The difference is...

If you were to ask a random person what they think of Interior Design, Architecture, and Interior Decoration, there is not much difference. Yes they might be able to define the architect, but most people use Interior Designer and Interior Decorator interchangeably. So the answer is, Yes there is very much an interchangeable relation between Interior Designers, Architects, and Decorators.  But no we are all not the same.  An architect is a person who is involved in the planning, designing and oversight of a buildings construction.  An Architect is responsible for the integrity and soundness of a building structure. Architects focus on the exterior of a building. They are very technical and routine. They study for years and years to achieve perfection and within that perfection, create amazing structures.  Interior designers are professionals that focus on the health safety and welfare of the inhabitants occupying the space inside of a building.  We assess what may be the design problem and approach the problem in a schematic and responsive matter.  We research the physical and emotional effects a person might encounter while being in the space. The knowledge however, is not just limited to interiors of homes and commercial spaces. Anything that has to do with being inside or the interior, we as designers create. This is not limited in any way, but can include lighting design, furniture design, urban design and much more. The one crucial thing that separates us from decorators is that we design a space and a decorator adorns a space. Everything that we study is required and eventually learned knowledge. Every aspect of design relates to the future in one way or another. Because of what we are required to study, this broader range of required knowledge is what distinguishes an interior designer from a decorator.  Interior designers have to be able to work with contractors and clients alike, planning and implementing all aesthetic and functional decisions, from faucet handles to miles of carpeting.  Both an architect and interior designer can suggest and approve structural changes to walls.  A decorator can do neither.  An interior decorator has a much more limited scope on what he or she can do.  They usually do not have the educational background that a professional designer or architect has.  Most decorators are individuals that have a knack for decoration. They watch a lot of HGTV, they shop at fabric stores and try to recreate something that they might have seen one day without the background knowledge to backup why they are decorating the space that way. Many of them wanted to become designers and then decided that they weren’t ready for the amount of education that comes along with Interior design. Decoration costs nothing and anyone can do it. That is why there needs to be a distinction between the three.