Aga Artka Interior Design, LLC

What's the difference

March 18th, 2009 3:04 pm

The more involved I get in the building, remodel and design industry, the more exposure I get to the various services that fall under “design” and the many terms the public uses to describe what I do. How do I define myself as a professional? Read on to find out.

I am an interior designer.

I have graduated with an interior design degree. I am a certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design professional. My process is long and complicated and involves design conceptualizing, space planning, building construction & codes consideration and research, lighting analysis, finish and material research and specification, furniture selection and layouts, project coordination, and at the very end, accessorizing and final staging. When designing interiors, I not only provide a functional design solution, but also make sure that my concept is safe and healthy to the occupants of the space. While designing residences, the safety and well-being of the occupants although not regulated by law, is a common sense in my industry and is always taken into consideration. Good design takes time, knowledge, experience and creative edge. Hire a professional designer if you are looking for a unique design solution, not a catalog-based, trend-driven concept.

Am I a decorator?

Yes, at times. When a space is clearly defined, does not require any structural changes, involvement of a contractor, architect or an engineer, when all that’s needed is a unified design scheme than a decorator can do the job. I do decorate spaces with artwork, greenery and other accessories. I select color schemes, fabrics and window treatments. I choose furniture types and styles. In the end, accessories is what makes a project special and brings all the elements together. It’s like adding jewelery to your outfit. It makes a statement. But what if the project includes changing the original floorplan of the space, removing/adding partitions and/or fenestrations {big word}, relocating plumbing and electrical elements and making conscious decisions about what’s feasible and what’s based on the blueprints. Would you trust a decorator with that? I wouldn’t.

Am I a stylist?

I can be. Property styling (or staging) is a popular term these days especially in the real estate market. The idea is to showcase a property by highlighting its unique features and diverting the attention from the least pleasing elements. Some properties are staged to sell, some require staging to live. Either way, sounds like a lot what a hair/makeup styling do; they accentuate your positive features and mask those that you are not so pleased about (an unwanted scar, wrinkles, freckles, tall forehead, small lips etc). Based on your personality, likes and dislikes when it comes to color, fashion and trends, we are all stylists…to a degree. Would you ask a stylist to correct the size of your nose (if you thought it was too big)? Of course not. It would be a health and safety concern. Similarly, would you trust a stager/property styling professional with your kitchen remodel project?

Based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics publication, “Interior designers draw upon many disciplines to enhance the function, safety, and aesthetics of interior spaces. Designers plan interior spaces of almost every type of building, including offices, airport terminals, theaters, shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, and private residences.  Good design can boost office productivity, increase sales, attract a more affluent clientele, provide a more relaxing hospital stay, or increase a building’s market value”.

Interior design is a broad-spectrum industry and decorating and styling do fit underneath that umbrella. It will take time to educate the public on the differences between these disciplines. I have nothing against decorators, stagers and stylists. I don’t oppose to being described as such either. I would hate however, to be cataloged into one of those areas only, when my true passion and expertise is interior design.