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Plus, what Education You Will Need! Do you dream about having a career in interior design? You're not alone. Many creative and design-oriented people think of a career as interior design as a dream job. However, there can be a lot of confusion when trying to figure out what education you need and what your career prospects are. In your search to find answers about how to become an interior designer and start a career in the interior design field, you can come across a lot of conflicting information. Why, for example, is there so much confusion over who can call themselves an interior designer? Today we'll explore the different types and "levels" of interior designer and give you an idea of what it will take for you to 'unlock' the job of your dreams. Discovering the Career Options Within Interior Design Before starting my interior design education I did a lot of reading about the industry and about the different interior design career options. I discovered that there are in fact TEN types of interior specialists who may be given the interior designer handle. This list of the most common interior design careers and what education is needed for each will clue you in! What We'll Cover -We'll start by defining what an interior designer is and what they do. -We'll touch on scope of work and how it can differ depending on what specialization you choose within the interior design field. -We'll talk about ten great career options within the broader interior design field and how much training or education you will need for each of them. -Lastly, I 'll give you a list of questions to help you self-evaluate and discover the type of interior design career you are interested in. -I'll also explain why it's a good idea to have a learning objective. Don't miss some excellent resources for interior design career research and other helpful tips which I will link at the end of the article. Let's dive in, shall we? In a hurry? Start here. Let's Define Interior Designer Dictionary Definition The dictionary defines "interior designer" as someone who specializes in interior design. Someone who plans the decoration of the interior of a house or building is another definition. To design something means to make or draw plans for something. Summary So, to summarize: An interior designer is a specialist who plans the decoration of the interior of a house or building. In truth, what an interior designer actually does in the course of a project is way more involved than can be summed up here. If you are interested in knowing more, please read these introductory articles here: 2 Big Reasons Why Interior Design is Important 4 Reasons Why Interior Design Exists So, You Want to Be an Interior Designer? The 10 Commandments of Interior Design What does the Interior Designers 'Scope' of Work Mean? Interior Design Professional Practice and the Law The "scope of work" in interior design refers to the specific tasks, duties, and responsibilities that an interior designer has been hired to perform in relation to a particular project. In terms of the project scope, scope of work can include everything from the initial consultations and space planning for the project to selecting furniture, materials, and finishes. It would also include coordinating with contractors and other professionals; and ensuring that the final design meets the needs and expectations of the client. Thus, the scope of work can vary widely depending on the size and complexity of the project, as well as the specific skills and expertise of the designer. 'Scope' in interior design, can also refer to legal scope: how much interior designers are actually, legally, allowed to do in the course of their design work, as well as delivery scope: what they have been hired to do by the client. Ideally, these two requirements are in agreement. If you are interested in exploring the legalities that come with interior design practice, the following excellent resource will get you started. The Whole Building Design Guide: Design Disciples, Interior Design On the whole, governing agencies that oversee new constructions, renovations and urban planning in most countries are concerned with clearly defining the extent of change that professionals in the building industry can make to a building safely, and especially with regard to building and fire codes. This oversight includes approving the work of construction professionals and engineers, as well as designers and architects who plan buildings. This is by no means a complete guide. Please remember to seek specific advice for your situation and to do your own research for where you live. Interior Design Job Site Hazards In the case of professional interior design practice, it's important to note that some aspects to the process of enhancing and especially renovating an interior can be hazardous if done incorrectly. One of the most common problems faced with interior renovation work is the possibility of making damaging changes to the structure of the building when removing internal walls in favor of a more open plan arrangement. This type of work always requires the consultation of a structural engineer who will need to "vet" the interior designer's plans as being feasible and safe. Most town planning departments require that a licensed professional sign off on projects before they can be approved. For this reason, some designers are able to draft legal building plans, while others may not. At the end of the day it comes down to qualifications (education and/or training) and licensure. Scope and Interior Design Education It's important to note that space planning (which may require demolition of existing features in an interior) is an important part of interior design training and practice, especially in work within the commercial sector. Space planning and zoning are taught as part of the interior design curriculum in most university level educational programs. This part of design work