Interior Design Skills & Things To Know About Becoming An Interior Designer

What is Interior Designing?

As humans, we possess an innate desire to decorate the space we live in. This is not something new and can be traced to centuries back. This aspiration to personalize the spaces we inhabit has only got refined with the evolution of art. Nowadays, interior design has become a full-fledged discipline and a career path. The science of decorating and designing one's personal space in a way that immediately highlights the inhabited values and characters of its owners is not a new one, however, this science as a professional course is still booming. 

The profession of interior designing is believed to have evolved following the development of society and the urge to live in uniform and yet unique, houses. It is interesting to note that interior design is a branch of architecture where an interior designer comes into the picture after the building is designed and materialized by an architect. An interior designer is someone who enhances the interior space by employing and moderating the elements and principles of design in order to achieve an aesthetic resonating with its residents. 

Every space exudes a particular aesthetic sense aligning with the purpose of the building and space. The space can be divided into two parts: residential and non-residential. Whereas the latter comprises contractual compensations by the virtue of the job being more professionally challenging, residential design works on a commission basis. Although the market for residential interior design continues to flourish, the business is believed to be less challenging comparatively. Every individual desire to live in a space that not only stimulates positive thoughts but also equips them with a sense of calmness and safety after long hours of work.  Therefore, interior design usually comes across as a profession that requires one to put emotions into the professional space, a contradictory statement but a highly gratifying job. But the question remains the same i.e., how does one become a successful interior designer or how to start a career in interior design?

Skills required to become a designer

It is important to emphasize the difference between an artist and a designer when it comes to such professional fields. Whereas an artist is focused on self-expression and presenting ideas that appear substantial to them, a designer is more concerned with the output and solutions congruent with the functionality and ease of the space. It is no wonder that sometimes a design turns into art in the modern sense of the term but there are principles and skills that one requires to master to become a designer. A few skills may come naturally to an individual but there are others that one only learns through practice. However, we believe that how to get started has always remained a difficult question since getting started is half the battle won. A few skills required to become a successful interior designer are as follows:

1. Creativity:  Creativity is a life skill and can be instrumental in augmenting various aspects of one's life. However, it becomes doubly crucial when it comes to the domain of design. Not only should an individual be able to bring out new and unique designs and envision a space but it is also important for them to know how to take inspiration from an already designed work. The urge to create new spaces coexists with the fundamental human urge to go back to their past. Art and design are a medium to transport back in time but with a twist indicating the progress. Thus, it is up to the designer to incorporate both aspects creatively and judiciously.

2. Drawing Skills: Basic hand drawing is one of the most fundamental skills required to succeed in this field. Interior floor plans, space arrangement, and material planning can only be developed and communicated by creating design sketches. Drawing skills can also play a part in visualizing space.  

3. Aesthetic Sense: Another significant skill required to become an interior designer is aesthetic sense. It refers to the visually pleasing abilities of a design which are generally achieved through components such as balance, color, pattern, movement, scale, visual weights, shapes, etc. The interior design of a building must align with its architectural style and functionality. For example, gothic buildings prevalent in Europe between the 12th to 16th centuries required ornate decorations which included sculptural moldings, gargoyles, grotesque figures, or water spouts along with key elements such as pointed arches or large stained glass windows to create the perfect gothic aesthetic. 

7 essential things to consider to become an Interior Designer

Before venturing into any field, one must ponder over a few essential things and the domain of interior designing is no different. The question of how to become an interior designer is a peculiar one. Therefore, the following is a list of seven essential things that one must know before becoming an interior designer:

1. Interior designing is not interior decorating.

The two terms have often been used interchangeably. However, interior design is far more than interior decor. While an interior decorator furnishes the house with furniture and accessories, an interior designer is supposed to understand their client's behavior to create an operational space. An NCIDQ page quotes, "interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design."

2. Interior Design is more than just design. 

An interior designer requires a plethora of technical knowledge as well as skills. In addition, they must be aware of the history of design, the structural integrity of a space, cultural as well as psychological aspects, computer-aided drawing skills or apps such as Canva etc to succeed. For example, the Indian concept of the home goes far beyond the physical aspects of the space, rather it assimilates the spiritual and religious notions of the community as well. Therefore, it is pertinent to become a successful interior designer to understand the spatial configuration with respect to traditional as well as modern beliefs of the community. 

3. Subjectivity matters but you cannot employ it sometimes.

Noble professions such as poetry or art are meant to bring out one's personal beliefs and emotions but commercialisation has affected every pursuit to various degrees. Even a painter has to paint sometimes what he doesn't want to for the sake of survival. Similar is the case with interior design. It is a professional course and the client hires a designer to design a space according to their needs and wants. Although the design is subjective and a designer may not always resonate with the client's ideas but they have to design spaces nevertheless. Therefore, sometimes a designer might have to design spaces in a way that they would not have done originally. 

4. There may not be great monetary benefits in the beginning.

Salaries in creative fields are often lesser than in STEM fields in the beginning. For an entry-level job i.e, assistant level designer, the salary ranges from 25K to 30K INR in a metropolitan city. Although, a senior interior designer might earn up to 30 Lakh per annum. 

This job requires an individual to be highly skilled and educated, thus, it is natural for one to expect higher salaries. However, creative fields often take into account one's abilities and work experience more than professional degrees. To build an experience, one has to slog through the beginning phase but one must utilize this time in honing their creative and other interpersonal skills. 

5. Not your conventional desk job.

The job of an interior designer is anything but a conventional desk job. It might appear that all that is required of them is to sit in front of a computer and visualize a space or draw sketches, however, it is not so. The job demands continuous meetings and site inspections. Instead of just drawing, one requires to possess a multitude of interpersonal skills in this domain. For example, a lot of residential space clients might be unaware of the design principles and attributes. It is up to the designer to sell their designs and convince their clients of the quality of work done. 

6. There will always be cutthroat competition.

Before taking a step forward as an interior designer, one must be aware of the cutthroat competition in the field. Given the overarching need for unique taste and ideas in the twenty-first century, thinking out of the box has almost become an ordinary thing. Since the entire field is in its booming stage, it is understandable that new ideas are emerging on a daily basis, especially with the bombardment of ideas on the internet. One important thing is updating oneself continuously. Not only the history but the current patterns and their potential in future, an interior designer must understand them all. 

7. Multi-tasking is a must.

Before pursuing a career as an interior designer, one must understand that it is a challenging task to create a name for oneself in a field like this. To leave a mark, one is required to perform certain tasks simultaneously. You can be doing an entry-level job, meeting with contractors, designing for friends and family to build a portfolio, and studying further, all at a single point in time. Moreover, as one grows in the business, responsibilities only increase with workload and clients. 

However, this does not mean that the job will not be gratifying enough. If you are someone with a knack to design interior spaces, there are abundant opportunities to grow and thrive in the field. The job is highly suitable for people who are fond of drawing and possess good communication and interpersonal skills. We believe that we have mentioned all the things you should know about interior designing or rather everything you need to know about becoming an interior designer and if you are positive that you are passionate enough, then enroll in a course today.