What Do Interior Designers Do?
Do you have creative flair? Do you enjoy decorating and arranging furniture? Do people complement you on your eye for detail and your taste in interior design? If you can answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then a career in Interior Design or Decoration may be what you’ve been looking for.
What is Interior Design and Decoration
Interior decorating and design uses creative flair along with specialised knowledge to create amazing spaces. Interior decorators work on dressing an interior space using paint, furnishings, and floor and window coverings. Interior designers specialise in using interior spaces effectively. Like decorators, they also work with furnishings and colours. However, they are concerned with every aspect of the design process including layout, area restrictions, time restraints, and budget.
“Interior decorators work on dressing an interior space using paint, furnishings, and floor and window coverings.”
What Qualifications do I Need?
If the idea of interior design and decorating excites you, a great place to start is the short course offered by the Interior Design Institute.
A Certificate IV in Interior Decoration will give you the skills you need to work in the industry as a professional decorator. You will learn how to integrate colour theory, produce industry-standard two-dimensional perspective drawings, as well has how to interpret and respond to a client brief. This course also offers pathways to extend your study into the design arena.
A Diploma of Interior Design and Decoration, developed in consultation with the current interior design industry is a great qualification to have. Over the course, you will complete many projects designed to build up your skills and knowledge. All the basics will be covered — drawing, conceptual, research and business skills. In short, you will learn to combine the technical, creative and conceptual skills necessary to plan and detail a range of spaces including commercial, residential or heritage interiors.
The Bachelor of Applied Science (Interior Architecture) — formerly known as a Bachelor of Arts (Interior Architecture), is highly respected in the interior design industry, both nationally and internationally. The degree will qualify you as a professional in Interior Architecture and will enable you to design quality environments for a diverse range of users and functions. It also provides a sound basis for more specialised careers and study in areas such as furniture or set design, education and/or research. Depending upon previous study, you may also be eligible for credits for prior learning.
Where Can it Take me?
Qualifications in decoration and design can lead to some exciting and varied careers. Interior decorators with a Certificate IV focus primarily on decorating the space to meet functional and aesthetic requirements. This may include working on heritage buildings, corporate spaces, and residential spaces (including houses and apartments). Typical career outcomes include:
- Independent or freelance interior decorating consultant
- Junior interior design employee
- Retail assistant working in the interior decorating field.
Interior designers with a Diploma qualification often coordinate the design and construction of building interiors including commercial, workplace, hospitality, medical, gallery and retail environments. They can also find work designing transient environments such as trade fairs, exhibitions, museums and public events. Typical career outcomes may include:
- Self-employed Interior Decorator
- Colour Consultant
- Interior Stylist
- In-house Interior Designer or Decorator
- Interior Design and Decoration Consultant.
If you have an undergraduate degree you will be able to use your knowledge and skills for adaptive reuse of existing buildings and conservation or significant sites. With full understanding in all aspects of design, including technical knowledge of interior construction, equipment and building systems, you could work in a range of exciting careers. Typical job outcomes include:
- Independent interior design consultants
- Facility manager
- Lighting or furniture designer
- Design educator.
So if a career in design or decoration seems like a fun and rewarding career, fast track your success by enrolling in a course today.
