Questions and Answers About a Career As an Interior Designer

Do you have a creative side? Are you interested in color schemes and design patterns? Are you competitive by nature? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you might be a prime candidate for a career in interior design. This rewarding and often high paying career lets you use your creativity to make peoples’ homes and businesses more visually appealing. Interior design can include furnishings, furniture, windows, doors, textures, lights, finishes, walls and floors.

Interior designers are responsible for making spaces more functional, visually pleasing and safe for the builder and homeowner. Working as an interior design professional, you will be able to feel the satisfaction of knowing that you were able to help someone’s vision become a reality. Plus you will be able to meet many interesting new people along the way. Many times people that employ interior design professional are rich or sometimes even famous! Each project will be something new which will keep your career fresh and exciting!

Interior designers are in high demand and the field is growing quickly. As a designer, you will either obtain a job working for an interior design and decorating firm or you can start your own business and be your own boss. A bachelor’s degree is suggested for an entry level position in the field. Educational opportunities are available in most colleges and universities and the curriculum typically includes drawing, computer-aided design, perspective, color and fabrics, furniture design, architecture and spatial planning. Some students wishing to advance their career opportunities even go on to get a master’s degree or a doctoral degree in interior design.

Interior design professionals must be highly creative, analytical, organized, and flexible. They should be highly skilled at choosing colors, prints, patterns, fabrics and building materials that match their client’s desires, requirements, and budget. Interior designers should be proficient in graphic design software and CAD, along with having a simple understanding of the latest design trends and fads. Since interior designers often work independently and must meet be able to meet project deadlines, self-discipline and good time management skills are crucial. Interior designers should have good interpersonal and oral communication skills, since their jobs rely on interviewing clients, acquiring new business and forming relationships with vendors in the interior design industry.

Interior designers often give their clients advice on color schemes, window treatments, and hardware and lighting fixtures. They also suggest finishes for walls, ceilings, floors, and cabinets. They help choose accessories, such as paintings or lamps, which will help to accent a room. Interior designers communicate with their clients to decide how much work needs to be done. They also take into consideration the clients’ lifestyle, personal tastes, and budget requirements when they create their designs. They draw up floor plans or sketches, which are often times completed with computer-aided design, rather than by hand. Interior designers present these plans and sketches to clients along with color charts, fabric swatches, photographs, and sometimes even original designs for furniture.