decorator

decorator — noun

1. Someone whose paid work is to add colour to walls by using paint, or to cover wa

1.nounB1
Definition

Someone whose paid work is to add colour to walls by using paint, or to cover walls with wallpaper, in homes and other buildings.

Example

After the flood, the Watanabes hired a decorator to repaint all the downstairs rooms.

hire a decorator + to-infinitive for a job

My aunt's decorator suggested a soft grey colour for the living-room walls.

decorator + suggest + [colour] + for + [room]

Common collocations
  • hire a decorator
  • work as a decorator
  • call a decorator
Synonyms
  • painter

    focuses only on applying paint, not hanging wallpaper

  • house painter

    American English term; often includes exterior painting work

Usage Note

In British English, this sense (painter and decorator) is the default meaning of decorator. In American English, painter is more common for building painting, while decorator usually means interior decorator.

Common Mistakes

I hired a decorator to redesign the kitchen layout.
I hired a decorator to repaint the kitchen walls.
A decorator in this sense does painting and wallpapering, not structural changes to a room.

2. An expert who helps people decide how indoor spaces should look — for example, c

2.nounB1
Definition

An expert who helps people decide how indoor spaces should look — for example, choosing wall colours, chair and table styles, and window covers.

Example

Amihan hired an interior decorator to help choose furniture and curtains for the new flat.

interior decorator + help + choose + [items]

The decorator showed Constanza carpet samples that would match her sofa.

decorator + show + [person] + [samples]

Common collocations
  • interior decorator
  • consult a decorator
  • decorator's advice
Synonyms
  • interior designer

    may involve structural or architectural changes; usually requires formal training

  • design consultant

    focuses on giving expert advice rather than carrying out the work

Usage Note

Often shortened to decorator when the context already makes the role clear. This sense focuses on colours, furniture, and fabric choices rather than structural changes to a building.

Common Mistakes

An interior decorator can knock down walls to open up the kitchen.
An interior decorator can choose paint colours and curtain fabrics for the kitchen.
Interior decorators work with surface appearance and furnishings, not building structure (that is an interior designer or architect).

decorator — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Interior decorator, interior designer, and design consultant are often used in similar contexts, but they describe different levels of involvement. An interior decorator focuses on surface appearance selecting colours, furniture, fabrics, and arranging items without changing the building's structure. An interior designer typically has formal training and may redesign spaces by moving walls or altering lighting layouts. A design consultant gives expert advice but usually does not carry out the physical work themselves. A furniture designer creates individual pieces such as chairs or tables rather than planning whole rooms. For example, if you want new curtains and a different sofa colour, an interior decorator is the right choice. If you want to create an open-plan kitchen by removing a wall, you need an interior designer.

interior decoratorinterior designerdesign consultantfurniture designer

Common collocations

Nouns

  • decorator paint
  • decorator fabric
  • decorator wallpaper

Phrases

  • work as a decorator
  • hire a decorator
  • call in a decorator

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word decorator comes from the Latin verb decorare, meaning 'to make beautiful or to adorn'. It passed into English through French décorer, with the suffix -or added to indicate a person who does something. The first known use of decorator in English was around the late 1700s, at first referring to anyone who beautified a space. By the 1800s, it had become a specific job title for tradespeople who painted and wallpapered homes.