Interior Designer

Key skills/talents

Becoming a successful (and sought after) Interior Designer involves a huge amount of creativity, passion and most of all time and perseverance. Here's some tips to get you started:

1. Creativity: Interior designers must possess a keen eye for design, which is constantly evolving and updating, in order to generate innovative ideas to transform spaces into visually appealing and functional environments.

2. Spatial Awareness: They are able to visualise how different elements will fit together within a given space, considering proportions, scale, and flow.

3. Attention to Detail: From selecting the right fabrics and furniture to coordinating colours and textures, interior designers must pay meticulous attention to every aspect of the design process to achieve a cohesive look.

4. Communication Skills: Effective communication is essential for understanding clients' needs, presenting design concepts (back), and collaborating with architects, contractors, and vendors throughout the project.

5. Technical Proficiency: Proficiency in design software such as AutoCAD, SketchUp, and Adobe Creative Suite is crucial for creating detailed plans, layouts, and 3D visualisations.

6. Knowledge of design principles and a desire to update that knowledge constantly: Interior designers should have a solid understanding of design fundamentals, including colour theory, lighting techniques, and space planning principles, all of which changes and evolves with every year passing.

7. Flexibility: Adaptability is key in this dynamic field, as projects often evolve, and designers must be able to pivot and accommodate changes while staying within budget and timeline constraints.

8. Problem-Solving Skills: Interior designers encounter various challenges during projects, such as resolving spatial limitations or addressing client preferences, requiring creative problem-solving abilities.

9. Time Management: Effective time management is essential for meeting project deadlines, coordinating multiple tasks simultaneously, and ensuring smooth project progress.

10. Business Acumen: To succeed as an interior designer, individuals should have a basic understanding of business principles, including budgeting, marketing, and client management, to run their own design firm or work effectively within a design team.

​​

​Qualifications required

In the UK, aspiring interior designers don’t need any qualifications, and like Vicky, can start with friends and family to build up a portfolio and establish a degree of word of mouth reputation.

 

However, for a more serious and authenticated route, they pursue a bachelor's degree in interior design or a related field accredited by organisations like the British Institute of Interior Design: https://biid.org.uk, or the Chartered Society of Designers: https://www.csd.org.uk. 

 

Practical experience gained through (friend and family, plus) internships or entry-level positions in design firms is invaluable for honing skills and building a diverse portfolio showcasing creativity and proficiency. Professional certification from bodies such as the BIID or CSD further enhances credibility and demonstrates adherence to industry standards. Continuous learning through workshops and seminars ensures designers stay updated on trends and best practices, fostering innovation and relevance in the dynamic field of interior design.

​

Rules and regs

In the UK, interior designers must navigate a maze of regulations to ensure their designs are both legally compliant and ethically sound. Building regulations cover fire safety, accessibility, and structural stability, influencing every aspect of design. Health and safety legislation shapes environments, requiring designers to consider factors like lighting and ventilation for occupants' well-being.

 

Legal considerations such as planning permission and contract law are crucial. Securing approvals and negotiating fair contracts are also fundamental. Protecting intellectual property rights while respecting others' work is essential.

 

Environmental regulations are increasingly influential, pushing designers to embrace sustainability and energy efficiency. Adhering to ethical guidelines ensures professionalism and integrity. By staying informed and compliant, designers create spaces that not only look good but also prioritise safety, sustainability, and ethical practice. This link gives a lot more information as to what each of these points entails: https://www.nuprojects.co/single-post/understanding-uk-building-regulations-a-guide-

For-construction-architecture-and-interior-design

As with any career based around clients and customers, insurance is a necessity. Hiscox Insurance has insurance specifically for interior designers, as an example, but a google search will pop lots more: https://www.hiscox.co.uk/business-insurance/interior-designers

​

Remuneration framework

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for an Interior Designer is £36k per year, but this feels on the low side to us, and of course, pay varies hugely depending on the hours your work, and the amount of clients you take on. Plus experience, geographical location and indeed the type of work you do.

 

We know of renowned Interior Designers that are millionaires and serve the rich and famous. We also know lots that earn well into 6 figures. This is an affluent job, working with affluent people, or indeed affluent companies (if you go down the commercial/corporate route, see below), so it's down to you and where you want to take it.

​

How to get started

First things, first, decide if you want to do any qualifications, or like Vicky, you’re going to have a stab from scratch. If the latter, please only do that when you have friends and family ready (don’t leave a job to do it and with no ‘clients’). And with this 'give it a go' route, and the same as Vicky did, we would recommend doing it alongside another job… You've got to pay those bills!

