CAREER AS AN

INTERIOR
DESIGNER
Institute Research Number 5 ISBN 1-58511-005-1
DOT Number 142.051-014, O*Net SOC Code 27-1025.00

CAREER AS AN

INTERIOR DESIGNER
HOMES, OFFICES, HOSPITALS, STORES – ALL INTERIOR
SPACES REQUIRE TALENTED PROFESSIONALS TO CREATE A
PLEASING ENVIRONMENT
WHEN YOU WALK INTO A ROOM, YOU NOTICE, EITHER CONSCIOUSLY OR
subliminally, the little touches that give it a particular style: the
curtains, the furniture, the carpet, the lighting, the crown molding,
the wallpaper. These individual elements, when taken as a whole, give
a room its personality.
But rooms don’t start out with character. They begin with four
blank walls and a lot of empty space in between. That space must be
filled with color, light, furnishings, and other decorative touches. In
many cases, occupants design their own rooms. But often, individuals
and companies turn to a professional – an interior designer whose job
it is to transform bare rooms into comfortable and aesthetically
pleasing living and working spaces.

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What Do Interior Designers Do? Interior designers design
space. They plan each room so that it is not only pleasing to the eye,
but safe, functional, and appropriate to its purpose. For example, a
movie theater with huge columns in front of the seats would block
patrons from viewing the films, defeating its own purpose as a
business. A seaside home without beachfront windows would negate
the benefit of its location, and would be unlikely to find a buyer. A
hospital without wheelchair access ramps would be difficult and even
dangerous for its patients to navigate.
The best designers plan with the purpose of each location in
mind. They seamlessly combine art with function – pleasing the senses
while they satisfy the need for comfort and accessibility. Designers
must consider the practicality of each space: the ease of movement in
a room, the amount of light from natural and artificial sources, and
the available seating space.
Once the fundamentals are attended to, designers can turn their
attention to aesthetics. This may involve choosing furniture, fabrics,
and decorations and placing them strategically to create a style that is
both unique and pleasing to the eye. Styles can range from fun and
friendly to classical or other period, modern, or even serene and
moody. Designers approach each room from all senses: sight (color
and lighting), touch (shape and texture), and sound (noise, echo). Not
only must each element be pleasing, but the elements must work
together as a whole to create a harmonious environment.
To create this sense of harmony, designers must have an in-depth
understanding of color, sound, light, patterns, furniture, fabrics, paint,
fixtures, and art. They must also be familiar with a variety of design
styles, both modern and historical.
Creating a Design
Every successful design starts with a plan. After consulting with the
client, the designer (or team of designers) envisions the layout of the
space, then creates drawings and floor plans of the proposed design.
More and more designers are creating these plans on computers,
which allow quick and easy changes based on the client’s
recommendations. Once the client has approved the drawings and
plans, the designer lays out the specifications for lighting, colors,
materials, finishes, furnishings, and fixtures. The design must not only
match the client’s personal needs and budget, but it must also comply
with building codes and government safety regulations.

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 After all plans are complete, the interior designer shops for
fabrics, furniture, and other materials. If certain materials are not
available in local stores, designers may create their own. At this stage,
the designer also hires the contractors needed to build the design –
carpenters, lighting specialists, etc. Most jobs are presented to several
contractors in each specialty, who bid for the opportunity to do the
work. The bidding process allows the client and designer to pay the
most competitive rates.
While the room or rooms are taking shape, the interior designer
supervises the process, working closely with the architects, decorators,
and building contractors to ensure they are meeting all requirements
and specifications. Finally, the designer will review the completed
space(s), checking to see that it matches the original plan, and meets
the client’s expectations.
Are interior designers and interior decorators the same?
Definitely not. Decorators focus only on the surface touches of a
room – the paint, floor coverings, sofas, and curtains. Interior
designers, on the other hand, often start with four bare walls, a floor
and a ceiling, and they must create the total mood and feel of a room.
Designers often step in early in the process, working closely with
architects and contractors while the building is still under
construction.
Interior designers must not only think about how a room looks;
they must also consider how it functions, and whether it is safe for its
occupants. Designers must understand color and style, and they must
have a thorough knowledge of safety requirements (like fire ratings
and handicapped specifications), federal and state building codes,
lighting quality, ergonomics (comfort), and sound.
Because of the strict standards involved, most states require that
designers graduate from a two- or four-year college and work in the
field for a few years, then pass an exam to receive a license. Interior
decorators, on the other hand, are free to practice their craft without
a license.

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HISTORY OF THE PROFESSION
ALTHOUGH THE CAREER OF INTERIOR DESIGN IS RELATIVELY NEW, THE DESIRE TO
create comfortable and visually pleasing living spaces has existed for
centuries. As early as 20,000 years ago, hunting peoples painted the
walls of their caves. Although these paintings are believed to have
been more symbolic than artistic, they represent the earliest examples
of art in the home.
In the fifth century BC, Central Asian nomads decorated their tents
with beautiful rugs and carpets. They were trying to beautify the
spaces in which they lived, but their migratory lifestyle required that
any designs be simple and moveable. The practice of interior design
could not truly begin until humans changed from a nomadic, agrarian
lifestyle and settled into established communities.
The Earliest Designers
Before interior design emerged as its own specialty, artists were also
considered designers. Many painters also designed and decorated
furniture. Sculptors were also goldsmiths who created decorative
objects in metal. Architects not only built, but also designed interiors,
and created their own rugs, furniture, pottery, and tapestries.

