Interior Designer Career Guide

The interior design industry is the perfect outlet for creative individuals, and the opportunities are endless. So, if you have a passion for arranging furniture, coordinating colors, and choosing fabrics, then you may want to consider pursuing a career as an interior designer!

Interior designers work closely with architects and engineers to ensure that spaces are functional and safe, as well as beautiful. To become an interior designer, you will need a bachelors degree in interior design or a related field.

There’s a huge misconception about the difference between interior designers and interior decorators. Interior decorators usually focus more on surface items like wallpaper, window coverings, pillows and artwork. That’s certainly a facet of my job, but an interior designer is essentially formatting an interior. To do that successfully, you need to have the capacity to take a client’s vision and communicate that into space.

Amanda Hamilton

Interior Designer Career Ratings

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Overview

What an interior designer actually does

If you have a passion for arranging furniture, coordinating colors, and choosing fabrics, then you may want to consider pursuing a career as an interior designer. From kitchens to bathrooms to bedrooms, interior designers have the ability to transform and recreate an array of spaces.

Interior designers work closely with architects and engineers to ensure that spaces are functional and safe, as well as beautiful. They ensure that these spaces are in accordance with building codes, inspection regulations and other considerations, such as accessibility standards. As well as this, interior designers complete other tasks such as:

Placing bids on new projects
Speaking with the client to determine their goals and specific requirements for the project
Considering how the space will be used and how people will move through the space
Sketching design plans. These plans should include electrical and partition layouts
Deciding on materials and furnishings (e.g., lighting, furniture, wall finishes, flooring, and plumbing fixtures)
Estimating a timeline and project costs
Placing orders for materials and overseeing the installation of the design elements
Overseeing the projects construction and coordinating with general building contractors to implement the plans and specifications for the project
Ensuring that the client is satisfied once the project is completed

Why they are needed

Interior designers transform the lives of many people by improving their quality of life through design and decoration. They listen to their clients needs and sympathize with their desires. Interior designers then use this information to provide their clients with a set of aesthetically pleasing but efficient and safe solutions to their space. These functional spaces are tailored specifically to our lifestyle to improve mental health, reduce stress and even improve resale value!

Pros and cons of a career as an interior designer:

Pros:

Interior designers get to unleash their creativity and transform spaces into works of art!
For skilled and reputable interior designers, there are lots of career development opportunities
It is a sociable career that has plenty of opportunities to meet and interact with a variety of different people
Interior designers will learn a lot of useful skills throughout their career (e.g., project and client management, marketing, software, drawing)
There is the opportunity to become self-employed meaning you can be your own boss

Cons:

Some clients are impossible and have picky and/or unrealistic demands
It can be stressful as interior designers may work long hours, be faced with unforeseen circumstances and deal with difficult clients
It can take time to build up experience, get a good reputation and make money
It can be a competitive market and interior designers may find themselves having to be mindful of competitors
Most interior designers are freelance, meaning their income may be unstable

Employability

Job market

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall employment of interior designers is projected to decline 5% from 2019 to 2029. This decline in employment is expected because although there may be some demand for interior designers created by new construction, relatively few interior designers are directly employed by the construction industry. On top of this, the demand for self-employed interior designers to renovate existing homes, commercial building and other facilities is expected to be limited.

The best job opportunities will be in high-income areas, but wealthy clients are more likely to pay a professional to help them remodel their home. Interior designers who keep up to date with the newest design tools (e.g., computer-aided design software) will have the best job prospects.

Career paths

In general, aspiring interior designers will need a bachelor’s degree in a field that has a focus on interior design, drawing, and computer-aided design (CAD).

However, some interior designers may choose to take an interior design degree. Specific programs in interior design are available at the associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels. Aspiring interior designers should take courses accredited by The National Association of Schools of Art and Design and/or The Council for Interior Design Accreditation.

Once graduated, many interior designers then set up their own business. Their aim will be to gather enough experience to build an excellent reputation and compete with other interior designers in the field!

Example Job Titles for Interior Designer

Below is a list of common job titles in the Interior Designer field. Click the links below for more information about these job titles, or view the next section for actual real-life job profiles.

Interior Design Consultant

Benefits & Conditions

Income and benefits

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for interior designers in the United States was $56,040 in May 2019. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $31,970 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $96,470. The architectural, engineering and related services industry was the top paying industry, with a median annual wage of $60,910. This was followed by specialized design services ($54,710), wholesale trade ($53,870) and furniture stores ($47,340).

Autonomy and Flexibility

When interior designers first start out, they may work for an interior design company. Whilst doing this, their autonomy and flexibility will be low. However, interior designers often progress to owning their own business/being freelance. When they do this, they will have autonomy over many decisions – such as which clients they will work with, what materials they source and what contractors to use. They will also have the flexibility to control and plan their own schedule.

Locations and commute

According to Zippia, the best states to be an interior designer, based on number of jobs available and average annual salary, are:

Wyoming, where the average annual salary was $60,525
New Hampshire, where the average annual salary was $51,081
Maine, where the average annual salary was $49,848
District of Columbia, where the average annual salary was $58,084
New York, where the average annual salary was $51,741

According to Zippia, the worst states to be an interior designer are Illinois, Kansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Indiana.

Work environment

The largest employers of interior designer in the United States was the specialized design services industry, which employed 27% of all interior designer. 22% of interior designers are self-employed, 20% are employed by architectural, engineering and related services, 6% by the wholesale trade and 5% by furniture stores.

