Interior designers make indoor spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting essential and decorative items, such as colors, lighting, and materials. They must be able to draw, read, and edit blueprints. They see out a project from conception to creation. Design plans should be mindful of safety and functionality requirements and maintain strict adherence to building codes and regulatory standards.
Why should you consider a career in Interior Design?
The demand for interior design is growing. Its popularity is increasing as more people see the advantages of hiring an interior designer to create beautiful spaces to enjoy. Interior design is for all business types, not just residential properties. For example, there has been an enormous rise in demand for creative workspaces with inspiring interiors or luxury boutique hotels. This awareness opens the door to abundant opportunities for interior designers to be part of exciting projects across the globe.
Your Career in Interior Design Starts HERE.
Interior Designer Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in interior design or related field.
- Portfolio of design work.
- Project management experience.
- Experience with computational design.
- Highly creative, imaginative, and artistic.
- Excellent communication skills, especially regarding communicating an artistic vision.
- Proficiency in AutoCAD, Illustrator, SketchUp, or similar design software.
Interior Designer Responsibilities:
- Outline client design objectives.
- Conceptualize and sketch design plans.
- Determine the cost of completion and project requirements in the budgeting phase.
- Set a timeline for the completion of an interior design project.
- Source materials and products included in plans.
- Create ‘mood boards’ to sample your design vision.
- Utilize computer applications in the design process.
- Inspect design after completion to determine whether client goals have been met.
Average Wages
There is potential to earn an excellent salary in the interior design industry depending on one’s certifications, skill set, training, and the type of firm or interior design specialty one pursues. If you start by working for a design firm, you will be on a modest wage; however, as you gain experience and confidence, you can move up through the industry and advance your role and salary.
If you decide to branch out on your own and work for yourself, your salary is limitless depending on how hard you want to work and for whom you work. As your experience and reputation as an interior designer grow, you can choose the jobs you want to do, and that brings in the most significant returns. On average, interior designers work between 45-50 hours per week. Full-time interior designers will work 8–10-hour days, 5-6 days per week.
- Junior Designer median salary of $46,800 per year ($22.50 per hour).
- Designers’ w/3-5 years of experience median salary of $57,200 per year (27.50 per hour).
- Senior Interior Designers with 6+ years of experience median salary of $120,000 per year.
Step 1
Set Your Foundation for Education
Earning your high school diploma is your first step toward becoming an interior designer. Basic reading, writing, and math knowledge are critical to pursuing any career in the pro-trade industry. Excellent comprehension, communication, and intrapersonal skills are essential for interior designers. A solid foundation in math is necessary since the work often involves making accurate measurements and interpreting blueprints. Areas of your high school or equivalent education that will benefit you as an interior designer include:
- Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry
- Imperial and Metric units of measure
- Composition, Grammar, and Presentation Skills
Step 2
Enroll in technical courses
Once you have earned your high school diploma, the next step is to enroll in a higher education learning center offering disciplines associated with interior design. These learning centers could be a college, university, community college, or technical/art institution.
BIM software is 3D design and modeling software that optimizes the work of designing for interior design, architecture, and construction projects. Fluency in BIM software, such as Revit, AutoCAD, Chief Architect, Sketchup, and the like, will be essential. Many higher education campuses offer classes in this discipline. There are also external sources for online training from the program manufacturers.
Step 3
Find an apprenticeship
Depending on your program, you may be required to work alongside an experienced interior designer as an apprentice for a certain number of hours. Even if there is no requirement, an internship is highly recommended to gain a comprehensive understanding of an interior designer’s day-to-day role and duties. The length of the apprenticeship or internship will vary.
Step 4
Validate your knowledge through certifications and licenses
Once you have achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design (or similar), you may advance your credentials through certifications and registrations. Many states and certification programs will require a certain number of hours of additional training or under a registered interior designer and passing a written exam, a practical test, or both for you to earn a certification or license. Once you have passed the tests and satisfied all the requirements associated with your chosen license or certificate, you must maintain continuing education credits to renew your appellations.