The Egyptians The ancient Egyptians made some of the earliest

attempts at interior design. They were among the first peoples to
furnish their mud homes – with chairs, tables, and beds. They
assembled these furnishings from simple brick platforms and adorned
them with animal skins and textiles. Walls and floors were covered
with throws made of woven rushes or palmetto. The Egyptians
accented their rooms with murals, sculptures, and painted vases. In
the more luxurious palaces, floors were painted to resemble gardens
and pools.

The Greeks and Romans The Greeks learned much of their design
style from the Egyptians. Like the Egyptians, they accessorized their
homes and palaces with vases, paintings, and mosaic floors. Their
furniture, however, was a bit more elaborate. It was fashioned from
wood and ornamented with inlaid ivory and silver. Wooden vessels
were decorated with sheet-gold, which was hammered from the
opposite side to stand out in relief.

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 The Roman design style was similar to that of the Greeks, but with
a greater focus on mathematical proportion. Architecture and design
worked together – for example, real columns were accented with
painted columns on the walls. Roman furniture was made of stone,
wood, or bronze ornamented with ivory, bronze, or silver. Other
signature style pieces were mosaic floors, multi-cushioned couches,
bronze lamps, Asian carpets woven with gold and silver thread, and
tapestries.
Regular motifs began to appear in Roman designs: the acanthus
leaf, the vine-leaf and grapes, and garlands of laurel were just a few
common icons. The lion was also popular, and continued to be until
the late 19th century. Door knockers and handles were often accented
with a lion’s mask or paws. The Romans also used mythological
animals in their designs, most notably the griffin (a beast with the
head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion), the chimera (a
fire-breathing monster that was part lion, part goat, and part serpent),
and the sphinx.
Medieval Europe The grandeur of ancient Greece and Rome nearly
evaporated in the constant warring of Medieval Europe. Possessions
were something that could be lost in battle, so people began to favor
more austere surroundings. Homes were dark and unadorned, with
stone or timber walls and earth or stone-slab floors. A focal point of
the main room was the fire, which in early Medieval times burned in
the center of the room, but was later confined more safely to a
fireplace against one wall.
Furniture was simple: a few plain stools or benches, wooden
tables, and a large chest in which to store one’s possessions. Wealthier
individuals enjoyed a bit more home decoration than the poor. They
hung fabrics on their walls, and accented their rooms with stone
carvings and more elegant furniture. But still, they used muted colors
and simple fabrics in keeping with the style of the time.
But by the 12th and 13th centuries, more elaborate designs had
once again become popular. Men who had taken part in the Crusades
returned from the Near East with brightly colored tapestries and
finely-woven curtains, which they used to decorate the walls and
windows of their homes. Homes came to life with painted ceilings,
and gold and silver plates in every cupboard.

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 Out of the Eastern influence emerged the Gothic style of design. It
was characterized by open interiors, lit by natural light from many
windows. The strict rules of proportion that governed Roman design
were replaced by a freer style, in which craftsmen could be creative, so
long as their design fit the purpose of the structure.
The Renaissance During the Renaissance, which lasted through the
15th and 16th centuries, Europeans shrugged off the darkness and
severity of the Middle Ages and once again embraced Greek and
Roman culture. Business during this period flourished, and wealthy
merchants spent their money on fine works of art and home
furnishings. Classical architecture was embellished to create a new,
modern style. Architects became skilled at designing space, and they
filled each room with elaborate decorative touches, like inlaid
woodwork, marble floors, silk wall hangings, and paintings. The most
expensive homes displayed the works of the finest painters, sculptors,
wood-carvers, and goldsmiths of the time. Furniture-makers had at
their disposal the richest materials available: walnut, cypress, ebony,
and oak, inlaid with ivory, mother-of-pearl, and tortoiseshell.

Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical Design At the beginning

of the 16th century, Renaissance design and architecture gave way to
the more ornate, theatrical Baroque style. The Baroque originated in
Italy, but quickly spread throughout Europe. It was famous for its
lavish use of colored marble, stained glass windows, and painted walls
and ceilings. Curved walls and twisted columns gave each room a
flowing, moving appearance. One of the greatest masterpieces of
Baroque design was the palace of Versailles, built just outside Paris in
the 17th century.

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 The more flowery, delicate Rococo style followed in the mid-18th
century. Unlike the classical symmetry of the Baroque style, Rococo
was known for its use of asymmetry, where one side of an artistic
piece did not exactly mirror the other. A feature of this style was
furniture inlaid with tortoise-shell, brass, ebony, copper, or
mother-of-pearl. The wealthy began importing porcelain from Asia,
and it became a signature of the Rococo period. It was not uncommon
at the time to see a room filled with porcelain figures, clocks, vases,
and even small tables. Other signatures of the Rococo movement were
curved furniture legs and the use of flowers.
In the late 18th century, the sinuous curves and elegance of the
Baroque period were slowly replaced by a more formal, symmetrical
style. Called Louis XVI, or Neoclassical, the new style was influenced by
the more proportionate, restrained designs of ancient Rome. The
designs were accented with rich silk tapestries, gilt bronze, and satin
and velvet upholsteries. Many of the decorative elements of the
Neoclassical style were taken directly from Roman paintings, urns, and
sculptures.
The 19th Century to Modern Times In 19th century Europe,
the Industrial Revolution introduced a new trend in manufacturing
and design, in which the middle classes became the primary
purchasers of home furnishings and decorations. Even the more
modest homes now came equipped with curved stone staircases with
wrought-iron banisters, marble fireplace mantles, and a new invention
– wallpaper.
A new idea took shape in the early 1800s that has persisted into
the 21st century. Design began to embrace the idea of eclecticism –
mixing various styles to create an aesthetic diversity. For the first time,
a Classical vase could share a space with Baroque wall paintings and
antique Chinese silk throws could sit on a modern sofa.
The turn of the 20th century brought about a radical departure
from the overblown, fussy designs of the previous two centuries.
Rooms were designed with a simpler approach, using plain white or
natural wood, simple doors and windows, and minimal accessories. At
the same time, modern art began to take hold, and traditional modes
of design were rocked by more sensational, controversial techniques
such as the industrial-influenced Bauhaus style and the boxy,
machine-like International style. Materials were influenced by industry.
The designer’s palette was broadened with a variety of man-made
materials, including plastic, synthetic fibers, and acrylic paints.

