Interior Decorating Services

Are you thinking of giving your environment a fresh new look, but do not know how to go about it? It does not matter if your area of concern is in your home, your office or anywhere else. You can hire people who can provide you with interior decorating services to address your decorating and furnishing needs. Whether the need is furniture, floor coverings, window treatments, lighting or accessories, you can be rest assured that you can take advantage of a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with an interior decorator.

When the interior decorator steps into the room, he looks around and evaluates the environment he needs to work with. Oftentimes, when you want some redecoration done, it does not necessarily mean that you need to get rid of all your old things and bring in brand-new furniture and décor. Usually, the furnishings in your house are beautiful enough. The interior decorator will simply rearrange them and try different design layouts to create the look and feel you desire. Although it is unavoidable that replacements will be done, an interior decorator can help you prioritize. What needs to be disposed of? What needs to be replaced? What can be kept as is? These are questions that he can help you answer.

An interior decorator may also give you recommendations that will include re-upholstering your sofa in a brighter color; purchasing table toppers to match the sofa, accentuating the room with art pieces and repainting walls or replacing the wallpaper to match the colors of the carpet. A good interior decorator will always consult you when he has suggestions on how to improve the overall design of a room.

After everything has been agreed upon and a final design has been made, computation of the service fee will take place. Interior decorators usually charge by the hour. Their rates vary according to their skills and experience.

Simple and Practical Interior Decorating Tips for the Living Room

Interior decorating does not need to be expensive to become efficient and attractive. With the use of simple decorative equipment and supplies like your plants, sofa, and photograph frame, you can make your living room unique and beautiful.

You should take caution in decorating the living room because it is a vital portion of the house where family and friends gather together to congregate and relax. It is where you find photographs, mementos and other vital items to the owner.

Even if you have the same room, you can create a different look by combining textures, styles, colors, fabrics and furniture. You must be careful in choosing these items not only to satisfy the tastes of occupants, but also to serve the functionality of their lifestyle.

You should select all home fixtures carefully because your decoration is a reflection of your personality. Decorating your room is fun and exciting, thus, make use of the moment wisely and enjoy decorating the room.

You do not need to hire the most expensive and expert interior decorator in the market. All you need to do is to have the basic skills and techniques on interior decoration. If you lack these skills, you can always surf the Internet to gain some information on home decoration or read tips mentioned below.

Home decorating does not need to be costly and expensive. If you have the heart for art and fond of decorating your room, then you can decorate your living room as well.

Before you start your task, you need to consider the principles of interior design like:

Unity - Before you buy furniture and supplies, you should consider unity and harmony. You have to ensure that the interior design and furniture are in harmony with each another.
Focal point - You have to ensure that there is one element that draws your attention when you enter the room. You should have a focal point in the room, such as lighting, artwork or fireplace.
Balance - Make sure that all the furniture and decorations are balanced.
Scale - You should choose the furniture and decorative ornaments that are in proportion and right scale for the room's size.
Rhythm - You should create rhythm in the room. A room with a good rhythm attracts the attention of visitors, thereby, creating a flow of visual movement.
Color and detail - choose the right color of the furniture and paint because it creates the right mood, adds vibrancy and enhances the look of the room.

If you like to have your photographs or images decorated in the room, you should select the right frames that are in harmony with furniture fixtures in the room. If you have a traditional home decoration, opt to choose a wooden frame for your photographs. Choose frames with similar wood tones and arrange your pictures on the large wall.

You should be careful in choosing wall paint because it can set your mood for the room. If you want to create a calm effect, opt for green and blue shades. To create an inviting atmosphere, choose warm paint colors. To create an urban look, you should combine gray and black paint.

Japanese Interior Decorating Style

How to achieve the clean. serene look of Japanese style in your home. Using a few accents to create this effect. How Japanese culture affects Japanese design.

Using some Japanese decorating details in your home's decor will absolutely transform its look. Japanese decorating automatically adds a calm and serene beauty to your surroundings. Even just a few details from this school of design will help to change your home and help it to reflect a less hectic lifestyle.

