In the Interior design industry, the terms such as interior decorator and interior designer are usually applied interchangeably. Even though, there is a significant difference between them.
An interior designer may feel insulted when referred to as an interior decorator. However, an interior decorator may not correct you, if you call him an interior designer.
An important difference between them is that an interior designer has additional duties and responsibilities. He is educated and formally trained. Whereas, an interior decorator may be self-trained, and at times may not have any formal training. Interior designers are trained in various aspects of designing including space planning, drafting, ergonomics, furniture design and history as well as business practices. All these are important for completing a project successfully.
Interior designers need to have a deep and thorough knowledge regarding safety codes, building codes and other construction issues as well as laws. Whereas, interior decorators are responsible for working mainly with exterior decorations like paint, fabrics and furnishings.
Various interior designers and decorators perform interior design work, in which interior decorators largely focus on residential design while interior designers concentrate on residential and contract design.
An interior designer Gomez explains the profile of an interior designer and decorator in an interview in the Architectural Digest. According to him, interiors decorators like to reupholster and do new draperies, while an interior designer synchronizes his work with an architect from the time of the building construction. He is also against the generalization of the two and does not wish to set up stereotypes.