In general, most interior designers do their planing in offices and will then travel to the clients design site.

Career Satisfaction

Common Matching Personality Types

Which personalities tend to succeed and thrive in Interior Designer careers? Based on our research, there is a relatively strong positive correlation between the following personality types and Interior Designer career satisfaction. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t many exceptions, of course, but if you fit into one of the following personality types then we suggest you give strong consideration to a career in Interior Designer.

Enneagram

Holland Codes (RIASEC)

Personality types

Interior designers usually have intuitive, creative and eccentric personalities. They use innovation to express style in terms of building (or room) design. They must be confident and business minded in order to to stand out as a freelancer in a competitive market.

Accomplishment and mastery

The world of interior design can be incredibly competitive. Therefore, designers who thrive in the industry, by building a good reputation and/or setting up their own business, are likely to feel a huge sense of accomplishment. Furthermore, every time an interior designer successfully creates a space that is safe, and that their client loves, they will have developed and mastered their skills, and will have a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Meaning and contribution

Although the work of an interior designer may not have a huge meaning and/or contribution to the people who really need help, their work still contributes and has meaning to modern day society. Through careful design and planning, interior designs can change the lives of their clients. They can make their homes practical, beautiful and unique – which in turn will improve their life satisfaction, mental health and reduce their stress.

Life fit

Interior design can offer an excellent life fit. This is because many interior designers are freelance and can pick their own hours. However, in saying this, interior designers need to adjust their workday to suit their clients schedules and deadlines, including meeting with clients in the evening and on weekends.

Who will thrive in this career?

To be a successful interior designer, you should possess good visualization skills. Thriving interior designers are also likely to be self-employed, and will therefore need to have strong business skills in order to market themselves. Thriving interior designers are also excellent multi-tasker and are able to work closely with, and instruct, other professionals. Overall, this career path is ideal for a creative person who enjoys expression through beautifully designed rooms.

Who will struggle in this career?

Those who are not naturally creative or have the ability to visualize things will struggle in this career. Similarly, those who prefer to work a stable 9-5 and don’t want to be self-employed might struggle with the long hours and unpredictable salary an interior designer may face. In fact, unless you are genuinely a very creative individual, with an exceptional eye for detail and a passion for interior design, you are likely to struggle in this career!

Requirements

Quick Glance

Skills

Degrees

Skills and talents

The main skill that an interior designer needs is to be creative and have a naturally artistic eye. As well as this, interior designers will also need skills such as:

Business management skills, as many interior designers will be self-employed and will need to manage their own budgets and market themselves
Communication and interpersonal skills, as interior designers will need to be able to effectively communicate with clients and other professionals
Artistic ability and vision, as interior designers must have to visual awareness to understand how the pieces of a design will work together
Attention to detail, as interior designers need to be precise in measuring interior spaces and creating drawings that can be used by other professionals
Problem-solving skills, as interior designers must be able to fix the problems and challenges that they are faced with very quickly and efficiently

Education

Interior designers will need a bachelor’s degree in any field that has a focused on interior design, drawing, and computer-aided design (CAD). However, many interior designers choose to take an interior design degree. Specific programs in interior design are available at the associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels. Aspiring interior designers should take courses accredited by The National Association of Schools of Art and Design and/or The Council for Interior Design Accreditation.

Certifications

Licensure requirements for interior designers vary by state. In some states, it is essential to have a license in order to do design work. Whereas, in other states, both licensed and unlicensed designers may do such work; however, only licensed designers may use the title “interior designer.” In still other states, both licensed and unlicensed designers may call themselves interior designers and do interior design work.

In states where it is illegal to use the title “interior designer” without a license, aspiring interior designers must pass their state-approved exam, most commonly the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). Candidate eligibility for taking the NCIDQ exam includes having at least a bachelor’s degree in interior design and 2 years of full-time work experience.

Furthermore, interior designers may take voluntary certification in an interior design specialty, such as environmental design. This allows them to demonstrate expertise in a particular area of the occupation. Interior designers often specialize to distinguish the type of design work they do and to promote their expertise.

How to Become

Summary

Interior design is creative, exciting and glamorous. If you have a passion for arranging furniture, coordinating colors, and choosing fabrics, then you may want to consider pursuing a career as an interior designer.

Interior designers work closely with architects and engineers to ensure that spaces functional and safe, as well as beautiful. They ensure that these spaces are in accordance with building codes, inspection regulations and other considerations, such as accessibility standards.

Immediate action

In order to get accepted onto a postsecondary education course in interior design, you will need to submit sketches that show off your artistic ability in order to secure a space, so get practicing your drawing!

Education and learning

Most interior designers will achieve bachelor’s degree in any field that has a focus on interior design, drawing, and computer-aided design (CAD). Or, they will complete a program specifically in interior design that is accredited by The National Association of Schools of Art and Design and/or The Council for Interior Design Accreditation.

Skill development

The interior design industry is competitive and constantly growing and adapting. With this changing industry, comes a requirement for interior designers to constantly adapt and renew their skills. Designers may take additional training, or with more experience their skills may become more advanced.

FAQs

Ask a Question

Have a question about Interior Designer careers? If so, our mentors would love to help! Just click on a mentor’s profile below and then fill out the “Ask a Question” form on that page. Your question will then be emailed to the mentor, who can then email you a reply.

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