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 Also during this period, the mechanization of tasks that had once
been completed by hand, and the development of new technological
tools, changed the way designers organized space. Now they had to
fit into their designs heating and cooling units, stoves, washing
machines, televisions, telephones, and computers. In the busy 20th
and 21st centuries, space has been allocated for utilitarian, as well as
aesthetic, purposes. In the modern movement, decoration merged
with function. Colors, textures, and materials not only need to look
good, but they also need to be easily maintained.
Today, designers have an unprecedented freedom to merge design
styles: from the modern to the formal, the traditional to the exotic. Or,
they can develop their own signature style. Designers also have a
wealth of natural and man-made fabrics, colors, and textures at their
disposal. Whatever they and their clients can dream up can now
become a reality.

WHERE YOU WILL WORK

An interior design firm may specialize in residential, office,
commercial, entertainment, healthcare, hospitality, or retail
design.
Your own office, as an independent contractor
A large corporation
A retail furniture store
An architectural firm
A university or art school

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THE WORK YOU WILL DO
Residential Interior Design
Residential designers create comfortable living spaces in individual
homes and apartments. In today’s world, they must do more than pick
out furniture and drapes. They must also address technological design
issues such as wiring, cable, computer hardware, and home theater
systems. Some designers further specialize by only working on specific
rooms, for example kitchens or bathrooms.
Commercial Design
Commercial designers are primarily involved with space planning:
designing spaces in offices and public buildings that are both
attractive and functional.
Office Design
Office designers create workspaces, meeting rooms and other
facility spaces for large and small companies. When designing a work
environment, the designer must find a look that fits the company’s
image. Responsibilities also include elements like lighting, noise,
temperature, and comfort, which can all influence employee
productivity.
Entertainment Design
This exciting specialty brings together light, sound, and the latest
technologies in the design of concert venues, theme parks, clubs, and
movie theaters, as well as sets for movies, television, videos, and
theater productions. Entertainment designers consider themselves
storytellers, because they must create a unique mood and theme for
every design.
Government/Institutional Design
Government buildings and military bases require very specific
design approaches, as do churches and synagogues, schools and
universities, jails, police stations, courts, subway terminals, libraries,
and museums. Because these facilities cover a wide variety of uses,
institutional designers must understand the requirements of
commercial office design, residential design, and hospitality design.
Designing facilities to be used by the public also requires that
designers carefully follow codes and regulations, and use durable
materials that can withstand repeated use.

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Facilities Management
A facilities manager handles the day-to-day upkeep of a corporate
workspace, entertainment venue, or other building. This specialist
must keep informed on new equipment requirements, safety and
health issues, employee comfort and other needs, lighting and
acoustics. Everyday tasks may be as simple as changing a light bulb, or
as complex as overseeing an office renovation.
Healthcare Design
This specialty focuses on creating comfortable and functional
environments for hospitals, assisted living facilities, medical office
buildings, and other healthcare facilities. Healthcare designers must
create spaces that allow special mobility for patients in wheelchairs or
walkers. They must also make the facilities inviting so that patients feel
comfortable and secure while they are away from home.
Hospitality/Restaurant Design
Hospitality designers give restaurants their signature look, create
an aura of casual elegance for resorts and golf clubs, and add hints of
glamour and excitement to casinos and cruise ships. The designs for
these public facilities must be inviting enough to attract customers,
yet durable enough to withstand constant use.
Retail/Store Design
Designers in this specialty create a distinctive look for department
stores, boutiques, malls and shopping centers. Their designs must not
only be enticing, but must also match consumers’ needs.
Interior designers, no matter what their specialty, may also follow
one of two approaches:
Eco-Design
Increasingly, many companies and individuals are designing with a
respect for the environment. Eco-design (also called “sustainable
design”) uses earth-friendly (usually recycled) and energy-efficient
materials to have as little impact on the environment as possible.
Universal Design
Using guidelines originally set up to accommodate individuals
with disabilities, universal designers create so-called ‘barrier-free’
spaces that improve accessibility, safety, and comfort for everyone who
visits.

