Becoming an Interior Designer

Interior designers are concerned with producing sound, useful, and stimulating spaces for a wide range of uses. They plan the detail of the decoration of interiors of offices, hotels, aircraft, ships, and private homes. One specialist area is the rehabilitation of old buildings. Exhibition designers, also known as, "Exterior Designers" are responsible for the look of the exhibition, from the display stands to the graphics, or they may design one company's stand in a larger event.

The Job:

Initially, interior designers meet the client to discuss the brief for the project and negotiate a timescale and a cost. Designers need an understanding of the types of people who will be using the space and will research the image or theme that the client wishes to produce and the uses to which the space will be put. They must also be aware of the various technical processes available and the requirements of heating and ventilating, as well as the constraints of the particular project, whether they are financial, environmental, or concerned with health and safety.

Through the use of materials, textures, patterns, color, scale, and acoustics, interior designers are able to evoke different moods. They sketch a range of preliminary ideas from which some will be chosen to work on for presentation to the client. After showing clients a selection of sketches and sample boards illustrating the fabrics and wall coverings, designs often have to be changed and resubmitted. The original ideas are then refined to produce detailed drawings, models and specifications that will be used by craftspeople when the design is executed.

Interior designers plan many of the smaller details in a building that help to evoke the theme, from furniture and soft furnishings to ornaments and lighting. This aspect of the work is similar to that of interior decorators, who specialize in advising purely on color schemes, including soft furnishings. These specialists are sometimes referred to as color analysts.

Interior designers need a flair for color. They must also be able to visualize ideas in three dimensions and present them to clients. They often work in a team with architects and quantity surveyors. Many interior designers are self-employed, in which case they may run their own showroom and be responsible for locating samples. Another aspect of the work may be finding and supervising craftspeople capable of carrying out the designs, and outworkers to make up soft furnishings.

Exhibition designers also work to a brief. They need to carry out research, consult with the client, and express their ideas in the form of sketches and models. The requirements of a museum exhibition are very different from the promotion of a well-known company at a trade fair.

Exhibition stands need to be imaginative, eye-catching, and, in the case of a large corporation, immediately recognizable. A brief may require the best use of limited space, access to electricity and water, and the needs of customers. The designer will have to bear in mind that exhibition venues vary and stands will also have to be dismantled and transported.

Training Involved:

Most interior or exhibition designers have completed a degree or diploma course at a college, university or specialized art school. The entry requirements are usually based on students' portfolios, their performance at interviews, and a good academic record.

Courses may be a based introduction to 3D design, including industrial design model making, or specialize in interior or exhibition design. Courses usually include ergonomics, computer-aided design, and building and design techniques. For those without specialist qualifications, there may be limited opportunities to join a furnishing showroom or manufacturer museum and gain experience.

Useful Qualifications to Have:

Useful subjects include: English, art, technical drawing, and business studies.

Salary Expectations:

The base salary range of an Interior Designer range from $28,499 to $57,901 annually, while the median salary for most Interior Designers is $43,500 annually. (US Base Pay)

Future Prospects:

This is not any easy area of design in which to make a living. Some large organizations, such as international hotel groups, employ their own designers, but many designers work for design groups and consultancies or architectural practices. Career advancement may be to design manager. There is less design work at this level, since managers will be responsible for supervising the work of a number of less senior designers and dealing with clients.

Some designers may aspire to running their own design consultancy business. A number of designers become self-employed freelancers. As a freelance interior designer, your reputation will depend on the quality of the work you produce and on that of the sub-contractors you use.

For further information, contact a country's institute or association of interior designers/decorators.