It does not take a professional decorator to achieve this transformation from frantic to serene. It just requires a investment of time and money (and not much of either) to learn about the style and obtain some Japanese decorative items. How do you achieve a Japanese look in a room or home? Let's look at the culture of Japan to get some clues. The Japanese culture is based on formal. polite. calm manner of doing just about everything. This is reflected in their home design. Very simple designs. without a lot of color or detail. is the hallmark of Japanese design. The Japanese decorate with a few sleek pieces. such as mats and screens in simple fabrics and designs. It is more important to choose the right item or artifact than to have a lot of different things in the room.

The role of natural light is very important to Japanese design. and rice paper screens and walls are used to allow light to shine through. while still affording privacy. To emulate this look. you should use soft curtains in light colors such as white or cream. with no decorations or detail around the windows. An open plan room. which allows light to enter every part of it. is very Japanese in feel. Floor mats or screens to delinate different areas take the place of walls. The whole concept is very minimalist. with no clutter or knick-knacks around.

The simplest look that you can achieve is the look that will reflect a Japanese feel. Tables. for example. are usually low black lacquer. without any vases or cloths on it. Plain hardwood floors will have no covering. and since the Japanese remove their shoes in the house. none is needed. All of the furniture is low. with clean cut lines. These lines are the essential spirit of Japanese design. You will see lots of straight lines and few curves in Japanese design. including on walls. furniture and any of the few decorative items to be found. Natural products such as wood and stone are used almost exclusively. Use these tips to add the important elements of Japanese design to your home and you will have the desired simple beauty in no time.

7 Simple Interior Decorating Tips and Ideas

Interior decorating for quite some time has been a concept or task left to the interior decorator.

But because people nowadays are becoming more and more aware and involved in the interior decorating aspects of their homes, there are many homeowners that are forced into adopting their own interior decorating techniques and processes.

Home or interior decorating, as wrongly perceived by people ages ago, need not be expensive and need not requiring degrees and diplomas in the discipline.

Overall, the idea behind interior decorating is going for the basic or going for the simple. Being interiorly designed and comfortable, a home does not need to be really equipped with the most expensive devices and equipment.

Remember, the basic idea of interior decorating is functionality and usage. It is to be put above all, above the aesthetic and beauty of the home.

Interior decorating of homes can be as simple as one, two, three. Here are some practical and very simple solution on how the interior design of your home could be improved and boosted.

1. Free up spaces. Throw away unnecessary items and equipment. Old equipment that already obsolete or useless should already put to retirement.

2. The storage room is the room for decorations that are not in season or timely. Christmas decors should be kept out it is already March.

3. Make the home spacious by freeing it from useless materials and equipment. Huge sofas and tables are also a no-no if the space of your home is already limited.

4. Put out all the small figurines and picture frames that are distracting the atmosphere and scaring them, instead of awing and amusing them. Those are old-styles, the modern interior decoration go for less displays. Less is totally more this time.

5. Consider replacing carpets, or putting one in the living room if there is not already one in place. That would provide for a cozy atmosphere.

6. The kitchen should be clean and well-lighted because it is the most important area in the house. It should be painted with light to even darker colors to make up for a more appetizing atmosphere.

7. The bathroom should still be spacious. Remember functionality, uses are more than aesthetics.

A Career in Interior Decoration

A certain school of thought claims that interior decorators are born, not made. However, as long as you have a basic artistic streak and a yearning to be creative, you can be groomed to any level of expertise in interior decoration. Giving a property buyer the benefit of one's creative streak in this way is one of the most lucrative and creative careers today.

Beyond any doubt, interior decoration is a satisfying profession for those who 'have it' these days. There is an unprecedented amount of up-market residential and commercial property being sold on the real estate market today. Moreover, the present generation buyers of properties can afford to have their new acquisitions packaged attractively. Engaging the services of an interior decorator was once considered a lavish luxury, but not anymore. With the increased spending power of the IT generation, a home is defined by its aesthetic appeal -- and a growing number of people are ready to pay for that.

The trend for professionally decorated interiors has percolated down from film stars to almost every upper stratum of society. Nor is the demand for interior decoration any longer confined to residences -- witness the offices of most successful doctors, lawyers and advertising agencies, as well as bookstores, music shops, shopping malls, restaurants, hotel lobbies... yes, the scope for interior decoration is virtually endless.