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 INTERIOR DESIGNERS TELL THEIR OWN
STORIES

I Am an Internationally-Known
Interior Designer of Luxury
Residences “I was born in Columbia, South
America. I emigrated here when I was 13 years old. From age four
until I graduated from college, I wanted to be a movie star. But I
lived in New York, and I saw a lot of out-or-work actors who took
jobs as waiters and I didn’t want to be a waiter! Then I wanted to
be an architect, but I wasn’t good at physics and math, so I
decided to go into interior design.
When I was a little boy, I could walk into rooms and suggest
to people that they should move furniture here or there. My
mom’s friends could send me into a store to find a gift and I
always found the right one. It was foretelling of a talent I didn’t
recognize.
In my junior year in high school, somebody who was going to
the interior design department at the Pratt Institute (in New York)
came to our art class and brought his portfolio. He told us about
Pratt and the projects they were doing, and he brought an
application for a summer scholarship Pratt was giving to students
who had talent. I created the assignments that had to be done,
and I won – I got the scholarship. I spent the summer going to a
design class at Pratt.
The first assignment was to create a flower shop. I decided I
really liked the work. Design came naturally to me. There are
people who are very fortunate, to whom design and construction
come naturally. To me, construction was more of an effort but
design came naturally. If you recognize that talent in yourself, than
you can gear your career toward what your strengths are.
I went to Pratt Institute and got my Bachelor of Science
degree in interior design. While I was in school, I decided I would
work during the summers. One summer I worked in an architect’s
office, one summer I worked in an interior design firm, and the
other summer I worked in a landscape design firm. Those were

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invaluable experiences, because they allowed me to see what went
on in the real world.
There was an architect-interior designer named Billy Baldwin,
whose work I had seen in publications, and I remember thinking
this is the kind of work I want to do. I fashioned a lot of my work
after his. My last year of school, I got a letter from him saying that
he had called the school to ask them to recommend somebody to
work for him. So I was delighted, of course. I interviewed with him
and he hired me on a freelance basis to work with him for about
nine months. I was doing drawings for him and a little bit of
design – he did most of his own design work.
I graduated from Pratt in 1968. My first real job was with a
firm called Carson, Lundine and Shaw. They used to do all of the
work for the Paley family (William S. Paley – one of the forefathers
of American broadcasting). My office was doing a house for them,
and working on the Paramount office building, which later
became the Trump Park building. I hated that job, because except
for the Paley house and a lobby that they asked me to design for
the Paramount movie theater, I was researching file cabinets – and
I’m the last person in the world who should be doing that. It was
very tedious and detail-oriented work. There are designers whose
strengths are in the big picture and those whose strengths are in
the little details – I’m a big picture guy. But it was good
experience.
Then I had to choose between two opportunities: either work
for Billy Baldwin (the interior designer) as an interior designer or
work at American Airlines in their architectural design department.
I opted for the travel. It was one of the only decisions I regret. I
loved the first year at American Airlines, but then it became very
tedious and very corporate. After a while, I decided I didn’t want
to be there. I’m not a corporate person, I just want to design. The
traveling wore off too.
Then I started doing some freelance work. A friend wanted a
small apartment done – that kind of thing. I entered one of the
most wonderful periods of my life, where I did everything. I
illustrated shoe catalogs, I did drawings for interior design firms, I
designed Christmas cards, I designed Christmas and holiday
napkins. I did anything.

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 Then I got a job working for Ford & Earl Design. It was a
Detroit-based firm with a New York office that existed strictly to
work for RCA. They did all of the interiors for RCA offices and
studios; they created all of their corporate standards. It was one of
those instances of being at the right place at the right time. I
designed some executive dining rooms for them, and they had me
design uniforms for pages at RCA. And then Robert Sarnoff
(Chairman of RCA) inherited a big townhouse from his father. My
firm did a presentation that he didn’t like. He gave me a chance to
do the presentation and liked everything. The firm hired me full
time to stay on and do Sarnoff’s house.
While I was doing that, a friend of mine who’d gone to school
with Princess Yasmin Aga Khan (daughter of actress Rita
Hayworth) put me in touch with her. I designed a townhouse for
her and she was very happy with it. Then I met fashion designer
Ken Scott in New York, and he asked me if I would go to Mexico
and design a house that he had just bought. He said he would pay
me the same salary I was making in New York. I lived in Mexico for
about a year working on his house. It was an amazing experience.
I was young and I had all these people working under me.
Then I finished the job and I came back to New York. I had the
choice to either look for a job with another firm or go out on my
own. I decided I liked working for myself. I started freelancing, and
Yasmin Khan bought another townhouse and introduced me to
some people. Before I knew it, I had seven people working for me.
I incorporated in 1980. At one point, I had 16 people working for
my company. I didn’t like that because I was managing people
rather than designing. Now I just have a partner who works with
me, and we hire freelance people as we need them.
I like to walk into an existing space by myself, and I find that a
space will talk to you if you allow it to. You look and you see what
the circulation is going to be in the space, what is the view, what
is the best wall for a media center or fireplace or tapestry, and
then you sit down with a plan. If it’s a house that’s not
constructed yet, you work with the plans and you have to mentally
visualize the space, try all the different possible layouts, and then
narrow it down to the best scheme. I try not to make my interiors
a monument to me but to help people make their dreams come

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true. I try to discover what their vision is, and then expand their
comfort zone so their vision becomes better.
The business part of being an interior designer can be a
challenge. A designer’s mentality works in a different way. I wish
I’d listened more in my business classes in school. If I had to go
back, maybe I would have learned more before going out on my
own. The other challenge is finding sources – finding people you
can trust, whose work you like, and who are responsible. Also
finding clients, because without clients you can’t have a business.
I like the fact that I can see something in my mind and then
see it as a reality. I have designed restaurants, offices, I’ve done
projects all over the world, which has been wonderful. I have
worked for people who have great taste and who have bought
important antiques. But I’ve also worked for people with simpler
budgets in small apartments, and that can be just as rewarding.
When you’re starting out as an interior designer, I think
internships and summer jobs are very important. If you can get an
internship through your school in a design firm – that can be very
helpful. It also helps to open your mouth and let people know
you’re a designer. Ask if anybody needs a designer. And, as soon
as you can, look into the different kinds of design. For example,
you may love doing offices and hate doing residential work.
There’s also institutional design, hospital design, hospitality
design, etc. They all have their good and bad points, and you have
to find out where you fit best.”

