How To Become An Interior Designer: A Us News Guide
Becoming an interior designer may lead to a rewarding profession that combines creativity with practicality in order to suit the needs of others. In order to develop places that are both aesthetically beautiful and useful, interior designers must first identify the problems and functions that their clients require. Designing interiors may be done in a range of contexts, ranging from architecture companies to furniture stores, and in the United States, around one-third of interior designers are self-employed.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay in the interior design business was around $61,000 as of May 2019. Interior designers will have plenty of work to do in the coming years, thanks to an increase in house building and refurbishment.
Interior design is the planning of space. It refers to the layout and arrangement of rooms in residences, hotels, office buildings, restaurants, and other commercial establishments, among other things. Interior designers can work with a diverse spectrum of customers, including huge real estate developers, corporate enterprises, and private homes, due to the vast breadth of their profession. Although there were almost 78,000 interior designers working in the United States as of May 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that employment in the field will fall by 5% from 2019 to 2029.
This involves the creation and maintenance of a website that highlights their previous and current work.
Study, Get a Degree
Build A Strong Portfolio
The best way to make yourself attractive to clients is by building a strong portfolio. In whichever degree program you choose, part of the program should also be about creating a solid portfolio to showcase your skills and design ideas. Youll want to take high-quality photographs of all of your work and package them attractively on your website and in a digital presentation.
This will show your clients what youre capable of and present you as a well-organized professional. You should also include some examples of projects that you can show from sketch to completion to give them insight into your thought and work process. You should also always modify your portfolio to highlight projects that apply to the one you are trying to attain.
Digitally is the main way to showcase your portfolio, but dont be afraid to create an old-fashioned flipbook as well. Clients love to flip through photo books to see your work and it may leave more of a lasting impact to actually have something in their hands.
Internships are a great way to build a portfolio and gain hands-on experience before you start work as a professional, and dont be afraid to include any schoolwork if you think it is top-notch. You have to be able to show what you have to get yourself started.
Do You Need A Degree To Be An Interior Designer
If you have an eye for design and are thinking about what it might take to make it your profession, you also might be wondering do you need an interior design degree to become an interior designer?
While passion is a huge part of it, there is a certain skill set needed as well. And, depending on your interior design interests, the answer is not so cut and dry.
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Board Of Licensure For Architects Landscape Architects And Interior Designers
Do I need a college degree to become licensed as a certified interior designer in Maine?Yes. Maine requires interior design applicants to have a four or a five year CIDA accredited degree in interior design.
Is there an exam?YES. You must take and pass all sections of the NCIDQ exam.
Does Maine have a continuing education requirement for renewal?No.
Is there a charge to send my registration history to another state for a reciprocal license?Yes, the fee is $25.
Are interior decorators required to have a license to practice in Maine?No. A license is required for any person who uses the title Certified Interior Designer.
Is my application confidential?No. With the exception of Social Security Number, all application information is public. Contact information provided to the Board is posted on our website.
Chapter 14, Section 4 of the Board rules is titled “Display of License Number.” Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Section 4 refer to the requirement to display the legend “Maine Certified Interior Designer.” Am I required to also include my license number as part of the legend?
No. The license number is not required under the rule.
May I use a rubber stamp to stamp the legend “” on the back of my business cards?
Education For Interior Designers

A bachelors degree in interior design, as well as courses in interior design, drawing, and computer-aided design, are normally necessary in order to become an interior designer . Degrees in any discipline are permitted, and associates, bachelors, and masters degree programs in interior design are available at the associates, bachelors, and masters level. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits over 350 postsecondary institutions, including colleges, universities, and independent institutes, that provide art and design degrees.
National Kitchen and Bath Association accreditation is granted to kitchen and bath design specialist programs in more than 40 colleges and universities in the United States.
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What Is The Job Outlook For Interior Decorators
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics is the definitive source for occupational information in the United States. Because the BLS lacks a separate entry for interior decorators, it isn’t possible to cite official statistics relating to job growth. Instead we’ll look at the job outlook for interior design, as the BLS description of the field strongly overlaps with the job description for interior decorating.
