Architect, interior architect or decorator?
Three professions everyone confuses, three very different scopes. Here is how to choose according to your project, from an architect who practises the first two.
By Salma Abderahim, state-certified architect · HMONP · updated 23 August 2026
| Architect | Interior architect | Decorator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | The building: structure, floor areas, facades, extensions | The lived-in space: partitions, services, materials, furniture | The atmosphere: colours, existing furniture, accessories |
| Regulation | Regulated profession (law 016-89), registration with the Order required | Not regulated: check qualifications and references | Not regulated |
| Building permit | Yes, they design and file it | No (unless they are also an architect) | No |
| Works managed | All trades, full construction site | Finishing trades, craftsmen | Light fitting and installation |
| When to call them | Building, extending, touching the structure | Renovating, reconfiguring, bespoke fit-out | Refreshing without building works |
| Typical budget | 8 to 14% of the works | 10 to 20% of the works or a fixed fee | Fixed fee or day rate |
Detailed ranges on the fees page.
Who to call for…
- Building a villa: an architect, from the plan to the permit and the site.
- Removing a partition, redoing the kitchen and bathrooms: an interior architect.
- Adding a floor or extending: an architect (permit required), with the interior handled in the same commission.
- Furnishing and harmonising a new apartment: a decorator, or an interior architect if the furniture is bespoke.
- Fitting out offices: an interior architect using a space planning method.
Both professions, one single responsibility
At SAA, the architect who files your permit is also the one who draws your kitchen. No break between "the works" and "the decoration", no blind spot in responsibility: structure, services, light and furniture are thought through together, right from the first sketch.
It is also the guarantee of honest costing: when the same person designs the project and follows the site, end-of-project surprises disappear.
Start my projectFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between an architect and an interior architect?
The architect designs the building: structure, floor areas, facades, building permit (a profession regulated by law 016-89, with mandatory registration with the Order of Architects). The interior architect designs the lived-in space: interior layout, materials, light, furniture. The two professions complement each other; at SAA they are both handled by the same state-certified architect.
Interior architect or decorator: which one should you choose?
The decorator harmonises what already exists: colours, furniture, accessories, without touching volumes or services. As soon as you move a partition, a kitchen or a bathroom, you need an interior architect: technical drawings, coordination of the trades, responsibility for the result.
For a renovation, do I need an architect or an interior architect?
If the structure, the facades or the floor area change: an architect (and a permit). If the renovation stays internal without touching the structure: an interior architect. Many projects involve both, which is exactly the advantage of a practice that wears both hats.
Does an architect cost more than a decorator?
Fees differ because the scope differs: the decorator charges for furnishing guidance, while the architect takes on the technical design, the authorisations and the site. On a project involving building works, the architect generally saves their own cost through contractor tendering and mistakes avoided.
Still unsure who to talk to?
Describe your project: I will tell you frankly which profession it calls for, even if it is not mine.
Reply within 24 working hours