Are you an artist with a business mind? Do you have discipline, drive and an artistic flare? If you binge-watch interior design shows on HGTV, and you spend hours of your free time looking online at real estate listings just so you can see how they are decorated, you should consider becoming an interior designer.
Image credit: Feelart | FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Always wanted to design, but not sure how to go about it? Here are some basic steps to put you on the interior design path:
Meet the right people
Assuming you’ve got what it takes to turn a room from flat to fabulous, you need to show off your work and learn from others. Bring people home to see your work.
Take photographs with you to show others. Network! You must meet other professionals in the trades related to interior design before you can successfully build an interior design practice.
For example, realtors you meet might need staging services for homes they are selling. Builders and construction managers need someone to furnish their model homes and units. Leasing agents need people to set up their models according to varying floor plans.
The guy next door may need someone to help him organize his new living room. You might even be able to help him pick out the perfect living room set. The point is to keep business in mind at all times and get out there and meet people. Go to furniture retailers and design shows. Everyone you meet could lead to business.
Get educated
A degree in fine arts or interior design, architectural design, and drafting would help build your interior design credentials. Even if you don’t have a full-time degree, you can participate in local or university classes in interior design, fine arts, visual display, computer design and CAD, business communications and marketing.
All of these classes will help you learn the skills you need to enter the interior design profession.
Join the ASID
Once you’ve established some of the basic education credentials, you should consider joining the ASID, or the American Society of Interior Designers. This association can help expose you to complementary career fields as well as other professionals in interior design. It can help you develop skills, leads and business contacts important to your new business.
Get certified
Finally, after you’ve studied and accomplished your degree and the requisite work experience, apply for full professional certification through the National Council for Interior Design Qualification, Inc. by taking the NCIDQ exam. To apply for NCIDQ certification, you will need the following combination of requisites:
- If you have four or five years of education in interior design combined with two years’ experience, full-time, working in interior design;
- If you have three years’ education in interior design, you need three full-time years’ experience in interior design, or
- With two years of education in interior design education, you need four years of professional, full-time work in interior design.
You can quickly see that your work-education credentials can be balanced and weighed so that less education time can be offset by more professional experience and vice-versa. You can find more details at the NCIDQ website.
When you decide to make a career move and become the interior designer you were born to be, doors will open. Follow your career dream and start making the world a prettier place!
This article uses information from Crowley Furniture.
Anica Oaks
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