How to Become an Interior Designer?

Have you always been fond of decorating rooms and arranging the furniture? Have you always been receiving compliments for your interior design taste from your friends and family? Then, may be a career in interior design is the right step for you. A career in interior design is exciting for people with a creative touch and are passionate to establish a living in the artistic world. Having a great taste of style and creative touch can help you to become a successful interior designer.

What kind of Training is Required to Become an Interior Designer in India?

Most interior designs typically have a bachelor’s degree. Several traditional colleges and universities or specialized school of art and design provide a plethora of courses and degree programs in interior design which eventually lead to a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree.

Students in the degree programs usually take courses pertaining to theory and history of interior design and are trained how to draw architectural sketches, build 3D models, and use CAD software.

Students also get an opportunity to educate themselves about building materials, furniture theory and construction fundamentals so that they can help their clients to choose the right furnishings and materials to suit their space. Students are introduced with the various concepts of designing different types of spaces such as retail, residential, office, public spaces, etc.

The key courses which are taken up by students in the field of interior design are listed here:

BSc in Interior Design and Decoration – 3 Years
Diploma in Interior Design – 1 Year
Undergraduate Diploma in Interior Design – 3 Years
Postgraduate Diploma in Interior Design – 2 Years
Postgraduate Diploma in Interior and Spatial Design – 2 years

Students pursuing the degree in interior design also prepare to enter the profession after graduation through internships, prepare their interior design portfolio, build a personal brand and focus on the business side of interior design by taking additional courses.

What are the Types of Interior Design You Can Choose?

Here are some of the types of interior design fields that one can take up:

Residential
Retail
Visual and Spatial Branding
Corporate
Healthcare
Hospitality and Recreation
Institutional
Industrial Facilities

What are the Different Interior Design Styles?

To be a successful interior designer in the market, one needs to be aware of the different interior design styles that are prevalent in the industry. Letting the client know that you are aware of the different styles increases your chances of getting good and profitable projects. Some of the key interior design styles are listed here:

1) American traditional

2) Indian

3) Shabby Chic

4) Arabian

5) Shaker

6) Art Deco

7) Industrial

8) South Western

9) Japanese

10) Art Nouveau

11) Medieval

12) Arts and Craft

13) Minimalist

14) Traditional

15) Chinese

16) Spanish

17) Tuscan

18) Modern

19) Moroccan

20) Vintage

21) Rustic

22) Zen

23) Gothic

24) French Country

How Long Does It Take to Become a Professional Interior Designer?

The length of time to become a completely professional and licensed interior designer depends completely on the location, the course being undertaken, and most importantly how fast you grasp the concepts and develop your creative skills. It can take up to four or more years to meet the educational requirements and be eligible to take a licensing examination and set up a business.

How to Be a Good Interior Designer?

First and foremost, you need to understand that there is a difference between decorators and designers and interior designing isn’t all about fabric and fun. Having a knack for design is key in establishing yourself in the interior designing field. Here are some of the key points you need to understand before diving into the artistic field:

You need to have a creative touch
You need to be a people person
You need to develop a portfolio
You need to be prepared for fierce competition in the field
Virtual designers have a great opportunity
You need to know the local codes and laws
You need to understand the styles of the clients
You need to have a good eye for colour
You need to be ready for multitasking
You need to have a natural talent for proportion, scale, balance, and perspective

What Does an Interior Designer Do?

A typical day in an interior designer’s life is usually fast-paced and involves a lot of multitasking. The beautiful space that a designer creates for their client involves months of planning, hard work, and creative thinking. Some of the main responsibilities of an interior designer are listed here:

Sourcing of new clients and projects
Prepare briefs, sketches, plans, and quotes according to the project requirements
Create a timeline for the entire project
Evaluate and assess the client’s requirements
Prepare drawings from the initial sketches using a computer software
Source fixtures, fittings, and furnishings
Regularly meet clients and visit the site

How do You Become An Interior Designer in India

Interior designers work with both, commercial and residential clients to help them plan and design work and living environments. They overlook the complete process of creating a space right from researching the client’s needs, sketching plans and creating them using a CAD software, purchasing materials, and ensuring that the plans are implemented as per the client’s needs and on time.

So, how to become a successful interior designer? Here are the key steps involved that need to be taken care of while fulfilling the dream of becoming a good interior designer:

Learn the Basics of Interior Design:

It is not only essential to be creative, imaginative and artistic but also be organized, business-savvy and disciplined. Interior designers must be comfortable in dealing with difficult clients, work collaboratively with architects and contractors, and have excellent budgetary and time management skills. Being one of the challenging fields, one should seek a college degree in interior design, professional certification, and gain relevant experience in the field. (picklelicious.com)

Learn formal Concepts, Methods, and Theory:

This is one of the key steps in the path of being a great and knowledgeable interior designer. Formal concepts are the various terms and ideas that shape your design and helps you to figure out how to design an interior space. Design methods create a streamlined framework for how the designs can be implemented. Design theory helps you understand why certain designs work and certain don’t.

Build a Strong Portfolio and a Personal Brand

This is one of the key steps in building your career in interior designing. While stills in design school, take photos of your recently concluded projects, include pictures of hand-drawn sketches, sample boards, SketchUp and CAD drawings, etc. to build a strong portfolio and personal brand. An impressive portfolio can go a long way to help you land a great job in interior designing.

Continue Growing Your Skills

Design prowess, technical skills, and business knowledge are not all learned at once or only at a design school. Keeping a constant touch with learning can keep your skills and designer’s competencies up-to-date. There are several institutes which continually provide training for established interior designers to help them sharpen their skills in designing and help them market their skills in a better manner.

Conclusion

The post must have given a clear idea about interior designing and how can one become a successful interior designer. One must understand the different skills required, the path that needs to be taken, the courses that need to be undertaken, the key interior design styles that one can focus on, and how can one hone the skills of becoming a leading interior designer in the industry.