I Am the Owner of a Commercial

Interior Design Firm in New Orleans “My interest in
interior design started in high school. I liked art and enjoyed doing
it, but I didn’t consider myself an artist. I thought about becoming
an architect, but I thought the profession did not deal enough
with the more intimate scope of interiors.
I went to Louisiana State University (LSU) and majored in
interior design. I took courses in art, architecture, basic design,
math, English, marketing, professional practice (the business
aspect of interior design), and psychology. I received my bachelor’s
degree in interior design. I did not do any internships while in

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school, but I did work in my school’s resource area for interior
design. They had a materials library, which contained
manufacturers’ literature on furniture, finishes, fabrics, and paint.
I helped catalog those materials and kept them straight.
After graduation, I was interested in the commercial aspects
of interior design. I took a job with a commercial office furniture
dealership in New Orleans. After that, I worked for an architectural
firm specializing in healthcare. I worked mainly on hospitals and
clinics. I was involved in space planning, including finish selection,
furniture selection, and specifications. Space planning can mean
starting off with an empty space, or reconfiguring what’s already
there.
Then, I relocated back to New Orleans, where I again worked
for a contract furniture dealer. After that, I joined an interior
design firm that worked primarily on commercial office space. The
difference between a contract furniture dealer and an interior
design firm is that, typically, contract furniture firms are more
heavily geared to space planning as it deals with furniture.
Whereas, with an interior design firm, you typically get more
involved in the whole process. I prefer the broader scale of being
in an interior design firm.
I founded Steinmetz & Associates in 1983. I have a partner in
the firm, my husband Robert Steinmetz. He is the architect in the
firm and I’m the interior designer. We do a lot of corporate interior
planning and architecture. We also do tenant development work –
that’s where you work with building owners and managers to lay
out space for their potential tenants.
When we design a space, first we do something called
programming. That is a needs assessment to determine the
facility’s requirements. A needs assessment includes personnel,
equipment, understanding the business of the company you’re
working with, and understanding the goals for the project. From
there, we usually do some type of preliminary design schematics,
which can include what we call a space plan (taking the
requirements and laying them out in a space – either a blank space
or an existing space).

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 Next we get involved with the design parameters – what the
space is going to look like. The design has to match the company’s
goals. Then we begin the actual implementation of the design.
Generally, we work with architects, furniture vendors, and other
contractors. At the end of the project, we do a final walk-through
to make sure everything was done according to our documents.
After that is something called a post-occupancy evaluation. We go
back in after our client has moved in to see how well the design
works.
To design a space, you have to understand the technical
aspects (lighting, acoustics, etc.) so you can work with audio/visual
consultants, lighting consultants, etc. Sometimes, if the project is
not large enough to hire one of these consultants, you have to do
it yourself. You learn the basics of these skills in school. Design
schools have studios where they do projects. You might have to
design a conference room with audio/visuals and deal with
acoustics, for example.
I think the projects I enjoy working on the most are the ones
in which we have total involvement with the client and provide all
the services, from initial planning and programming, to
furnishings to implementation. We have won several design
awards, and most of those were for projects where we were
involved in the entire process.
Many of our clients are law firms. We’ve also worked a lot in
the communications and cable industry. Commercial design is
completely different from home design. When working with
corporations, it’s integral that you know their business plan and
can deal with their corporate structure in terms of
implementation. Frequently, approval must come from a board or
a group of individuals. With residential projects, the psychology of
understanding people may be the same, but you’re typically
dealing with only a husband and wife. It involves less of a
structure and more of a personal interface.
Clients tend to try to explain what they’re trying to
accomplish, rather than coming to the table with specifics. For
example, they wouldn’t say, ‘I want this chair,’ but they may say, ‘I
want a cutting-edge image,’ or they might say, ‘I want a
conservative, not high-tech image.’ The nature of what they say

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determines what materials we use. For example, with a high-tech
design, we would use materials that are somewhat flashy,
somewhat technological. Whereas if they say low-key
conservative, we would think of more warm things like wood,
marble, and softer lighting. We think about what the client wants
in terms of materials, finishes, and the whole ambiance, to see
how the design will work for them.
I get my ideas from a variety of sources. I probably get 12
periodicals a month. There’s also research available on the
Internet. There are manufacturers’ websites, and there are
websites for professional organizations. Once I have an image in
my head of where I’m going, there is a lot of research out there
that enables me to see how to put the idea into effect.
What I enjoy most about the field is dealing with people. Even
though I work in the corporate setting, there are the personal
aspects of learning how people work and learning how to design
their spaces, as well as problem solving. And I like the fact that I
can actually see tangible results at the end of a project. Something
is built – something has happened as a result of all my work. That
is very gratifying, I think.
Sometimes it’s frustrating not being able to obtain all the
information I need to get the job done. Today there are so many
players involved in the design process (lighting consultants,
audio/visual consultants, data consultants), and each has a piece
that needs to come together to get the job done. It involves a lot
of coordination.
A lot of people think interior design is strictly about color and
finish – they don’t understand the need for space planning and a
lot of the technical issues involved. Many students drop out of
school after the first few years, because they didn’t realize what
they were getting into. I think doing a little research is very
important. If you’re interested in becoming an interior designer, I
think the best thing to do is to visit some firms. Call them up and
talk to them. Also, look at the websites of various design firms.
They will usually include descriptions of projects the firm is
working on.