HITTING THE HIGH NOTES

Apart from being an inherently glamorous profession, interior decoration has a career has a number of other appeals to offer:

PEOPLE -- You meet a lot of them, and from a fascinating cross-section - from movie icons to business magnates; from well-known restaurant owners to fast-track lawyers; from neurosurgeons to the idle rich.

MONEY -- You earn a lot of it. Everyone has respect for artistic flair, and your efforts are supposed to reflect the property owner's own taste. This makes it an ego issue, and people pay a lot to support their ego.

CONTACTS -- A career in interior decoration is self-propagating. One successfully completed contract almost immediately leads to another, till you can actually pick and choose. Also, the people you come across can come in useful in many other respects later on.

NO SPECIAL TRAINING REQUIRED -- of course, a basic degree in the Arts can't hurt, but a period of internship under an established interior decorator will serve just as well.

EXTENSIVE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHERS -- You will not be operating on your own. A large enough contract will require the services of a carpenter, electrician, painter and a graphic computer designer. A lot of people will benefit from your profession - and that is significant.

LIMITLESS JOB SATISFACTION -- Expressing oneself artistically is one of the most satisfying experiences that a human being can have; being paid to do it is nothing but a bonus. It is no secret that one works best at what one enjoys doing - it is equally true that one of the biggest problems in today's professional world is lack of creative outlets.

Most people have an 'inbuilt' creative streak in some form or the other. Professional interior decorators who were polled recently firmly denied that theirs is a 'born' breed -- almost anyone can develop a flair, liking and proficiency in this field.

WHAT IT TAKES

As already pointed out, you don't require any special qualifications to become a successful interior decorator (as opposed to interior designing, which has far more demanding parameters). Basically, you should have an ability to judge spaces (including the potential for hidden storage space), lighting requirements, color schemes and contrasts, furniture styles, etc. and a 'feel' for upholstery and curtain fabrics. Finally, you will need to bring these out to maximum advantage within the framework of a given budget.

There are a number of books and journals available to the subject of interior decoration, though not so many on the Indian market. For the seriously interested, however, this will not present a problem. Any specialty bookstore can offer you a selection of imported publications. A subscription to Indian magazines like 'Inside Outside' would be helpful by offering information on styles and combinations currently favored in the country.

One of the most helpful things you can do is to visit properties that have been professionally designed, study the work done there, and even ask the owners in what respects they are or aren't satisfied with the end results. The places to zero in on are newly bought flats and offices that have engaged the services of an interior decorator. The point is not to judge the quality of the job done, but to get a feel of what kind of interior designing is popular on the real estate market, and therefore sells.

This costs you nothing, and people are always ready to talk on such subjects (after all, what is the point in splurging on interior decoration if you can't gloat about the results later on?) In this manner, you can build up a useful mental catalog of successful and unsuccessful approaches.

Getting an eventual interior decoration team together is another important factor. You should also try to establish a personal network of carpenters and painters who will be able to spend time on unscheduled projects. This way, you will be able to obtain their services as and when you need them. Sharing your design discoveries with them occasionally is a good idea, too. In that way, you will have some concrete prototypes to refer to when you actually get to work on a project.

PROGRESSING TO INTERIOR DESIGNING

This is a far more demanding -- and rewarding -- career field, and you will need a lot of experience in interior decoration before you can think of entering it. There are certified institutions that offer courses in interior designing, and you may want to consider such a move at a later stage.

Till then, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't make lucrative waves as an interior decorator. As a famous philosopher once stated, the only limitations we face are those we make for ourselves.

Home Interior Decorating

There is no better haven than our home. "East or West, home is the best," is a common saying. Whoever it may be, whatever position he or she may hold, finally everyone returns home to find peace and relax.

A home is cozier and more comfortable than any other place. We build our homes with the utmost care and sincerity. After all, it is a place where we spend most of our lives.

Home decorating means a lot to the owner. It also demands hard work and devotion, as it is not an easy task. Decorating includes both the interior as well as exterior aspects.

As far as home interior decorating is concerned, every nook and corner has to be studied so that the available space is utilized to the maximum. A good interior decorator should be able to help you in selecting the correct interior decorating solution for your home. Before actually starting the work, you need to be sure whether the emphasis is going to be on beauty, comfort, or the appearance of your home.

