...Wrong! Your friend is a designer and there is a HUGE difference.
This post is in no disrespect to interior decorators or stylist because their eye for colour, composition and creativity is undeniable. It is however to help you gain an understanding of the two professions, the similarities, differences, overlap and the road to get there. Many people use these two terms interchangeably, however the two professions differ in critical ways.
Interior design is the art and science of understanding people's behaviour to create functional spaces within a building. Decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with fashionable or beautiful things.* In a nutshell, interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design.
What makes someone an interior decorator?
Since decorators generally focus on decorative details, there is less of a need for formal education, most decorators will be either self-taught or have completed a certificate or a 2-year diploma program.
As a decorator, you are typically brought in near the end of a new build or renovation, or for project that may not have any construction at all. They are all about aesthetics and pull together the room with paint and wall coverings, soft furnishings, caseloads and accessories. It is common that they will have extensive knowledge on fabrics, colour and furniture layouts.
What makes someone an interior designer?
To become an interior designer, formal training is a necessity. Whether you take a 2-year diploma program or an intense 4-year Bachelor of Interior Design degree, the courses you take are much more diverse and complex than that of a decorator.
An interior designer is integrated into a project (ideally) very earlier on and they have more of an interdisciplinary approach. They are responsible for not only making a space look beautiful in the end, but also the integration all aspects of the building envelop, including but not limited to HVAC, electrical, structural and plumbing.
A day in the life...
Interior decorator
Meeting with clients to determine their wants, needs and style
Creating furniture plans
Sourcing and purchasing of furnishings including upholstery, caseloads lighting and accessories
Creating custom soft furnishings such as window treatments, bedding and more
Installation day and coordination of receiving goods
Creating a timeline of tasks
Being highly original
Interior designer
All of the above plus...
Taking existing measurements of a space and all existing inventory within
Creating a scope of work and integration of schedules with construction
Reading construction drawings
2D technical drawings including floor plans, elevations and details
3D renderings and concept boards
Master specifications
Fixture and finish selections
Finish schedules
Management between suppliers, fabricators and trades
...I could go on forever
I truly love elements from both professions and I could not see myself every eliminating either from my repertoire. I am an interior designer, although some days I also feel like part marriage counsellor. I received a 4-year Bachelor of Interior Design degree program from Humber College in Toronto. I was also a professor for the Interior Decorating program at Mohawk College in Hamilton. Every project I do is different and some require more of my decorating skills, others require more math, architectural and design skills.
The most important thing for you when selecting to work with a designer or decorator is to truly understand your project and need for support through it. I made my own "What people think I do" collage to help y'all understand a little better.
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* Excerpt from NCIDQ page