How to become an Interior Designer

How to become 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 But whether it’s a plain pub that’s losing its punters, an outdated office that doesn’t flow or a flat that needs Feng Shui-ing, an Interior Designer will never be far behind.Typical duties for an Interior Designer could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 needsDetermining budgets and monitoring costsResearching possibilities and drawing up sketches and proposalsManaging contractors and overseeing workDelivering the completed project back to the clientIs it right for me?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 awarenessAttention to detailImaginationProblem-solving skillsObjectivityExcellent communication skills (listening, in particular, will be essential)Career Progression Junior DesignerUp to 20,000 Interior DesignerUp to 30,000 Senior Interior DesignerUp to 45,000What's it really like? 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 placem ents, 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. Get qualifiedTo become an Interior Designer, you will generally need a specific design-based diploma or certification. However, relevant work experience could be enough to secure entry-level roles.