Reality vs. Perception

­          With all of the hype on HGTV, there is a misconception that these designers live such a glamorous life and complete projects in little to know time. I think that this TV network is entertaining to an extent but far too misleading when it comes to the truth of interior design. Some of the shows are about the designers and the spaces themselves, rather than trying to renovate a space in some unrealistic amount of time. In addition to having faulty claims in what interior design really is, there are a handful of designers that call themselves interior designers when in fact they are really just decorators.

          I first started my design endeavors in the field of architecture, and quickly realized that I wanted to also pursue a degree in interior design. I felt that it took more knowledge then what just has an architect has to offer when designing an entire space. After starting school I came to realize that the majority of the people enrolling in the interior design program, were under the impression that this was a program for decoration.

          Unfortunately, because of HGTV, so many people that get into the industry are under the impression that their education is going to revolve around creating inviting spaces using color and décor, and that they will be able to perform in a short amount of time to complete an entire project. Because these shows are purely made for entertainment, they film over a period of time and then cup video clips to suit the half hour block. If gives a glamorous perception, not truly showing what really goes into a project, and who actually performs what work. Although the stars are in charge of picking out the decorations and furniture, it does not show what goes on behind the scenes. In most cases the designers are not licensed, so in turn they have to hire architects or licensed designers to sign and seal the contracts in any construction required. Simply because the architect or licensed designer is not the star of the show, the majority of the time they are omitted from and shot, and only included in the credit.

          The real profession of interior design is comprised of a multitude of understandings, in both the exterior and interior of a building or home. Although it is primarily up to the architect to design the exterior or shell of a space, it is up to the interior designer to be able to understand what is needed to be done in order to make the inside of a space functional and aesthetically pleasing. It takes a lot of planning to effectively organize a space and compile a collection of spaces within it. Once the space is able to be utilized effectively, sometimes a decorator will come in to finish off the space, but an interior designer is more than qualified to complete the space.

          Although some shows on HGTV do include some of the construction process, they always seem to finish a project in an incredible amount of time. This makes the process seem incredibly simple and fast when in fact it take a lot more time then implied.

          HGTV does offer a few shows that simply highlight the finished product and inform the viewers of the different aspects and features of the space. This makes the practice present within the industry look very unrealistic for most to ever obtain in their lifetime. These however, are some of the most realistic shows on HGTV. They don’t try to portray people performing work out of their field of expertise.

          I feel that HGTV has given the profession of interior design a false identity. The channel try’s to portray the field as glamorous and very fast paced, when in fact it takes a lot of time to properly plan and execute a project. Once the process has been completed, the outcome is something more then the designer had ever imagined.