Usually not as two separate people. An interior designer decides how your home will look and work. A project manager makes sure it gets built that way, in the right order and without you chasing anyone. For a single room, design on its own is often enough. Once builders, joiners and several trades are involved, someone needs to run the job, and it works best when that’s the person who designed it.
I do both, so it’s a question I’m asked a lot. Here’s how I explain the difference.
What does an interior designer actually do?
An interior designer works out how a room, or a whole house, should look, feel and work. That covers the layout, the colours and pattern, the furniture, the lighting, the fabrics and the finishing touches, down to the door handles. A good designer starts with how you live rather than a mood board, then sources everything so the plan can actually be bought and built.
What does a renovation project manager do?
A project manager turns that plan into a finished house. They book the builders, joiners, plumbers, electricians, plasterers and decorators, and work out the order the jobs need to happen in. They order materials so they arrive on time, visit the site and sort out problems as they come up. They also keep you informed, so you’re not ringing round to find out why nothing happened on Tuesday.
Can one person do both?
Yes, and it’s how I work on projects here in Yorkshire. When the person who drew the plan is also the one standing in the kitchen with the joiner, the small decisions get made the way the design intended. Nothing gets lost between two people’s notes.
Before I became a designer, I taught in primary schools for more than 25 years. Teaching is mostly planning, timetables and keeping a lot of people heading in the same direction while still listening to every one of them. It turned out to be very good training for running a renovation. Over the years I’ve also built up a team of tradespeople I trust. They’re good at what they do, and above all they’re problem solvers.
Pip brought in a great team of trades which she project managed and worked with me on all the interior design.
Sean Wilkinson, Google review
When is design on its own enough?
- You’re refreshing a room without building work: new colours, furniture, lighting and curtains.
- You already have a builder you trust, and you’re happy to manage them yourself.
- You’re around during the day and don’t mind taking calls from trades.
In those cases I can design the room and hand you the plans, with a list of everything to order.
When do you need the project managed too?
- Several trades need to work in sequence: building work, plumbing, electrics, plastering, joinery and decorating.
- You’re working full time, or you’ll be away while the work happens. I’ve run renovations for clients who were away for much of the work, and that only works if someone else is holding it together.
- The house is old or listed, and likely to hide surprises behind the plaster.
- You have a fixed date to work towards, like a move or a family occasion.
What goes wrong when nobody is running the project?
Most problems on a renovation aren’t dramatic. They’re small gaps between trades. The electrician hasn’t been back before the plasterer arrives, the tiles were ordered too late, or the sockets end up where the sofa was meant to go. Each one costs a few days, and they add up. Someone has to own the timetable.
How do you choose the right person?
- Ask to see finished projects, not just mood boards, and ask who managed the work.
- Read their reviews for what clients say about communication and the trades.
- Ask who you call when something goes wrong, and how quickly they’ll answer.
- Check exactly what’s included: design only, sourcing and ordering, or the whole project.
Planning a renovation in York or North Yorkshire?
If you’d like one person looking after the design and the build, have a look at how I run interior design and project management, or see some of my house refurbishments. Or get in touch and tell me about your house.