Is interior design or interior styling more important? [2 minutes read]
There is a debate amongst some on whether interior design or interior styling is more important. It centres around a question: what should I spend my limited money on, to build the best home?
Interior design usually refers to the items that come from a renovation project. Some examples are the kitchen cabinets, full height wardrobe, the type of flooring and so forth i.e the built in stuff. Interior styling typically refers to the loose items such as sofa, kitchen table, the coffee table and so on i.e the loose stuff.
We can answer this with a thought experiment.
Imagine a 40 year old 5-room flat that’s been neglected for the past 10 years. The paint is peeling, the pipes are leaking, the floor tiles are cracked and mold grows on the bathroom floor. Now, fill the house with the finest Italian furniture. Next, imagine a brand new BTO after renovation. There’s fancy carpentry, beautiful tiling works, a marble feature wall and it is filled with 40 year old furniture that is falling apart. It would be hard to live in both flats.
The answer therefore is to spend on both. The more complex question then is, should I spend more on interior design or interior styling?
This boils down to personal preference. Asking yourself the following questions may shed light on the right decision.
Are you someone who likes to change the layout once in a while? If so, loose furniture is more suitable.
Do you expect to add more or have less family members in the household in the foreseeable future? If so, you might want to consult an interior designer on future proofing your home.
Do you plan to stay in the house for long? If so, it’s best to spend less on renovation. They do not affect the valuation of your property and you cannot take the built in items with you.
Hiring a designer to create 3D images of your house is the natural solution. The designer has to consider both the look and your unique requirements while creating the 3D images. That means they are doing the job of both an interior designer and an interior stylist, all while keeping your budget in mind.
We hope this has been useful. Thanks for reading!
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