What an interior designer actually does
A designer starts with a brief: how you live, who lives with you, what you want to keep. From that comes a layout, then a mood or material board, then working drawings: furniture layouts, electrical points, false ceiling, elevations of each wall and details of each built-in. On larger projects the designer also sequences the trades so the electrician finishes before the carpenter closes a wall, and checks work at site visits. Many designers specify or source loose furniture, lighting, curtains and rugs. Fee models in India vary: a design-only fee, a percentage of project cost, or turnkey where the designer executes through their own teams. Ask which model you are signing up for, because it decides what the designer is responsible for.
What a carpenter actually does
A carpenter turns drawings, or verbal instructions, into plywood, laminate, veneer and hardware. On a designed project the carpenter works from the designer's elevations and sections. On a direct job the carpenter often measures, suggests sizes and builds in one flow. Good carpenters bring practical knowledge a drawing may miss: which hinge suits a heavy shutter, how much clearance a loft needs, where a joint will show. Most carpenters supply labour and either buy material on your behalf or ask you to buy it. Clarify which, because it changes who is responsible if the plywood is not the grade you paid for.
When you need both, and when one is enough
A carpenter alone is usually enough for a limited job: wardrobes in two bedrooms, a shoe rack, a study table. You decide the design, perhaps from photographs, and the carpenter builds it. A designer becomes worth the fee when several trades have to coordinate, when you are changing layouts, when you want a consistent look across rooms, or when you cannot be on site regularly. Designer-led projects without a good carpenter fail too: a strong drawing built badly is still built badly. Many designers work with carpenters they trust, and it is reasonable to ask to see a finished site by the same team.
Who is accountable for what
Write it down. Under a turnkey contract, the designer is responsible for design, material, workmanship, timeline and the carpenter's conduct, and you deal only with the designer. Under a design-only contract, the designer is responsible for drawings being correct and buildable; the carpenter is responsible for building to those drawings with the agreed material; you are the one who pays both and settles disputes between them. Loose furniture bought from a maker is covered by that maker's specification, ready-by date and warranty, not by the designer or the carpenter, even if the designer chose it. Keep each set of commitments separate and on paper.
Where furniture makers fit in
Sofas, recliners, upholstered beds and dining sets usually come from a furniture maker rather than the site carpenter. The designer chooses or approves them; the maker builds and warrants them. For this to work, the maker should give drawings and a written specification the designer can check against the room. SOISU provides drawings, technical drawings and 3D visualisation, a signed specification before production, a ready-by date on the order and a 2-year warranty on the terms in the order. If site work runs late, SOISU holds finished furniture free for up to 30 days.