Renovating your home comes with mixed feelings. For one thing, there’s the sheer excitement of customising everything to your taste and making your living space cosy and intimate. On the other hand, it is genuinely overwhelming – at the very least.
It goes without saying that you should…
Renovating your home comes with mixed feelings. For one thing, there’s the sheer excitement of customising everything to your taste and making your living space cosy and intimate. On the other hand, it is genuinely overwhelming – at the very least.
It goes without saying that you should hire a contractor. But there is a lot of confusion when it comes to hiring architects or/and designers for renovation projects. Essentially, if the renovation project is small – say, you want to enlarge an existing window, or you wish to eliminate a non-bearing wall – then there is no need for such specialists.
Nevertheless, for bigger changes, such as re-making the kitchen, living room, or the entire home, you will need the help of an architect or an interior designer. That being said, I will briefly outline what architects and interior designers do, so that you can make an informed decision.
About architects
To start with, architects design any building. They are trained in drawing up plans that have to combine functionality, form, and safety while addressing the needs of the house owners. To be more specific, architects have far-reaching experience in coming up with insightful, innovative ideas that address common design issues.
Obviously, it is also an architect’s responsibility to ensure that the project is aesthetically pleasing – regardless of the decorating style you want to approach. At the same time, in the case of complex projects with a wide range of roof lines and other details, you can greatly benefit from an architect’s opinion – as they are skilled at seeing the images three-dimensionally.
Moving on, as a project manager, an architect is responsible for overseeing the way in which the work progresses. That is to say, in the case in which unanticipated complications may arise, an architect should come up with a viable solution. Concurrently, an architect is your advocate – to some extent – and will openly discuss what you expect of the project with the contractor and subcontractors.
About interior designers
Generally speaking, interior designers aren’t trained in architecture or engineering. Nevertheless, they are skilled in planning interior spaces. In other words, if you plan on adding a family room or you’re thinking of remodelling the kitchen, hiring a designer might be the right option for you.
Usually, an interior designer’s plans should be overlooked by a structural engineer, to ensure that the project respects the condition of the building. Generally speaking, designers don’t supply project management services.
What is the difference between an architect and an interior designer?
So, what are the main differences between an architect’s responsibilities and an interior designer’s responsibilities? Obviously, both professions concentrate on making spaces more aesthetically pleasing while maintaining safety and functionality.
Still, the primary distinction between the two is the following: architects design both the interior and exterior spaces of a built environment, focusing on the way in which the spatial relationships in a building are laid out.
On the other hand, interior designers will enhance and embellish an already established interior area. That is to say; they use their skills to add aesthetic value to an existing space.
Some interior designers that are willing to help with choosing colours, or other details such as doors and windows. Nevertheless, an interior designer’s main responsibility lies within the building.
While it’s true that architects might help you with your interior design, as well, their primary responsibilities focus on the exterior or shell of the building.
Who should you hire?
It seems that both architects and interior designers have a common goal – to create a well-designed building, inside and out. Therefore, how do you choose which one of the two to hire? Essentially, your individual needs and specifications should ultimately dictate your decision.
If you already have a built structure and you don’t want to make any changes in that respect, then you should hire an interior designer. On the other side, if you want to make major changes to your house’s structure, it is implied that you should hire an architect. Possibly, you might consider hiring an interior designer as well, once your structural plans are laid out, and you want to move on to the interior.
Nevertheless, what should you do if you want an interior renovation? Whenever a structural change is involved, our advice to you would be to hire an architect for drawing up the plans.
Following, an interior designer will assist you with creating an equally aesthetic and functional place that will address your personal needs and style preferences. While some might argue that an interior designer has the skills to deal with a rebuilding project – both the aesthetic and structural details. However, it would be safe to have an architect’s input, to get the most out of the two worlds.
