Professional Practice

in Interior Design

Lecture 1, Week 2
Monday, 13.9.2021

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 Session’s Outline

01 02 03
HISTORY OF THE WORK PROFESSIONAL
PROFESSION ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS
Where do designers work? STRUCTURE
Types of work environment
Internship
Collaboration
Expectation

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 History of The .01
Profession
• Interior design, like architecture, has existed for thousands of years.
In the past, interior design was part of the construction process, which
was instinctively designed and adapted to the architecture of existing
buildings. As mentioned in a previous article, the first evidence of
interior design emerged along with the first communities of
prehistoric people and their drawings on the walls and later the
influence of decor by different civilizations.

• Interior design as a profession has only existed for just over 100 years.
Interior design began as an art of decorating during those years but
later evolved into a modern, specialized interior profession that
required long study and experience. The first term “interior
decoration” was approved only in 1903 in America, and the first
studies in this field began in New York, at the School of Applied Arts
(now called the Parsons School of Art).

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 History of The .01
Profession
Early Interiors
• The idea of decorating interiors to be more ergonomic and pleasing to
their inhabitants dates back to ancient times. In fact, some of the first
recorded art ever made by humans could be classified as interior
design – cave paintings, pottery and later furniture and rustic living
appliances were cornerstones of early interiors. Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian mud houses featured clear signs of styling from Interior
their creators – patterns were carved into the mud-plaster walls of
homes and definite steps were taken to make the interiors more
pleasing to inhabit.

• Ancient Greek architects drew inspiration from the Cretans, adopting

features such as copper-coated beams in houses. These would be
decorated by beating the reverse side of the metal, creating a
patterned effect for decorative purposes. Very little from the Greek
Classical period survives today, but there is evidence to suggest that Ancient Greek Interior
the ancient Greeks loved to elaborately decorate their furniture and 4
household items purely for aesthetic effect.
 History of The .01
Profession
The First Interior Designers
• Although the profession was not formally referred to as ‘interior
design’ until the early 19th century, there are instances throughout
history of artists taking commissions from wealthy members of
society to decorate homes and public spaces.
• The art of interior decoration slowly became popularized
throughout the early 1800s, and saw a boost in recognition with the
founding of the Institute of British Decorators in 1899. With John
Crace as its president, the Institute represented more than 200
individual interior designers throughout Britain.

• The first women to be recognized as professional interior designers

were cousins Rhoda and Agnes Garret, who were taught to be
‘home designers’ in 1874. Their style was heavily influenced by the
designers William Morris, and their first book Suggestions for
House Decoration in Painting was widely applauded by the British
middle class who were always looking for fresh design approaches 5

for their various homes and projects.

 History of The .01
Profession
A Growing Industry
• Although Moving into the 20th century, the world began to find
itself moving into a new age of mass production and technology.
Automation and machine labor were starting to become part of
everyday life, and so began to be reflected in the interior design of
the time.

• In 1919, Bauhaus school of art was founded by an architect Walter The age of automation begins
Gropius in the German city of Weimar. The school became famous
for its approach to design, which attempted to unify the principles
of mass production with individual artistic vision and strove to
combine aesthetics with everyday function. It was grounded in the
idea of creating a Gesamtkunstwerk ("comprehensive artwork") in
which all the arts would eventually be brought together. The
Bauhaus style later became one of the most influential currents in
modern design, modernist architecture and art, design, and
architectural education. The Bauhaus movement had a profound
influence upon subsequent developments in art, architecture, Bauhaus school of art
graphic design, interior design, industrial design, and typography. 6

Staff at the Bauhaus included prominent artists such as Paul Klee,

Wassily Kandinsky, and László Moholy-Nagy at various points.
 History of The .01
Profession
• Many decorators of that time had no academic knowledge. These
people were characterized by natural talent and good taste and
sensation, which they could use in combining spaces and proportions.
In 1904, Elsie de Wolfe received her first commission as an interior
decorator and was recognized as the first interior decorator. She
designed homes for famous people like Condé Nast, Fricks, and even
the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Elsie de Wolfe has replaced dark
luxury home interiors with bright, more space-giving colours and
decorated with French furniture and accessories typical to this day.

