It’s easy to confuse interior design with interior decorating. After all, both are focused on creating beautiful spaces, and both involve furniture, colours, and finishes. But there’s a clear distinction between the two—whether you’re styling a sitting room or planning kitchen interior design—and understanding it can help you choose the right kind of support for […]
It’s easy to confuse interior design with interior decorating. After all, both are focused on creating beautiful spaces, and both involve furniture, colours, and finishes. But there’s a clear distinction between the two—whether you’re styling a sitting room or planning kitchen interior design—and understanding it can help you choose the right kind of support for your home project.
In short, interior design is about how a space works; interior decorating is about how a space looks. Interior designers plan layouts, flow, and functionality. Decorators refine the finished space through styling, colour schemes, and accessories.
Whether you’re furnishing a new home or considering a kitchen interior design upgrade, understanding this difference ensures you get the results you want.
Interior designers handle the technical, spatial, and functional aspects of a room. They consider how the space will be used, how it connects to the rest of the home, and how to improve flow, storage, lighting, and layout. Designers are trained in spatial planning and often work on renovations or new builds.
At Kube Interiors, our designers work closely with clients to create interiors that are not only visually pleasing, but tailored to their lifestyle. That means thinking about how people move through the space, how rooms interact with one another, and how to design features that are both practical and beautiful.
This approach is essential in functional areas like kitchens, where layout mistakes can affect everyday life. A good interior designer will anticipate these challenges and solve them from the start—ensuring that the structure supports daily routines, not just visual goals.
Interior decorators focus more on the aesthetic side of a space. They don’t move walls or change lighting plans—instead, they help you choose furniture, fabrics, art, and finishes that enhance the existing structure. Their goal is to make a room feel styled, cohesive, and reflective of your personality.
Decorators typically come in after any building or renovation work is complete. They might recommend new curtains, a fresh coat of paint, a different rug, or a new furniture arrangement. While decorators often have a great eye for style, they aren’t trained to deal with architectural changes or spatial challenges.
If your home functions well but feels bland or unfinished, a decorator can help inject character through soft furnishings and final touches. But if you’re struggling with layout, poor lighting, or impractical spaces, what you really need is a designer.
Interior designers and decorators often work together—and in some cases, a single professional may do both. For example, a designer might reconfigure a cramped kitchen layout to improve storage and workflow, and then help choose the cabinet finishes, stools, and lighting that bring warmth and polish to the finished space. This full-service approach ensures both function and beauty are prioritised.
The kitchen is one of the most complex rooms in the home. It requires careful planning of appliances, lighting, storage, and workflow. That’s why kitchen interior design is far more than choosing attractive finishes—it’s about making sure the room supports cooking, entertaining, and family life with ease.
A decorator might help you choose bar stools and pendant lights, but a designer will ensure the kitchen island is placed correctly, the cabinetry is functional, and the work triangle (sink, hob, fridge) is efficient. Without strong design, even the most beautiful kitchen can feel frustrating to use.
If you’re building a new home, remodelling an old one, or completely changing the way a space functions, an interior designer is the right fit. They’ll create a plan that considers not just how things look, but how they work.
If your space already functions well but feels uninspiring or dated, an interior decorator can help refresh it with updated furnishings, colours, and textures.
Of course, many projects benefit from both. At Kube Interiors, we guide clients from initial concept to final styling, ensuring that each stage of the process is thoughtfully handled and beautifully executed.
Interior design and interior decorating are two sides of the same coin—but they play very different roles in creating a home that feels just right. Design ensures that your home works well. Decorating makes sure it looks good while doing so.
At Kube Interiors, we bring both disciplines together. Whether you’re updating a single room or undertaking a full kitchen interior design transformation, our team provides expert advice, custom furniture, and timeless styling—all tailored to your needs.
Ready to start your project? Book a consultation with one of our kitchen design experts and let’s bring your vision to life.
