5 Things You Need to Know Before Studying Interior Design

2 Aug

If you’re considering a career in interior design, you’re in for an exciting journey in an industry that I love. In this post, we’re going to cover the five essential things you need to know before choosing to study interior design. Whether you are leaving high school or thinking about changing careers, this guide is for you to help you make an informed choice.

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1. The Difference Between Interior Design, Interior Decoration, and Architecture

First up, it’s crucial to understand the difference between interior design, interior decoration, and architecture. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct differences.

Interior Design: This involves creating functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces within a building, considering elements like space planning and material selection. You’ll learn how to adapt existing buildings into spaces that suit your client’s needs. Interior designers can work with residential clients, commercial clients, restaurants, or retail spaces. You can specialize in various areas, such as developing the floor plan of a heritage warehouse being turned into an office for a tech startup client.
Interior Decoration: This focuses on the aesthetics, such as color schemes, furnishings, and accessories. While decorators often work in the residential space, they can also branch out into other types depending on their experience and capabilities.
Architecture: Architects deal with the overall structure and form of buildings. You'll learn how to design buildings from scratch and generally develop both the exterior and interior of a building.

There are a few things to consider when deciding between these paths:

Training Time: The training for an interior decorator can range from a year to four years depending on the program. For an interior designer, the average program is around four years, and for an architect, it's typically a minimum of five years depending on where you study.
Cost: Programs can vary widely in cost and can be in-person or online. It’s important to check the credentials of any course you’re considering. Speak to current and past students if possible to get a better sense of the program. Be aware that interior design, while creatively fulfilling, is not always the most lucrative career.

Knowing these distinctions will help you find the right course for you.

2. The Importance of Technology

Number two, technology is your best friend. Modern interior design relies heavily on tools like AutoCAD, SketchUp, and Revit for creating detailed floor plans and 3D models. These tools not only help you visualize your ideas but also communicate them effectively to clients and contractors. Clients are increasingly expecting and demanding more ways to visualize spaces. Rendering used to be expensive and limited, but it is becoming more common even in the earlier stages of the design process and easier to learn.

Good courses will emphasize and teach these skills, so don’t worry if you don’t think of yourself as tech-savvy. Learn and practice as much as you can and get comfortable with these technologies early on.

3. Will AI Take Interior Design Jobs?

Thirdly, let's talk about AI. Will it take over interior design jobs? While AI can assist in certain aspects like generating design options and optimizing layouts, the human touch is irreplaceable. Clients want to talk to real humans about their real problems. Interior design is not just about designing the optimum layout on paper; it’s about making that design a reality. Creativity, understanding client needs, project management, and adding personal flair are areas where AI can’t compete. So, don’t worry about robots taking your job just yet!

4. Do I Need to Be Artistic or Know How to Draw?

Number four, do you need to be artistic or know how to draw? While having an artistic eye and basic drawing skills are beneficial, they’re not absolute requirements. In most design programs, you’ll learn how to draw from basic skills to drawing in perspective. It will be up to you to practice these skills. I still spend around 15 minutes every day practicing my drawing skills. This makes it easy to communicate ideas on-site or quickly when discussing ideas with clients.

If drawing just isn’t your thing, many designers use software to create their drawings and focus on other skills like space planning and material knowledge. What’s most important is your creativity and problem-solving abilities.

5. The Importance of Business Management Skills

Finally, the importance of business management skills is generally overlooked in design programs. Everything from creating a brand, marketing with your website and social media, to being able to manage a complex project will be skills that you need to learn and use. As my clients will agree, interior design isn’t just about creating beautiful spaces; it’s also about managing projects, budgets, and client relationships. You’ll become intimately acquainted with spreadsheets and project management software. If you want to run your own design firm, you’ll have to understand the basics of business management.

Look for programs that include strong project management, communication, and business skills. These are essential for running a successful design business. If your course does not offer these, consider taking courses in these areas alongside your design studies.

These are the five things you need to know before studying interior design. If you’re interested in learning a skill that all designers need to know, check out my video on how to create a moodboard. If you found this post helpful, please share it with others who might benefit from it. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more tips and insights into the world of interior design. Thanks for reading!

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Hi 👋🏽 I’m Joanne!

I’m an interior designer, content creator, educator, and business coach. After studying Economics and Education at uni, the design world beckoned, drawing me to Christie’s in London, where I completed post-grad studies in art & design, and then to Hong Kong, where I founded Eclectic Cool, a design firm and design store. Eclectic Cool represented international brands such as Gubi, &tradition, HAY, Armadillo Rugs & Dinosaur Designs to name a few. My work and store have been featured in Monocle, Conde Nast Traveller, Elle Decor, Expat Living, Cathay Pacific inflight magazines, South China Morning Post, and the ABC (Australia) network and more. I live between on the south coast of Australia and Hong Kong with my husband and cavoodle. I’m the mum of three adult children.

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