The BLS estimates the interior design sector will experience a 5% decline between 2019-2029. The trend is likely to affect interior decoration and other related professions. In fact, the art and design field is expected to decline by 4%, according to the BLS. Improving your skills will increase your prospects of securing interior decoration jobs. Your ability to network and sell yourself will matter as the industry becomes increasingly competitive.
What Does An Interior Decorator Do
Interior decorators oversee efforts to make interior spaces functional, aesthetic and cohesive. They choose and arrange decor and may make decisions concerning interior lighting and furniture. Interior decorators understand clients’ needs and work to execute their vision for a space, whether it’s a personal room or a company space.
The list below covers the important duties of an interior decorator:
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Meeting with clients to understand their needs and goals
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Estimating costs of materials and labor
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Creating project budgets
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Supervising installation of furniture and other design elements
Related: How To Become an Interior Designer
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To Get Started Consider Sales
Decorators often work in the interior sales industry, touting wares to local home stores for a commission. More experienced salespeople often garner a salary also. If you would rather work from home and set your own hours, consider starting a home-based home decor business. This can also be a great way to network!
Interior Design Isnt All Fun And Fabric
While fabrics, furniture, and color may play a large role in interior design, there are plenty of other tasks required of interior designers many that seem less like fun and more like work. Interior designers work with not only homeowners, but also builders, architects, government agencies, and business owners. That means they need to be educated in the history of design, the structural integrity of buildings, building codes, ergonomics, spatial concepts, ethics, psychology, computer-aided drawing , and more.
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How To Become An Interior Decorator: Skills Education Salaries And Outlook
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.
Interior decorators have an eye for color and can improve the aesthetics and functionality of interior spaces. These professionals play a vital role in the home construction and remodeling industry, where they use their creative skills to improve living and working spaces.
In this article, we discuss how you can become an interior decorator and provide information on both the skills and education required by the job as well as salaries and the job outlook in the field of interior design.
Occupational Employment And Wage Statistics
The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.
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Therefor You Need To Get Started
Unless you step out into the real world and pool in potential clients, your career will never take off.
Once you have found an interested party, use the theories of space planning and psychology that you have learned throughout your degree program, and implement them to meet the clients goals. The more you put your skills to work, the more you will find that your skills improve.
If you wish to work for an interior design firm, you need to pitch your design ideas to your employer to show them that you would be an asset to their organization. If, on the other hand, you wish to start your own interior design business, then it is best to contact clients immediately. As your skills improve, so will your clientele.
Eventually, your job outlook will improve and your clients will begin to reference and recommend your services, which will help you grow your business as a professional-level interior decorator. You might even end up designing a prominent house that is featured in media thus bringing you a certain amount of fame to boost your career.
But all of these career advancements will only happen once you get out there into the real world and put your exceptional design skills to the test.
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American Society Of Interior Designers

To become an interior designer in the classical sense, you must complete particular schooling requirements, provide verifiable professional experience, and pass an examination. The National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination is the industrys acknowledged indication of expertise in interior design concepts as well as an interior designers dedication to the profession.
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Hope Designs At Your Service
Your homes interior should reflect your taste and style. When you work with Hope Designs, it definitely will. We can help you choose your furniture and finishing touches that make your home stand out. Regardless of your budget, theres bound to be an option that will work for you.Forget about decorating on your own. Instead, take your interior to the next level. At Hope Designs, we specialize in creating comfortable, inspiring and inviting interiors that reflect the lifestyle of our clients.
Our philosophy is simple: we believe that your home should be a reflection of your unique personality. It should also express your style and inspire you to dream.
From planning to implementation, Hope Designs goal is to have elated customers who love their home for years to come! Relax and ease into Hope Designs Style where casual meets contemporary, sophisticated country meets city.
Before we start to work our magic on your home, a consultation needs to take place first. Its during this appointment where we will sit down with you and gain a full and clear understanding of exactly what youre trying to achieve. Youll be given the opportunity to discuss your lifestyle, tastes and needs that will be pertinent to your specific interior decorating process.
After the decorating proposal has been looked over and signed off, we will submit all quotes along with colour and fabric samples for final approval.
Hope Designs
Accolades
Role Of An Interior Designer: What Are The Skills Required
Working on the architecture part, interior space planning and crafting awe-inspiring designs are some of the basic pillars of working as an interior designer. Professionals need to specialize in home design, commercial buildings, designing corporate office spaces, and environmental spaces.
