Westchester Community College, State University of New York

Job Outlook for Interior Designers

• According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual salary for interior designers is $49,810. Salary can increase depending on a number of factors, including length of projects, clientele, type of employment and experience.
• The BLS also reports that the demand for interior designers is projected to increase by 5% through the year 2026.

WHAT DO INTERIOR DESIGNERS DO?

Interior designers determine design items, such as colors, lighting, and materials to make indoor spaces functional and attractive. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, interior designers “must be able to draw, read, and edit blueprints.”

WHICH SKILLS DO INTERIOR DESIGNERS NEED THE MOST?

Interior designers can turn a plain room into something beautiful. Here are the top skills needed to be a successful interior designer:

• Creativity
• Spatial awareness
• Understanding if design practices and styles

WHERE DO INTERIOR DESIGNERS WORK?

Most work is completed in an office, home office, on-site in client homes, design centers, or other locations. Currently, about one in five interior designers are self-employed, and work may need to be completed during evenings or weekends, based on client schedules/needs.

• Pass the Residential Interior Designer Exam (RIDE) on course completion to become a Certified Residential Interior Designer
• Understand all aspects of the interior design business - tasks, responsibilities, best practices, client service, and more
• Learn how to start and run your own interior design business
• Learn how to create a design concept and floor plan
• Understand basic elements of any interior design project and how to manipulate them

GETTING STARTED

Exploring a career in residential interior design; introduction to design basics and space planning

HISTORY OF STYLES AND FURNISHINGS

Prehistoric times to the Middle Ages, the Renaissance to the 20th Century; and modernism, non-European influences, and furniture styles

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

Materials, color, textiles, lighting fundamentals, accents and accessories

WORKING AS A RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR DESIGNER

Industry regulations and putting it all together

Natasha Lima-Younts

Natasha Lima-Younts has worked in interior design for over 20 years. She graduated from Bauder Design College and went on to found Gables Interiors in Miami, Florida and Gables Plantation Designs in Albany, Georgia. Her work has been featured in magazines including Florida Architecture and Spectacular Homes, as well as on "The View," and she was chosen as Miami's "Designer for the Stars" seven years in a row. In 1999, she founded the Designer Society of America to create a sense of community and help aspiring designers achieve their goals.