An interior decorator is an individual who plans and designs the perfect interior of a room as well as furnishes the room to make it a complete look overall.
The interior decorator has many general responsibilities concomitant with their role in the profession of interior design. The interior decorator must consult with clients, take measurements, purchase furnishings and materials, coordinate items and decorate the room to result in a complete and finished product.
The interior decorator is also responsible for purchasing
furnishings and materials to make the desired design come
together. They will shop around for the desired items, check
prices on the items and try to get the best deal possible
for the client.
Many interior decorators must also be good sketch artists.
Since they will need to adequately plan room layouts and
make items fit nicely within the room, it helps if they have
some artistic talent with regard to preparing sketches to
help them figure out where everything will go and how it
will look once it is in place.
The interior decorator usually does not do everything on
their own. Frequently the interior decorator will
subcontract various jobs for the project. Items such as
painting, attaching fixtures and carpentry will all be
subcontracted out. With that said, the interior decorator is
responsible for shopping around for the best and least
expensive subcontractors, meeting with those subcontractors
about the job and supervising their work along the way.
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http://www.costhelper.com/cost/home-garden/interior-decorator.html
What does an architect do????
Architects design all kinds of buildings. They design schools and skyscrapers. They design hospitals and hotels. They also design churches, train stations and plain old regular houses.
Any building that is used by people was probably designed by some architect.
Okay then, but what does the word "design" mean? A design is simply a plan. Before constructing a building, an architect needs to draw a plan of the building. Sometimes architects will make a cardboard or plastic model of the building.
The building is then built by a construction company which follows the directions of the plans for the building. The architect will closely supervise the construction company to make sure that the building is built according to the plans.
Okay then, but but what does an architect do when he or she draws up a plan?
Architects have to thnk of many things before they draw up the plans for a building. First they have to think about what the building will be used for. How many people are going to use the building at the same time? What types of activities will these people do in the building?
An office building will need lots of small rooms for offices. A school will need many medium-sized rooms for classrooms. And a train station will need one larger room for hundreds of people to pass thru at the same time.
All of these building must be built so that they can be used efficiently by everyone who walks through their doors. When architects discuss what the building will be used for, they talk abut the "function" of the building.
But the function of a building is just one of many things an architect has to think about when designing a building. Good architects also spend a lot of time making sure a building is safely designed, and making sure the building will last for many years.
A building that is not safely designed could catch on fire or fall down on itself.
Architects have to design building so that people can escape from the building in an emergency. Of course, some emergencies, such as earthquakes or tornadoes, destroy even the safest buildings.
A few years ago an architect had a real surprise when one of the buildings he designed collapsed under the weight of a foot of wet snow. The building was a sports arena with a large, curved roof. The heavy snow put so much pressure on the roof that the roof collapsed. Luckily nobody was in the sports arena at the time.
Besides thinking about the function and safety of a building, architecs also spend time creatively thinking about how they want the building to look. Just as a painter decides which paints to put where in a painting, an architect decides where to put the rooms, walls, and open spaces in a building.
Just as different painters have different styles of painting, different architects have different styles of designing. One architect might like to use a lot of circles and curves in his or her buildings. Another architect might like to design buildings that look sleek and flat.
So architects have to be good artists and good scientists when they design a building. The building must be pleasant to look at, pleasant to work in and strong enough to be safe from most natural disasters.
Trying to do all these things at the same time is part of the challenge and excitement of being an architect.
Phil Shapiro
Copyright 1988
(This reading passage may be freely redistributed and reprinted for any
nonprofit educational purpose. Use by a for-profit company requires permission
from the author, who can be reached at: pshapiro@his.com)
wisegeek.com:
An interiorinteriorinterior designerdesignerdesigner can do a variety of things in the field of design, and considers the needs of the individual or company that hires him or her. Primarily, the interiorinteriorinterior designerdesignerdesigner must blend aesthetics, or the look and feel of a place, with functionality and use of a space, and does so in consideration of the available working area, desires, and budget of the client. Being artistic, having knowledge of building codes, and being able to please the client are all valuable assets for those who wish to have a career in interior design. Having good listening skills, excelling at following through with concepts, and being able to draw, and use programs like AutoCAD® can also be of assistance. Most interiorinteriorinterior designers are trained in art or design schools, and bring a variety of talents to their profession.