You need to attend to all parts, namely, doors, windows, floors, furniture and accessories. For windows, curtains, blinds, rods and panels should be attractive and appealing. Some people prefer light colors, while others prefer heavy and striking upholstery. Doors can be tastefully designed and the material itself can be exotic.

There is a wide range of flooring options available. You can choose from marble, granite tiles, bricks, slates, concrete, or steel. To add more color, suitable carpets can be spread. Rugs can be used to complement them.

Walls, pillars, and other standouts can be decorated using artifacts, paintings or wall hangings. Modern arts are becoming a common choice.

Not just the living room, but also every part of your home needs your attention. The kitchen should be convenient and easy to use. The gas tables, racks and shelves, cooking range, utensils, and all other accessories should be chosen carefully and arranged neatly to avoid messing them.

Further, furniture selection should be done wisely. The sofa sets, chairs, dining table, dressing table and cots must reflect your taste.

Pottery and decorative plants are also a welcome addition in home interior decorating. Sculptures or a mini-fountain may seem incredible. An aquarium can add beauty to your home. You need to pick the right colors and paints for your wonderful home.

Interior Decoration And How To Become A Successful Designer

An interior decorator is a person whose task is to put into shape the loveliest place in your life - your house. The responsibility of these people is to design not only the most beautiful homes and apartments but also offices, cultural establishments (museums, theatres, cinemas), educational institutions (kindergartens, schools, colleges, institutes, universities), sports establishments (stadiums, sports palaces), nutritional establishments (canteens, cafes, restaurants), medical establishments (hospitals, health centres, preventoriums, polyclinics), public offices etc. Interior decorators make our surroundings look as beautiful as possible. At first they understand what you would like to have, then they imagine it, and only after that they create it.

The profession of an interior designer is not easy as it needs not only a creative hand and wonderful imagination, but also some education in this sphere. The matter is that the profession of a designer unites several separate professions - the profession of an artist, and that of a maker-up, a psychologist, and a manager, and even an expert in marketing. Depending on a stage of work it carries out functions of various professions.

A person willing to become a professional designer should pursue a diploma or cover a degree course in interior decoration. What is the most important in this kind of educations is that it gives correct orientations in imagination and plays an important role in developing person's creative skills. The profession of an interior designer is mostly associated with females as it requires sensitive perception. Still nowadays, a lot of men are interested in it as well.

It should be mentioned that an interior decorator can have rather high wages. But one also needs to be a real professional in this sphere. If a person wants to become a successful interior decorator the following several tips will be of great help.

There are various ways to become a successful. Following are some of the useful steps that need to be followed to become one:

The first step is eye training:

Only a person with a good eye for design can become a nice designer. In other words, once a designer sees an object of his or her future creation, he or she should be able to instantly define what is made right, what's wrong and what should be improved about the interior of that room. It's a good advice that an interior decorator should train his eye constantly. But the question is how can he do it? First of all one should listen to other people's opinions about what they like and what they don't. Next, one should review famous magazines demonstrating the most popular design tendencies of contemporary life, regularly visit the most beautifully decorated rooms. Besides, one can get more experience in the field while attending art galleries, furniture showrooms, historic objects and houses lovely designed for sale.

The second step is self-education:

No doubt, a good interior decorator should have excellent knowledge involving house decorating like styles of decoration, wall coverings, kinds of floorings, window treatment, space planning, usage of colors, light, furniture, accessories etc. One can learn the basics of design via the Internet educating with the help of special websites. Today a lot of books in interior design are published. Besides, speaking to more experienced decorators will be also of great help.

The third step is more practice:

It is correctly said that in any field practice makes a man much more experienced and this statement concerns also interior decoration. One should never stop practicing because the wonderful work done in the past is able to give a lot of visibility and knowledge. Just like any other activity, the activity of an interior decorator requires constant learning and practicing. It will help to develop one's talent and skills.

The fourth step is volunteering:

While a person is not a successful interior designer one should be encouraged to serve other people with one's knowledge of the field. Although it won't bring one much money or even no money at all, one should be sure that he gets something much more important - experience. Volunteering to work for others will help a person to become an excellent designer in future. Besides, one will have clients who already trust him or her and can advise that designer to other people.

The fifth step is to have a portfolio:

It is very important for any interior designer to have a portfolio. A portfolio is an example of a decorator's work used to display artwork, using photographs etc. A nicely made portfolio will be your guarantee to conquer your client's attention, so make sure that your portfolio is really great!

