Interior decoration in Australia

Decorating a home can be as small as choosing a paint colour or as large as refurnishing every room. This page explains how interior decoration differs from interior design and whether either is a regulated title, the usual stages of a decorating project, what to check when you hire a decorator, the national safety rules for blind cords and toppling furniture, lead paint and asbestos in older homes, when work tips over into licensed building work in each state, what renters may change, and the national training qualifications, with links to official Australian sources.

This is a free, non-commercial reference page. It sells nothing and does not list, review or recommend any decorator, designer, product, brand, shop or course provider. It is general information, not legal, building or safety advice. Licensing, tenancy and building contract rules differ between states and territories and change from time to time, so check current details with the official websites linked below. This page is not affiliated with any business, industry body or government body, and listing is not an endorsement.

The guide

From the difference between decorating and design, through the stages of a project and hiring help, to safety rules, licensing, renting and training.

Decorating, interior design and whether the titles are regulated

The national training qualifications draw a useful line. The Certificate IV in Interior Decoration describes decorators as people who advise on and help finish and furnish existing interior spaces: researching client needs, arranging spaces, styling, specifying finishes and furnishings, selecting colours and purchasing. The Diploma of Interior Design adds planning spaces, lighting design, design documentation and working with builders, architects and service contractors. No official source checked for this page shows "interior decorator" or "interior designer" as a protected title in any state or territory, and training.gov.au says there are no specific licences relating to either qualification. Victoria is the exception for registration: the Design Institute of Australia reports that Victoria has a Building Design (Interior) class that registers interior designers as building practitioners. In 2026 the NSW Government noted, but did not adopt, a parliamentary committee recommendation on a registration pathway for interior designers. Check your own state, because the rules differ.

The brief

A brief is a written statement of what the project is for. It usually covers which rooms are included, who uses them and how, what must stay (furniture, artwork, fixtures), the look you want, any constraints such as a rental agreement, strata by-laws or heritage listing, and the timeframe. The Diploma of Interior Design includes a core unit on establishing, negotiating and refining a design brief, which shows how central it is. A clear brief is also the basis for comparing quotes, because two decorators quoting on different assumptions cannot be compared fairly.

Budget

Set a total figure before you start, and split it between the decorator's fees, furniture, soft furnishings, window coverings, lighting, paint and any trade work. Keep a contingency for surprises, especially in older homes where lead paint or asbestos may need to be dealt with before work can go ahead. Ask how the decorator charges (for example a fixed fee, an hourly rate or a mark-up on goods they buy for you) and get that in writing. This page gives no price figures because none could be checked against an official source.

Colour, paint and lead in older homes

Colour schemes are a core skill for decorators; both national qualifications include a unit on designing colour schemes for interior and exterior spaces. Before repainting an older home, find out what is already on the walls. The NSW Government's LeadSmart program says lead paint was used in most homes built in Australia before 1970, and the Australian Government's Lead Alert guide says homes built before 1970 are most at risk but more recent homes may also have paint containing lead. Official advice is not to dry sand or burn lead paint, not to use open-flame torches on it, to keep pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children away from the work, and to clean up with a HEPA vacuum or wet methods rather than a broom. If the paint is in good condition, LeadSmart says to leave it alone or paint over it.

Lighting

Lighting changes how colours and finishes look, so plan it alongside the colour scheme. The Australian Government's Energy Rating consumer page explains that bulb brightness is now given in lumens rather than watts, and that a lower Kelvin number gives warmer, more yellow light, while cool white suits kitchens, studies and workshops. It also notes that light bulbs are not required to carry an Energy Rating Label. Any new fixed wiring or light fittings must be installed by a licensed electrician; a decorator can specify lighting but should not do electrical work unless licensed.

Furniture and the toppling furniture rules

Furniture that tips over can crush a young child. Since 4 May 2025, Product Safety Australia says the Consumer Goods (Toppling Furniture) Information Standard 2024 has required suppliers to attach permanent warning labels, show warnings at the point of sale in store and online, and include toppling information in instructions. It covers clothing storage units and bookcases 686 mm or taller, entertainment units of any height, and hall tables, display cabinets, buffets and sideboards 686 mm or taller; second-hand furniture is excluded. Product Safety Australia says the best way to prevent tip-overs is to secure furniture to the wall or floor, to choose low-set or broad-based pieces with sturdy backing, and not to put a television on furniture not intended for it.

Soft furnishings and window coverings

Curtains, blinds, cushions, rugs and upholstery do much of the work of a decorating scheme. Window coverings with cords carry a specific legal duty. Two national mandatory standards apply: a supply standard covering warning labels and cord-safety components, and an installation standard for corded internal window coverings in homes. Product Safety Australia says installers must fit them so that a loose cord cannot form a loop of 220 mm or longer below 1,600 mm above the floor, must not install a cleat below 1,600 mm, must not remove warning labels, and must attach a label with their name and contact details. It also advises moving cots and furniture away from window covering cords. If a decorator arranges installation of corded blinds or curtains, ask who is responsible for meeting the installation standard.

Hiring a decorator: quotes, contracts and consumer rights

Ask for a written quote. WA Consumer Protection explains that a quote is a statement of the price for which goods or services will be supplied, while an estimate is not fixed and the final price may be more or less. Get the scope, fees, how goods are bought and paid for, the timeframe and what happens if things change in writing before you agree. The ACCC says services must be provided with acceptable care and skill, be fit for any stated purpose and be delivered within a reasonable time where no timeframe was agreed, and goods bought from a business must be of acceptable quality and match their description. If a guarantee is not met you may be entitled to a repair, replacement or refund. Your state fair trading or consumer affairs office can help if a dispute cannot be resolved.

