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Interior Designer Career Information

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Interior Designer Career InformationI nterior spaces serve a broad range of purposes, from working to sleeping to eating. In order to ensure that these spaces meet the needs of their users, interior design professionals are called in to perform the important task of working out the functional and aesthetic elements.

What is Interior Design?

"What is interior design?" is an important question to ask if you're considering a career in this exciting field. Interior design is the area of design that is concerned with the process of creating interior spaces that address form and function as well as public health, safety, accessibility, and environmental considerations. Additionally, this design discipline can include creating plans for everything from interior layouts to spatial usage to soft furnishings.

Another characteristic of interior design is that it entails a comprehensive process of research, programming (i.e., designing), construction, and follow-up. Further to this, the practice of interior design involves technical, creative, and business tasks.

What is an Interior Designer?

In addition to understanding the function of interior design, it's also important to know the answer to the question, "What is an interior designer?"

Simply put, an interior designer is someone who designs interior spaces for a variety of uses. An interior designer follows a systematic process to help clients achieve well-designed spaces—within residential, commercial, institutional, and other settings—that satisfy functional objectives, align with client tastes, and adhere to government regulations.

Interior designers utilize knowledge about an array of topics such as design theory, spatial planning, construction documentation, building processes, and budgeting. They may also use a variety of tools and technologies to complete projects, from traditional art supplies (e.g., pens, pencils, and paints) to computer aided design and drafting (CADD) software applications.

Generally, an interior designer is someone who possesses strong artistic abilities as well as organization, time management, communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership skills.

An interior designer can hold any number of individual positions under the umbrella of the interior design profession, including:

What Does an Interior Designer Do?

Interior designers perform a broad range of tasks in a variety of areas, including initial consultation, research, programming, initial planning, design development, construction, implementation, and follow-up. Within these phases (for typical residential or commercial design projects), an interior designer may:

Interior Design vs. Interior Decorating: Can You Explain the Difference?

Although sometimes used interchangeably, the terms "interior design" and "interior decorating" represent similar yet distinctly separate fields. But since "interior designer vs. interior decorator" is a common online search, here is a breakdown of each position to help you gain a clear understanding of the differences:

An interior designer:

An interior decorator:

Can You Tell Me How to Become an Interior Designer?

If you are interested in pursuing a career as an interior designer, then understanding how to get into interior design is an essential step for getting started.

Post-secondary education

In order to become an interior designer, a post-secondary education is strongly recommended. A formal education is not required to take on many of the tasks associated with interior design in most states, but it is generally a fundamental obligation for obtaining a job in the field.

Typically, a bachelor's degree (preferably in interior design) will best prepare you to enter the field. However, an associate's degree may be sufficient in some cases (depending on state licensing requirements).

An interior design degree program can provide you with the creative, technical, and business skills required to take on a junior role within the interior design field. Plus, you can benefit from the opportunity to learn from experienced interior design professionals, build a portfolio showcasing your best work, and participate in internships and other hands-on components.

Without obtaining a degree credential, you might only qualify for design assistant positions. However, you might have a very difficult time even attaining a role at this level since degree holders often go after these positions in order to gain the practical experience necessary to become licensed or registered.

Work experience

After graduation, the most common next step involves pursuing an entry-level job with an interior design firm or another similar organization. At this point, many individuals choose to enroll in the Interior Design Experience Program (IDEP), which is an innovative offering from the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) that helps new interior designers properly earn and document their work experience (which is nearly always a requirement for state licensing/registration).

This work experience component can consist of both unpaid internships and paid work and generally takes anywhere from two to four years (depending on the length of your schooling) to complete. At this point, you could technically be working in an interior designer role; however, you might not be entitled to use that moniker yet.

It is recommended that you begin your career by working under the supervision of an NCIDQ-certified interior designer in order to help ensure that you have the opportunity to learn from a professional who has gone through rigorous education, experience, and examination requirements and can offer guidance and mentorship as you move through the process.

Industry certification

Depending on where you live, you may or may not be required to become licensed, registered, or certified as an interior designer in order to work in the field. Each state regulates this profession independently and has its own set of rules regarding title and/or practice.

