Is there a difference between a decorator and an interior designer?
Yes. Interior Designers focus on functional and aesthetic solutions to interior spaces. Interior Designers will analyze your needs and budget, prepare and present conceptual solutions and then manage the implementation of the project. They will ensure that the design complies with all regulatory and legal requirements. Interior Designers work in corporate, healthcare, hospitality, retail, residential, public and institutional spaces.
If you are looking for an Interior Designer for an upcoming project, check out DesignFind.
Interior decoration, on the other hand, focuses on surface treatment and selection and placement of fixtures and furnishings. An interior decorator’s scope of work would include things such as colour, materials and furniture selection; and typically only work in residential environments. For more information on hiring and working with an interior decorator, contact the Canadian Decorators’ Association at cdeca.com.
How do I know which interior designer is the right one for me?
Ensuring you select the right interior designer is important to the success of your project. Follow these steps as part of your selection process:
Can you recommend any interior designers to design my house/office/etc.?
ARIDO is pleased to offer an online, searchable database called, DesignFind of interior designers who practice in the areas of residential, corporate/commercial, retail, hospitality, healthcare and public/institutional spaces.
DesignFIND is easy to use and provides you with detailed information on each of the design firms including area of specialization.
How much does an interior designer cost to hire? Is there an industry guideline of interior design service fees/rates?
Interior Designers rates vary based on a number of factors. Mostly, rates vary based on the qualifications and experience of the professional. Many firms will bill out their designers at junior, intermediate, senior, and principal rates. Your project may require consultants at various levels in which case you could be paying different rates for different parts of the project.
Estimating costs for projects is very difficult because it depends very much on the firm and their experience and on the project being undertaken. A small residential project will have a much higher rate than a 2500 sq. ft dental office.
It is important to ask if your project will be billed hourly, based on a total project cost, based on a price per square foot or if costs will be determined by some other method. Interior Designers have various ways that they bill a project and you should ensure that you discuss this prior to signing a contract.
How do I become an interior designer?
We suggest that you take some time to research the profession and understand the requirements of the education, experience and examination in becoming an interior designer. Once you have completed your research, you need to ask yourself if a career in Interior Design is right for you or whether you might prefer to research Architecture or Interior Decoration.
All the answers you need about a career in Interior Design can be found at: careersininteriordesign.com. For information on what typical projects you might work on as an Interior Designer, click here or check out the Awards section of our website.
Which is the best school in Ontario for me to study interior design?
There are currently ten interior design programs in Ontario.
Some of the interior design programs are 3-year diploma programs and some are 4-year degree programs. Each program has unique offerings which you are encouraged to investigate as part of your research in choosing which school(s) to apply to. For example, one school may have a co-op placement option while another may include laptops and software as part of your tuition. Most programs require students who are applying to produce a portfolio as part of their admissions criteria. Any one of Ontario’s ten interior design programs would be a suitable choice. To investigate interior design programs in other parts of Canada or the United States, visit the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) website at accredit-id.org. CIDA accredits interior design programs who meet their minimum standards. Ten of Ontario’s interior design programs are CIDA accredited.
I have just graduated from an interior design program, how do I apply for membership with ARIDO?
Congratulations! The next step on your career path to becoming a registered member is to join ARIDO as an Intern. During your internship, you will gain practical, hands-on experience under the direct supervision of a qualified professional and a mentor. As an Intern member, you will have access to a number of programs and services offered by the Association that will help you understand the profession and the Association.
To learn how to apply for Intern membership, click here.
I am a member of ARIDO and want to get more involved in the Association perhaps by being on a committee, what do I do?
Thank you for your interest. ARIDO thrives on the input and commitment of its volunteer members. We have several opportunities for members to get involved by becoming members of standing committees, by helping at trade shows, seminars and events or by sitting on a short-term task force. Each of our six chapters also has a number of volunteer opportunities available if you would like to devote your volunteer hours locally.
To register your interest, please email pd@arido.ca and indicate your area of interest and available time commitment.
I have submitted an application for membership, when will I hear back?
All applications for membership or for change in status of membership are brought before ARIDO's membership committee. The committee meets on the second Tuesday of every month (except December) to review all applications received. The Association is pleased to advise candidates of the next meeting date so that you can ensure your materials are received in time for the meeting.
How do I file a complaint if someone working in interior design in Ontario calls themselves an interior designer but is not an ARIDO member?
ARIDO is the voluntary, professional association representing Interior Designers in Ontario. Members of our Association meet strict educational, experience and examination requirements; however, our membership is voluntary. For individuals who practice outside of ARIDO, we have no ability to act on your behalf. The only action we could take is if the individual is using the title “Interior Designer”. This title is restricted to members of ARIDO who meet our qualifications and standards.