Interior architecture

Interior architecture is the profession that designs life inside a building. It looks at how rooms will be used, how people will move through them, which materials go where, and how light and color will make a space feel. Its scope is wide, running from where a partition sits to how a ceiling is detailed, from built-in joinery to bathrooms and kitchens.

How it differs from decoration

The two are often confused. Decoration mostly deals with color, textiles, accessories and loose furniture in an existing space. An interior architect changes the space itself: partitions, suspended ceilings, lighting and power layouts, built-in storage and floor transitions are all drawn and detailed for construction. That is why an interior architecture project is a technical set of plans, ceiling plans, sections, wall elevations and details. (In Turkey the profession is called ic mimarlik and is taught as its own degree.)

Process and visualization

A typical job starts with a brief and a measured survey of the existing space. Then come the concept, the material palette and layout options, and the approved design is developed into construction drawings. What helps clients decide most at these stages is seeing the space as it will look when finished. Interior renders let material and lighting choices be tested before anything is built, which keeps the cost of changes low.

For a closer look at what the service covers step by step, read how professional interior architecture services work.