Interior Designer - Career Advice - Houses and Buildings

Houses & Buildings

Interior designers design and supervise the construction or redevelopment of building interiors. Future Growth Strong

Interior designers plan and design the interior environments of a range of buildings, from homes to corporate offices. They make effective use of interior spaces by ensuring that all the needs of the occupants, and functions of a space are catered for.

Interior designers work to a design brief and need to carry out detailed research that includes consideration of their client's wishes, ensuring the designs they produce reflect the client's image and identity. They may work on the construction or the redevelopment of building interiors, to develop designs that are appropriate, functional and aesthetically pleasing.

ANZSCO description: 2325: Plans, designs, details and supervises the construction of commercial, industrial, retail and residential building interiors to produce an environment tailored to a purpose, with particular emphasis on space creation, space planning, and factors that enhance living and working environments. With Client

Specialisations: Commercial Interior Designer, Environmental Designer, Residential Interior Designer, Retail Interior Designer

Knowledge, skills and attributes

An interior designer needs:

creativity, imagination and artistic flair
good communication and listening skills
good colour sense and an eye for detail
an aptitude for illustration and technical drawing
to demonstrate flexibility in their approach to tasks
excellent problem-solving skills
an understanding of building construction.

Duties and Tasks

Interior designers may perform the following tasks:

talk to clients and architects to work out client needs and intentions, and to make sure that safety requirements are met
develop designs that are appropriate, functional and aesthetically pleasing
prepare working drawings and specifications for interior construction, materials, finishes, space planning, lighting, furnishings and equipment
estimate costs of materials, labour and time, and give estimates to clients for approval
organise supplies and prepare detailed instructions for tradespeople
inspect the work of suppliers and tradespeople, and maintain time, cost and quality controls
work with specialists in technical areas concerned with fire, hydraulics, and mechanical, electrical and structural design, making sure that industry regulations are met
prepare and administer tenders and contract documents
re-design the interiors of old buildings and design furnishings to be made by cabinetmakers, antique furniture restorers and other tradespeople
design exhibitions, commercial display stands or stage, film and television production sets.
Interior design requires an understanding of building construction, lighting, colour and furniture.

Working conditions

Interior designers need to be able to develop designs that suit both the client and the characteristics of a building or room. A designer can work in property and business services, or provide services in construction or retailing. They may be self-employed or work with a design group. They can be expected to visit clients in their home or office, and can work long hours including weekends and evenings.

Tools and technologies

Interior designers need a high level of computer skills. They should be competent with computer-aided drawing (CAD) software, and design software such as Photoshop and InDesign, as well as MS Office.

Education and training/entrance requirements

To become an interior designer you usually need to complete a formal qualification in interior design, interior architecture or environmental and spatial design.

The Diploma of Interior Design and Decoration is offered at TAFE Colleges and other registered training organisations throughout Australia.

You can also complete a degree majoring in interior architecture or environmental and spatial design.

Samples of floor
Samples of different floor coverings

Did You Know:

Did you know that designers – or at least, people with design backgrounds – are the entrepreneurs behind successful social media startups like
YouTube,
Flickr,
Vimeo,
Slideshare,
Tumblr,
Airbnb,
Feedburner and
YCombi?

(Source: Fastcodesign)

Facebook and Twitter aren’t in there, but those aside, a recent article by Bruce Nussbaum, Professor of Innovation and Design at the New York-based Parsons The New School of Design, claims that designers and ‘design thinking’ are leading the charge in today’s new American capital venture startups.
(Source: DIA - Masters of the universe?)