How To Become An Interior Designer

Interior designers are highly important professionals in the process of constructing a building. Not only are they concerned with making a building or a space more aesthetically pleasing, they are also responsible for ensuring that it is safe and purposeful.If you want to know how to become an interior designer, continue reading our guide to find out all the information which could help you make a well-informed decision.

What Are The Skills Involved In Interior Designing? What Does An Interior Designer Do?
First and foremost, having a good sense of aesthetics and creativity are important to becoming a professional interior designer. Your ingenuity and passion will help you stand out in a field where clients are looking for the most visually appealing spaces. Furthermore, having good interpersonal skills to discuss your ideas with clients and convince them to your recommendations is highly advantageous. Detail-oriented people are also able to get things done more effectively, since they will have to adjust the furniture and other equipment in the room to fit in this space.

Typically, interior designers are responsible for meeting with clients and helping them articulate their needs. They follow this up by understanding what purposes the space in question will be used for, and then drawing up the plans according to their vision and the client's needs. If the client approves, the designers follows up with the practical application of all the plans, working with vendors and suppliers to get all the materials ready and in place. A good interior designer is also resourceful, finding ways to meet and exceed the client's demands while staying within budget.

What Education Do I Need?
Knowing how to become an interior designer requires you to know what education is needed. Entry-level jobs usually require you to have at least a bachelor's degree with courses in interior design, computer-aided design, and sketching. There are specialized degrees available at the associates, bachelors, and masters levels in interior designing. If you are unsure of which postsecondary institutions offer interior design degree programs, you may want to check with the following organizations. They collectively have information on over 500 institutions offering formal programs in different facets of interior design. These are:

-          The National Association of Schools of Art and Design

-          The Council for Interior Design Association

-          The National Kitchen and Bath Association

The National Council for Interior Design Qualification is the organization which administers a mandatory licensure examination for all interior designers. This must be taken at the end of your educational tenure. California is the only exception to this rule; the state administers a different exam.

Pay and job outlook
The median annual wage in 2010 was reported as $46,280, with the top ten percent earning closer to $85,000. With the expected job growth rate to be about 19 percent between 2010 and 2020, the number of opportunities opening up will also be quite high. Interior designers working in specialized design firms will see a higher growth of about 27 percent in employment, making this an attractive option.