Do you enjoy picking out furniture and decorating rooms? Do have a creative flair in design? If so, perhaps you can consider a career as an interior designer! While combining creative skills and sharp business acumen, interior designers enhances the aesthetics, function, and safety of all sorts of interior spaces.
Like all careers, there are some challenges that interior designers will face daily along with the glitz and glamour. Before jumping the gun, here are 5 things you should know before becoming an interior designer.
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Interior Designer vs Interior Decorator
Almost anyone can become an interior decorator, but not an interior designer. The key difference between the two is education. Being a interior designer professional requires the relevant credentials as it takes more than just creativity to become successful. Knowing how to use computer-aided drawing (CAD) softwares to design floor plans and mockups is one key skill in today’s technology age. Most interior design firms would also require candidates to possess a diploma at minimum and some require certain certifications as well.
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Interior Design is Hard Work
It’s not just about picking out the right shade of colour or a matching piece of furniture, interior designers also need to be aware of building laws and codes before making physical changes to the interior spaces. An interior designer has to be well-versed in spatial concept theories, histories, technical skills, ergonomics and much more.
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Portfolio, Portfolio, Portfolio
An interior designer has to walk the talk. Having an impressive portfolio can increase clients’ confidence in a designer’s skills. For designers who are fresh out of school or are just starting out in their career, they may need to offer their services at a lower rate or even pro-bono just to build up his or her portfolio. It takes time but success comes with effort and experience.
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Competition is Fierce
As with the last point, the key to getting noticed as an interior designer is a strong, outstanding portfolio. Interior design is a competitive business. To stay ahead in the market, it is imperative to be aware of the latest trends and interior styles on top of being able to predict population changes. A combination of knowledge and skills will get you far as an interior designer.
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The Customer is (Almost) Always Right
It is not about what you like, but what the customer likes. While interior designers are able to offer the latest styles and designs, it is vital to remember that it is up to the clients to decide on what suits them the best. The job of an interior designer is to show the possibilities and direct clients towards the best choices within their tastes and preferences. Personal biases have to be set aside when it comes to interior design.
Interested in Learning Interior Design?
St. Hua Private School offers popular and professional Diploma and Certificate courses that meets the demand from various industries, including Interior and Exterior Design, Civil and Electronics Engineering and more.
Our Diploma and Certificate courses are registered under Committee for Private Education (CPE).
The Diploma in Interior Design is aimed at students who are interested in the art of beautifying the interiors of spaces or buildings for a more aesthetically pleasing environment. Students will learn in-depth about the entire process of Interior Design, from planning, research and sourcing of materials to the actual design phase itself.
By experiencing the combined teaching methods of lectures and practical studio work, the student will gain an in-depth understanding of:
- Designing and planning spaces
- Producing plans and elevations
- Interior colour, lighting and furniture
- Developing a suitable palette of materials and finishes
- Sourcing for furniture and materials
- Computer-aided 2D drafting, 3D modelling & rendering
- Calculating and visualizing light scenes
- Professional Interior Design presentation techniques
