Who's an Interior Designer?
Have you ever visited a restaurant or a hotel and marvelled at how beautifully it was designed? Do you often find yourself making little or big changes to your home to make it better? Would you like to help others too designs homes and spaces that are beautiful and functional? If yes, interior designing is the field for you!
As an interior designer, you would create functional, safe, and beautiful spaces. You would work on designing both indoor and outdoor spaces, ranging from hotel lobbies, mansions, stores, etc. Over and above ensuring that you design beautiful spaces, you must research, plan and ensure that the place is designed with the right colours, furniture, fabrics and other decorative materials depending on your client’s needs.
What will you do?
Where will you work?
How do you get there?
What skills would you need?
Analytical and Data Skills
You will receive huge amounts of data from your client. This data will have to be analysed effectively so you can find ways that will help your client reach their customers is the best way possible. While it is true that the more data you analyse, the more insights you generate; analytical thinking will help you narrow down your search and find your key actionable items, thus saving you a lot of time and resources.
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Creative Skills
As a marketer, you need to get people hooked on your brand. This requires you to come up with fun, entertaining, and exceptional ways to engage your audience. There is a lot of competition in the market, and the only way to be on top is by constantly doing something new and innovative.
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Technical Skills
You will be frequently using accounting software and other financial tools as many CAs need to work with technology to analyse data and prepare financial reports. build this skill
Attention to Detail
Working with eggs and embryos is a very tedious task. Every little detail matters when you are observing them. If you are good at giving attention to detail, then your job at the laboratory will be made much easier.
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Time Management
The best - and worst - part about marketing is that there is never a dull moment. But this also means that there is NEVER A DULL MOMENT. Be prepared to be working on several tasks at once. That means that there are times when you will have to put certain projects on the backburner. You will have to know how to prioritise so that you don’t lose out on any opportunities.
Communication Skills
Communication and interpersonal skills are very important while dealing with patients. You will have to guide certain people about a procedure or treatment. You may need to provide them with some serious information about their fertility and treatment progress. Hence these issues would need to be handled sensitively.
build this skillHow do you make it to the top ranks?
Trainee Interior Designer
At an entry-level, you would handle simple tasks such as researching the latest design trends, sourcing fabrics and furnishings, etc. You would also be guided on how to use different tools such as AutoCAD, Google Sketchup, 3DS Max and others.
Junior Interior Designer
Here, you would be expected to have a thorough knowledge of construction materials, statutory regulations, the use of various tools and various design concepts. You would assist the senior interior designer in developing designs as per the clients brief. You would assist with material selection and other requirements.
Senior Interior Designer
You will be working closely with the design and installation team, where you will handle various projects. You would visit the site, curate designs and meet clients to understand their requirements. Depending on where you work, you would handle residential and commercial projects including educational institutions and hospitals.
Project Manager
As the project manager, you would look at all the aspects of the project including its planning, execution and budget. Your job would involve managing and developing projects right from scratch and overseeing it to completion. You would lead a team of interior designers and also manage design calendars, arrange stakeholder meetings, conduct site visits and ensure that the project is completed on time.
Senior Project Manager
At this level, you would be supervising more than one or two projects at a time. You would attend client meetings, create design calendars and offer innovative and effective design solutions. You would be held accountable for all the projects handled by you.
Principal Interior Designer
At this stage, you are the face of your firm. You would represent the work your firm puts out. As the principal, you would be required to not only handle design concepts but also work closely with the marketing and sales team to ensure the firm makes a good profit. You would also have to attend various design events.
Please note: At any stage in your career, you can choose to start your own consultancy or firm.
Pursuing your career locally VS abroad
If you pursue interior designing in India, you get to network with the people in the industry here, which would make it easier for you to get a job. Additionally, you would also be aware of the latest trends in the Indian market and have a better understanding of the need of the Indian consumer which would help you serve them better.
Pursuing an interior designing course in India could cost you INR 75,000-INR 5,00,000 per year, depending on the university and course you opt for. Top colleges in India to pursue interior designing courses are: JJ School or Arts, SNDT Women’s College, Birla Institute of Liberal Arts and Management Sciences and others. There are many institutions in India that offer courses ranging from a certificate course to a degree or diploma course. While a certificate course is enough to land you a job in the country, a masters or diploma course would further help you enhance your skills and knowledge in the field.
Studying interior designing abroad would help you broaden your knowledge in the field and learn different international design concepts. Moreover, it would also help expand your skill set and understanding of design on a global scale. With a lot of people wanting to do something new with their spaces, your broader understanding of design will help you stand out from the rest. Also, if you plan to work abroad, a degree from the same country would increase your chances of landing a job.
An interior designing course abroad would cost you anywhere between INR 2,00,000-15,00,000 per year. The duration of these courses ranges from 1-5 years. The fee of the course largely depends on the university and the course you opt for. Top colleges to pursue a course in interior designing are: Florence Design School, Design and Arts School of New Zealand, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and others.
How much would you get paid?
The exact number will depend on where you’re working, your education, skill-set and internship experience. But we can give you a general idea.
What are your career options?
Furniture Designing
Furniture designers are proficient in designing and creating furnishings by taking into consideration both its functionality and look. You would usually design both exterior and interior furnishing pieces in keeping with the customer’s preferences, its sustainability and use. You would need a good eye for detail and an understanding of how to use space optimally. You would mostly work with a variety of materials such as wood, metal, fabric, etc.
Exhibition Designing
An exhibition designer works on setting up large commercial public exhibitions, trade shows, events, and cultural exhibitions. You will also work on setting up exhibitions at museums, libraries and art galleries or setting up temporary display items for businesses and retailers. Your main job is to set up the display of the exhibition as per the theme of the product or event. It is important that you understand the product, needs and the objectives of the exhibition. Like most other interior designers, you too will have to create design sketches and build mockups to give the clients and actual view of how the exhibition set up would look like.
Lighting Designing
As a lighting designer, your main job is to lighten up spaces in a functional and appealing manner. You would work on creating lighting concepts for various commercial spaces, industries, educational institutions, public areas, etc. While doing this, it is also important that you consider the cost-effectiveness and energy-efficiency of running and maintaining the lights. Here, knowledge of different types of lights will come in handy.
Kitchen Designing
Kitchen designers are primarily involved in planning the design and look of kitchens. It is your job to ensure that the space strikes a good balance between design and functionality. You would work with your clients to understand their expectations in terms of the design, colour, theme, pattern and layout of the kitchen. The designing of the whole kitchen right from the flooring, installation, doorways, counter tops and placement of appliances will be left up to your expertise.
Product Designing
As the name suggests, a product designer works on designing various products including artistic pieces, apparel and furniture. To become a successful product designer, you need to be creative and have the ability to think and present your design ideas in a unique way. You would work on a wide range of commodities including rugs, cushions, clocks, gift articles, etc. If your good, you could establish your own product line or work full time for a product-designing firm.
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