Interior Designer or Decorator: Which One to Choose?

What Are the Missions of an Interior Decorator?

Looking to refresh your interior, give it new life, or simply make it more harmonious? The interior decorator is the specialist in aesthetics and ambiance. Their intervention focuses on everything that beautifies a space without modifying its structure.

Specifically, the decorator works on color choices (paints, wallpapers), furniture and textile selection (curtains, rugs, cushions), arrangement of existing furniture, lighting design (fixtures, ambient lighting), and decorative accessories. Their goal: to create a coherent atmosphere that reflects your personality and meets your daily needs.

The interior decorator profession is not regulated in France. No diploma is legally required to practice, although recognized training programs exist (BTS study and realization of layout, DN MADE space option, RNCP certifications). This accessibility explains the wide diversity of profiles on the market, from talented self-taught individuals to graduates of prestigious schools.

The decorator never touches the building structure: they cannot knock down partitions, move networks (electricity, plumbing), or modify room layouts. If your project involves this type of work, you'll need a different professional.

What Sets the Interior Designer Apart?

The interior designer intervenes at a deeper level: they rethink volumes, redistribute spaces, and coordinate technical work. Where the decorator dresses an existing space, the interior designer transforms it fundamentally.

Their missions include modifying partitions and layouts, creating or moving wet rooms (kitchen, bathroom), coordinating trades (electrician, plumber, carpenter), complete site supervision until final handover, and of course overall aesthetic design.

Although the profession is also unregulated, CFAI certification (French Council of Interior Designers) is a recognized guarantee of competence. It requires 5 years of training and 3 years of professional experience. Interior designers carrying out project management missions are required to have ten-year warranty insurance, essential protection for you in case of defects.

To learn more about this topic, see our detailed article: What is the Role of an Interior Designer?

Comparison Table: Decorator vs Interior Designer

Which Professional to Choose for Your Project?

Choose a decorator if...

The interior decorator is the right choice when your project doesn't require structural work. It's the ideal solution to breathe new life into an interior without undertaking major construction.

Call on a decorator if you want to:

• Change the ambiance of a room (colors, style)
• Rearrange your existing furniture to better use the space
• Select new furniture, lighting, or textiles
• Prepare a property for sale (aesthetic enhancement)
• Get one-time advice on your decor choices

The budget is generally more accessible: expect between €50 and €100 per hour for consultations, or a package of a few hundred to a few thousand euros depending on the project scope.

Choose an interior designer if...

The interior designer becomes essential as soon as your project involves structural modifications or complex work coordination. They are the professional for deep transformation.

Call on an interior designer if you plan to:

• Knock down or create partitions
• Redistribute the rooms in your apartment
• Create or move a kitchen or bathroom
• Completely renovate a property (electricity, plumbing, floors)
• Coordinate multiple trades on a construction site

Fees are higher but proportional to the added value: the interior designer secures your project, optimizes your construction budget, and saves you valuable time.

For detailed pricing, see our article: Interior Designer Fees & Pricing Guide

When both can work together

On some projects, both professionals are complementary. The interior designer rethinks volumes and supervises structural work, then the decorator takes over for final ambiance (furniture selection, accessories, decorative finishes).

This collaboration is common on high-end projects where clients want to benefit from dual expertise.

What About Other Interior Design Professions?

Beyond the decorator/interior designer duo, other professionals work in specific niches. Knowing their missions avoids confusion.

The decor coach offers one-time consulting sessions (2-3 hours) to help you make your own choices. They don't deliver complete projects but guide your decisions. Fee: €80-150 per session.

The home stager specifically works to enhance a property for sale or rental. Their goal is to depersonalize and neutralize the space to appeal to as many potential buyers as possible. This is not custom decoration.

The interior designer (product-focused) works more on creating custom furniture or specific design elements. Their approach is more object-oriented than spatial.

The DPLG/HMONP architect intervenes when the project affects the building's load-bearing structure or requires a building permit (surface > 150 m²). The interior designer cannot work on these aspects.

How Does Hauss Paris Help You Make the Right Choice?

Choosing between a decorator and an interior designer isn't always obvious. The boundary between the two professions can seem blurry, and a wrong choice can lead to disappointments: an under-scoped project with a decorator when you needed a designer, or an over-budgeted project with a designer when a decorator would have sufficed.

Hauss Paris supports individuals and professionals in their interior design projects in Paris. As a specialized intermediary, we analyze your project in depth to precisely identify your needs: is it a simple refresh or a true transformation? Are structural works to be expected? What is your real budget?

Based on your answers, we guide you to the right professional — decorator or interior designer — whose profile, style, and fees match your expectations. From studios to grand Haussmann apartments, for French and international clients, we offer a human and structured approach that allows you to move forward with confidence.

FAQ: Your Questions About Choosing Between Decorator and Designer

Can a decorator supervise painting work?

Yes, the decorator can coordinate finishing work such as painting, wallpaper installation, or floor covering changes (laminate flooring, carpet). However, they cannot supervise work affecting the structure or technical networks (electricity, plumbing), which falls under the interior designer's scope.

Does a decorator need ten-year warranty insurance?

No, because the decorator doesn't work on elements covered by the ten-year warranty. Ten-year warranty insurance is only mandatory for professionals carrying out work affecting the building's structural integrity or making it unfit for its intended use. However, the decorator should have professional liability insurance to cover potential damages.

Can you hire an interior designer just for decor advice?

Yes, some interior designers offer one-time consulting missions, billed hourly. However, their hourly rates are generally higher than a decorator's (€100-200 vs €50-100). If your needs are limited to aesthetic advice without construction work, a decorator will be more suitable and economical.

How do I know if my project requires structural work?

Ask yourself these questions: do you want to modify room layouts? Knock down or create partitions? Move the kitchen or bathroom? Redo electricity or plumbing? If you answer yes to any of these questions, you need an interior designer. If in doubt, a first meeting with a professional will help clarify the situation.

Sources: France Travail, ONISEP, France Compétences (RNCP), CFAI