According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, interior design jobs are expected to see keen competition because a number of talented individuals are attracted towards this occupation. Most interior designers work in small firms on contracts, while some are self employed. For an entry-level position, one is usually required to have either a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree. Some states license interior designers as well.

Nature of the Job

The job of an interior designer is to enhance the aesthetics and function of interior spaces. They chiefly deal with how different textures, colors, space, lighting and furnishing work together to fulfill the needs of a building. Designers plan spaces of almost all types of buildings including private houses, schools, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, malls, theaters, offices and airport terminals.

Good design is important not just for aesthetic purposes, but also for maximizing productivity and increasing the building’s value.

Work Environment

The places for employment and working conditions vary greatly. Designers can be employed at large corporations or small firms with regular working hours in comfortable settings. Freelance designers or those working in small consulting firms usually work on contract basis, which means they typically have to adjust their work timings according to the schedules and deadlines of their clients. They are also required to sometimes meet with the clients in evenings or weekends when necessary. Self employed designers naturally tend to work longer hours and in variable environments.

Meeting deadlines, staying within specified budgets and in short, pleasing clients is something common in all jobs of interior designers. Self employed interior designers also have to deal with the stress of finding new clients on a regular basis so as to maintain a steady income.

Designers may be required to work at clients’ homes/offices or their own studios/offices, depending on what exactly the job is. The job may also require certain level of travel to different locations like exhibit sites and showrooms. Communications networks have come a long way and have become advanced, sophisticated and speedy, due to which designers have the advantage of forming international teams and serve a dispersed clientele all over the world. They also have the advantage of research alternative designs through Internet and make electronic purchases particularly for their supplies.

Employment

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, interior designers held approximately 71, 700 jobs in 2008, about 30% of who worked in specialized design services. About 14% of these designers provided their services in landscape and architectural services, while almost 9% worked in furnishing stores. A number of designers also worked as freelancers in addition to regular salaried jobs.

Employment Outlook

As mentioned above, keen competition is expected in this occupation, but at the same time, employment in this field is anticipated to grow faster than average occupations. Statistically speaking, BLS reports 19% growth rate between 2008 and 2018, which is faster than all occupations. Due to the awareness spread through television and Internet, an increasing interest in designing is expected among general people, which will then increase the demand for designers. For instance, business corporations can come to realize that they can improve the customer-worker relation by redesigning the available space.

There is increased awareness among homeowners and is increasing everyday, which is being shown by the increased utilization of services of interior designers when planning remodeling and updating home décor. Several homeowners request to create home theaters and all-year-round outdoor living area.

What is more even the healthcare industry has started demanding interior design services, which is subjected to high demand for facilities that would accommodate the aging people. Interior designers are needed, particularly in hospitals and geriatric centers, to help optimize the space for facilities, all the while making it as homelike and comfortable as possible.

Hospitality industry is naturally one of the top demanding industry of interior design services, since hotels, restaurants and resorts particularly demand good design for attracting as much business as possible.

Some designers specifically choose to specialize in only one element for creating a niche so they could better fit in an increasingly competitive market. The more edge one has, the more job prospects there are. For instance, there has been seen a growing demand for home remodeling in the past few years which is why kitchen and bath design elements have grown particularly popular. Also, designs that employ the latest technology in conference facilities, security systems and home theaters are expected to get popular. Additionally, demand for indoor gardens, home spas and outdoor spaces is likely to continue to grow.

Earnings

In May 2008, the median annual earnings of interior designers were $44,950, according to BLS reports. The lowest 10% earned less than $27, 230 while the highest 10% earned more than $82,750. The middle 50% of the group earned between $34,620 and $61,880. The industry-wise median earnings are as follows:

• Architectural and engineering: $49, 290
• Specialized designing: $45, 470
• Furnishing shops and stores: $41, 080
• Supplies dealers/ building materials: $40, 040

As it can be seen, the salaries vary widely depending on the type of employer, the particular specialty of the designer, number of years of experience he/she has, and general reputation in the professionals’ circle. Among salaried designers, those in big architectural and design firms naturally earn in the higher income bracket with more job security. Those working in retail stores typically earn on commission-basis, which is why salary could be irregular and meager.