My great grandfather owned an upscale furniture store in a small town in Pennsylvania. When my grandmother married my grandfather, they set him up with his own furniture store. He ran that for about 20 years and moved to Los Angeles. In LA he went to work for Barker Brothers furniture store as an interior decorator. He did not sell furniture as such, he sold rooms of furniture along with accessories from curtains to pillows, statuary, wall hangings and paintings, etc. He always had a Polaroid camera with him to keep a catalog of furniture currently in the store and also his finished projects. Our living and dining rooms looked like show rooms, so he had pictures of ours, too.

Point is a designer should have a portfolio to show you. Some of them can be pretty pushy.

Do they say interior designer, or interior decorator? My understanding is that the former is much more rigorous and detailed, almost like an architect. They need an understanding of math, engineering, construction, building codes and many other details to design kitchens, bathrooms, etc. Generally they would be licensed.

I think anyone can call themselves an interior decorator.

I think anyone can call themselves an interior decorator or designer. Some states have occupational licensing with the added designation of registered or certified interior designer but I believe the generic phrase is otherwise unregulated.

I seemed to remember that others had initials (ASID?) to indicate training -- more than 'a good eye for color/pattern/composition'. I am not knocking that; if I possessed it I wouldn't need help!

This is what the State of CT has to say about the subject. I haven't practiced privately/professionally in eons so I felt a search for definition would clarify the issue. I suspect that CT's requirements are similar to most States. I don't remember CA requiring licensing but it's been a very long time since I resided there and perhaps they've changed their requirements.

Who can be an interior designer?
Licensing requirements for interior designers vary
by state. To certify their professional status, professionals usually
complete a few years of interior design related work and the NCIDQ exam
and then qualify to become professional members of the American Society
of Interior Designers (ASID). Interior designers in Connecticut (CT)
can receive accreditation for their environmental expertise in design
solutions for sustainable construction by taking the Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) examination.

A group of
Connecticut (CT) interior designers working together may occasionally
refer to themselves as interior design firms (or an interior design
firm), or interior design companies (or an interior design company), or
interior design businesses (or an interior design business).

Interior decorators do not need a degree or license to practice but,
depending upon their state, can obtain a certificate in interior
decorating.

Much like with architecture, interior designers have an educational component as a requirement as well as licensure (in most states and in Canada). And usually some sort of professional association designated by the initials after their name. Nothing is required to call one's self an interior decorator but that doesn't necessarily mean they are not well qualified, either through training or experience.

The difference between an interior designer and an interior decorator.

Thank you all!

I did know that an 'Interior Decorator' could be a painter! LOL

An aunt-by-marriage called herself an 'Interior Designer'. She was talented, but she'd earned the title by working in a furniture store many years before I knew her. She had no formal training or certification. She earned a living from her commissions on what she sold. (She was not 'commissioned' by her clients.)

I didn't have much difficulty with our home, where I was buying almost everything new, in 2001. Furnishing a very small vacation rental condo on Maui is different. I need *durable* as well as pretty and comfortable.

I need a small scale sofa, a LR area rug, and new BR furniture. They need to coordinate with two side chairs, a DR set, and an 'almost terra-cotta' tile floor. Walls are a 'beach sand' variety of 'white', and I want to paint the bathrooms.

Does this sound like I need a 'Designer'?

It's up to you. An interior designer surely would have an eye for something like that, but an interior decorator may be a cheaper option and have more "decoration" resources.

You could also post some pictures and get the KT's opinion!

Thanks, Chi. I'm photo and internet 'retarded'. I had to ask our DS to put photos on our VRBO ad for me. Is it OK to ask the KT to look at that? It's #8049.

My daughter has a BFA in Interior Design. Like an architect she had to take and pass a test given by the state to be licensed to be called and Interior Designer. The University she went to had another program under whatever they now call the Home Economics program (can't remember what it's called. People who earned that degree would be Interior Decorators. The way I understand it an Interior Design degree requires a much more intensive program of study. The Interior Decorator focus is more on color, textiles, arrangements, etc. One would not have to have a degree to put Interior Decorator on their card but they need to be licensed to legally call themselves and Interior Designer.

I can see it with that info. I'm sure you can put together a look just by going onto the decorating forum. If I were you, I'd look at Houzz bedrooms for instance and find a look, then copy it. Or Zillow digs. FInd a look you love. It's a start.

http://www.zillow.com/digs/bedrooms/

I just posted this in another thread. Hopefully, this will help. I have NEVER heard that one cannot be called an Interior Designer without formal training, at least not in the US. As for the term "decorator" - in the UK, this means having the painters come in!

There is no "licensing" of interior designers. Some have formal training; some do not. Formal training can teach mechanics and "rules", but it will never be able to "teach" having a great eye. Many of the greatest designers never took a design course in their lives - they lived in lovely homes, and all their friends did as well, and that is how their eye was trained.

One can apply to be an ASID member and membership requirements may vary according to how long one has been in business. Many, many designers do not do ASID.

As far as a "license" in order to buy at cost - there is no such thing. One applies to the state in which one works for a Re-Sale number and certificate. One then takes this and opens accounts with to-the-trade showrooms. Often, there is a minimum first order. When one sells something to a client, one must charge sales tax. Whether there is tax on labor depends on the state. Then, on either a monthly, quarterly or annual basis, one files a Re-Sale tax return with the state and sends them the sales tax collected. How often one files depends on the amount of business one does - a store would be on a monthly basis; a free-lancer would either be quarterly or annually.

I think anyone can call themselves an Interior Decorator, but an Interior Designer is a whole other ball of wax. My cousin is a Designer and she removes walls and everything. She works with contractors.

Stagers are also a decorator. There are more and more 'stagers' these days.

See if this helps explain it. Interior Design v. Interior Decorating

You're all so helpful -- thank you.

I could solve my sofa problem with a splashy tropical print -- seem dated to me. I found *one* smaller-scale sofa: LazyZboy has one less than 38" deep. There's a ton of 'rattan' -- more of the dated look. I'd rather have a splashy rug and a plain sofa than the reverse.

Tommy Bahama has some BR furniture -- Tropical without looking 'old'.

Blech! I am wearing thin. I met with one decorator in a furniture store today, but still found a lot of that "Trader Vic" look I'm trying to avoid! Guess it's what most people here want.