• The term “Interior Designer” was mentioned in 1930 in the magazine

“Interior Design and Decoration.” This magazine has not been
published since 1943. Until 1952, however, the competing magazine
“Interior” insisted on using only the term “interior designer” and not
“decorator.” Also, design schools have now recognized the work of not
only designers but also architects and engineers. When “Interior
Design and Decorating” magazine renewed its edition, it removed the
term “decorating” from its title. The profession of interior designer 7
has become separate from the role of an interior decorator.
 History of The .01
Profession

• The profession of interior design became more established after World War
II. Home spending has increased since the 1950s. Interior design courses have
been set up that require the publication of textbooks and sources.
Organisations have been set up for this profession to help them gain
education, qualifications, and practice. The profession, formerly considered a
secondary role of architecture, grew and developed rapidly throughout the
world.

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 History of The .01
Profession
Styles Throughout History

Baroque Style Art Deco Style

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Victorian Style Modern day trends incorporate a bit of
everything
 Work Environment .02
?Where Do Designers Work
There are many different ways to work in the interior design field. Some of these
.will appeal to your creative side and some to technical prowess

1. Freelance Consultancy
2. Independent Design Firm
3. Residential Furniture Store
4. Retail Store
5. Architecture Office
6. Universities and Collages

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 Types of Work Environment .02
• Interior designers work in a variety of different settings.
• some designers work for large firms and typically do so in an office
environment that is both comfortable and well lighted.
• Designers may meet with clients in their offices or in the client's
home.
• Where they meet with clients often depends upon the client's
availability and what is most convenient to those clients.
• Some designers travel only locally or regionally, but those who are
better known and in high demand may travel nationally to meet
with clients or to attend trade shows.
• interior designers sometimes travel to manufacturing sites where
the materials they work with are produced.
• They also travel to showrooms and design centers regularly.
• Designers typically work around their clients' schedules even if that
means working after hours in order to provide consultations
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 Types of Work Environment .02
The work environment of an interior designer depends largely upon her area
of specialization. some designers work primarily for retail stores and may
find themselves working in a retail environment as a result. Others work for
architectural firms and may find themselves working in office settings with
architects and other professionals in that industry. Others work for
.corporations and may work within a corporate office setting o Independent design firm
o Residential furniture stores
o Office furnishing dealer
o Retail specialty store
o Architectural office
o Department store
o Developers
o Manufactures
o Corporations
o Government
o Universities and collages
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o Independent organizations
 Internship .02
 A very important part of educational preparation in interior design is
an intern ship.
 An internship is a supervised work experience within an interior
design firm or other appropriate company within the industry.
 Internships are generally a part of the required curriculum.
 It is an intensive work experience providing students the opportunity
to work in the real world before starting a full-time job and see how
coursework relates to the professional world.
 In addition, internships give students some work experience that they
can include on their resumés.
 Most internship opportunities are with interior design and
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architectural firms.
 Internship .02
 some students may also get internship experiences at other
businesses in the design-build industry, such as with contractors and
vendors.
 The internship should include as many actual tasks and activities as
possible in the chosen work environment.
 some internship positions give a supervised intern responsibility for
project work. Often these spots are in firms that go through
extensive, competitive application processes for any interns, as they
often also hire the student upon graduation.
 Intern may attend meetings with clients to silently observe and take
notes, and/or perform other tasks that are all part of the professional
experience; however, all the intern's work is supervised, and firms
rarely give the intern final decision-making tasks. 14
 Collaboration .02
 Collaboration means, "the action of working with someone to produce or
create something."
 The built-environment industry increasingly involves cooperation,
coordination, and collaboration with the various parties of the industry.
 Interior designers coordinating with architects have been an ongoing
collaboration.
 interior designers working with vendors are another way professionals
work together.
• A big part of integrated, collaborative practice involves understanding the
language and terminology of related disciplines
• Technology makes collaboration much easier today than even 10 years
ago.
• Internet allowed for designers working remotely from each other to
coordinate drawings and other documents for many years. 15
 Collaboration .02
 continued enhancement of technology and software options has
broadened that cooperation.
 Telecommunication is dynamic with video conferencing, use of cloud
technology, and virtual reality.
 Live streaming of video conferences of designers in far-flung locations
enhances the opportunity to collaborate with firms anywhere in the world
for clients anywhere in the world.
 members of the group must accept the ideas contrary to one individual's
beliefs.
 A good leader listens to all members and treats everyone's ideas fairly and
not pushes the leader's ideas over everyone else.
 working collaboratively continues to grow as firms join together as a joint
venture or hybrid group to design large complex projects regardless of 16

