Interior Designer vs. Decorator

About 20 years ago I was heavily considering not pursuing my interior design degree. I was young and wanted to get going right away in design. I was contemplating jumping right into decorating and skipping over my degree. However, I had an older mentor at the time that said "Go to school, the time will pass anyway and at the end, you will be standing with a degree in hand". They were 100% right.

Now as I look back, it was one of the best decisions I made regarding my career. I went on to train under an architects for nine years and passed the NCIDQ exam, registering with the state of Texas as a licensed and stamping interior designer. It has made a difference to clients and builders alike, as a licensed individual has code and construction knowledge. Not to mention the sheer amount of knowledge I acquired working under architects.

I often tell clients I am a licensed interior designer who does decoration, but not all decorators are licensed professionals. It's the equivalent of hiring a draftsperson who can use computer programs to generate a floor plan, vs hiring a classically trained architect to envision a space. By all means, when embarking on a custom home design, commercial space, or boutique space, hiring a licensed designer ensures your money is well spent and saves your investment in the long run.

Texas State recently announced that in 2037 an interior designer cannot call themselves registered/licensed if they have not passed the state exam. I firmly believe this is a step in the right direction for the interior design industry.

Thanks for reading, Montana

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