2004/12b: Ask Me
Q&A 19 years ago No Comments

What are my career options with a degree in interior design”


Pop Quiz: Choose one that best describes you.

  • a. I am a design student slaving away night after sleepless night on studio projects. I just don”t know how these tough assignments will help my career.
  • b. I am a secret design fanatic. I re-arrange my apartment every time I walk in the door because the furniture just does not seem to fit appropriately. Surely, there is a way to make this into a career”
  • c. I read Interior Design magazine and Architectural Digest with religious fervor. I have to be up on the latest and greatest interior design trends. How can I break into the design field”

Whether you chose a, b, or c, have no fear, the Interior Design profession has a place for you! First, and foremost, to the attentive Interior Design student, press on! Study with diligence, get involved in design organizations, and research the design field that interests you the most. Upon entering the design profession, you will be all the more knowledgeable and valuable to your employer for doing so. Seek out design firms or a design industry that specializes in the type of design that ignites your creative passions. Take it from those who have paved the way before you, it is far easier to attend your daily job when you are zealous about the type of work you do.

The profession of Interior Design is a richly diverse field. Whether you are a design student or an Interior Design aficionado, the design profession wants and needs you! There are many options with a degree in Interior Design. The most obvious choice is professional Interior Designer. The following are just a few examples of places which employ Interior Designers: large architectural firms, small design studios, hotel chains, restaurants, and educational or institutional facilities. The world needs and demands that educated professionals are accurately assessing design solutions, creatively exploring all design scenarios, and effectively managing design projects.

Perhaps you enjoy design and studying the latest design trends but you cannot necessarily see yourself as a professional designer. Arguably, the second most likely career option is a manufacturer”s sales representative. The design industry is chock full of educated Interior Designers who are sales representatives for textile, carpet, furniture, wallcovering, and a host of other great companies. Interior Designers and Architects alike appreciate the design-educated sales representative because we can trust he knows and has the best interests of our clients in mind. Also, these representatives are bringing a great deal of design knowledge to the table. They typically are well informed on industry related developments, such as the recent increased awareness in green design. Having the interior design fundamentals as a basis gives sales representatives a more reputable audience with designers upon whom they call.

If you are seeking the non-traditional interior design career, there are many diverse options in the design field. Interior Designers are serving as CEO”s, project mangers, website developers, graphic designers, textile designers, furniture designers, residential designers, accessibility specialists, and even writers.

Finally, if any of the above jobs do not appeal to you, then continue appreciating the profession. Participate in design surveys (there are many online), ask your local civic leaders how you can give input on upcoming community design projects, or volunteer for the building committees at your local church or school. Most of all have fun, and stay on the cutting edge of design!