Title legislation covers who can call themselves an "interior designer" and may involve the use of the terms "registered," "certified," or "licensed" within the name. The purpose of this type of regulation is to control the image of the profession and ensure that the general public can trust the interior design industry as a whole. Practice legislation, on the other hand, determines who can practice interior design. Since an interior designer who has met state requirements can often perform strictly regulated duties (such as approving construction plans and obtaining work permits), rules surrounding practice are in place to guarantee that these services are carried out by individuals who have the adequate qualifications and knowledge to do so safely.

In order to attain industry licensing/certification at the state level, interior designers must meet varying requirements for post-secondary education, work experience, and education. Generally, NCIDQ certification is required to become a credentialed interior designer, along with various other conditions such as passing a state-administered competency examination.

To achieve (and maintain) the NCIDQ certification, you must:

Upon meeting these requirements, you can obtain your NCIDQ certification, which can then open the door to membership in other industry-recognized organizations, including:

While meeting the NCIDQ certification standards is not mandatory in all states, it is recommended. In states where the interior design profession is not regulated, this credential can offer proof of competency and qualification. Because of this, becoming NCIDQ-certified can offer additional (and potentially valuable) credibility.

Advancement

After becoming a licensed, registered, or certified interior designer, you will likely spend the next few years refining your portfolio, building a client base, cultivating relationships with suppliers and other industry professionals, and gaining experience on a variety of projects. You will also be continually developing your design approach and style and learning which area of design is best suited to your particular interests and skills.

Although there is no structured path for advancement in interior design, you may have the opportunity to move on to a higher-level position within a design firm (such as chief designer) once you've gained enough experience. Or you may choose to venture out on your own (if you haven't already) and become an entrepreneur within the interior design field. One characteristic of this profession that is important to understand is that (like many other creative fields) success is generally not tied to seniority, but rather to initiative and talent.

What are the Prerequisites for an Interior Design Program?

In order to be granted entry into an interior design program, you will likely need to do some or all of the following:

How Do I Choose the Right Interior Design School and Program?

No matter where your career goals lie, deciding on a school and program for your post-secondary education is a big decision. Before making your selection, it's important to look at:

Accreditation

Keeping the preferred goal of certification in mind, a post-secondary education from an accredited college or university is often mandatory for meeting state requirements. Further to this, you should consider a school that has obtained accreditation from an organization that awards accreditation specifically to interior design or general art and design programs. These accrediting bodies include:

Program curricula/format

Program curricula can vary from school to school. So before sending out any applications, you should take a good look at the specific curriculum for each program that you're considering. You may want to:

Faculty and student services

Knowing who will be teaching you is an important factor in the selection of a school. Because of this, you may want to talk with program alumni, meet in person with a member (or members) of the faculty, or contact the school itself in order to find out if the instructors are experienced, credentialed, currently working in the field, and are skilled mentors.

Additionally, you should find out about the student services offered by each school, including career placement assistance, academic advising, tutoring, and internship programs.

School facilities

Setting the stage for your education will be the school's physical campus facilities, which should reflect the environments and technologies found within the interior design field. Look for schools that feature well-equipped design labs, including those that contain industry-current CADD equipment and software applications, studio spaces, and more.

Personal fit

Since you can expect to spend anywhere from two to four years of intense study obtaining your education, it's important to attend a school that aligns with your individual interests and goals. To this end, you should look at the culture of the school, where past graduates have found employment, and other factors.

Are There Any Interior Design Specializations That I Should Consider?

Within the field of interior design, there is a broad range of niche areas that designers can choose to acquire skills or certification in. Whether you simply want to gain additional skills to enhance your qualifications or would like to focus your practice, specialization can be a great way to set yourself apart from the competition. To become specialized in a particular area, you can generally take actions such as taking on projects in that area, completing relevant continuing education courses, and earning industry certifications.

Some of the most common interior design specializations include:

Green (sustainable) design

As this discipline continues to evolve from a fringe niche to a mainstream area of interior design, the qualifications for green or sustainable design are becoming much more desirable and important.