often includes interior architectural elements as well as the planning of building systems, such as HVAC, plumbing and lighting or even security systems. Not All Interior Design Work is Equal Once we understand what interior design university graduates are trained to do, the above definition citing interior design as being 'decoration' only is not strictly true. What is true, is that if you aren't educated or licensed to be doing those aspects of interior design work in the public sphere, you shouldn't be. But does this mean that these more qualified professionals are the only types of 'interior designers'? Are there other interior design career options we should know about? Let's find out. Specialties Within the Interior Design Field Set Your Learning Intention In this next section we'll explain about the various types of “interior designers” and their jobs. If you are planning to go into the field of interior design, knowing your options is a great start. Just a little knowledge on what you should be aiming for can help you to set your intention for the 'level' of design job that you wish to achieve. Understanding the Commitment Required to Become an Interior Designer So, what do I mean by level? In the list below I rank ten of the most common career paths for interior designers, or for anyone who wants to design the interiors of buildings for a living. I have listed ten interior design careers, ranked by the level of time commitment required to learn how to do the job. Some design careers allow you to learn as you go, learn on the job or do some in-house company training for. Other jobs will require that you have some formal schooling. It's up to you how far you want to go with your pursuit of learning interior design! Check Your Requirements to Become an Interior Designer The requirements for interior design professionals can vary from country to country and even between states or provinces. Now it's easy to see why there is so much confusion! If you want to know more about licensing requirements for interior designers? Go here. Make sure you find out about the legislation for where you live. The Interior Designer Career Spectrum and You Careers involving the design and decoration of interiors cover a spectrum. From designers who focus purely on the aesthetic details all the way to those who deal with structural design there are different choices. If you love the subject of interior design one or several of these choices may appeal to you! Well, future designer, what type of interior designer would you like to be? Interior Design Careers INTERIOR DESIGN CATEGORYEducation RequiredNumber of years1. Hobbyist decoratorOften an artistic type of person. May be a creator, collector or decor-lover with an eye for color and arrangementNone0Short courses available2. Virtual interior decorator or designerThis type of designer conducts a design business entirely online. They typically plan and/or coordinates the purchase of home goods and furnitureKnowledge of design software required0-0.5Usually self-taught3. Professional decoratorThis decorator takes it to the next level and decorates full time; either for a living, or because they love itSome training useful0-0.5Short courses available4. Furniture, antiques or other interior-design related industry specialistOftentimes this designer works in a store and advises clients about home decor and furnitureEducation or training may be required0.5-3.0Company training or design education 5. Home styling and renovation expertSimilar to the above, although this designer may work for a construction or fitting company. May design bathrooms and kitchensEducation or qualification may be required0.5-3.0Company training, design or construction education6. Home staging professionalThis career is closely tied to the real estate industry. Designers may be self taught or formally educatedThere is no barrier to entrySome training useful0-0.3Open to newcomers and design graduates7. Residential interior designerThis designer may work for a firm or has established their own, this designer's specialty is private homesFormal training is not required to design the homes of private individuals, however many designers are required have degrees if they work for firmsDesigners begin as junior designers and work their way to intermediate designer and finally senior designer0-4.0Business license, associates or bachelor degree8. Commercial interior designerAs they work in the public sector this designer is subject to building code laws and regulations related to fire, earthquakes and other matters of public health and safetyDesigners who work in the retail, hospitality or corporate sectors must have a bachelor's degree in a related subject3.0-4.0Bachelor degree9. Exhibition or set designerThe incredibly faced-paced world of set design needs designers who are world-class, good under pressure, and trained in the specifics of stage or exhibition designDesigners are usually college graduates with considerable experience3.0-4.0Bachelor degree or higher10. Architectural firm interior designer or interior architectDesigners who work in an architectural firm work on large projects Competition is highDesigners need a bachelor degree as a minimum, and often a bachelor of science in interior architecture.3.0-4.0Bachelor degree or higher The Importance of Continuing to Learn for Interior Designers Stay Open-Minded About Different Interior Design Career Options This list is not exactly exhaustive. If you're really ambitious there are several other niches for people who design for a living. Some examples are landscape design, architectural design, urban planning, marine designers or even highly specialized aerospace designers, etc. Most of these high level careers require a knowledge of mechanics, engineering or other STEM subjects. Hey, don't limit yourself. Remember to Do a Self Assessment Before Committing Further If there are any categories you are unfamiliar with consider familiarizing yourself with