Choosing a career can be difficult, especially if you’re not clued up on how to reach your goals. You may have a few ideas in mind, but no idea how to get there. It’s okay – we all have to start somewhere.
If a career in interior design has been on your radar, it might be time to start looking into what you can do to get the ball rolling.
After all, demand for interior design is constantly rising in India. The industry is quickly rising across the country and is showing no signs of slowing down. So if you’re interested in a career in interior design – this is your moment.
You could even end up creating the kind of stunning inspiration we love to post here at Floma!
If that sounds appealing, it’s time to get started. Here’s how!
Let’s start with the personal pre-requisites!
Before you even consider schools, courses and careers, take a look at your own personality traits. What kind of person are you, and what are your interests? If you’re:
- Creative
- Passionate
- Open Minded
- Friendly
- Outgoing
…then you could be a great interior designer!
Of course, creativity is the obvious trait – you’ll need to be able to come up with those outstanding ideas for your clients’ homes, ranging from colours to layouts and everything in between. You’ll need an open minded approach if you’re going to try out new and unexpected trends!
You’ll also need to be dedicated towards furthering your career by seeking out clients and providing a top notch service, so passion for what you do is essential.
Finally, being friendly and outgoing is perfect for the role, as you’ll need to ensure you can communicate in an informative yet positive manner when dealing with clients.
Do you think these traits are indicative of who you are? If so, it’s time to move on to more formal qualifications!
What will you need to study?
Before you choose a study path, you’ll need to ensure you’re making the right choice for the career you want by understanding the difference between interior design and interior decorating.
While in some cases a full degree is not necessary to become an interior professional (especially if you’re following more of an interior decorator path), it can still be helpful to take a short course to hone your skills and add some credentials to your resume.
We’ve rounded up several courses in India for interior design and how they could influence your career path.
Interior Design Courses in India
You should have a degree to pursue this path, so you’ll need to take a look at universities offering interior design programs. Here are just a few to take a look at – remember to put together a shining application!
- B.A. (Hons) in Interior Design: 3 Years, ITM Institute of Fashion Design and Technology, Mumbai
- B.Des in Interior Designing: 4 Years, Unitedworld Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
- B.A. (Hons) in Interior Architecture and Design: 4 Years, Pearl Academy, Jaipur
Interior Decorating Courses in India
Interior decorating requires fewer qualifications than more technical interior design, so you may find a shorter course is all you need. Here are few to consider!
Diploma in Interior Design and Decoration: 2 Years, Pune Institute of Applied Technology (PIAT)
Diploma in Interior Decoration: 1 Year, Osteen College, Bangalore
Diploma in Interior Decoration: 1 Year, Pearl Academy, Delhi
Congratulations on your graduation! But now it’s time to move onwards and upwards.
Whether you picked a traditional degree to pursue a career as an interior designer or completed a course to launch your career in interior decorating, it’s time to put what you’ve learnt into action by landing your very first job or client.
But who to work for?
First of all, you’ll need to decide whether you’re going to seek full-time employment at an existing interior design firm or take the self-employment route and set up an interior design business of your own. Before making your decision, let’s take a look at the pros and cons.
Interior Design Firms: The Pros
- You’ll get to gain experience in the industry without putting your own venture at risk.
- You’ll gain an insight into the ways established interior designers work.
- You can make valuable contacts that could benefit you should you later decide to go it alone.
Interior Design Firms: The Cons
- You may be restricted to a certain style or product range.
- You may not get to make the most of your ideas on every occasion.
- It’s possible you’ll have less interaction with each client than you’d like.
Starting Your Own Business: The Pros
- You’ll have full creative freedom.
- You’ll get to work with the clients you choose – and the projects you love.
- You’ll be able to work one on one with each and every client, leading to the ultimate level of understanding.
Starting Your Own Business: The Cons
- It can be hard to find clients when you’re just getting started.
- You’ll need to pay for start-up costs such as advertising and portfolio fees.
- If anything goes wrong, only you are accountable.
