Need a definitive guide to getting into interior design? Read on if you want to take the great interior design career challenge!

Interior design is all about creating functional spaces in buildings, for the people who live and work in them. Interior design is not the same as rearranging the furniture in your bedroom and painting the walls a fetching shade of orange. Lots of people say that they want to do interior design but there’s a lot more to it than plumping up cushions and displaying knick-knacks on a shelf in an artistic way…

Interior design and interior decoration are two very different things. Interior design is the integral modification of a space in order to improve its functionality. Interior decoration is the addition of colourful, fashionable and beautiful things to a space. Interior designers can do both but interior decorators only decorate.

There’s a lot of hard work to do before you get to be the next Kelly Hoppen. Career success in the world of interior design is as much about networking and building up a strong client base, as it is about being artistic having an eye for detail, light, space and colour. You’ll have to go to college or university to learn the basic principles and history of architecture and know about electrical wiring, plumbing and a whole lot of other technical stuff too, before you even think about what colour to paint the walls. You’ll also need good business sense, the ability meet clients briefs, work to a budget and project manage a job through to the end.

Other interior design jobs you could do with the right qualifications are things like bathroom planner, kitchen designer, space planner or 3D CAD designer for an interiors company, for instance. You could also get into shop fitting and store planning and work for big high street retailers or become a design project manager on interior and architectural projects.

Entry requirements

Still interested in getting into the interior design game? Realistically, qualifications-wise, you’ll need five good GCSEs including maths and English and will have completed a degree or a higher education or FE qualification like an HND in an interior design-based subject, to get a foothold in the business.

Apprenticeships and internships

The Government has advice on how to find apprenticeships in the field of interior design and some larger interior design companies offer internships to graduates.

HE courses

Some training providers and private colleges offer interior design courses which incorporate fine art, interior architecture, 3D design and spatial design. Entry requirements can vary so you would need to check these with each individual trainer or college and have a look at available interior design courses and degrees at UK universities using the UCAS search tool

FE courses

You can start work as a interior design assistant with an interior design company but you’ll still need to get some relevant qualifications, as competition even for these junior jobs is stiff – despite the low pay. Interior design courses available at FE level include Level 2/3 certificates or diplomas in subjects such as Creative Techniques – Interiors; Interior Design Skills; Design and Craft – Interior Décor; Spatial Design or Professional Interior Design Skills.

Salary

Depending on qualifications and experience, interior designers can earn anything between £18,000 and £80,000 a year.

Work experience

Paid or unpaid work experience in interior design is a must and is a great way to make important contacts in the business – you should aim to find placements with at least three different companies. However you kick off your interior design career, you’ll be building up a portfolio pretty much from day one which will document your progress and serve as evidence for future employers of your interior design skills and your aptitude for the job, once you’re ready to go for formal interviews with design companies.

You can find more useful information on careers in interior design on The British Institute of Interior Design website.