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DEL.ICIO.USThe Invisible Interior Designer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I recently read an article in Vanity Fair about Nicky Haslam. He was a party guy back in the day who reinvented himself as an interior designer. But that was in 1972, a time when it wasn’t exactly fashionable to have a decorator, which probably didn’t help his business much. He rarely got paid.
Today of course, interior design is a thriving industry. Still, not everyone who has had help will offer up that detail right from the start.
We all want to believe in our innate sense of style and the ability to translate that into our homes. And we certainly live in an era of do -it-yourself.
At the same time, many interior designers rely on referrals and reputation to build a strong client base.
A friend said she recently visited a home that was beautifully decorated and during the grand tour, the lady of the house went on and on about her design strategy in choosing this piece or that color while her visitors ohh-d and ahh-d at her brilliant taste. A few weeks later when my friend was relaying the details of the home to an acquaintance, that woman said, “Oh yes, so and so did that house.”
My friend was surprised that the homeowner has glossed over or better yet, completely failed to mention the fact that she had worked with an interior designer.
Is it fair not to give any credit where credit is due? Or is it a homeowner’s prerogative to reveal what he or she wants about who had a hand in decorating his or her home?
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Comments
By Katie Leslie
September 10, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this
Nedra Of course we should give credit where it’s due. This way the world will know once I’m finished with your condo!
By Nedra Rhone
September 10, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this
did i hire you? I haven’t decided who i’m using yet…
By lwa
September 11, 2008 10:45 AM | Link to this
The homeowner should give credit where credit is due. However, I do think that it is their preogative to not tell.
By sharon
September 11, 2008 10:45 AM | Link to this
If I could afford a decorator I would defintely hire one. I don’t think the home owner should divulge that she used a decorator if she doesn’t want to. But on the other hand it’s a way to pay it for forward
By Kimmy
September 11, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this
I’m proud of the way I’ve decorated my house but I had one room that completely stumped me. Rather than continue to waste money on bad ideas, I sought professional advice from a designer and while my husband and I did the work ourselves, the room turned out far more wonderful than anything we could have come up with. I give her credit for that room every chance I get. She deserves it.
By Sugar
September 11, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this
No, I would not. They are entirely too expensive. I don’t need anyone telling me how to decorate my home. My home is an expression of me, where I am my happiest.
That, and I have a problem with my house looking like everyone elses…….I like my creativity and it works for me. I don’t want someone else’s ideas or decor in MY home!!!
A can of “oops” paint costs $5 at Home Depot. I have painted most of the rooms in my house with “Oops” paint.
I love to take pictures, and most of my pictures are hanging up on the walls.
By Babs
September 11, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this
I would love to have a decorator’s touch because I have small rooms and too much stuff. I would gladly give them the credit for making some sense out of my clutter. I’ve gotten lucky with a couple of rooms, though — they look, well, not quite magazine worthy but still pretty good.
By Mike D
September 11, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
I would definitely hire a decorator IF I could watch him get into a knife fight with my pet monkey.
By Interior Designer
September 11, 2008 6:00 PM | Link to this
First of all let’s get something straight: There’s a BIG difference between a decorator and an interior designer. Interior designers have had at least 4 years of schooling in an accredited program and have to take the NCIDQ exam to get a license. A decorator, on the other hand, can be any Joe Blow off the street that thinks they know what they’re doing and has had little to no education in design.
Secondly, interior design is more than picking out paint and pretty fabrics. We deal with ergonomics, building codes, and a lot of other details that most people don’t have a clue about. Please don’t call us decorators. We’ve worked too hard for the title of interior designer.
By Nedra Rhone
September 11, 2008 6:40 PM | Link to this
Thank you interior designer for making that distinction. I believe mr haslam was def. a decorator as from what I understood he had no formal training.
By To tell or not to tell?
September 11, 2008 6:44 PM | Link to this
I tried to find help by calling the Atl School of Design on the off chance that their students might do projects as part of their school work, but my two phone calls were never returned. I do NOT have the design/decorating gene so I would LOVE to find someone to help out, but not a real fancy expensive one; in fact I would prefer someone who is just a person who has an eye for it. If a professional did my home I would probably tell, but think about it this way - if you get a compliment on your hair, do you always give the credit to your stylist? Sometimes, but if you didn’t no one would think worse of you. After all, you could conceivably do your own hair. And once - true confessions - I served a Publix rotisserie chicken and my company complimented it and I didn’t tell.
By Designer
September 11, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this
I would probably hire a designer - if I wanted to make a snuff film.
By Robb
September 12, 2008 7:24 AM | Link to this
Anyone have an idea of a general rate to expect from an interior designer?
By intheknow
September 12, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this
Having worked with Atlanta Designers/Decorators for over 25 years, boy, the stories I could tell. Most are egocentric theives, liars and a*****.
By Celeste Alexnder
September 15, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this
If the “Designers” shows up with facbric and furniture ideas, are they not a decorator because the rooms structure is finished by the Builder? Designers decorate and Decorators can design!!! We survive off of referrals. The going rate starts at $75.00 per hour. There are some of us(ME) with integrity & humility that recognize we are hired. SMile Celeste
By Fawn Brown
September 21, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this
I am outraged that people with a degree in interior design have locked the manufacturing market to the American consumers unless they go through them. Having a degree does not insure that you have any taste, sense of style, or most importantly, know more than the consumer as to what they want. How arrogant. The idea that I would pay someone to obtain a certain fabric so that I can recover a chair, or select a fabric ALL BY MYSELF, is crazy! Well, guess what. The internet is here. And one day manufacturers will wake up to the fact that consumers can select any fabric they like over the internet, without you!!!