Author: Laurent Galle, Interior Architecture and Decoration Studio
Reading time: 5 minutes | Date: April 2026
Three titles. One room to transform. And yet confusing these three professionals can cost you, in time, money, and the result you end up living with. Before you sign anything, here is what you need to know.
What is the difference between an interior decorator, an interior architect, and an interior designer?
An interior decorator works on how a space looks: colours, materials, furniture, lighting, textiles, and objects. They work with what already exists. They do not move load-bearing walls, reroute plumbing, or reconfigure floor plans.
An interior designer goes further. The scope varies depending on their training and the country they practise in, but a qualified interior designer typically handles space planning, custom built-ins, lighting design, and the coordination of tradespeople. In the United States, the title is regulated in some states: professionals who have passed the NCIDQ exam(administered by the Council for Interior Design Qualification) and hold a licence are authorised to stamp drawings and manage construction documents for non-structural work.
An interior architect takes it further still, structural reconfiguration, spatial redesign, sometimes working directly alongside a licensed architect on permits and load-bearing interventions. In the UK, the title is protected by the Architects Registration Board (ARB); in France, by the Ordre des Architectes. In the US, “interior architect” is not a legally protected title, which adds to the confusion.
The rule across all three: look at what they have built, not what they call themselves.
Which professional do you need based on your project?
You want to refresh the feel of a space without touching the structure
This is the decorator’s territory. The floor plan stays as it is, but you want the apartment to feel different. A new colour palette, updated soft furnishings, custom upholstery, and a considered approach to lighting layers.
A good decorator reads a room quickly. They see what is working and what is blocking the space, often before you can put it into words yourself. They also have access to trade showrooms, workshops, and suppliers that are closed to the general public.
Fees typically range from $1,500 to $5,000 per day, depending on reputation, or a purchasing commission of 20 to 35% on all items sourced, depending on how they structure their business.
You want to reconfigure the layout, open up rooms, or rethink the volumes
Here, you need an interior designer with space planning experience or an interior architect. These interventions require technical knowledge: structural assessment, coordination with electricians, plumbers, and carpenters, and, in many cases, building permit applications.
According to the National Association of Home Builders, structural renovation work accounts for an average of 38% of total project costs in full apartment renovations in major US cities. Underestimating this phase is the most common and most expensive mistake clients make.
Interior designer fees for project management typically run between 10% and 20% of total construction costs, sometimes more for high-end residential or large square footage.
You are building or doing a full gut renovation
Consult a licensed architect first. An interior designer or interior architect can then take over for layout and atmosphere, or work in parallel from the start to ensure the structure and the interior vision are aligned. The two collaborate regularly on private residences, penthouses, and country houses.
Why does the title "interior designer" create so much confusion?
In the US, the title “interior designer” is regulated in some states and completely unprotected in others. In the UK and Australia, it carries no legal protection at all. Anyone can use it.
That does not mean an unregistered interior designer is less skilled. Many of the most sought-after practitioners in London, New York, and Los Angeles trained at the Rhode Island School of Design, the Royal College of Art, Parsons, or equivalent schools. Their eye for proportion, material, and atmosphere can be razor-sharp. But their ability to manage a complex construction site depends entirely on their background, not their title.
If you are handing over a full renovation, ask directly whether they have professional indemnity insurance, who coordinates the trades, and whether they can sign off on construction drawings. The answers tell you everything.
Can you work with both a decorator and an interior architect on the same project?
Yes. It is common on larger projects, full floor-through apartments, historic renovations, and country houses with outbuildings.
The architect or interior architect manages the construction phase: drawings, permits, trade coordination, and site visits. The decorator works on the atmosphere, material selections, furniture, and finishes, either after handover or in parallel throughout. The two need to share a coherent vision. If their aesthetics pull in different directions, the result will feel it.
Some larger studios integrate both disciplines in-house. That is convenient, but the budget reflects it.
What questions should you ask before hiring anyone?
Ask these directly before any contract is signed:
- Are you a member of a professional body (BIID, ASID, NCIDQ-certified, RIBA)?
- Do you carry professional indemnity insurance and a contractor’s liability policy if you are managing the build?
- How do you charge: fixed fee, hourly, or purchasing commission?
- Have you managed a project of similar scope and budget before?
- Can I speak with two or three former clients?
A serious professional answers every one of these without hesitation.
What your budget tells you about who you need
The figure you have allocated often shapes the choice of a professional as much as the nature of the work itself.
Below $50,000, an interior decorator or designer handles most situations comfortably. Between $50,000 and $250,000, an interior designer with project management experience adds real value, both in quality of outcome and in avoiding costly mistakes on site. Above $250,000, an interior architect or licensed architect becomes close to essential, and their fee is typically recovered through the errors they prevent.
A 2024 report by the American Institute of Architects found that projects managed by a qualified design professional recorded 21% fewer budget overruns than comparable projects run without professional oversight.
Should you choose someone well-known or someone less visible?
Reputation does not guarantee fit. A decorator whose work regularly appears in Architectural Digest or House & Garden has developed a strong point of view. But that point of view may be very far from how you actually live, what you value in a room, what you want to come home to.
The right professional is the one whose portfolio speaks to you, not the one you saw in a magazine.
Take time to visit completed projects if you can, ideally two years after delivery. A room that has aged well and still feels like the client says more than any shoot.
Summary: Which professional for which project?
Your situation | The right professional |
Refresh the atmosphere, choose furniture and finishes | Interior decorator |
Reconfigure layout, open walls, redesign volumes | Interior designer (space planning) or interior architect |
Full gut renovation with structural work | Licensed architect + interior architect |
Custom furniture, strong visual identity | Interior designer (depending on training) |
Mixed project: structure and atmosphere | Interior architect with decorating expertise |
Every great interior begins with the right conversation. Meet Laurent Galle to explore the possibilities of your project together.
