Want To Know More About An Interior Designer?

If you're reading on from the previous section (focusing on interior design's different specializations) then you'll probably have an idea about the characteristics of each specialty.

However, choosing a specialty really depends on YOU! It's your personal answers to some questions that you need in order to determine which specialty suits you best.

Question 1) What are my principle interests?

Well, if you are more inclined toward the creative aspect of interior design, then you'd prefer being a residential designer.

However, if you are hoping to use your creativity to possibly put you into a better tax bracket, you may prefer to do commercial work. I'll just remind you here that this category's work is usually on a larger scale than in residential jobs, and so pays higher.

Interior design for a home is slightly different from that of commercial design. The needs for a home are quite different. I guess it's up to you to explore the different styles, materials and skills involved to decide on whichever you prefer.

Question 2) How will I specialize?
Now that you've chosen what you'd like to specialize in, you'll have to get ready to do what it takes!

Of course creativity and interest are important but definitely not the only requirements you'll need. Indeed certified education is the biggest and most useful tool when you choose to specialize.

In order to receive your certification, you must learn all of the technical aspects of design as well as the creativity that goes along.

Technical requirements:

* The ability to read and design blue prints
* Knowledge of color coordination and painting
* Difference between furniture brands and styles
* How to coordinate and organize a room to create a comfortable environment.
* How to correctly estimate the length and size of materials needed
* How to correctly estimate the amount of paints or wallpapers needed
* How to maximize interior space to the room's advantage.
* How to correctly identify different types of furnishings, and to incorporate that knowledge into a legitimate design plan.
* How to create an environmental plan because this is a practical, conducive and esthetic approach to your eventual goal of raising productivity, and selling your merchandise.
* How to explain space planning, lighting, layout and color schemes to your clients. People often like to know why you are doing the things that you are doing.
* How to arrange carpets, accessories, drapes and wall coverings.
* Knowledge of fine arts, sculptures, music etc. These will often be included in your design changes and must incorporate properly into the area. (you would not want to hang a Picasso in a Victorian themed room)
Business-related requirements
* How to communicate your ideas effectively to your client
* Basic marketing skills are needed to further your business

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As a fresh interior designer, the range of how much money you can earn can vary greatly, but it depends on what type of position you plan to have in the field.

An assistant interior designer can start at $20.00 an hour, a certified interior designer can start anywhere from $50,000-$60,000 annually, and a partner can make as much as $200,000 annually.

It goes without saying that at the start of your business, you have to spend long hours searching and convincing clients to work with you.

Don't be discouraged if you faced rejection from consumers, as well as competition from other designers. Many times, a potential client will want to place your work and estimates against others. You can even carefully offer to outbid everyone else, thus initially spending a lot!

Try to be wise while spending and marketing yourself. For instance, set up a booth at your local mall. Have your business cards, portfolio and mockups of your best work around you.

If you want to start your own business, there are several aspects you should consider doing: Getting a business number and registration. Checking your government listings for the correct number, Checking with your local accountant to see what needs to be done about taxes, etc.

After setting up the initial structure of your business, you'll need a couple of materials to begin with.

Those of which include:

* Color swatches for paints and fabrics ( you can get many of them for free from local paint stores if you ask)
* Fabric samples are a necessity (you can get them for free from your local furniture store)
* Interior design magazines for client perusal (it helps them get an idea of what they like)
* Furniture catalogues (free from furniture dealers and retailers)
* . Fine arts catalogue, get them from art galleries
* Kitchen and bathroom catalogues. Basically get catalogues from everybody that deals with furniture, art, and lighting stores
* Photos of your work, and signed recommendations (remember you get them from family and friends when you are just starting out)
* Your portfolio (always have a copy of your portfolio)

As mentioned earlier, there are certain personal qualities and skills that you must exhibit in order to climb the ladder of success in the interior design field.

Which include selling yourself, mingling with as many different types of people as possible, and searching for start-up monetary help (if you're leasing a studio outside home), are just a few for starters.

Just try to be positive about work and try to live and enjoy whatever you finally choose to specialize and work with.

That's the key to success!

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In order to explore, learn and enhance your affiliation and experience in the interior design domain, there's definitely a need for formal education at an accredited College or University.

Courses taken, courses desired, tuition fees and location are of the most important considerations you'll deal with before deciding on where you'll get your certification from.

Some of the important courses that you can expect to take if you choose to get certified as a designer include:

* Drawing
* Building construction
* Drafting
* History of design
* Furniture design
* Architecture
* Auto CAD
* Project management
* Design
* Computer aided Design

In order to be accepted at an accredited interior design school, you will have to have taken specific pre-requisite high school courses.

Those of which are:

* Mathematics 4 years
* English 4 years
* Physics 1 year
* History/Social studies 1 year
* Computer Science 1 year
* Architectural Drawing 1 year
* Shop class 1 year

Tuition at any one of these schools can be quite expensive. You can expect to spend anywhere between $8,000 a year to $15,000 a year. A general certification course will run for four years. Getting certified could cost you anywhere from $32,000 to $60,000.

Of course, financial aid is always available for those that need assistance.
Don't worry, not all alternatives to certification are this expensive! You may check out trade schools, online designing courses, or self learning.

Trade Schools
There are many trade schools out there that offer Interior Design as a course. Some of these schools are accredited and can give you the certification that you need. However, it's my job to warn you; your credentials will not be as high or recognizable as those from a College or University.

