Interior design is simply the art and science of improving the interior of a whole building to create a more aesthetically pleasing and healthy environment for those using the room. An interior decorator is a person who plans, studies, coordinates, and oversees these interior improvement projects. Aesthetics are achieved by arranging furniture, textures, fabrics, lighting, and paints in a way that evokes a certain mood or atmosphere desired by the owner or the tenant. Interior design also includes the application of finishing materials like linoleum, hardwood, marble, tile, and wallpaper to improve the flooring, walls, cupboards, and windows. An interior designer will usually have a degree in architecture, but can also have other specialized degrees such as art history, architecture, culinary arts, interior decoration, interior architecture, interior design, furniture, or home science.
Some of the specific areas of expertise of interior designers include planning, designing, implementing, and finishing. Planning is the process of defining and determining how a property will best be used, including the positioning and size of furniture, fixtures, windows, doors, walls, flooring, accessories, equipment, utilities, heating and cooling, landscaping, and construction methods. Design, on the other hand, is all the process of coming up with a plan and implementing it. This includes art work, sketches, computer-assisted design (CAD), and construction details.
The techniques used by interior designers often differ from those used in professional interior decorating. Interior designers usually rely on architectural drawings and computer-assisted design (CAD) programs for their planning and designing. Interior decorating, on the other hand, usually relies on sketches, freehand creations, photos, and fabric or wallpaper samples. In addition, some interior designers are also trained to deal with certain issues such as allergies, noise, construction, fire, weather, vandalism, and movement. In essence, it is possible for an interior designer to handle any and every imaginable circumstance that can potentially arise while working on a house.
With regards to design elements, there are a number of important ones that interior designers should pay special attention to. One of the most important aspects of interior design is color. Color is very important because it helps to bring together different elements within the room such as furniture, lighting, walls, accessories, windows, etc. Apart from the color, another important element to take note of is texture; texture can either make or break the overall appearance of a room. Certain elements, such as wallpapers, cushions, carpets, curtains, and drapes, can greatly impact the overall feel of the room.
Many people often question why they need to hire a professional interior designer when they could just purchase simple items and accessories and transform them into an appealing look. The truth is you don’t necessarily need to purchase or customize pieces in order to be able to transform a room into one that is pleasing to the eye. For instance, if you want to replace a worn carpet with new ones, all you need to do is remove the old carpet and simply place new ones in its place. This simple task could cost a lot less than hiring an interior design professional and having them install new carpeting for you. In fact, it could even cost you less than the cost of hiring an interior decorator to perform the task for you!
Overall, interior designers can be quite beneficial. They can provide you with professional advice and assistance, allowing you to focus on your other responsibilities or job-related tasks. Also, in the end, hiring interior designers is not expensive. They are actually quite affordable considering the quality of the products they produce.