Career in Interior Design
Interior designing is not the same as interior decoration. It is all about intelligent and aesthetic use of space. Interior Designers work with engineers, illustrators, administrators and the likes. Good designers pay attention to style as well as function. To be successful in this field you need to be creative.As an interior designer you will not just design the space but also plan, develop and execute the site. Once that is done you will also design furniture pieces. Your work will focus on researching, planning, developing and implementing designs for indoor environments, such as living rooms or office lobbies. The space designed will have to be beautiful and functional as well.
There are a variety of interior design career paths to choose from.
Commercial Interior Design
Commercial interior design focuses on the planning and design of public buildings and businesses -- everything from retail stores to restaurants and from museums to hospitals. Since this type of design encompasses such a wide array of building types, some designers concentrate on very particular areas, including: entertainment (theaters, concert venues, theme parks), government/institutional (federal buildings, courts, libraries), health care (hospitals, clinics, examination rooms), hospitality/restaurant (nightclubs, restaurants, hotels), offices (both public and private areas), and retail/store planning (boutiques, department stores, shopping malls).
Residential Interior Design
Just as the name implies, residential interior design focuses on the planning and/or specifying of interior materials and products used in private residences. Residential interior designers must be aware of such issues as child safety, family traffic patterns, home wiring and cable needs, switching and security systems, and space requirements for home theater electronics and computer hardware, and the different challenges facing the design of single-family and multi-unit dwellings.
Space Planner
A space planner creatively diagrams how a particular interior space will be organized -- typically by working with commercial clients to maximize space within offices, institutions or other large structures to ensure the space is used efficiently. Space planners typically work alongside interior designers or architectural firms.
Exhibit Designer
Most large museums employ an Exhibit Designer whose job it is to translate curatorial and educational ideas into gallery installations. Not only must the Exhibit Designer have a highly refined understanding of art objects and how they interact with one another in terms of color and scale, but he or she must also be aware of the principles of conservation and preservation of artworks so that they may be installed with proper light and safety precautions. The Exhibit Designer works closely with the preparator and his or her crew to fabricate special exhibition cabinets, cases, pedestals, or display tables, and supervises the installation of the exhibition or permanent installation and designs proper lighting once artworks are in place.
Lighting Designer
A room's lighting should be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. A good lighting designer will use combine intensities, direction and color of light to create pleasing spaces. The knowledge and expertise of a lighting designer includes an interior design background that can help size up your architectural needs; an up-to-date knowledge of electrical codes; word on the latest technical advancements in lighting and control systems; and experience with maintenance and energy issues.
Kitchen and Bath Designer
It's been recently estimated that nearly 60% of all home construction spending goes towards renovations -- and the kitchen and bathrooms are the spaces of homes most often renovated. As a result, there's great potential for interior designers specializing in kitchen and bath design. These designers focus on construction and mechanical systems, basics of kitchen and bath design, materials and estimation, lighting, universal design and theme application, and computer-aided-drafting specific for the kitchen and bathroom design industry.
In addition to structuring space and drawing blueprints, you'll also be responsible for choosing furniture, carpeting, paint and fixtures. It also includes preparing tender documents, selecting and entrusting the work to suitable contractors, supervising, checking, certifying bills, etc. Be prepared to break your head with the clients, contractors, electricians, plumbers, and what have you.
Computer skills will be helpful while preparing those innumerable blueprints. Most design fields, these days rely heavily on CAD (Computer Aided Design) and illustration such as AutoCAD.
As an interior designer you could specialise in designing restaurants, private homes, office spaces, hospitals or hotels. Two new avenues related to interior designing - Vaastu Shastra and its Chinese counterpart Feng Shui have only made it richer.
Requirements
/ Artistic talent
/ Strong communication and listening skills
/ Innovative
/ Good reasoning skills
/ Excellent ability to visualise concepts
/ Ability to visualise in 3-dimensional
/ Good commercial sense - you understand costs and are good at convincing client Above all you have to be creative. A diploma or degree in Interior Designing/Furniture Design is a must. Graduation in Commercial Arts or Architecture with specialisation in Interior Designing is a better option.
You could even opt for a diploma after HSC or after graduation in Fine Arts or Applied Arts or Architecture. A B.Sc. in Interior Design is also possible.
Job Opportunities
/ Fresh from a design school, your first option is joining an interior designing firm to gain hands-on experience. Nothing can match the real experience you'll gain by actually working at a firm as an apprentice
/assistant to an established interior designer. You will hone your skills here.
/ Once you gain experience (after 2-3 years) and confidence that you can handle a project all by yourself, you can start your own.
/ You can even work as a consultant in furnishing companies, stores, paint companies and in educational institutions.
But the real opportunity lies in setting up your own firm. Of course it is easier said than done, but once you establish a name for yourself work will just pour in.
Money & Other Benefits
As a fresher or trainees salaries range is from Rs 2,000-5,000 or more per month. On an average a freelance designer makes at least Rs 10,000 a month. The earnings grow with experience. A reputed designer can earn Rs 2 lakh a month or even more.
Consultants generally charge Rs 10-20 per square feet for drawings, or around 10-15 per cent of the total cost of the project. The latter goes for turnkey projects too. The contacts you make through networking will often lead to jobs down the line.
Career Prospects
Opportunities for Interior Designers are definitely on the rise. Plush interiors are no longer just the privilege of the rich and famous. With the increase in the average income of the middle and upper middle class Indian families, interior designing is fast becoming a done thing for homes. The scope has only widened with increased awareness among the corporates to develop a very employee friendly office.