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A decorator's job is to evaluate an existing residential or commercial space, listen to the owner's input about desired changes and/or upgrades, offer suggestions that would fit the client's vision and budget, and draft an action plan and time line for completion of the project.
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Depending on the type of work being performed, interior decorators coordinate project needs with contractors, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters, masons, upholsterers, furniture manufacturers and gallery owners.
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Interior decorators hold a B.A. or higher in Design, Architecture, Art or Art History, pass qualifying exams administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (http://www.ncidq.org), and must be licensed by the state in order to practice. Membership in professional design associations is required for those seeking to attract prestigious clients.
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Interior decorator firms range from solo consulting out of a home-based office to a full staff of associates at a brick and mortar address. While many decorators focus on residential properties or on commercial venues, larger firms often have the staff to handle both. Within the residential framework, there are decorators whose specialty is either one type of architectural style (i.e., Craftsman) or one type of room (i.e., kitchens).
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For today's decorators, the two biggest challenges come from empty-nesters who need assistance in downsizing to a smaller home and second marriages, where the bride and groom have separately amassed a lot of "stuff" that now needs to co-exist under the same roof. Diplomacy is an essential trait in helping clients to compromise.
