Interior Design & Interior Decorating: How The Distinction Between Them Is Key To A Small Business’ Success
As a brick-and-mortar small business owner, the space you create is essential to your business’s success. Whether you're opening a café, running a retail shop, or building an office, how your space looks and works makes a big impression on your customers and your team.
The terms 'Interior Design' and 'Interior Decorating' are often used interchangeably, but there's a difference. Below is a breakdown describing how small business owners can differentiate these terms to their advantage to hire the right professional from the start.
What Is Certified Interior Design?
Certified Interior Design is about more than just making a space look good—it's also about ensuring it functions well—and that neither is sacrificed. Interior Designers who are ‘Certified’ must pass exams and meet specific qualifications to receive their certification, ensuring they have a solid understanding of both design principles and legal requirements.
Certified Interior Design encompasses technical aspects, such as space planning, building codes, accessibility requirements, and the aesthetic elements of interior decorating, including selecting furniture, lighting, color schemes, and other design details. This dual knowledge base allows you to alter a layout, rework the space's functionality, and ensure compliance with regulations, all while combining function and style to create an organized, compelling, and visually appealing space for your business.
Certified Interior Design includes:
Planning and optimizing the layout for better flow and function
Designing the overall ceiling & lighting concept
Ensuring the space complies with building codes and safety regulations
Coordinating with architects, engineers, contractors, and other trade professionals for permitting and operational success
Specifying and detailing custom millwork in coordination with specialty vendors
Selecting furniture, finishes, and décor that tie the design together and specified appropriately for the use of the space
What Is Interior Decorating?
Interior Decorating focuses on a space's visual elements—how it looks and feels—and is a subset of a Certified Interior Designer’s scope of work. It involves selecting furniture, colors, textures, lighting, and décor to create an inviting atmosphere that aligns with your brand and business goals.
Unlike Certified Interior Design, Interior Decorating doesn't involve layout changes. It's all about enhancing the space through styling without altering the foundational aspects of the layout. Interior Decorating is essential when you want to refresh the look of an existing space and create a welcoming, on-brand environment.
Interior Decorating includes:
Selecting colors, furniture, and décor that align with your brand
Styling the space to create a certain mood or atmosphere
Create a cohesive look, bringing visual elements together
Enhancing the customer experience with aesthetically pleasing design choices
The Importance of Certified Interior Design in Brick-and-Mortar Small Businesses
For brick-and-mortar small businesses, combining Certified Interior Design with Interior Decorating is crucial for creating a space that works well functionally and visually. And a Certified Interior Designer does both! Here's why Certified Interior Design is essential for your small business:
Functionality and Efficiency
Certified Interior Design optimizes how your space functions. Whether maximizing seating in a café or creating an efficient office layout, space planning ensures the interior functions well for customers and staff. A thoughtful layout can lead to improved customer experience and productivity.
Compliance with Codes and Safety Regulations
A Certified Interior Designer ensures your space meets all necessary building codes and safety regulations. Whether it's ensuring accessibility for all customers or meeting fire safety codes, Certified Interior Design encompasses the technical aspects of compliance and accessibility.
Brand Identity and Customer Experience
The way your space appears directly reflects your business. Certified Interior Design integrates functionality and style to ensure your space feels on-brand and aligns with your business's values. From lighting that sets the mood to a layout that creates a seamless customer and employee experience, it's all about enhancing your brand's story through design.
Long-Term Cost Savings
Certified Interior Design helps you avoid expensive mistakes and renovations down the road by ensuring the layout is efficient and using quality, durable materials—for instance, a restaurant that will have regular Department of Health checks will need to specify washable and cleanable materials in certain areas. It's an investment in a space that looks great and stands the test of time.
What's Right for Your Business?
When you need a complete redesign of your space—think changes to the layout and ensuring compliance with building codes—Certified Interior Design is essential. It covers both the functional and aesthetic aspects of your business environment.
If your space already functions well but needs a visual refresh, Interior Decorating can make an impact. Decorating is about embellishing the space to bring vibe and character while ensuring your furniture, colors, and décor align with your business's brand and message.
Why It Matters for Your Business
The interior design of your small business plays an essential role in how customers perceive your company and how smoothly your operations run. By understanding the differences between Certified Interior Design and Interior Decorating, you're laying the foundation for success by communicating with the right professionals at the start. A thoughtfully designed interior can boost brand recognition and improve employee morale & efficiency, ultimately driving business growth.
Final Thought
Certified Interior Design and Interior Decorating are crucial to creating a memorable space for your business. Knowing the difference between the two types of work will help you decide what you need and create an unforgettable environment that looks great and functions seamlessly.
