Have you got what it takes to be an Interior Designer? Before beginning a career in interior design, you must be sure that you have a true passion for it. For some, decorating comes naturally and perhaps you’ve been doing it since you were a child. Did you ever rearrange your room or constantly change the color of your walls? If so, you were an Interior Designer in the making.
Or, perhaps, now as an adult, your friends look to you for decorating recommendations, space-saving tips or advice on color combinations. Why not make a career out of it? Although you have a genuine passion and interest in interior design, you still may want to consider a few pros and cons before you enter a degree program.
An Interior Designer, in today’s market, can be a lucrative career choice, however, with that being said, when the economy is down, there are not many people paying someone to decorate their home for them. Larger corporations are the only ones hiring designers if their business is still striving.
If you are a true entrepreneur, you will enjoy being your own boss and working within your own time constraints, however, demanding clients may expect you to work within their time frames. Do you work well under pressure? Interior designing can be very stressful, at times.
Are you the creative type? Within interior design, you can express yourself through your creativity, however, you must always consider your client’s taste, first and foremost. Occasionally, a client’s request can be unrealistic with the budget that they have allowed. That’s when you must work your magic and be creative to satisfy your client and maintain your reputation.
If you choose to own your own business, please be aware of the responsibilities that go along with that. When you work for an interior design firm, you will have help and perhaps, some direction. As you own your own firm, you are responsible for meeting deadlines on your own, creating your own design plan and, if you hire your own employees or assistants, you are held responsible for their work, as well.
As your own boss, once you are established, you may pick and choose your own projects or work as much as you want, however, at times, you may lose jobs if someone else’s bid is lower. In addition, depending on your interest, you may prefer to specialize in one concentration of remodeling such as, residential kitchens, commercial restrooms or in historical preservation, just to name a few. However, to maximize profits, you may want to make it a point to work on all types of projects, so more customers will find your services useful.
Interior design has its pros and cons, like most any other career field, however, if you have a genuine love for decorating, follow your ambitions and trust that your educational degree, hard work and determination will allow you the career of your dreams. If you would like to learn more about this field, please see our list of the Best Online Schools for Bachelor’s in Interior Design Programs.