Home Staging: Are You Hiring a Designer or a Decorator?

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat - this blog posting is absolutely NOT a slam on decorators. There are some fantastic decorators and decorating firms out there that are more capable than some licensed interior designers we've evaluated for HMD certification. AND, in many cases your decorator may have the appropriate skill set and offer the best value for your staging project.

But there are critical differences between a decorator and a designer and here's what those differences are...

Interior Designers

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) defines an interior designer as one who "is professionally trained to create a functional and quality interior environment. Qualified through education, experience and examination, a professional designer can identify, research and creatively resolve issues and lead to a healthy, safe and comfortable physical environment." At it's heart, interior design is the art and science of understanding people's behavior in order to create functional spaces within the structures that architects design.

Interior designers are responsible for a wide variety of tasks including: organizing a space to suit its function, making sure that designs match are in compliance with building and safety codes, managing the construction and installation of a design, and even designing for appropriate acoustics and sound transmission. An interior designer is also responsible selecting and specifying fixtures, furnishings, products, materials and colors -- but note that is just one of many responsibilities.

Interior designers are also -- in some, but not all states -- required to have a license (usually acquired by completing the NCIDQ exam). This licensing certifies that the designer is a qualified professional who has the background and schooling required to make complex decisions about interior spaces.

Interior Decorators

Interior decorators, on the other hand, are primarily concerned with surface decoration -- paint, fabric, furnishings, lighting and other materials. Decoration is often characterized as the furnishing or adorning of a space with appropriate (often fashionable or attractive) things.

"But wait," you say. "Don't interior designers do that too?" The answer is often yes, but the biggest difference is that the interior designer typically has a number of other issues on his or her mind. For instance, when it comes to staging a home, an interior decorator will probably be responsible for choosing the type of furniture products, colors, textures, and patterns. The interior designer, on the other hand, will make the selection based on those criteria, with an additional eye towards the appropriateness of type, usage, sound transference, acoustic properties, flammability, off-gassing properties, static electricity requirements, flammability and wjhat ADA code violations may be taking place on the property.

In Summation

Regardless of whether you are hiring a designer or a decorator, both professions can add value to your staging oriented challenges. Just keep in mind there are bad, good and great in both professions.

If you need help evaluating any of the local pro's you are working with or thinking about working with, feel free to give me a shout or check out the HMD certified providers at www.HMDhome.com.

e) hello@HMDhome.com
p) 888-408-7772
online: www.amandazettel.net
IIDA and HMD certified Interior Designer

More about free HMD certification for residential product and service pro at www.HMDhome.com