Just about any public building that is found in any city or town has its origin with an architect. The architect is a trained professional who is central to the development of both the planning and the design components that form the basis for the construction of a building. Here is some background on how an architect works, and why the utilization of a competent architect is so important to any building project
http://www.his.com/~pshapiro/architects.html
Depending on your project, an architect, designer, or draftsman might be the best choice for capturing your ideas and rendering them in drawings that can be used by builders. The following table describes the basic skill set of each discipline and when it may be best used.
| Who | What they do | Experience & Scope of Responsibility | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architect | Responsible for making sure the building doesn´t fall down. | Licensed professional, often with an advanced degree, who
has undergone an internship and rigorous testing to meet strict
licensing standards. Legally responsible for all work. Depending on specialty, may have experience in a variety of areas from historical preservation to structural engineering. Continuing education is required by many states to maintain licensing. |
Hire an architect for all work that requires building
permits and inspections. Often, city and county building codes
require an architect´s approval. Check with your building
department to verify. Some homeowner´s associations may require that additions and remodeling projects be signed off by a registered architect. The homeowner´s association architectural committee can provide specific guidelines for working within association covenants. |
| Designer | Captures your vision and renders your design. | Able to visualize concepts and render usable working
documents. Proficient in various design techniques such as CAD drafting, including plans, details, sections, layouts with background in working with architects and project managers. Depending on education and background may have additional construction experience as well as materials and standards research. Education may include formal CAD training and design coursework, but is not necessarily required. Licensing is not required. |
An architectural designer is trained to take your concept
and create a workable vision. They can coordinate materials and
color to best effect, as well as define space usage. They can create elevations and floor plans that embody functional and aesthetic goals. |
| Draftsman | Provides working technical drawings for craftsmen and contractors. | Proficient at architectural drawings of buildings and
details using CAD applications. May specialize by type of
structure and material used. Knowledgeable of materials and design standards. May have formal training or coursework. Licensing is not required. |
A draftsman can create the kinds of technical
drawings required by a custom cabinet maker, for example. For small or medium projects, where drawings are needed that provide technical detail, but don´t require a lot of design or engineering, a draftsman can provide contractors with a clear set of working instructions. |
If you have a small project that requires clear drawings for a contractor, a draftsman can render a plan that works well and communicates effectively for a relatively modest investment. If you are planning a bathroom remodel, you might hire either a draftsman to draw up your ideas for your contractor or hire an architectural designer to help you define what you want. The information can be given to the contractor as working drawings. As long as the contractor is licensed and permits are not required, the draftsman could easily be a good choice.
If you are at a conceptual stage and want someone to create a rendering of your ideas, an architectural designer is an excellent resource. They can take your desire for a Norman fortress and create a drawing that incorporates your ideas into a cohesive design. A designer is equipped to make recommendations about materials, finishes, and color.
For any project that requires building permits and inspections, it´s usually wise to get the advice of a licensed architect. While many agencies require an architect´s approval, not all do and there are many gray areas that exist. By hiring an architect, you ensure that your project will be built to current codes and problems will be avoided. When you hire an architect, you hire a committed professional. While the cost is certainly higher than a designer or draftsman, you are guaranteed that the end product will be structurally sound. An architect is capable of doing the design work or taking the work of a designer, and then creating all the working drawings as well as overseeing the entire project in conjunction with your builder.
Regardless of your project and the scope of work, ask each candidate for the project to provide references and proof of all required licensing and insurance. Ask to see a portfolio of work and examine the work carefully. Depending on the discipline, a contract may be used. If so, make sure that the scope of work is clearly defined, with all payment terms and warranties stipulated.
http://www.demesne.info/Improve-Your-Home/Architect-or-Designer.htm