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 Frequently, colleges and professional organizations have
career days. Universities also have career placement departments,
or you can call their interior design departments and ask if they
will let you talk to someone there.”

I Am the Owner of a Commercial

Design Company in Akron, Ohio “When I first
became interested in the field of interior design, I was working to
support myself and my husband while he attended college. I was
working at the Dean’s office in the College of Fine and
Professional Arts at Kent State University, when the new interior
design program crossed my desk. I thought it sounded like a neat
program. The program at Kent State was interdisciplinary – it
combined interior design, art, architecture, technology, and
graphic design, which seemed like an interesting blend of classes.
So I took the entrance exam to see if they would let me into the
program.
I enrolled in Kent State’s four-year Bachelor of Arts program in
interior design. In addition to all of my general studies, there were
mandatory interior design classes, as well as classes in textiles, the
history of housing and furnishings, lighting, etc. I also took basic
architecture courses like architectural history, architectural theory,
and environmental design to learn how to communicate and work
with architects. My classes taught me the basics of architectural
design, graphic design, mechanical drawing, and architectural
drafting.
The program required us to take one internship, but I took
two. One was with a commercial design firm and the other was
with a residential design studio. I thought that if there weren’t any
jobs in commercial design, I wanted to have something on my
résumé that said I had done at least one residential job. In the
end, I selected commercial design over residential design because
it fit more with my personality type. I was more interested in
problem solving than with the artistic end of things. I wanted to
create solutions in order to improve people’s environments.
I started working right out of school. My very first job was
doing hotel, motel and restaurant design at a small design firm. I

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was considered a designer, but we worked more as a team back
then because it was a small firm. Everyone worked together on
projects due to their size and scope.
Next, I worked in a furniture store that sold midrange
furniture (in between high-end and low-end). I was in charge of
the design of the store (for example, product placement and
creating room vignettes). I also did design work for store
customers. But I knew this was not an area in which I wanted to
spend my life.
From the furniture store, I moved to a small residential design
studio. I was hired to replace another designer who was leaving.
But she wound up coming back, and the studio didn’t have
enough business to support the three or four designers who were
working there at the time. I left the position, because I realized the
job wasn’t going to go anywhere. Residential work wasn’t what I
was interested in doing. At that point, I started getting more
selective about where I went looking for jobs and where I sent
résumés. I didn’t send a résumé to any company that did not do
commercial design or offer room for advancement.
From there, I started working in an office furniture dealership.
I started as a temporary designer and worked my way up. Within
six weeks, I had become the permanent assistant to the design
department manager. That dealership is where I started getting
my first real experience doing commercial work. I left that
company, along with the head of the design department, and we
started our own commercial design firm, in which I was a partner.
Because I had a young child, I set up a studio in my home and
started to work on my own accounts with clients from the
partnership.
The vast majority of the work I do now is office and corporate
headquarters. I also work on the design of smaller healthcare
facilities, like doctor’s office suites and nursing homes.
Programming is the biggest part of my projects. Through the
programming phase, I find out what each client’s situation is,
what they’re facing now, what their needs are, and what I can do
to meet those needs. I have to field measure the job or get
drawings from the client, and then start putting some ideas down

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as to how to allocate the space for various uses, and how to solve
the problems that are confronting the client.
Then we sit down and put together some concepts. I take a
really good look at the inner workings of a company: what the
separations of the work are within the space and how those
people are going to interact with each other in the best way to
have very high levels of productivity. Ultimately, everything I do
looks at how we are affecting the bottom line, because that’s
what business is all about. I also look at lighting, ergonomics, and
acoustics. If you don’t deal with all of these things wisely, then you
will have employees out all of the time on sick leave from
eyestrain, backaches, or carpal tunnel syndrome. Or, the client will
be faced with the problem of low employee morale.
My work involves both designing new construction and
reorganizing existing spaces. I try to stay flexible and provide
whatever services a client needs. If the client wants me to hire
contractors to complete a project, I’m happy to do that. We can
also go through a bidding process where different people bid on
the project to determine who is available in the time frame we
need to get the project done. I can just produce the project
specifications and hand them to the client to deal with the
contractors of their choice, or I can see the project through to the
end. Flexibility to meet the needs of the client is key to my
business.
For inspiration, sometimes I’m fortunate enough to get a
building or space that has some interesting architecture or unique
character to it. Then I play off of that for a design concept. But
other times, I get buildings with as much personality as a brick
wall. So I have to create a complete concept, including those
interesting or unique architectural details. Unfortunately, not all of
my clients have the budget for expensive detailing. So I work to
gain the client’s confidence by understanding what the needs are
and then trying to stretch the budget as far as possible,
incorporating as much detail and style as possible in the process.
I like any project where I can walk in after the job is done and
see that I have improved the client’s environment. It’s kind of fun
to go into a project and listen to the employees say that it’s
quieter and more comfortable in their space now; it’s so much

