Why Should You Hire An Interior Designer NOT a Carpenter

An interior designer and a carpenter are often perceived as interchangeable artisans by the untrained eyes. Yet this cannot be farther from the truth! Traditionally, carpenters have been our go-to person for household woodwork like creation of wooden cabinets, almirahs, drawers, housing frames etc. An interior designer, on the other hand, specializes in the planning and designing of residential and commercial spaces to aid aesthetics and functionality. Both are skilled in their own right but have stark differences in their job roles that make them poles apart.

A dream home is an ultimate aspiration for many and choosing the right person to build the home is as arduous as the actual activity of construction or renovation. Interior Designing, being a relatively upcoming fad, is still a myth to many who believe that it is the modern namesake for the ubiquitous carpenter. Such people still bet their loyalty and money on a customary carpenter whenever they need any construction related assistance for their homes or offices. Another school of thought exists that associates an interior designer with an obsession of the rich and the elite and these people would rather not spend their precious time and money on these so –called demonstrations of pomp and flamboyance. For them, a carpenter has the requisite skills ranging from building the framework of their house to the ornate detailing on their wooden work.

Image credit: Flickr/Kanika Singal

One must remember though that while a carpenter can do the basic woodwork, yet, they lack the expertise to play with interior design tricks that can transform a tiny apartment to a spacious abode or relegate a large area to a cramped nook. An interior designer acts as a ‘design consultant’, who can guide you from the start to the finish that includes theme conception and design, sourcing of skilled manpower and raw materials, overseeing and project management of the construction and assisting the interior decor. He or she is usually backed by adequate certifications and testimonials with exhaustive portfolios of past work and client recommendations. In contrast, carpenters typically have their experience to boast of and are doers who have hands-on knowledge of carpentry. Occasionally, senior craftsmen might oversee the relatively newer ones but typically project management is not their strength. While an interior designer will capture the client’s needs, current lifestyle, taste and flair to design plans that mirror the expectations, a carpenter will seek specifications from the client and then build according to the design provided. Moreover, interior designers lay significant emphasis on customer satisfaction while routine carpenters are more bothered about getting the job done and ensuring timely payment with customer VOC being relatively insignificant in their priority list. Project management services of an interior designer are a boon for the on-the-go consumer who has little time to spare for the day-to-day nitty- gritty of house building. Carpenters offer no such additional service and clients have to self-manage the entire project. A carpenter can give you a quick start on the work as long as you have the requirement handy. An interior designer will take time to initiate the designing process as several meetings and discussions will be conducted at a preliminary stage to gather client needs accurately. Thus, the latter is usually foolproof with the former running into various design faults at a later stage resulting in significant cost hikes and wastage of time due to rectification requirements.

Image credit: Flickr/Kanika Singal

Interior designers do not come dirt cheap and one might argue the need for the splurge. While a carpenter might be acceptable for elementary designs and simple construction, yet, one should invest in professional interior designers if innovative designs, customer-centric approach and project management services are quintessential for them.