There is a great deal of confusion with regards to interior design. Many mistakenly correlate it with interior decorating. Interior decorating is what everyone does when moving into a new place, or just tearing the living room apart to give it a new feel. Interior decorating is all about the arrangement of what is in the room. Interior design, on the other hand, is about the room itself, as well as what is in it.

In their fullest scope, an interior designer is the architect's partner. While the architect designs the house and it's exterior to be functional, meet building codes, and fit a certain aesthetic, the interior designer focuses on the inside of the house, the small touches like an arched doorway between the kitchen and dining room, the style of molding at the base of the wall, matching the flooring, the walls, and the window designs, and all the things that create the aesthetic of the room itself. Interior designers then frequently go on to add all the furniture, the decorations and small touches that an interior decorator would focus on exclusively. Sometimes an interior designer is literally partner to an architect, hired when a building is first being built. More often they need to adapt to an existing structure.

Especially when adapting an existing structure, the most important qualities an interior designer can have are creativity and a strong aesthetic sense. It is the interior designer's job to take the desires of the client, and the requirements of the space, and combine them both, while keeping in mind 'minor' issues like building codes, condo regulations, and basic common sense. In the end, a good interior designer will create a space that is unique, comfortable, meets the client's needs and preferences, and is esthetically beautiful.

The most challenging thing an interior designer can face is a client who doesn't know quite what they want. It is then up to the designer to get to know the client, and find a way to design a room suited to the client's personality and lifestyle with minimal or confusing input from the client. Client communication is crucial, and most clients get unhappy if a design ignores or goes against a request. However, an interior designer needs to know when to do exactly that, and to explain it in a way the client will accept, if the clients request, whether for reasons of codes, aesthetics, or common sense, simply will not work.

In addition to being incredibly creative, an interior designer needs to work well with, and understand, people. A standoffish annoying attitude may be accepted in an interior designer who does superior work. A person who can't understand clients and their needs does not belong in interior design. Anyone interested in learning more about interior design as a career choice can find plenty of interior design courses to help get them started.