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easier to work there than it was. Then I know I’ve achieved
something of value for my client. My philosophy as a problem
solver is that any space can be finished in hundreds of color
schemes and finish selections, none of which are either right or
wrong. But if I have not met the challenges the client has put
before me, then my project is a failure.
I think I like the fact that interior design is never the same
thing twice. There’s so much variety and there are so many areas
in which you can practice design. If you get into one area and
decide you don’t like it, you can get into something else. I don’t
think many other fields offer that many choices.
Personality issues can be frustrating; for example, dealing
with a client who just doesn’t understand what I’m trying to do,
or who will make a change (for example, moving a structural
element) without including me in the decision, because they don’t
realize how many things it affects.
Sadly, one of the most frustrating things is that people
continue to think that interior designers and interior decorators
are the same. Interior decorating is a small part of what an interior
designer does; the profession is so much more than just providing
the finishing touches.
I’m a past national president of the American Society of
Interior Designers (ASID). I advise students to join a student
chapter of ASID if there is one at their school, because they can
use it to network with the same professionals that they’re going to
be sending their résumés to in a very short time. Odds are, if a
student volunteers to serve on a local chapter committee with a
professional, and the professional gets to know that student,
when the student’s résumé comes in the mail, there will be some
recognition. It’s also a good chance for students to interview the
designers and find out what kind of work they do. The
connections they make ahead of time can be so important when
they begin their job search upon graduation. Also, when vendors
come to their school to talk about their products, they should get
to know those people, because the vendors go to all of the design
firms and they probably know who is hiring, and what types of
work those design firms do.”

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PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS
CREATIVITY IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL AN INTERIOR DESIGNER CAN
possess. People in this field need to have a strong sense of color,
texture, balance, and proportion.
Interior design requires a good bit of juggling, and each of the
balls may be from a completely different discipline – for example,
designers often handle a budget issue one minute, then switch gears
and enter a discussion on fabrics and upholstery the next minute. To
do this requires organizational skills, problem-solving skills,
self-discipline, the ability to prioritize, and infinite attention to detail.
Because many projects come with tight budgets, cost-cutting and
bargain hunting skills are also required.
Even though many designers focus on their artistic talents, success
in the field also requires good business and sales skills. About 90
percent of an interior designer’s job involves networking, selling, and
marketing themselves to potential clients.
Designers must also communicate well, and be able to work with
a variety of personality styles. Clients will not always agree – some may
be opinionated and argumentative. A good designer can put aside
personal needs and tastes to accommodate the desires of the client.
Many companies now require that interior designers create their
designs digitally, so computer hardware and software skills are
becoming essential. One of the most widely-used programs is CAD, a
computer-assisted drafting program. Computers help designers create
3D layouts and scaled dimensional space plans. Knowledge of
computer-assisted drafting can earn designers better positions with
higher pay.

ATTRACTIVE FEATURES
FEW PROFESSIONS OFFER THE ABILITY TO EXPRESS ONE’S CREATIVITY SO
completely as interior design.
Rather than sit at a desk in an office all day, interior designers get
to work in a variety of environments: homes, restaurants, schools, and
retail stores.
The work itself is often rewarding. At the end of the project, the
designer has the satisfaction of seeing the vision come to life.

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UNATTRACTIVE FEATURES
BECAUSE DESIGNERS HAVE CLIENTS TO PLEASE, THEY MUST OFTEN SUPPRESS
their own style to accommodate the needs of the project. Pleasing
clients also means putting up with a wide variety of personality types –
some less pleasant than others.
Because many projects have tight deadlines, designers often wind
up putting in long hours, including nights and weekends, especially
during their first few years in the profession.
Getting into the field can be difficult because there are many
skilled candidates vying for each open position. Entry-level designers
must not only possess talent and drive; they must be willing to put up
with grunt work and low pay until they become established.
Even though interior design is not considered a physical
profession, a strong back and legs are essential because designers
must regularly climb ladders and lug armloads of heavy fabric and
design sample books to client meetings.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

EDUCATION AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR AN INTERIOR DESIGNER ARE
extensive. In the United States, interior designers cannot claim their
title until they have completed at least six years of education and
work: a combination of a two- or four-year degree from a college,
university, or professional school program in design (candidates with a
bachelor’s or a master’s degree have an advantage), followed by two
to four years of practical work experience in the field. In almost half
the states and most Canadian provinces, candidates are required to
pass an exam and receive their certification before calling themselves
interior designers.
While enrolled in either a two-year or four-year program, students
learn a wide variety of skills, including the principles of design, art
history, spatial development and space planning, technical drawing,
basic architecture, building materials and installation, codes and safety
regulations, oral and written communications, project management
and presentation techniques. With the increasing use of computers for
design projects, many designers are also expected to know how to use
design software.