These schools do offer many of the same courses but they are condensed, and blended together to suit a shorter course duration or a year or two.

Tuition at trade schools is, generally half of what you could expect to pay at a College or University, about $8,000 for two years or $4,000 for one including materials.

Online Design Programs
Since location/immobility might be one of the most important factors for some people, going to a school for Interior Design might not be an option.

For those, learning how to do it from the comfort of their own home is the best alternative. Although this method is not recommended if you are trying to become certified.

Where can you find such courses? Actually, there are literally thousands upon thousands of courses for interior design that are offered online. Just search for the right one. Course prices for internet schools of design can start as low as $19.00 and go as high as $500.00.

Self Teaching
Alternatives to taking any formal courses at all are called "self teaching". You'll just study the necessary information that you will need to do interior design as a profession, but you will not be certified.

Whatever it is you select to be your mode of teaching, it is detrimental that you pursue it.

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Just like any other prominent profession, there are specializations in interior design.

Those of which could be broadly categorized under residential areas and commercial properties, along with several more concentrated areas.

Some designers prefer to narrow their specialization to particular types of homes and businesses, while others refuse to specialize at all.

Residential Interior Designer:
Are also called "Home Interior Designer" as they design various rooms inside and around peoples' homes. Designers of this type enjoy the ability to liberate their imagination as their clients grant them the freedom to do so.

There's not only flexibility in this category of designers but also less stress as the deadlines are usually more relaxed.

In any case, your pursuit of this specialization should be based on the freedom of creativity that the field grants you, rather than the need to be rich.

Commercial Interior Designers:
Are designers that specialize in commercial property and work on projects for businesses and organizations.

This is a concise but far from complete definition however, as designers of this specialization may work for banks, hotels, restaurants, law firms; you name it.

So is this type lucrative?

Indeed it can be provided you can establish a good rapport with your client. Doing a good job will lead to a steady, return client, and your ability to satisfy this client will often guarantee you more work as the client's word of mouth can lead to other businesses desiring your services.

As previously noted, residential and commercial interior designers are not the only branches of specialty.

Be aware however, that you should only specialize in a sub branch if you have exceptional strength in it.

Some common sub branches include:

Kitchen and Bath: This is a branch that you may wish to specialize in if you have great aptitude for it already. With this specialization, you certainly need to have knowledge in cabinetry and plumbing for this particular branch.
Windows and Draperies: This seems like a small area to specialize in, but the windows of a house or building play a big role in the overall structure. A fundamental source of energy efficiency in every home, they are often changed on a yearly basis.

Knowledge of basic heating and cooling, as well as dry walling, and space management should help you in this area.

Lighting: The lighting of any area is often a bit more complicated than plugging a lamp into a socket. Often, it is the addition of special lighting that can completely change a room's environment. Unfortunately, lighting is an often overlooked sub branch of Interior Design.

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Just as you might be wondering if interior design is the right thing for you, surely the issue is mutually perceived from the professions point of view.

So you must ask yourself if you have what it takes to be one of them.

Thinking it out together, we'll find that there are technical as well as non-technical (i.e. communication and personal) characteristics that you should have to be a successful interior designer.

Technically, you need to be able to:
Design and read blueprints, particularly for the projects that require a great change in the area's structure like wall removal, etc.

Perform Environmental Analysis: Once you can read blueprints, you will have to analyze the information that is listed so that you can effectively create or remove space in a particular environment so you cause little or no disturbance in it.

Look out for Environmental Lighting: Strange enough, many forget that lighting is included in any space changing project. You have to be aware of how lighting works, and what is needed to install light fixtures in areas that do not have them already.

Plan the basic plumbing & pipe structure: Any changes in kitchen, bathroom, garden or pool spaces will ultimately change the plumbing fixtures. Obviously, you'll have to sort that out accordingly.

Moving on to the more characteristic qualities, you'll need to be:

1) Somewhat creative
You have to be unique in what you offer your clients. If it was your ingenuity in designing space, and turning whatever they already have into art-work, then I would expect you to have long-term relationships with your clients.

2) Well organized
Don't expect to keep track of every project you're working on if you're not impeccably organized in terms of tasks, documents and budgets.

3) Relatively good at solving problems
Life isn't free of trouble, particularly for people in professions that require a great deal of taste and risk.

You'll have to be able to solve any problem that knocks your door almost instantaneously.

Try to employ your creativity and organizational skills to generate the best alternative solutions and choose the most suitable.

4) Able to multi-task
Interior designing is certainly not your game of you can only concentrate on one task at a time! You'll have to give instructions to contractors, work with your assistant on the structure, and explain everything to your client as you go.

5) Friendly
Will you quickly become friends with your clients, or scare them away? Much of the Interior designer's job involves convincing people that you are the best person to design their space. Undoubtedly, a friendly, professional, outgoing attitude is the easiest way to accomplish that.

6) Be a good business judge
You can't be in business if you don't have a good business sense. A successful interior designer will have to estimate and put a value to his work through extensive calculations.

Negotiation, marketing, advertising and bookkeeping are among the skills that you should need to use in the business.

Well, having shed light on most of the technical and non-technical characteristics that Interior Designers need, I think you'll be able to evaluate yourself accordingly and decide on whether this profession suits you or not!

Good luck!

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