Interior Designer vs Decorator vs Architect: Who Do You Need in BC?

If you are planning a renovation or a new home in British Columbia, one of the first questions is who to call. Interior designers, interior decorators and architects all shape how a home looks and works, but they are trained differently, take responsibility for different things, and are regulated differently in BC. Hiring the wrong one first usually costs time, and sometimes a second round of drawings.

Here is how the three roles differ, and how to decide which one your project needs.

What an interior decorator does

A decorator works with the surfaces and objects inside a room as it already exists: furniture, colour, textiles, lighting fixtures, art and accessories. Decorating does not change walls, plumbing, electrical or anything that needs a permit. There is no formal education requirement to call yourself a decorator in Canada, although many decorators hold certificates.

A decorator is the right call when the shell of the home is staying as it is and you want it to feel finished: furnishing a new condo, refreshing a living room, or styling a home for sale.

What an interior designer does

An interior designer works on the interior as a whole, including the parts a decorator does not touch. That means space planning and layouts, kitchens and bathrooms, custom millwork, lighting plans, finish and material specifications, and the construction drawings and documents that contractors build from. On a renovation or new build, the interior designer is usually the person coordinating how every interior decision fits together, from the floor plan to the final styling.

In BC, the title "Registered Interior Designer" (RID) is reserved for registrants of the Interior Designers Institute of British Columbia (IDIBC), who must hold an accredited interior design degree, pass North American qualifying exams and complete a supervised internship. The practice of interior design itself is not restricted by legislation in BC, so it is worth asking any designer about their training, their experience with projects like yours, and how they work with contractors.

At Nandwani Design Studio, our full-service interior design covers the whole interior, from the first spatial plan through material selection, millwork, lighting and final styling, so one person holds the vision throughout.

What an architect does

An architect designs the building itself: its form, structure, envelope, and how it sits on the site and meets the building code. "Architect" is a legally protected title in BC, and architects are registered with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC).

In BC, an architect is legally required once a building passes certain thresholds, such as five or more dwelling units, a large footprint, or more than three storeys plus a basement. Most single-family homes fall below those thresholds, which is why many custom homes in Metro Vancouver are drawn by a building designer rather than an architect. Larger multi-unit and complex projects need an architect.

Side by side

• Decorator: furniture, colour, textiles, styling. No structural or permitted work. Title not regulated.
• Interior designer: layouts, kitchens and baths, millwork, lighting, finishes, interior construction documents. "Registered Interior Designer" is a protected title in BC through IDIBC.
• Architect: the building's form, structure, envelope and code compliance. Protected title through AIBC, and required above certain building thresholds.

Which one does your project need?

Refreshing a room or furnishing a new home

If nothing is moving and no trades are involved beyond painting, a decorator or a design direction service may be all you need.

Renovating a kitchen, bathroom or a whole home

As soon as layouts, millwork, plumbing locations or lighting plans change, you need an interior designer. Most interior renovations of a single-family home or condo do not need an architect, although structural changes will involve an engineer, and strata buildings have their own approval process.

Building a new custom home

You will need an architect or a building designer for the building itself, and an interior designer for everything inside it. The best results come from bringing the interior designer in early, while the plans are still being drawn, so window placements, ceiling heights, lighting and millwork are resolved before framing rather than worked around afterwards. Our White Rock Residence was a new build where the interior was shaped alongside the architecture.

How the three work together

On a new build or a major renovation, the architect or building designer sets the structure and envelope, the interior designer resolves how each space is used, lit and finished, and the contractor builds it. A decorator, or the interior designer, completes the last layer of furniture and styling. When the interior designer is part of the team from the start, fewer decisions have to be undone on site.

If you are planning a project in Vancouver, West Vancouver or North Vancouver and are not sure which professional to start with, get in touch. A first conversation is usually enough to work out what your project needs.