INTERIOR DESIGN VS ARCHITECTURE

Interior design versus architecture

The ‘90s have a lot to answer for. In 1996, the first ever episode of the BBC show Changing Rooms was broadcast and it quickly defined, rightly or wrongly, the image of interior design. While flouncing about in frilled shirts, rag rolling paint onto walls and making clients cry was a hit with TV viewers, it didn’t portray the true depth and skills of interior designers.

Interior designers are responsible for so much more than fluffing cushions and arranging flowers. We cross over with architects and construction professionals almost daily in our quest to execute the perfect project. 

For me, the overlap with architects is especially acute. While working on a recent interior in London, I quickly identified that when creating the structure of the property, the architect had added a library next to the kitchen but failed to leave any space for a dining table. 

Architects, while highly skilled at the technical elements of property design and remodelling, don’t always plan for how a space is to be used – the daily dynamics, family interactions, ergonomics and domestic anthropology. Of course, architects are vital. Their detailed drawings and measurements will ensure a project is safe, feasible and most likely to gain planning permission. Their blueprint will also inform the construction stage and without their input, a project would be in chaos.

Many interior designers, however, have what I call an ‘holistic eye’. They see space on multiple levels – the structure, the position of fixtures and the specification needed to meet the client’s brief. They advise on the best skirting board or cornicing, devise a flattering lighting scheme and devise a furniture layout based on the property’s orientation and flow of natural light. 

Frequently, an interior design studio in London will ask an architect to make revisions based on their wider project plan – perhaps moving a wall here or making a doorway wider there. It is often these tweaks that elevate a house into a well-performing home.

With this in mind, there are a number of interior design architects in London, with some qualified or highly experienced in both disciplines. This really is the next level up in terms of skill and knowledge, and is as far away from the cast of Changing Rooms as you can get.

It’s very rare that an architect will be able to lead a client on the entire design and build journey. An interior designer should be involved throughout any refurbishment or new build process, from the first meeting on site, to the day the project is signed off. We’re here to shape, advise and inform, ensuring the finished product is cohesive and on point. Speak to Rudolph Diesel Interiors for an expert’s take on interior design.