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 These professional-level programs are accredited by the
Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (FIDER):
Algonquin College, Ottawa Canada
http://www.algonquincollege.com/highband/swf/index.htm
Arizona State University
http://www.asu.edu/caed/
Auburn University
http://131.204.118.57/
California College of Arts and Crafts
http://www.ccac-art.edu/
Cornell University
http://www.human.cornell.edu/dea/index.cfm
Fashion Institute of Technology
http://www.fitnyc.suny.edu/html/dynamic.html
The Harrington Institute of Interior Design, Chicago
http://www.interiordesign.edu/
International Academy of Design & Technology
http://www.iaod.com/
Kansas State University
http://aalto.arch.ksu.edu/
Louisiana State University
http://www.id.lsu.edu/
Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia
http://www.moore.edu/
Michigan State University
http://www.hed.msu.edu/flash.html
The New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University,
Boston
http://www.suffolk.edu/nesad/
Pratt Institute (New York)
http://www.pratt.edu/
Purdue University
http://www.sla.purdue.edu/ad/

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Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design (Colorado)
http://www.rmcad.edu/
Syracuse University
http://vpa.syr.edu/schools/soad/artisd.html
University of Arizona College of Architecture & Environmental Design
http://www.asu.edu/caed/
University of Cincinnati
http://said.uc.edu/
University of Florida
http://web.dcp.ufl.edu/interior
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
http://www.uncg.edu/iarc/
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
http://www.arch.vt.edu/
Washington State University
http://amid.wsu.edu/
The following two-year programs prepare students for a position
as a design assistant:
Art Institute Miami International University of Art & Design
http://www.aimiu.artinstitutes.edu/
Berkeley College, New Jersey
http://www.berkeleycollege.edu
Brooks College, Long Beach, California
http://www.brookscollege.edu/
Houston Community College
http://www.hccs.cc.tx.us/
For a list of schools with accredited programs in interior design, visit
the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research website at
http://www.fider.org

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EARNINGS
INTERIOR DESIGNERS CAN EARN A SALARY, STRAIGHT COMMISSION, OR A SALARY
plus commission. The average salary for an interior designer is about
$37,500.
Salaries can range from $15,000 for junior assistants to more than
$200,000 for partners in big interior design firms, or top independent
designers. Designers employed by engineering and architectural firms
are paid some of the highest salaries in the field.
Many interior designers work on their own as independent
contractors. They set a fee for their services based on their experience
and the complexity of the project. Freelance designers tend to make
more than those employed by a company.
Freelance designers may base their rate on a flat fee that covers an
entire project, or they may charge an hourly rate or even a percentage
of the entire project cost. Some designers also make money from the
sale of the materials they use. They purchase furniture, fabrics, and
other goods at cost, then charge the client for them at a slightly
higher rate.

OPPORTUNITIES
REGARDLESS OF THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE, RESTAURANTS, MALLS, STORES,
apartment buildings, and offices must be built. Interior designers are
always needed to plan out these spaces, and fill them with furniture,
artwork, floor coverings, and accessories. Employment in the field of
interior design is outpacing many other industries, and will continue
to do so for several years, according to employment experts. But
despite the increase in open positions, competition for jobs will remain
tough because of the large number of talented and ambitious
applicants.

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GETTING STARTED
AFTER GRADUATING FROM AN INTERIOR DESIGN PROGRAM, YOU WILL NEED TO
work in an entry-level position in the field for at least two years before
qualifying for your National Council for Interior Design Qualification
(NCIDQ) exam. Work experience is also needed to qualify for
professional membership in nearly every interior design organization.
Membership in the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), The
Interior Design Society (IDS), or any one of several other interior design
associations will earn you credibility in the field, and will help you
network with potential new employers and clients.
Before landing a full-time salaried position or setting out on your
own as a contractor, you’ll need a portfolio. A portfolio is a book filled
with samples of your best work. It is your first and best opportunity to
show prospective employers and/or clients your talents and abilities.
Your portfolio can be a traditional notebook filled with photos and
drawings of your work, or it can be a digital display of images set up
in a PowerPoint presentation, on a CD, or on a website.
You’ll also need to determine the area of design in which you
want to concentrate. Would you prefer to design residences, or would
you rather work on restaurants and hotels? Would you like to focus
primarily on one type of room, for example the kitchen or bathroom?
Or, do you have a knack for historical styles or Feng Shui (the Chinese
art of organizing space to give it harmony and balance)? Developing a
specialty can set you apart from the rest of the pack and increase your
odds of landing that first job.
It’s usually a good idea to start your career as an entry-level
designer at an established company, where you can receive free
on-the-job training. While you’re still in college, you can take a
summer job or internship to gain experience and make contacts. Then,
once you have graduated, you can start in on the ground floor as a
junior designer or assistant. After you’ve been employed at a company
for a few years, you can move up through the ranks to become a
senior designer, project manager, or even a partner of the firm. Or, you
can decide to move to a larger company or start your own freelance
business.

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ASSOCIATIONS

n American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)

http://www.asid.org/
n Industrial Designers Society of America
http://www.idsa.org/
n Interior Design Educators Council
http://www.idec.org/
n The Interior Design Society
www.interiordesignsociety.org/
n Interior Designers of Canada
www.interiordesigncanada.org/
n International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
http://www.iida.org

PERIODICALS

n Interior Design
http://www.interiordesign.net

n IS Magazine
http://www.isdesignet.com/Magazine/magazine.html

WEBSITES

n eBuild: The Professionals’ Guide to Building Products

http://www.ebuild.com/
n The Center for Health Design
http://www.healthdesign.org/

COPYRIGHT 2007 Institute For Career Research CHICAGO

CAREERS INTERNET DATABASE www.careers-internet.org

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