those options. This way you can make an informed decision about which interior design career options to weed out. Getting down to the brass tacks about the type of designer you want to be requires a little knowledge of yourself, your goals and also the larger interior design industry. Figuring out what type of designer you want to be in the future is not exactly rocket science, as they say (but in case you were wondering, as a designer you might develop the skills to design a rocket with the help of an aerospace engineer). Bonus Interior Design Career Option: Virtual & Metaverse Interior Design Interior design for the metaverse is the design of virtual spaces within a virtual world or "metaverse." A metaverse is a shared virtual reality space, similar to the virtual world depicted in the movie "The Matrix," where users can interact with each other and with digital objects in real-time. In the context of the metaverse, interior design involves creating and organizing the layout and appearance of virtual spaces, such as homes, offices, shops, and other types of environments, to meet the needs and preferences of the users who will occupy them. This can include selecting and arranging virtual furniture, decor, and other design elements, as well as considering factors such as lighting, color, and spatial relationships. The field of interior design for the metaverse is still in its early stages, and it is likely to evolve and grow as virtual reality technology advances and becomes more widely adopted. Interior Design, spatial design and architectural planning for virtual spaces does not always have the same requirements as traditional interior design practice does. Thus, designs created for use in conceptual art and gaming may often be created by 3D CAD modeling specialists without standard interior design qualifications or education. Most of the software skills needed for this type of work can be learned through self-study, and may offer a faster track to working in the field than getting an interior design degree. If you are interested in learning how to start and run a virtual decorating or design business, check out some of these articles to get you started: 3 Routes to Becoming a Virtual Interior Designer 7 Things to Know About Getting into Virtual Interior Design 10 Rules for How to Run a Successful Virtual Interior Design Business Questions to Ask Yourself About Becoming an Interior Designer These questions about design may help you to decide on the type of designer you want to become: How far do you want to go in your pursuit of becoming a designer? How long do you want to spend on learning design? Are you interested only in designing or also the business side of things? Are you passionate about design? What about architecture? Are you good in any STEM subjects? Is interior design something you have only a passing or a mild interest in? Is it something you would like to learn as a hobby? Is interior design what you are going for or do you have something more along the lines of decorating in mind? Are you looking to become a licensed professional? Do you want to go to school? Full time or part time? Are you interested in studying from home? What type of setting would you like to work in eventually? Do you see yourself working in a big studio with a lot of other designers working on large-scale projects? --Or would you rather strike out on your own, Million Dollar Decorators style? Do you want to do residential type work or commercial? Are you interested in a particular niche like offices or resorts? What is it that drew you to the interior design field in the first place? Do you want to be an entrepreneur? Would you like to work out of your own home? Do you want to be your own boss? Do you want to specialize in something related to design like model making. photography or writing? Food for Thought If you don’t have the answers to the question "What type of interior design career option is right for me?" right off the bat, don’t worry. You don’t have to make your mind up right this minute. Doing a little digging, research and even some soul-searching will really help when it comes to putting your plan for starting a future interior design career into action. Research Your Interior Design Interests Don't forget to follow your natural curiosity. Here are some reasons you should learn more about the different types of interior design career opportunities out there: Reasons to Learn More About interior Design Careers Knowing all the options helps you stay realistic about what you want to do Understand the various types of designers and the requirements that come with various types of design jobs Understand what it will take to get to where you want to go so that you can prepare Understand what some of the less enjoyable legalities of the interior design industry are Niche down and focus on what’s right for you Have a goal that keeps you accountable to your vision for becoming a designer In conclusion If all of this seems overwhelming, don’t be afraid to start small and increase your knowledge base and abilities as you go. It’s possible, for example, to take a short decorating course before committing to any more Take on a personal project and document the experience, including what you loved and hated about it Read up on your favorite designers and see how they got where they are You Can Do This! Interior design is a truly wonderful and broad profession with a lot of opportunities in each sphere and moreover a ton of potential for diversification. Don’t let being a newbie put you off becoming an interior designer! There’s a reason that you are reading this, and that reason is that on some level you want this. I encourage you to go for it! Happy design learning! https://designbaddie.com/how-you-know-interior-design-is-for-you/ Further Reading (External): What Can I do with a Degree in Interior Design? Interior Design Career Paths Everything You Need to Know About interior Design Jobs and Their Salaries