Q&A: What Do Interior Designers Do?
The question every interior designer gets asked more than you know—“So, what do you do?”
We’re not shopping for throw pillows all day long or coming in at the last minute for a project to help figure out where each piece of furniture will go. We’re there at the very beginning!
The Misconception About Interior Design
So the whole throw pillow thing started with a conversation I had at my son’s playdate with another mom and she learned that I was an interior designer. Her impression of “us interior designers” is that we shop for throw pillows all day, which isn’t true. This is not what I do all day.
What do interior designers do? We not only help design but we renovate home interiors from drawing up floor plans and space planning to furniture design—We improve aesthetics and we are also there to enhance the way that your space functions. Our goal? To help you reach your design goals from initial concept to project completion. So more than shopping for throw pillows!
Read our blog post about the difference between interior designers and interior decorators to learn more about what we’re talking about and why we’re usually brought on or hired first.
What an Interior Designer Does
According to IIDA, the definition of an interior designer is someone who is involved in the professional and comprehensive practice of creating an interior environment that addresses, protects, and responds to human needs. It is the art, science, and business planning of a creative, technical, sustainable, and functional interior solution that corresponds to the architecture of a space while incorporating process and strategy—a mandate for well-being, safety, and health, with informed decisions about style and aesthetics. Impressive, right?
As an interior designer, I work with clients to learn about their needs first and then the design piece comes second. As interior designers, we also make sure to focus on accessibility and inclusivity in our work to make sure that the interiors we create can be used by all.
How Home Craft Design Defines Interior Design
At Home Craft Design, I believe 10% of this work is design-related and 90% is actual execution.
There are so many tasks that we do in our day-to-day that vary. We design services and sketch design plans, we put together mood boards while space planning, we create budgets and timelines and source materials, and we also coordinate with vendors. An interior designer wears lots of hats as any given design project requires a balance of the use of space and functionality.
We are basically steering the ship and managing lots of personalities all at once so we need strong interpersonal skills on top of expertise in spatial awareness, as well as an appreciation for beauty and aesthetics. It’s a lot of work, to say the least! But we love what we do.
Working with an Interior Designer
If you’re interested in hiring an interior designer…
Contact them at the beginning of a project!
Connect with them for new builds, remodels, or furnishing
Put them in touch with the project architect and contractor
I love everything about being an interior designer—improving spaces, elevating design, incorporating function, and creating spaces that didn’t previously exist before.
And the creative process has to be my most favorite part of all! It’s also when I get to show the big reveal to clients and wow them with their transformed space. Chef’s kiss!
