If you are enthusiastic about becoming an interior designer, there is more to learn than wanting to be one. If for example, you have been receiving compliments on your ideas and think of exploring, there is a chance for you to make it happen. Are you passionate about arranging and re-arranging rooms to fill a specific taste? A career in interior design might be the way out for you. Before you make that significant twist in your job and turn entirely into interior design, it would be important to observe some of the issues related to success in the field. Learn about the challenges and opportunities involved in interior decors to prepare for a new life as an interior designer. Here is a checklist to identify the important things that make the best interior designers.
Decorators versus Designers
The main difference between a decorator and designer is education and the lack of it. Anyone can become an interior decorator as long as they are enthused about colors, patterns, and textures. However, educational background is essential to make a skillful designer to make appropriate decorations for clients. It may be easy to print business cards and promote oneself to clients claiming to be proficient in interior design. Although it is not necessarily a problem, the actual provision of top-notch services requires more than this achievement and ambition.
An interior designer is accredited with education and certified to practice their passion. Some people choose to attain associate or bachelor’s degrees in the field. Although it takes time, it pays to invest in education instead of jumping into decorative work. More people do not find it necessary to do this end eventually make huge blunders in the long run. The importance of education cannot be overemphasized.
It is not all about Fabric and Fun
Although fabrics, furniture, and color are the main players in interior design, you will soon realize that there is more to it than these three. This is the part where most people find a difficult time because it is no longer fun time. The tasks accompanying the process are less fun and more work. For example, you will need to learn the various structural integrity of buildings, their codes, ergonomics, spatial concepts, psychologies, cultures, ethics, computer-aided drawing (CAD), and the history of design. It may seem at this point that you are forced to learn to know everything when all you need is to specialize in your talent. The widened range of skills is a necessity not only for homeowners but builders as well. Others who need the skills are; architects, business owners, and government agencies hence the need to learn the information across the globe.
A Knack for Design
Although it seems rather apparent, becoming a good interior designer requires a passion and flair for color. You should be attracted to patterns, textiles, architecture, color, and spatial arrangements. This means you should be obsessed with decorative work in your own space. Notice that enjoying decorative work is not enough to guarantee your pursuance of the career. It is, however, the big launch into the process as you begin your career. Working on something you love will never feel like work or being constrained to work. At this point, it would be important to consider making it your career.
Income Misconceptions
Many people who want to venture into interior designing want it for the money and not the activity. The fact is there may not be a salary as high as they expect. The motivation towards money may not be an accurate representation of the facts. According to recent statistics, the median salary of an entry-level interior designer is $42,380 per year. Naturally, there are many contributing factors, which contribute towards the final figures. Some of the factors include; education, location, work experience, as well as the size of the company. You may, for example, define your rate of final pay by gaining exposure and experience. With upgraded skills, you can rise and make financial success using your knowledge in education, laws, and structural design.
Increase Popularity
To make the most of this career, you need to be exposed to networks. This means you need to be a people’s person by sharing your contacts and experiences. If you listen to some of the most experienced people, you will notice that many of them have had nasty experiences with stubborn customers. The issue mostly arises because most of the clients do not have clear goals in mind, so they keep changing their ideas. People are also prone to be dissatisfied with their initial products. In the end, to be successful at interior designing, you will have to be a people pleaser. As weird as it sounds, you will need to be changing according to their demands. You will soon become one who steers clients toward favorable outcomes to make them feel in full control. The best interior designers are constantly balancing between their choices and designer’s wants. This means that it will not be a smooth ride anytime.
Conclusion
Becoming a proficient interior designer should not be difficult. This does not mean it is an easy ride too. There are lessons to learn, skills to grasp, and stubborn clients to deal with. You can only succeed after going through the difficult moments of the jobs. You should, therefore, be ready to overcome all the challenges in the process to become the best in the game.