location.
 Expectation .02
 Interior designers must be able to read blueprints, understand
building and fire codes, and understand where accessibility services
for handicapped people should be located.
 Designers sometimes work with architects, electricians, and
contractors to make sure building designs are compatible with
building codes and regulations.
 The designer usually meets personally with the customer to determine
what the client wants done with the space, what designs the customer
prefers, and how much money they want to spend.
 The designer would then visit the space to determine its best uses.
 The designer develops plans and estimates costs.
 Designs often use computer-aided design (CAD) to create detailed 17

plans.
 Expectation .02
 The designer selects the materials, furnishings, flooring, lighting,
art, and floor covering.
 To make sure the plans do not violate building codes, the
designer will submit their plans to a construction inspector.
 Sometimes projects require structural work, so the designer will
collaborate with an architect or engineer. Electricians, plumbers,
and other technical experiments are also sometimes contracted
for projects.
 The designer develops a timeline and coordinates the project
 The designer meets with customers to determine if they are
satisfied, and if not, the designer makes necessary changes.

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 Expectation .02
 The designer selects the materials, furnishings, flooring, lighting,
art, and floor covering.
 To make sure the plans do not violate building codes, the
designer will submit their plans to a construction inspector.
 Sometimes projects require structural work, so the designer will
collaborate with an architect or engineer. Electricians, plumbers,
and other technical experiments are also sometimes contracted
for projects.
 The designer develops a timeline and coordinates the project
 The designer meets with customers to determine if they are
satisfied, and if not, the designer makes necessary changes.

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 Hierarchy of the Firm .03
Executive
Job Titles: CEO, Founder, Owner/Co-owner, Partner, Principal, Studio Principal
Director
Job Titles: Creative Director, Design Director, Junior Principal, Junior Partner, Managing
Director, Senior Associate, Studio Director
Senior Designer
Job Titles: Senior Designer, Associate, Senior Interior Designer, Senior Interior Architect, Senior
Architect, Senior Project Designer, Studio Manager
Project Manager
Job Titles: Project Manager, Planner, Strategist
Designer
Job Titles: Designer, Architect, Project Designer, Interior Architect
Junior Designer (this is you)
Job Titles: Junior Designer, Intern, Intern Interior Designer, Interior Design Assistant, Designer,
Intern Architect, Architectural Assistant, Architectural Designer, Junior Architect
Interior Decorator
Technical Designer
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Job Titles: Technical Designer, CAD Drafter
03. Hierarchy of the Firm
Relationship with Allied Profession

Architec
t

Interior Designer

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Thank You

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 References

• History of the interior design profession (designofdream.lt)

• A Brief History Of Interior Design - Landmass London

• Top 9 Specialized Fields in the Interior Design Industry – ToughNickel

• Professional Practice for Interior Designers,6th edition, Christine M.

Piotrowski, FASID, IIDA

• https://www.careerprofiles.info/interior-designer-career.html

• https://smallbusiness.chron.com/working-environment-interior-designer-1
8768.html

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