If the answer is yes, then you will want to read it.
1) What does an interior designer do?
The typical day in the life of an interior designer is very dynamic and varied. The space you create for your client is the result of months of planning, creative ideas and hard work resulting from long meetings with clients to find equipment and accessories.
These are some of the main responsibilities of an interior designer:
- Search for new clients and projects;
- Prepare summaries, sketches and budgets based on job specifications;
- Create a project timeline;
- Evaluate customer needs throughout the project;
- Prepare detailed drawings from initial sketches, usually made on a computer;
- Search and find furniture, equipment and accessories;
- Participate in periodic site visits and customer meetings.
Of course, that’s not all. An interior designer must be flexible, quick and attentive to changes and trends in design, furniture and decorations to react to any number of problems that may arise during the project. And what other qualities should an interior designer have? Here are the 5 characteristics that an interior designer should have:
- creativity;
- Organization;
- Excellent communication;
- Attention to detail;
- Sales spirit.
All interiors professionals highlight innovation as a fundamental piece in the toolbox, but it’s no news that having enormous organizational and communication skills is also important.
There are many things that inspire interior designers to enter the industry. As a general rule, interior designers must possess qualifications that demonstrate an extremely high level of design ability and artistic talent. The most common ways to demonstrate these skills are through:
- Higher education – Bachelor’s degree, covering topics such as furniture design, scenography and exhibition and event design, a master’s degree in which you develop interior designs and their techniques, virtual models among many other things.
Take advantage of your free time to create a professional action plan to discover what kind of designer you want to be and how you can achieve your goals. .
The salary of an interior designer depends on the level of experience. Younger designers and those who have just graduated start to earn less than more experienced designers with more years of experience, they can earn much more, this also depends on the companies you work for.
It’s always good to learn more, so look for new ways to gain new knowledge in the area. Consider enrolling in a professional institute, continue your training with other professionals in the sector by enrolling in training courses.
British Institute of Interior Design – BIID is a highly regarded association in the UK. If you’re thinking about becoming an interior designer, it’s worth considering this membership which offers 6 years of education and work experience.
Chartered Society of Designers – Whether you are a student simply looking to improve your opportunities at an early stage or a fully developed designer, the CSD membership is accessible to everyone in the industry. Participation levels vary depending on experience level, but all offer access to a network of like-minded people.
Keep learning – Interior design is a constantly evolving field and it is essential that designers always stay up to date. Attending conferences, signing up for courses, and networking with other professionals are great ways to stay up to date on the latest industry news.
The best advice often comes from those who know and with this in mind we decided to do a short questionnaire to MOYO designers, Cláudia Ferreira and Joana Rodrigues, in which they shared a bit of their experiences as designers:
1st How did you become interested in interior design?
Joana Rodrigues – “Since I was a child I have had a passion for the arts, from fashion to furniture. I had a great passion for taking small pieces of fabric and making clothes for my dolls. So when I entered college I chose the interior design course because of my passion for the area.”
Claudia Ferreira – «My personal taste for interior design was not immediate… it grew thanks to work experience in a decoration company. Since I was a child I have always had an «inclination» for the arts, preferring and appreciating all creative fields in terms of design, and from a very young age I have always opted for the Artistic Area with regards to school choices, having entered the Professional Fashion Design Course in the 10th year of high school, up to the 12th year of middle school. By choice personal and given that professional opportunities in fashion were very difficult at the time, my choice of higher studies was in Communication Design, having initially started this course at ESAD, in 1998/99, however, due to personal needs, at the age of 19 I entered the world of work, simultaneously with academic studies… and in 2000 I started working in a highly regarded national decoration and representation company, Altamira, an assertive and sensible choice to change my training in the Interior Design course, again at ESAD, my path of enriching professional experiences, from then until today, in successful national companies in the field of furniture and the representation of international design brands.»
What advice would you give to aspiring interior designers?
Joana – «The advice I would give to a young interior designer is to always have a passion for the profession, always love what you do and always try to focus on the client to try to understand what they like in order to create a space that satisfies them.»
Claudia – «As a professional with 20 years of experience, I advise you to gain as much professional experience as possible in the sector, even at the same time as teaching, so that you can have a more in-depth knowledge of the area. This is the real challenge.»