Interior Design Schools
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Interior Design Career CenterQualifications | Employment | Compensation | Job Outlook Working ConditionsInterior designers plan the space and furnish the interiors of private homes, public buildings, and business or institutional facilities, such as offices, restaurants, retail establishments, hospitals, hotels, and theaters. They also plan the interiors when existing structures are renovated or expanded. Most interior designers specialize in a particular type of design (residential) or room (kitchens or baths). With a client's tastes, needs, and budget in mind, interior designers prepare drawings and specifications for non-load bearing interior construction, furnishings, lighting, and finishes. Increasingly, designers use computers to plan layouts, which can easily be changed to include ideas received from the client. Interior designers also design lighting and architectural details—such as crown molding, built-in bookshelves, or cabinets—coordinate colors, and select furniture, floor coverings, and window treatments. Interior designers must design space to conform to Federal, State, and local laws, including building codes. Designs for public areas also must meet accessibility standards for the disabled and elderly. Designers who work on a contract, or job, basis frequently adjust their workday to suit their clients' schedules, meeting with them during evening or weekend hours when necessary. Designers may transact business in their own offices or studios or in clients' homes or offices, or they may travel to other locations, such as showrooms, design centers, clients' exhibit sites, and manufacturing facilities. Designers who are paid by the assignment are under pressure to please clients and to find new ones to maintain a constant income. All designers face frustration at times when their designs are rejected or when they cannot be as creative as they wish. With the increased use of computers in the workplace and the advent of Internet websites, more designers conduct business, research design alternatives, and purchase supplies electronically than ever before. Occasionally, designers may work additional hours to meet deadlines. Interior designers generally work under deadlines and may work extra hours to finish a job. Also, they regularly carry heavy, bulky sample books to meetings with clients. Learn more about becoming an interior designer: |