The sixth step is getting a job or business:

Job: In order to become a super interior decorator, it is actually very important to take up a job. Experience and practice in this sphere play a great role in the future activity of any interior designer. So, after one has completed the interior decorating course it would be wonderful to receive a job of an interior decorator as soon as possible.

Business: Many people work better independently. That's why it will be better to start an own business for them. It will give an opportunity to expose one's works independently, thus, all the credit will be directly received.

The seventh step is observing:

To become a really sensitive designer one should observe nature because it's the nature that is the best example of a wonderful design. Trips to the mountains or to the forest will be of great help. Interweaving of branches, slopes of mountain cliffs and beautiful linings of caves can display an original example of a designer's new project which can be made a reality later. One should be very attentive as even in the most plain place one can find a creative solution of design. A true designer should not be afraid of experiments and to use new material in his work never used before (wood, stones). It is very important to travel to the countries which are founders of arts, to pay attention to different kinds of cultures - the cultures of China, India, Egypt, Old Rome and to use these achievements in work.

Christmas Interior Decorating - A 3 Simple Step Guide on How to Find Your Inner Creative Inspiration

So Santa Claus will be visiting soon and you have not finished (or started) decorating your home for your guests or for your enjoyment. Or perhaps you look around your home and feel as if there is something missing in your decoration.

-Don't panic!
-Don't hide in the closet!
-Don't try to wrap yourself in a box to avoid decorating!
-Don't grab the scissors and stare at the tangled Christmas lights!
-Don't put an extra something in the eggnog to try to calm your nerves!
-Don't eye the ornaments and imagine your family as targets!

Follow these 3 simple steps, practiced by elves at the North Pole in charge of interior decorating, in order to find your creative inspiration for decorating the interior of your home.

1st step

Remember your goal. The goal is to decorate so you LOVE walking into your home and inviting people to visit. Not just admiring the outside Christmas lights, but the heart of the home (the inside!!) ... so you can FEEL that Christmas is near ... so people can talk about how wonderful your home looks (hey, there is nothing wrong with having fans admire your creative unique interior decorations). You make your home special every time you decorate because no matter how many ideas an interior decorator may give you; it is ultimately your personality (as an individual or a family) that chooses the ultimate Christmas decorating design. No home can ever be decorated the same because we all have different personalities, styles, and tastes that inspire our creative heart to reach our desired goal.

2nd step

Narrow down a mood. The second step to finding your inner Christmas decorating inspiration is to narrow down a mood that you want to feel in the room. What emotion do you want to portray in the room? Do you prefer informal or formal. March of the Wooden Soldiers with Laurel & Hardy movie or White Christmas with Bing Crosby & Rosemary Clooney movie. Making your own gingerbread house or buying one already made.

Now remember, there is nothing wrong with combining two moods and styles as long as there is harmony. How do you go about doing that? Simple: pick your primary mood preference then throw " decor sprinkles" of your secondary preference. You prevent two moods from clashing when the secondary preference is introduced into the room in small amounts - which I call "decor sprinkles". For example, say you want to decorate your home to reflect an elegant white Christmas look (the main mood preference is relaxed elegance) but you don't want it to look too fancy (the second preference is a decor sprinkle of fun!).

You can:

Decorate your home with wreaths sprayed with snow and have white elegant fabric bows, with silver bells. Place white felt fabric on all tables to resemble snow. decorate your tree with clear Christmas lights, different shades of white & silver round ornaments, fresh cut white roses, beautiful soft doll angels with white feathered wings; and place under your tree presents wrapped in silver with white ribbons and bows. These are all primary mood preferences of elegance.

Then, add your décor sprinkles of fun! Add to your Christmas tree adorable snowmen figurine ornaments with red scarves and red roses that pick up the color of the red scarf on the snowmen; add mistletoe and red berry branches to the center of doorways; and insert small red & white stripped candy canes within your snow covered wreaths. The red color is your little SPLASH of fun! Be careful not to overwhelm the sprinkle of your secondary preference - the holiday magic word is "subtle". These are all secondary mood preferences of fun.

Remember, narrowing down what mood you and your family prefer for the current Christmas will inspire you and your family to start visualizing designs in your imagination that bring comfort and joy.