When decorating becomes building work

Painting, wallpapering and furnishing are usually not building work, but moving walls, replacing kitchens or bathrooms, tiling, carpentry and new fixtures often are, and each state sets its own licensing rules. Official pages checked today say: in NSW, a contractor licence is needed for residential building work valued at more than $5,000 in labour and materials including GST, though stand-alone internal painting contracts have not needed a licence since 2015; in Queensland, a QBCC licence is generally needed for building work valued over $3,300, and for some specialist work of any value; in Victoria, builders must be registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission for building work valued over $10,000; in Western Australia, registration is generally needed for builder work of $20,000 or more that needs a building permit in the prescribed area; and in South Australia, Consumer and Business Services says anyone carrying on business as a building work contractor needs a licence, with no dollar threshold stated, and lists painting as domestic building work. Electrical, plumbing and gas work need licensed trades in every state. Check the regulator's licence search before signing.

Asbestos in older homes

Asbestos was widely used in Australian homes. The Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency says a home built or renovated before 1990 might contain asbestos, and the Queensland Government says such homes are likely to contain some asbestos materials. It may be in wall and ceiling sheeting, behind tiles, in vinyl flooring backing, eaves and roofing. SafeWork SA warns that even drilling a hole to hang a picture could disturb it. Official advice is to leave material in good condition alone, not to sand, cut, drill or water-blast it, and to use a licensed assessor or removalist. Rules on who may remove it differ: in Queensland, less than 10 m² of non-friable asbestos may be removed without a licence with precautions, while the ACT does not allow home owners to remove any amount. In NSW, check the Loose-fill Asbestos Insulation Register; NSW Fair Trading says changes to a listed property are not treated as minor changes for renters.

Renters: what you can change

Renters usually need permission for changes, but several states now make common decorating and safety changes easier. Consumer Affairs Victoria lists changes renters can make without permission, including picture hooks and wall anchors for furniture on most surfaces (not exposed brick or concrete), blind or cord anchors, non-permanent window film and curtains (keeping the originals), and says painting needs consent that cannot be refused without a good reason. In NSW, a landlord cannot unreasonably refuse minor changes such as picture hooks, securing furniture to a non-tiled wall, window film and indoor child safety gates. In WA, a landlord must respond in writing to a minor modification request within 14 days or it is automatically approved. In South Australia, tenants need written consent for minor alterations and generally must return the property to its former state. In Queensland, renters can request changes using the RTA's Form 23, and owners must be reasonable when deciding. Always get consent in writing.

Training pathways

The national vocational qualifications are published on training.gov.au. MSF40122 Certificate IV in Interior Decoration has core units including decorating residential interiors, designing colour schemes, producing drawings and technical drawings, and research and compliance. MSF50222 Diploma of Interior Design has ten core units, including establishing a design brief, designing residential interior lighting, digital models and documentation, evaluating site structure and services, and residential interior design documentation. training.gov.au lists the units, entry rules and the organisations registered to deliver each qualification. The Design Institute of Australia is the national professional membership body for designers and runs an accredited designer program.

Directory

Official Australian sources on product safety, consumer law, building licensing, asbestos and lead, renting and training, instead of a list of decorators or shops. Each entry was checked against its own website.

What is listed. Government bodies, regulators and official agencies whose page could be fetched and checked, plus one national professional body. Each link goes to that organisation's own page. The list is not complete, not every state and territory is covered for every topic, and it is in no particular order. No decorators, designers, shops, brands or course providers are listed.

Not an endorsement. Listing is not a recommendation. This page is not affiliated with any organisation below and does not review, rank or recommend any decorator, product or course.

Inclusion in this directory is not an endorsement. Links are to official websites as published at the time of checking.

Questions to ask before you start

Plain questions to put to a decorator, and to check against official sources, before you sign anything or hand over money.

What exactly is included in the quote, and is it a quote or an estimate?

A quote is a fixed price for the work described; an estimate can change. Get the scope, fees and how goods are charged in writing.

How do you charge for furniture and goods you buy for me?

A fee, an hourly rate and a mark-up on goods give very different totals. Ask before you agree, not after the invoices arrive.

Does any of this work need a licensed builder or trade?

Structural changes, kitchens, bathrooms, tiling, electrical, plumbing and gas work may need a licence. Check the contractor on your state regulator's licence search.

Was the home built or renovated before 1990, or painted before 1970?

Older homes may contain asbestos or lead paint. Have suspect material checked before anyone drills, sands or removes anything.

Who installs any corded blinds or curtains, and will they meet the installation standard?

Installers must keep cord loops out of children's reach, fit cleats high enough and label the installation with their details.

Will tall furniture and the TV be anchored?

Product Safety Australia says securing furniture to the wall or floor is the best way to prevent tip-overs.

If I rent, do I have written consent?

Some changes are allowed without permission in some states, but most need written consent, and you may have to restore the property at the end.

What qualifications and insurance do you hold?

Interior decoration is not a licensed occupation in most places, so ask about training and insurance and check any claim of registration in Victoria.

About this page

interiordecoration.com.au is a free, non-commercial reference page published by Radiant Life Distributors Pty Ltd, Adelaide. It sells nothing and does not list, review or recommend any decorator, designer, product, brand, shop or course provider. It is general information, not legal, building or safety advice, and it is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any organisation listed; listing is not an endorsement. Information was checked against official websites in October 2026; standards, licensing thresholds and tenancy laws change, so confirm current details with the organisations linked above.