The World of Interior Design

Do you watch all the design shows on television? Are you constantly arranging and rearranging your home and the homes of your family and friends? Then an exciting and rewarding career in interior design might be for you!

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Interior Design School Search Columnist

Do you watch all the design shows on television? Are you constantly arranging and rearranging your home and the homes of your family and friends? Then an exciting and rewarding career in interior design might be for you!

Do you watch all the design shows on television? Are you constantly arranging and rearranging your home and the homes of your family and friends? Then an exciting and rewarding career in interior design might be for you!

An interior designer creates a living environment tailored to their clients. Interior designers add to the function, safety and quality of interior spaces. These spaces may be in private homes, public buildings or businesses.

In design school, many interior designers choose to specialize in specific fields. Some focus on residential, others on business design. Others may focus their interior design education by specializing on specific rooms.

An interior designer must learn to focus on a client’s tastes, needs and budget. A good interior design school will help teach about furnishings, lighting and finishes. Interior designers also design lighting and room details. They harmonize colors and select furniture, flooring and window treatments.

Work Environment Ninety five percent of all registered interior designers have interior design education. Almost one third of interior designers work out of a home office and are self employed. There are many benefits to self employment. These include time flexibility and low overhead. A strong portfolio, which you will have learned to create in interior design school, will be essential if you are home based. Alternatively, a remote office with a small showroom or studio may help you land jobs faster. A remote office may also give your company more credibility.

Earnings Interior designers work a wide range of hours. In 2002, the average annual earnings for interior designers were $51,000. Over fifty percent earned between $35,500 and $76,000. The bottom 10 percent earned less than $25,000 and the top 10 percent earned more than $105,000.
Hiring Outlook The good news is that the interior design field is growing. The United States Department of Labor states, “Rising demand for interior design of private homes, offices, restaurants and other retail establishments, and institutions that care for the rapidly growing elderly population should spur employment growth of interior designers.”

ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)is the largest organization of professional interior designers in the world. A list of schools with ASID student chapters can be obtained from the National Headquarters. ASID, 608 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002.
Phone 202.546.3480
Fax 202.546.3240

The International Interior Design Association (IIDA)is an internationally recognized organization representing design educators and professional interior designers practicing in commercial, education & research, facility planning and design, government, healthcare, hospitality, residential, and retail design. IIDA, 341 Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 60654-1104.
Phone 312.467.1950
Fax 312.467.0779

Interior Designers of Canada (IDC)is the national interior design association of Canada with member associations in eight provinces. IDC, Ontario Design Centre, 260 King Street East, #414, Toronto, Ontario M5A 1K3, Canada.
Phone 416.594.9310
Fax 416.594.9313

The Interior Design Educators Council, Inc. (IDEC)is dedicated to strengthening the lines of communication among educators, institutions, and other organizations concerned with interior design. For a Career Guide Brochure, a listing of graduate programs, newsletter copies, or membership information, write: IDEC, 9202 North Meridian, Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN 46260.
Phone 317.816.6261
Fax 317.571.5603

The National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ)is an independent organization created in the public interest to establish minimum standards and to develop and administer a minimum competency examination for the qualification of professional interior designers. NCIDQ, 1200 18th Street NW, Suite 1001, Washington DC 20036-2506.
Phone 202.721.0220
Fax 202.721.0221

Posted on August 30, 2005

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