3rd STEP

Organize a decorating plan. Knowing the first two steps gives you a guide (a design blueprint!). So now you know your goal (1st step), and you know the direction of the mood you wish to use for your interior decoration (2nd step). The next step is to organize a decorating plan (3rd step).

How?

Look within yourself ... or much easier (less meditation!) ... look within the boxes that contain last year's Christmas decorations in order to organize your decorating plan. If you have a limited amount of decorations, then go window-shopping to sort through store decorations.

Take out all the decorations you have and sort out what you like and what you do not like. As soon as you start to sort, you will receive inspirational decorating thoughts that will guide you to pick this year's Christmas decoration design plan that will impress even Santa Claus.

Search and sort by:

Mood. Sort the decorations by moods (which are fancy, elegant, relaxing, whimsical, funky, playful, etc).

Theme. Organize by theme (nutcrackers, snowmen, a Christmas village, indoor animations, reindeers, etc.)

Color. Separate each ornament or decoration with the color that stands out the most. This goes for Christmas lights as well - separate the multicolor Christmas lights from the single color Christmas lights.

Taking the time to search and sort through your Christmas decorations will:

o keep you from wanting to use every single décor you own and inspire you to save them for other Christmases to come.

o help you pick out what matches or doesn't for your (a) comfort (1st step - goal) and (b) preference (2nd step - mood).

o help you plan a design that harmonizes with your personality and furniture. Just because you have a red bow does not mean you have to use it. A red bow attached to a red lampshade will not stand out; whereas a white bow would be a noticeable contrast.

o make planning future Christmas decorating easy since you already went through the process of sorting and stored decorations by mood/theme/color.

o save you money since now you purchase with a plan in mind that match your goal and the mood that you want to portray in your current Christmas theme, instead of just grabbing any (or all) adorable Christmas decorations.

Perhaps you do not like an ornament that was given to you by a relative, but you feel obligated to have it as part of your Christmas interior décor. REMEMBER, it is your home ... your comfort ... your creative Christmas décor. Do not let past gifts bully you into feeling that you "have to" display the item(s). Choose decorations that "YOU" want to represent in your home.

Extra Tip: if you have a guest that gave you a unique décor and he/she is planning to stay over for the holiday, then surprise them by decorating the guest room with the unique gift. They will wholeheartedly appreciate the thought you gave into displaying the gift, and feel happier during the happy holidays.

Interior Decorating DIY

Interior decorating? You can do it yourself. This is not rocket science. With some thought and planning you can achieve professional-looking results. The number one and most important thing to understand is that you can create a magnificent and well-designed interior no matter what your budget. You can improve the ambience of any room in your home without spending a fortune. interior decorating DIY is easily accomplished even when you have little or no money to spend. Sometimes, it involves simply rearranging the items and objects in your home.

With that in mind, you MUST set a budget when decorating, or you WILL spend too much money. interior decorating is fun! In order to set an appropriate budget, review both your finances and your vision, room-by-room, in order to arrive at your best guesstimate. If you need assistance with establishing a budget for your interior decorating ideas, there are many resources available on the Internet. Or, you may want to refer to the resource listed at the end of this article. After you create your budget, stick to it and you will create the home of your dreams.

You do not need any experience as an interior decorator to improve the look and feel of your home. Most people know instinctively how to improve the looks of their homes. And the great thing is you can generally achieve your vision while working within your budget. Like most people who have tried interior decorating DIY, you will probably be able to achieve the look you want without going broke.

In addition to the sheer fun and excitement of changing the look of some rooms, you will inexpensively increase the value of your home. Simply find an interior decorating guide on the Internet or in your library. Then use the simple tools and techniques suggested in the interior decorating guide to create a happier more prosperous living environment. You do not have to spend a lot of money to create a superior interior for your home. Some of the most beautiful homes are designed and decorated with simple, practical, and beautiful objects. If you already have an interior decorating idea, a simple online search should produce a variety of suggestions for implementing your idea.

Most of the tips, strategies and tools provided in interior decorating guides are for people interested in decorating rooms without spending a fortune. Some decorating tips cost nothing to implement and some require several hundred dollars. Pick out the tips that align with your budget and you will find it easier than you ever imagined to design the interior of your home easily and completely.