The list is long but their ideas must not. No matter what the available space is, an interior designer must make it aesthetically pleasing.
One needs to have soft as well as hard skills with a knack for design to excel in this role. Identifying the client’s requirements and inculcating their vision to get the final product, in reality, is required initially.
Throughout the process, the professional must be well aware of the budget and timeline. During the process, detailed sketches and neat layouts of the spaces are created. The next step is to find furniture and materials that are perfectly suitable for the interiors and the designs.
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Is Maths Required For Interior Designing
The degree is a three years course. Both studies can be easily managed Interior Design course and also your BCOM or either BA studies. And yes, as per the question you asked Math is not required you can do this course anytime with 10th SSC certificate. It might be required if you are pursuing career in Archietecture.
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Passport And Student Visa
A copy of your passport and Australia student visa is a must to study interior design courses in Australia for international students. Having a student visa is mandatory for every university of Australia. If you don’t have one, make sure to apply for the visa at least three months before the prior date of travel.
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What’s It Like To Be An Interior Decorator
Interior Decorators plan and implement decoration schemes for residential homes and commercial properties like offices, shops, restaurants and hotels. They assist in the design and planning of the spaces colour scheme, lighting and furniture, and overall aesthetic, and supervise and coordinate the activities of tradesman including Painters and Carpet Layers.
Tasks and duties
- Performing inspections of client premises to establish existing design and take measurements.
- Advising clients on the selection of colour schemes, layout, lighting, furniture, floor coverings, curtains, paint, wallpaper, curtains and blinds.
- Providing design sketches, specifications and quotes for client approval.
- Supervising and coordinating the installation and layout of furniture and furnishings and ensuring subcontractor work meets quality, safety and cost expectations within established deadline.
- Selling to the public or tradespeople in a retail setting.
- Meeting with clients and other tradespeople such as architects, electricians and builders to discuss project requirements.
- Selecting suppliers of materials and labour.
Interior Decorators may also work in a consultant role or in a sales role in trade and retail shops. They are often self-employed or may manage a team of staff, and interact with members of the public daily, advising them on a broad range of matters relating to the look and feel of their home or business.
Train Your Eye To Pick Up On Details Instantly
A good interior designer has a natural talent for picking up what is right with the room, which stuff looks out of place and what needs to be altered to change the current look. No matter how good you are , it is only honing these skills will make you better. Whenever you walk into a room from now on, just observe what you like, what you would change and how you would improve its beauty. Start the practice for now in your own mind. Flip through magazines and the internet for more new ideas.
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Design Extraordinary Designs To Wow Your Clients
Finally, it is time for you to use your extraordinary design skills to create astounding interior design ideas to impress those potential clients and get paid for your efforts.
Create a substantial portfolio of your ideas with computer-aided design apps with different innovative floor plans. Make sure to have a good range of minimalist designs as well as exquisite ones to meet all manners of client expectations.
Then use these design plans to attract potential clients by sharing your ideas with your impressive communication skills and a body of work that speaks mounds about your professionalism. Even if you are a fresher with no work experience, make sure to amaze your clients with a beautiful portfolio.
The better your designs, the more is your potential for substantial career growth. So keep at it till you finally make a name for yourself as the best interior designer in your area, or possibly even the city or state.
Now that you have a step-by-step guide on how to become an interior designer and the career path of interior design, go out there and live your dream of becoming an interior designer in your own rights. We hope you find this article helpful in achieving your career goals and we wish you the best of luck.
Interior Designers: Salary Career Path Job Outlook Education And More

- Education Required
- A bachelors degree is usually required in order to become an interior designer, as are classes in interior design, drawing, and computer-aided design . A bachelors degree in any field is acceptable, and interior design programs are available at the associates, bachelors, and masters degree levels.
- Job Outlook
- The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 5%
- Licenses/Certifications
- Licensure requirements vary by state. In some states, only licensed designers may do interior design work. 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.
- Median pay: How much do Interior Designers make?
- $49,810 Annual Salary
- $23.95 per hour
Interior designers make interior spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting decorative items, such as colors, lighting, and materials. They read blueprints and must be aware of building codes and inspection regulations, as well as universal accessibility standards.
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