Green design focuses on a variety of factors throughout the design and remodeling processes, including efficient use of resources, selection of non-toxic and sustainable products, optimal air quality, the use of recycled and reclaimed materials, and more.

Most notably, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) offers a program called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Through this program, you can earn a number of certifications, such as the LEED Accredited Professional credential, which requires candidates to possess relevant experience and complete a two-part examination.

Additionally, the USGBC and the ASID have partnered together to offer the REGREEN program, which can allow you to become certified in renovating and remodeling sustainably. This credential can be earned by completing the required courses offered through these two organizations.

Residential design

Residential design is one of the most popular areas of the industry, especially for those who are interested in working part time or on an intermittent basis. This area of design is concerned with designing and redesigning interior residential spaces, including spaces within single-family homes, townhouses, and condominiums.

Kitchen and bath design

Within the residential design niche, kitchen and bath design is a particularly popular specialty. Often, professionals who focus on this area of design work with clients who are remodeling or renovating and want to refresh or remake the look of these central home areas. In order to work in this discipline, a strong knowledge of cabinets, plumbing, fixtures, and other components are essential.

If you're considering a career in this concentrated area of the field, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) offers a number of recognized certifications, including Associate Kitchen & Bath Designer (AKBD), Certified Kitchen & Bath Professional (CKBP), Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD), Certified Bathroom Designer (CBD), and Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designer (CMKBD). All of these certifications require some combination of education and experience credentials, letters of reference, and certification examinations.

Office design

Office design is concerned with the form and function of office spaces, from small business settings to large corporate structures. This area of design requires designers to be knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects related to the efficient use of space through layout planning, light and sound requirements, and much more. Office designers may also have to consider technological needs (e.g., ensuring that space and electrical/data requirements are met), ergonomics (i.e., spaces and furniture that emphasize healthy working conditions), and other factors. Plus, office designers must work to achieve a space that reflects the culture or image of an organization.

This field is very sensitive to changing trends in the workplace, such as the shift to less hierarchical organizational structures, an increase in telecommuting and videoconferencing, and growing usage of collaborative work teams.

Hospitality design

Hospitality design is an area of design that is concerned with the planning and designing of a variety of entertainment and hospitality spaces. This design discipline requires consideration for factors such as traffic flow, lighting, acoustics, and regulations.

Generally, this type of design is based on strong themes and is an exciting and unique area of the field that focuses on "experiential design." Specific spaces that hospitality designers might create plans for include restaurants, hotels, theaters, amusement parks, cruise ships, conference facilities, and bars.

Healthcare design

From hospitals to clinics to nursing homes, healthcare design is the area that focuses on the design of spaces within these and other healthcare settings. Healthcare designers have to consider a broad range of factors that can significantly impact the way that care is delivered to patients within health-related facilities.

Creative elements such as layouts, materials, color palettes, lighting, and more can all play a vital role in the way that patients adapt to health settings, the way that healthcare professionals move within those settings, and more. Additionally, technical aspects of designs can require a focus on accessibility, health regulations, air quality, technological needs, and other factors.

If you're interested in this niche, the American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers (AAHID) offers a certification credential that is intended to certify interior designers who have obtained relevant education and experience, possess NCIDQ certification, and have completed an AAHID-administered examination.

Accessible (universal) design

Generally considered a combination of residential and healthcare design, the field of accessible design (also called universal design) is one that involves creating spaces for individuals who have special physical needs that can be addressed by adapting spaces.

A large area of this niche involves design for older adults who want to remodel their homes in order to extend their ability to live independently. To this end, an accessible design plan may call for increased lighting (which can help with diminishing eyesight), the installation of ramps (which can help with limited mobility), and more. Designs might also require hallways to be widened or bathrooms to be revamped to allow for wheelchair access.

If you are considering this area of expertise, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) offers the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) program, which helps designers to develop the skills and knowledge needed to serve this population.

