Skills Needed to Become an Interior Designer

As a professional interior designer I use the skills I have acquired over the years to teach my students at Simplinteriors School of Interior Design & Entrepreneurship to make interior spaces appealing and functional during any interior design project. Interior designers  work with clients and other design professionals to understand how the interior space will be used and what the ambience should represent. To be successful as an interior designer, you need education, communication skills and a bit of innate creativity. here are some skills to consider

Education

Most employers and clients prefer an interior designer who completed a formal education program, and interior designers can earn a diploma in interior design or a certificate in interior design. Many programs are accredited such as Simplinteriors School of Interior Design & Entrepreneurship were you will be taught to become your own boss after the training.

Creativity

Interior designers should possess strong creative and artistic skills to make their designs aesthetically pleasing for their clients. They select a variety of colors, textiles, fabrics and interior furnishings with the clients’ interests and tastes in mind. Although many design aesthetics are learned through education and training, a natural creative talent helps interior designers to be successful.

Communication

To successfully find clients and understand their needs, interior designers require excellent interpersonal skills. Interior designers often work with a variety of other professionals to design and construct interior spaces. They must effectively communicate with architects, engineeers and contractors — everyone involved with design projects — to be successful.

You Must Have a Knack for Design

It may seem obvious, but in order to become an interior designer, you need to have an innate flair for color, spatial arrangements, architecture and textiles. Do you enjoy decorating your home and get lots of compliments on your decor? That doesn’t necessarily mean you should be an interior designer, but it’s certainly a good sign.

The first step to a successful career is to follow your passion. After all, doing something you love will never feel like work.

Interior Design Isn’t All Fabric and Fun

While fabrics, furniture and color may play a large role in interior design, there are plenty of other tasks that are required of interior designers — many of which may seem less like fun and more like work.

Interior designers need to be educated in the history of design, the structural integrity of buildings, building codes, ethics, psychology, computer-aided drawing (CAD) and much more.

It might seem that interior designers are expected to be Jacks (or Jills) of all trades, doesn’t it? This broad range of skills is required because designers work with not only homeowners, but also builders, architects, government agencies and business owners.  To become a successful interior designer, one needs to be educated and well-rounded.

Collect ideas
Ask interior designers to share their experiences, and they will surely relate some horror stories of past clients. People are finicky, especially when it comes to their homes. While some clients have clear goals in mind, others may think they know what they want only to discover that they hate the final product and are dissatisfied with your work.

A successful interior designer is a people pleaser and a mitigator (and sometimes a mind reader) — someone who can steer clients toward a favorable outcome while making them feel they are in full control of the design choices. Interior designers are constantly balancing their design decisions and their clients’ desires. It’s not a cakewalk, to say the least.
It’s Not About Your Style, It’s About Theirs

While designers can offer their clients a wide range of design styles to choose from, it is important to remember that it is up to the clients to choose what style suits them best.

Just because designers are educated and have good taste does not make their choices superior to their clients. The interior designer’s job is to offer a variety of styles and direct the client toward the right design choice while allowing the client to feel in charge.

For example, you may work as an interior designer for years and never design a house that suits your personal tastes. It is all about the clients’ style — and you must put your own aside.

After reading all the pros and cons of becoming an interior designer, do you think it’s one you’d like to pursue? If you’re considering interior design as a career,you can visit www.simplinteriors.com to learn more and also remember all points mentioned above. The field may be competitive, but with a little hard work and a stellar portfolio, you can become a successful interior designer.