Reflection on Becoming an Interior Designer: Opinion Essay

Being an interior designer may seem like an easy thing to do. Some may say it is just decorating a house, but in reality, interior designers have a lot to do. They not only have to decorate spaces but they make every space they work in custom to the needs of their customers, they make a house their client bought feel like home. They are faced with many tasks each and every day. To become an interior designer you need to be able to organize and have a certain vision for different spaces. On top of all that they have to cooperate with many different people every day. If a person enjoys decorating and designing spaces, then becoming an interior designer could be a great career choice.

Education heavily influences the type of job a person can get as an interior designer, and overall is a very important part when becoming an interior designer. There are many degrees, one can get and each degree has different requirements and different opportunities. To become an interior designer there are associate’s or bachelor’s degrees, one can get in order to help get better jobs. In the first year of getting an associate’s degree students to receive a basic understanding of how to draw both by hand and digitally. While in the second year there are more specialized topics students get to choose from. When getting an associate degree there are a couple of options which include a course in modern architecture and design, history of building types, color theory, and drawing (“Interior Design Schools and Careers”).

Meanwhile, when getting a bachelor’s degree there are more in-depth courses that help students become a more well rounded interior designer. These programs help build skills that were first introduced while getting an associate’s degree. When getting a bachelor’s degree there are also more options in courses that include; design theory, textiles for interiors, the business of interior design, and materials and assembly (“Interior Design Schools and Careers”). Other classes to take include; the history of interior design, environmental controls, contract documents, and the history of furniture (“Interior Designer Education”).

While getting a degree seems difficult on its own, some people also choose to get a degree in interior design. Getting a license is required in about half of the states and can also help with getting better jobs (“Interior Designer”). In states that do require you to get a license, require you to take the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) Examination. To take the examination one must have completed all necessary education and experience, to then apply to take the examination. Some states may also have added criteria. If one has prior interior design work experience to graduation then they are able to apply up to 1,760 hours to their overall total. In the National Council for Interior Design Qualification, there are three parts. Which are the Interior Design Fundamentals Exam, Interior Design Professional Exam, and the Practicum. For students to pass they must receive at least a 500 out of 800 (“Do You Need a License”).

After getting a degree in interior design, there are many things interior designers have to do for their job on a day to day basis. Firstly, interior designers work closely with other people like architects, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, builders, and clients (“Interior Designer”, “Interior Designers”). By being an interior designer one must be able to communicate with many people to get their job done. They also have many tasks to do which include; biding for projects, choosing materials, selecting furniture, ordering materials, coordinating installations, preparing final plans, creating a timeline, estimating project cost, and ensure customer satisfaction (“Interior Designer Education”; “Interior Designer”). While doing all of these tasks an interior designer must consider their client’s needs and wants at the top of their list.

To be a good interior designer there are some qualities that are important to have. Having an artistic ability is useful because they can use their sense of style to design spaces custom to their clients. Creativity is key because an interior designer must be able to imagine different ways to design a space. Interior designers should also be detailed oriented, by being able to precisely measure out spaces and creating drawings, so that furniture can fit nicely in the space. They must also have interpersonal skills. This is when an interior designer is able to communicate effectively with their clients. They should also have problem-solving skills to be able to overcome obstacles that come in their way when working. Finally, interior designers must be very visual. Having a strong sense of proportion and being visually aware is very important when designing spaces (“Interior Designer”). Overall interior designers come up with creative plans for decorating spaces by balancing individual design elements, such as furniture layout, color scheme, and functionality (“What Does an Interior ”)

Interior Designers work in various places, depending on what they plan on doing that certain day. They usually work in retail stores, clients’ homes, schools, hotels, restaurants, and offices (“What Does an Interior ”). Overall, they work in many private and public areas. Interior designers have to manage their time wisely. “Interior Designers may divide their time between their office and visiting clients’ design spaces.” (“Interior Design Education”). On top of dividing their time, interior designers must also adjust to their clients’ schedules and deadlines. This may seem difficult to some with poor time management skills.

Many interior designers also specialize in a particular building, specific room, or style. Some even work at furniture stores to help customers choose materials and furnishings. Types of interior designers include sustainable designers, universal designers, kitchen and bath designers, and lighting designers (“Interior Designers”). Sustainable designers are designers that find more efficient ways to use energy and water in a household to help the environment. Universal designers renovate spaces, to make them more accessible usually for elderly people and people with special needs, but may also benefit anyone else. Kitchen and bath designers have expert knowledge of cabinets, fixtures, appliances, plumbing, and electrical layouts for kitchens and bathrooms. Lastly, a lighting designer focuses on the effect of lighting in the given space and finding the appropriate light fixtures. Some interior designers even work in furniture stores to help customers choose materials and furnishings (“Interior Designer”)

It is important to consider the employment opportunity when becoming an interior designer. Interior designers hold around 75,400 jobs (“Interior Designers”). This number is has been projected to grow in the coming years. Employment of Interior Designers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2012 to 2022 and employment in specialized design services firms is projected to grow 20 percent from 2012 to 2022. The growth annually for interior designers is 4 percent. Not all interior designers are employed by professional establishments, around 25 percent are self-employed as over 2012 (“Interior Designer”). Being self-employed means that a person is working for oneself, as the owner of their own business rather than being employed by someone else. About 4 percent of interior designers are directly employed in the construction industry. Many interior designers are dependent on the construction industry to make new constructions and renovation projects to work on (“Interior Designer”).

Income is also a very important factor when deciding what profession a person wants to do for the rest of their life. In 2012 the lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,670, the median average being $47,600, and the top 10 percent earned more than $86,900 (“Interior Designer”). The average income on interior designers has slowly been increasing over the past couple of years. The average income of interior designers was $59,120 and the average of interior designers that worked in specialized design services made an average of $59,210 stated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in May of 2018. In the same year, 2018, the BLS reported that interior designers that made the most average was around $81,100 (“Interior Designer Education”). The designers that made the most in 2018 worked in the federal executive branch of the government.

Income is also dependent on a few variables. Which includes the state a person plans to work in and the amount of experience a person has been an interior designer. The top ten states that are projected to grow the most from 2012 to 2022 are New Jersey, South Dakota, New Mexico, Mississippi, Minnesota, Maryland, Missouri, Arkansas, Wisconsin, and New York (“Interior Design Schools”). This usually indicates that the average income will increase by a good amount. The highest paying states are Washington D.C, Massachusetts, Utah, Connecticut, and New York. Experience can also increase a person’s wage. As well as the amount of talent a person has an increase in their income (“Interior Designer Salary”). An interior designer can also make more money by marketing themselves better. Being active on social media, using paid advertisements, starting a blog and revamping their website are ways an interior designer can market themselves better(“Interior Designer Salary”).

If a person enjoys decorating and designing spaces, then becoming an interior designer could be a great career choice. Overall interior designers have many tasks to do every day and must be able to manage their time wisely. It may seem like an easy job at first, but to be an interior designer you have to be very determined and have a passion for design. Interior designers do not only decorate but also have to take into consideration how space will function for their clients. Interior designers turn houses for their clients into their clients home.