Interior Design... so you're a stylist, right?

I wanted to begin the series by writing about something I'm often asked as an interior designer.

"So.... you're a stylist, right?"

I can almost hear every interior designer cringe at that question. Not because being called a stylist is a bad thing, but because it doesn't begin to articulate the level of thinking, planning and detail that goes into an interior design project. The funny thing is, I completely understand why people ask.

I've spent the last four years living in both worlds. Alice & Ivy began as a styling business, while behind the scenes I continued building my education and experience in interior design. I've often joked that I'm a bit of a double agent, and living in both professions has taught me something.

They are not different because one is better than the other. They are different because they are trying to solve completely different problems.

Let's step back to 2022.

I was sitting on a park bench with my neighbour talking about my love of design and how COVID had me questioning whether I should finally make the career change I had been working towards.

He smiled and said,

"Why don't you style our house for sale?"      

That one conversation became the beginning of Alice & Ivy.

Fast forward four years and I've worked professionally as a residential stylist while continuing to build my career & education as an interior designer. Having worked in both roles, I have a unique perspective I otherwise wouldn't have.

The easiest way to describe the two is this:

"As a designer, I shape the space we occupy. As a stylist, I add the layers that make it yours."

One of the biggest surprises for people is how much of interior design happens long before a single cushion is placed. I was telling a friend recently that after the week I'd had, almost 80% of my time had been spent on administration rather than what most people would imagine as 'design.'

Research.

Documentation.

Selections.

Specifications.

Problem solving.

Client communication.

Thankfully, my background in commercial buying means I genuinely enjoy the detail. I'm comfortable in the administration, and I'm especially grateful for the incredible tools that now take care of much of the heavy lifting.

Most of the work happens long before it looks beautiful. Styling has its invisible work too. It's about creating flow across an entire home, not just placing furniture in a room.

A stylist is lifting furniture from vans.

Steaming linen.

Cleaning mirrors.

Creating flow from one room to the next.

A designer is asking different questions.

How will this family move through the space?

Where will breakfast happen?

Will the afternoon light become too harsh in summer?

Where should the power points go so everyday life feels effortless?

How can we make everyday life just a little easier?

"A designer is deciding how close the kettle is to the mugs and teaspoons. A stylist is making sure your children are sitting on the perfect stools while you make it."

Having lived in both worlds, I've realised they're often mistaken for one another because they both create beautiful homes. The difference isn't in the outcome. It's in the questions each profession asks along the way.

Perhaps that is why I no longer hear,

'So you're a stylist?'

I hear it as a perfect place to begin a conversation.

-Ally

Founder & Interior Designer

Alice & Ivy Design Studio