Institutional (education and government) design

Institutional design addresses the needs of a variety of public use facilities, such as community centers, schools, college and university buildings, government offices, police stations, correctional facilities, and libraries. This area of design requires the consideration of a wide range of unique factors, including efficient use of space, strict financial constraints, functionality, safety, and future needs. A number of facility-specific elements must also be looked at, from the ability for community centers to serve multiple functions to how classrooms can be designed to foster student engagement.

Commercial and retail design

Commercial design looks at how to design efficient and effective spaces that serve the needs of retail and wholesale organizations. This means that designs are developed to help clients attract their target demographic and present products in the most appealing way possible, furthering the goals of the client to move its inventory. Within this niche, you might have the opportunity to design department stores, retail showrooms, small shops, grocery stores, and much more.

How Much Does Interior Design School Cost?

The cost of attending interior design school can vary from institution to institution and program to program. However, you can expect to spend somewhere in the range of a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars per year of academic study.

In addition to tuition fees, there are other costs associated with pursuing a career in interior design, including:

How Long is Interior Design School?

Interior design associate's degree programs take approximately two years to complete, whereas bachelor's degree programs take about four years to complete (based on full-time study). However, with so many different options available (such as online or hybrid programs, part-time study, and accelerated program formats), the time it takes to finish a program can vary depending on your specific situation.

What Can I Learn in an Interior Design Program?

Each interior design program is unique and will be based upon its own distinctive curriculum. However, most programs are developed to meet the requirements of the industry and enable students to take the NCIDQ examination.

You can expect to obtain a strong creative, technical, and business foundation to help you prepare for a future within the interior design field. Specifically, your education may cover the following topics:

Creative design

Technical considerations

Business fundamentals

Where Do Interior Designers Work?

Interior designers tend to work in their own office settings but may also spend time at locations such as:

Additionally, since many interior designers are self-employed, many of them work out of a home office.

What is a Typical Interior Designer Salary?

The typical interior design salary varies depending on factors such as education level, certification, experience, reputation, area of expertise, and geographic location.

According to national estimates from May 2011, the interior design salary range in the U.S. broke down this way: *

Additionally, you may be wondering, "How much does an interior designer make where I live?" While it's best to research your specific area by talking to local designers and interior design schools, the best-paying states for interior designers include the District of Columbia, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Utah. Further to this, the lowest-earning states for interior designers include West Virginia, North Dakota, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Kentucky, respectively. *

Is the Interior Design Job Outlook Positive?

If you're considering a future as an interior designer, you are likely asking, "Is interior design in high demand?" since this factor can impact your potential for professional success.

In the field of interior design, outlook for new jobs is estimated to be on pace with the average for all occupations, and employment in the field is expected to grow by approximately 19 percent from 2010 to 2020. This growth is predicted to account for an additional 10,900 jobs over this ten-year period. **

A number of factors affecting this field account for the change in interior design demand, such as an increased requirement for specialized designers to provide services to an aging population and a growing demand for services related to the building and remodeling of environmentally sustainable spaces.

What are the Pros and Cons of Becoming an Interior Designer?

The interior design profession offers a number of exciting benefits, but, like any field, it has its challenges as well. Some of the pros and cons include:

Pros

Cons

How Can I Excel as an Interior Designer?

Some of the previous questions have outlined how to get into the field of interior design, but you may also be wondering how you can excel in the field and become a great interior designer.

Just like most areas of life, getting ahead in interior design means going the extra mile. So if you want to achieve excellence as an interior designer, the following tips can help you make it happen:

Is Interior Design the Right Choice for Me?

Before entering the interior design profession, it's crucial to evaluate whether or not this career path is a match for your specific abilities, interests, goals, and values. In order to make this determination, consider the following questions:

If you answered yes to most or all of these questions, then you may indeed be an ideal candidate for this field.

Where Do I Go From Here?

With the answers to your top questions about becoming an interior designer in now your grasp, you may be ready to take the next step in realizing your goal of entering this creative and exciting field. A good way to get started is by exploring some of the interior design schools and programs near you.


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Main Sources

* Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment Statistics, website last accessed on January 16, 2013.

** Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

International Interior Design Association (IIDA), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

Careers in Interior Design, website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers (AAHID), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.

National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), website last accessed on January 11, 2013.