Interior design is a practice concerned with anything that is found inside a space - walls, windows, doors, finishes, textures, light, furnishings and furniture. All of these elements are used by interior designers to develop a functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing space for a building's users.
The work of a interior designer draws upon many disciplines including environmental psychology, architecture, product design, and traditional decoration (aesthetics and cosmetics). They plan the spaces of almost every type of building including: hotels, corporate spaces, schools, hospitals, private residences, shopping malls, restaurants, theaters, and airport terminals. Today, interior designers must be attuned to architectural detailing including: floor plans, home renovations, and construction codes.
Although the terms interior design and interior decorating are sometimes used interchangeably, each discipline exhibits a distinct difference in its scope. Interior design involves manipulating the architectural integrity of the interior space. Interior decorating, on the other hand, is generally focused on the selection and presentation of interior items within a space, such as furniture, accessories, finishes and room layout.
Size of the industry
The industry revenue in the United States for interior design was $11,108.3 million in 2007 with a revenue growth of .5%. That same year, there was around 84,018 establishments and 72,377 enterprises recorded.[1]