Hire a Professional Interior Designer.
They would collaborate with the architect to complete all interior finish selections, including lighting, plumbing fixtures, and cabinetry design. In some cases, they are also responsible for selecting all furniture, fabrics, and artwork, helping to ensure a cohesive and functional interior throughout the project.
The owner can request that the Architect make all the interior selections.
In this case, the architect may bring on an interior designer as a consultant to assist with selections. In other cases, the architect has in-house interior designers who handle the work directly. This approach depends on the project's scale, budget, and the architect’s available resources.
The owner can make all the interior selections by themselves.
Interior finish selections often come from someone in the owner’s organization or family with experience. These are typically given to the architect during planning. Alternatively, the architect may specify generic finishes with cost allowances per square or linear foot. The owner then finalizes selections during construction, common in smaller medical or professional office projects.
So yes, the owner of the proposed building needs to engage an interior designer to have a successful project. However, the good news is that there are several ways to accomplish this requirement.
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