The answer is a resounding ‘Yes’ in many instances, but exceptions can creep in based on professional education, geography and the scope of a project.
When Noz Nozawa first opened her San Francisco interiors firm in 2014, she faced an existential crisis: Was she a designer or was she a decorator?
“I was brand-new to this universe,” she said. “I was a career switcher, so I held the term ‘designer’ with such esteem that I did not think that I could call myself that.”
On her business cards, Ms. Nozawa split the difference and referred to herself as an “interior decorator.” As for her business name, she left the term “design” out altogether.
“My first business name was Noz as a Service, because I was literally so insecure about even putting the word ‘design’ in my name,” she said.
Now, more than a decade later, she’s embraced the word in all of its variations. With her firm Noz Design, Ms. Nozawa doesn’t only design interiors, but also lighting and jewelry. “I think of design as an umbrella that includes, necessarily, architecture and decorating,” she said.
For homeowners looking to spruce up their spaces, however, the jargon surrounding design professions can be as befuddling as the difference between toile and twill. Do you hire an architect to renovate your bathroom? A decorator to design your kitchen? Or someone else entirely? Allow us to explain.