Everyone has a different interior decorating idea. The steps outlined in an interior decorating guide apply whether you live in an apartment or duplex, small home or large home, office, or anywhere with a room that requires a make-over. Read your guide thoroughly so you can create a realistic blueprint for success when planning to decorate your interior on your budget. interior decorating DIY (do it yourself) is not as difficult as it may seem. Take action. Obtain an interior decorating guide. Implement a simple decorating project to enhance one room. You CAN do it yourself!

Home Stager - Interior Decorator - Interior Designer - What is the Difference Between Them?

In Toronto and Suburbia (where I live and work) we are fortunate to have a wealth of service industries that cater to home owners. We have home stagers, interior decorators, interior designers, colour consultants, re-designers, home staging-to-live consultants and on and on. With so many closely related service industries it can leave consumers feeling very confused and uncertain about which service best suits their needs. I will try my best to briefly explain the primary differences between several of these services to make your job little easier.

home staging:

Home stagers are part of the Real-Estate industry (not the decorating industry as many assume). Their primary focus is to make your home as appealing and desirable to potential buyers as possible. A fast sale for top dollar is the motivator and inspiration behind their decorating choices. homes are striped of their personality. Belongings are carefully edited and minimized. Colour schemes are neutralized and decors are up-dated to appeal to today's buyers (more specifically targeted markets). They may recommend home up-grades or renovations that will bring a good return on the dollar and be in harmony with current buyer demands, but their role here is usually one of a consultant, as most lack the education and skills required to design and manage a renovation project).

If you are looking to sell your home these are the people to call even before you call your Real-Estate agent. A word of caution though; home staging is an unregulated industry. So do your home work first. Make sure the home Stager you hire has been properly trained and is part of a trade affiliation that holds them accountable for their work and business conduct. Examples of home staging Trade Affiliations are: Real Estate staging Association (RESA), Certified staging ProfessionalsTM (CSP), Accredited staging ProfessionalsTM (ASP).

home staging-TO-LIVE CONSULTANTS: (also known as Re-design)

You will see this service offered by some home stagers. It is similar to home staging To Sell except for home owners personality will be encouraged in the decor not stripped away. This service is also similar to interior decorating except there is greater emphasis placed on the editing of the space. Decors tend to be more minimalistic and colour schemes more neutral (although the current decorating trend amongst interior decorators and designers right now is also quite neutral palettes). Most home staging-to Live Consultants (or Re-design Consultants) are not formally schooled in the disciplines of interior Decoration so take great care when choosing one. Some home owners will hire the stager they used to sell their home to decorate their new one. This is a good bet as they are already familiar with their work and their style.

interior decorators:

interior decorators usually have an in-depth expertise in window treatments, textiles, colour, paint, wall-coverings, furnishings and antiques. Unlike home stagers, their role is to fill homes with personality (the owners personality). Many interior decorators liken them-self to an artist. Their canvas is your empty room; their artistic medium is paint, fabric, furnishings, carpeting, wall papers, accessories and art. Again an unregulated industry (for the most part but that is changing) so do your homework and choose decorators who belong to a trade affiliation like Canadian decorators' Association (CDECA) or Certified interior decorators International (CID). Educational requirements for trade affiliations varies but typically a 2 to 4 year college diploma (degree) is required.

If you are re decorating your space for your own enjoyment and plan on sticking primarily to surface design (rather than architecture modifications) then they are the ones to call.

interior designers:

The criteria to call oneself an " interior designer", varies from province to province (State to State). Generally speaking though, an interior designer is a person who specializes in designing architectural interiors and their furnishings. Although it evolved from interior decoration it is a much more involved discipline requiring a sound knowledge of architecture, product design, drafting, CAD, commercial (contract) design, building codes and other regulatory requirements. Most interior designers, in the residential industry, are also interior decorators and as such offer all of the services an interior Decorator offers. To find a qualified interior designer check out trade affiliations like The Association of Registered interior designers of Ontario (ARIDO), ASID (American Society of interior designers), International interior design Association (IIDA). The educational requirements for membership in these and other trade affiliations can be quite comprehensive requiring a 3-4 year degree from a recognized design school, followed by a 3 year apprenticeship and finally the writing and passing of a qualifying exam (much like law students who are required to write the bar exam).