How to become an interior designer

Have you ever walked into a room so harmoniously put together and visually pleasing that it left a lasting impression? If so, then it was probably the work of an interior designer. If your passion lies in making living spaces beautiful, interior design is a great career choice.  

If you’re interested in pursuing this career, it is worth knowing that interior design is growing and has a worldwide worth of more than 136 Billion USD. In this article, I will outline all you need to know about interior design and how to become an interior designer. 

What is interior design? 

The art of improving interior spaces is known as interior design. An area may be made more aesthetically pleasing, practical, and safe by interior designers.

Whether you’re fixing up your home or setting up a business space, interior design helps create rooms that look good and serve their purpose well.

What are the responsibilities of an interior designer?

Space planning, product research, communicating with project stakeholders (home and business owners, builders, and retailers), creating timetables, supervising construction, and carrying out the design are just a few of the numerous tasks involved in the work. 

Interior designers spend months planning, thinking outside the box, and working diligently to create stunning spaces for their customers. As an interior designer, you should be expected to handle the following responsibilities: 

• Find new customers and projects
• Create quotations, drawings, and briefs following the work requirements.
• Create a project timeline.
• Determine and assess the client’s needs.
• Create detailed drawings using the preliminary sketches, which are often completed on a computer.
• Locate and source fixtures, fittings, and furniture.
• Attend client meetings and site visits regularly.

Naturally, this is by no means a comprehensive list. Interior designers need to be adaptable and fast to respond to any issues that may come up throughout a project.

What are my career choices as an interior designer?

When it comes to pursuing a profession in interior design, there are several options. For example, interior designers may work for themselves or for businesses like design firms or building companies. Interior designers might focus on restoration and preservation, residential spaces, or commercial spaces.

Interior designers might concentrate on a variety of specialties within each of these categories. 

Kitchen, bathroom, and accessibility design are just a few of the specializations available to residential interior designers.

Hotels, restaurants, and workplaces are among the places where commercial interior designers operate. Governmental structures and healthcare facilities are two areas in which they may specialize.

Historic spaces are the focus of restoration interior design. A specialized understanding of preservation techniques and how to preserve a building’s historic status is necessary for these positions. They may work in museums, historic residences, or other sites.

How Much Does an Interior Designer Typically Make?

How much you earn as an interior designer will depend on your location, skills, expertise, and experience. On average, interior designers make 85,000 USD per year in the US according to Glassdoor, while it is 35,000 EUR in the UK. In Nigeria, an interior designer makes 200,000 NGN on average per month. 

How to become an interior designer

1. Make up your mind 

Becoming an interior designer requires a lot of planning and hard work. It is not something you can just wake up and decide to do on a whim. You must think carefully about why you want to become an interior designer and the steps you need to take to become one.

So before anything, make sure you make up your mind so that you can have the right mindset to pursue a career in interior design. 

2. Get a degree 

Having a degree is not a prerequisite for becoming an interior designer. Nonetheless, for a number of reasons, it is highly recommended to have a degree in interior design. 

Having a degree will provide you with the knowledge to succeed in the field. If you’ve never studied interior design, you probably don’t know all there is to know about the discipline, even if you have excellent design intuition or expertise in other design professions. For instance, universal accessibility requirements, construction rules, and inspection procedures must all be understood by interior designers.

Another reason to consider a bachelor’s degree is that most interior design businesses prefer designers with at least a bachelor’s degree. Pay attention to institutions that offer degrees in interior design since a bachelor’s degree is sometimes the minimum required for design businesses and becoming a certified interior designer. Even if enrolling in a shorter interior design course that merely grants a diploma or other certificate might save you time and money, you’ll discover that it won’t be nearly as respected in the field as a degree.

3. Enroll in an interior design course 

A degree might not teach everything you need to know in interior design. If you are interested in learning more, then consider enrolling in an interior design course and earning a certificate. These are excellent for developing abilities like CAD, Photoshop, and technical drawing.

A professional-standard certification and the ability to manage a project for a paying customer are essential, so having a certification in interior design is something that will benefit you greatly. 

4. Start an internship or apprenticeship 

Accepting internships and apprenticeships is another method to get started. Put your knowledge and abilities to use by locating positions in the market that are ideal for recent graduates or enrolled students.

In addition to gaining practical knowledge and experience, you will have the opportunity to learn from other designers.

5. Build your knowledge and skills

As previously said, taking interior design-focused classes and attending schools is one approach to launching your profession. Beyond schooling, however, other crucial traits and skill sets might be useful.

Start learning more about colors, textures, and design principles. Designers are known for their creative vision and meticulous attention to detail. Keep abreast of global and industry trends to make sure you’re ahead of the competition. 

Learn as much as you can about the interior design field. Attend as many shows, galleries, and exhibits as you can to get ideas for interior design and to take in other people’s work. Travel is also a major source of inspiration. Take pictures of the things that have thrilled you and create albums of them. Read periodicals and books, and keep up with other designers’ internet endeavors. 

6. Build a portfolio

Maintaining an up-to-date online design portfolio is an excellent first step when beginning a career in interior design. It will allow you to impress both potential customers and school admissions committees.

Additionally, remember to update your portfolio with the most recent information as soon as you enroll in interior design school or begin to secure interior designer employment. Every job you complete will demonstrate your proficiency, build your professional reputation, and bring in new business.

Don’t worry if you don’t have one yet; just look for a website builder that offers some lovely themes that complement the style you want for your interior design project. Free trials are available from several providers so you can choose which one is best for you. When creating your portfolio as an interior designer, keep the following points in mind:

• Make thoughtful selections while selecting photos for your portfolio. Even if you have a lot of photos to choose from, you only want to display pieces that will wow the audience. Consider seeking a second opinion from a coworker or fellow designer if you’re unable to decide which photos to remove.
• Think about a few strategies to differentiate your portfolio from others. Making a fantastic logo is one example. It allows you to quickly convey your style to prospective customers.
• Create a case study instead of simply sharing pictures. You’ll have the opportunity to describe all of the effort that went into the project and the rationale behind your chosen course of action. You may always present some school work or interior design projects if you don’t yet have any professional experience.
• Simply look at other interior designers’ portfolios to see how the best in the business are presenting their work if you’re ever at a loss for ideas.

7. Work on your resume 

For professionals in the design industry, having a portfolio of their best work is extremely important but they often undermine the effect of a powerful resume. Your portfolio may be amazing but if your resume falls short, you may not get the job.

So don’t forget to spend time working on your resume. As you’re building an outstanding portfolio, make sure that your resume stands out too. 

8. Establish connections 

Make connections and meet people. Create social media profiles. It is an excellent method for networking and idea gathering. This is something you need to start early, even before you graduate and start looking for jobs.

This will give you a head start in the profession and help build your skills since you will be meeting and connecting with professionals in the field.

9. Find a job 

With a stellar portfolio and resume, you can start looking for interior design jobs. This is where the contacts and the connections you have made will help. Reach out to the people you know and let them know about your interest in finding a job. 

When looking for a job, do not limit yourself. Apply for even the jobs you feel you are not qualified for, but also remain realistic and grounded. Balance is key here. While applying for the best jobs in the field, apply for the ones you know you qualify for and will not have a hard time getting. 

10. Continue learning 

After being a professional interior designer, how can you maintain your excellence? Continue to network with other professionals in the sector, think about becoming a member of a professional organization, and enroll in further training programs.

Interior design is a field that is always changing, therefore designers need to remain current. 

Conclusion

Interior design is a rewarding career choice, especially for creative individuals. If you’re interested in becoming an interior designer, it is never too early or too late to begin. Start planning today and you will achieve great results in the next few years.