 

Vicky had done a number of friends and family houses (whilst working elsewhere) and for free, before she made the leap to make it her full-time career.Your portfolio for past work is everything, and indeed your social accounts showcasing your work (as Vicky discusses in the chat) are your verification of this.

 

However, if you want to learn ‘the science’ and get qualified first (alongside another job, or even alongside doing friends and family for free), then college courses are available for budding interior designers, including Level 3 Diploma in Interior Design, which can be studied in person, or online. 

 

Below are a few examples of what's out there:

https://www.buckscollegegroup.ac.uk/art-and-design/2140-level-3-extended-diploma-in-architecture-interior-design-styling

https://www.coventrycollege.ac.uk/courses/level-3-diploma-in-interior-architecture-design/

https://www.interiordesignershub.co.uk/diploma

 

The government's National Careers Service website is also great for finding a course near you: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/find-a-course/page?searchTerm=interior%20design&distance=10%20miles&town=&orderByValue=Relevance&startDate=Anytime&courseType=&sectors=&learningMethod=&courseHours=&courseStudyTime=&filterA=true&page=1&D=0&coordinates=&campaignCode=&qualificationLevels=

 

If you decide to continue your learning at university level, then the UCAS website is the best place to start looking for the course you want: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/all?query=interior%20design

 

SBID has links to colleges & universities that they are accredited with: https://www.sbid.org/careers-and-training/interior-design-courses/

 

Many Interior Design institutes and companies also have their own courses that you can do from home. The Biritish College of Interior Design’s course can be found here: https://courses.britishcollegeofinteriordesign.com/interior-design-course/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=iduk-tcpa-unbounce&utm_term=interior-design-apprenticeship&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5iiWIAORFONHNYyia5rbkelVXManwMmIDOIWSQV4s7p-D8XfGhasj8aAjqhEALw_wcB

 

Once you are qualified, and unless you already have potential clients waiting, an internship with an existing (highly reputable) Interior Designer could be a good route. You won’t get paid much, but you will learn utterly invaluable knowledge and skills to bolster what you already know from your course. It will be Interior Design in the real world. And by association you will build up a reputation to then take forth on your own, as and when you’re ready. If this is your area of interest, then you’ll know Interior Designers that you’ll want to work with, and in your area (or a commutable area).

 

A final consideration will be whether you want to focus/specialise in residential or commercial work. So individual homes, or hotels/offices etc. Depending on what interests you, we’d recommend approaching Interior Designers that specialise in this field.

​

Associations or official bodies to register with

The Society of British & International Interior Design is the UK’s leading accreditation body to the interior design industry: https://www.sbid.org

 

British Institute of Interior Design is the UK’s only professional institute for interior designers: https://biid.org.uk

Chartered Society of Designers are the internationally recognised body for the design profession, providing support and guidance for designers at every stage of their career: https://www.csd.org.uk

​

Job site links

BIID has job listings here: https://biid.org.uk/jobs

 

Frame recruitment, in association with SBID, have jobs listings on their website: https://www.frame-recruitment.com/jobs/interior-design-jobs

 

The usual job listing sites, like Indeed, will also list career opportunities.

 

Regarding internships, and as we’ve said, you may already know who to approach, but if not, BIID and SBID have easy to access lists of their members…

https://biid.org.uk/find-interior-designer

https://www.sbid.org/designer-directory

​

Progression pathway​

We’ve hopefully covered a lot about career prospects, and indeed the different career routes this role can take you in, so our only other bit of advice would be to really know yourself and what you want out of life/what motivates you. Because when you’re hitting this, not only will you be doing your best creative work, but your reputation will soar along with your earning potential.

 

And even if you do start-off down one specialism, i.e. residential, but fancy having a go at commercial, then do it. You may have to take a rate-hit to win any bid you make (because your portfolio won’t quite line-up), but it could be a hit that propself you forward in a whole new way.

 

You could even move into related work like theatre set design, visual merchandising, exhibition design or furniture design.

 

Plus, a lot of Interior Designers have online shops that compliment their design work… Because they’re going out and finding great items/pieces for clients, so it makes sense to buy additional for others. These kinds of shops are super easy to set-up and can be a great way to boost your income

​

Additional links/FYIs

Here are some great media articles on ‘The top UK’ Interior Designers…

 

https://thelist.houseandgarden.com/interior-design

https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/top-100-interior-designers-architects

https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/interiors/the-50-best-interior-designers-in-the-uk

https://www.elledecoration.co.uk/decorating/g30043896/best-british-interior-designers-to-know

 

And… Wild card thought, but you could always apply to the BBC show Interior Design Masters which is currently showing on Tuesdays at 8pm: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0007mmw