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How to become an Interior Designer

Interior Designer

Career progression and salary expectations for an Interior Designer

1

Junior Designer

| Up to £20,000
2

Interior Designer

| Up to £30,000
3

Senior Interior Designer

| Up to £45,000

The role of an Interior Designer

Thinking about changing careers? How about changing rooms?Interior Designers remodel and decorate rooms on behalf of their clients, usually for functional or aesthetic reasons.They could specialise is residential remodelling, in houses or flats, focus on designing functional workplaces, work in the commercial or leisure industry or even in healthcare. But whether it’s a plain pub that’s losing its punters, an outdated office that doesn’t flow or a flat that needs Feng Shui-ing, an Interior Designer will never be far behind.Typical duties for an Interior Designer could include:
  • Being briefed by clients to assess their needs
  • Determining budgets and monitoring costs
  • Researching possibilities and drawing up sketches and proposals
  • Managing contractors and overseeing work
  • Delivering the completed project back to the client
To become an Interior Designer, creative flair is absolutely essential. If your idea of giving a space a fresh feeling is adding a few plant pots and a sophisticated coffee-table book, this may not be the career for you.However, being an Interior Designer isn’t solely about creative vision. To succeed in the industry you will also need excellent business acumen, especially when trying to bring everything under budget, and that needs to be front of mind whenever drafting up ideas.Other key skills include:
  • A good sense of spatial awareness
  • Attention to detail
  • Imagination
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Objectivity
  • Excellent communication skills (listening, in particular, will be essential)
"I absolutely love my job. I've always been really into design and homeware, although initially it was just something I took pride in in my own home. However, after becoming disillusioned in my career, I started looking up how to get into the industry. I completed a few courses and applied for a load of work experience placements, and haven’t looked back since. Every day I get to be creative, and try and come up with the perfect solution to my clients problems. And seeing everything come together and creating a happy and harmonious space that perfectly meets the clients brief (and comes under budget) is a great feeling."

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