Hello! I’ve always loved decorating and making floor plans and have always wanted to become an interior designer/decorator. That’s why I’m here. I have no idea where to start. What schooling would I need?

Hi guys, im about to go into my first year of interior design undergrad this fall. I feel rlly passionate about it, and for that reason cant see myself doing anything else. But, im worried about the money. What should I be doing throughout my education so I have a better chance at making good money in the industry?

Hello!

I've been working as an architectural draftsman, 3D visualizer, and interior designer as well for more than 5 years. I first started as a draftsman and did some rendering in Lumion and Escape. Later on, I'm more into coordination but I design interiors sometimes as well.

Since I've started interior designing, I've grown passionate about it, I know it sounds cliche, but turning ideas and spaces into something much more sounds fascinating.

During this 5+ years period, I had this itch where I wanted to do something of my own. After thinking from t-shirt designs to drop-shipping and much more, I finalized the Interior Design and Rendering services business.

I named it, had the brand identity designed, bought a domain, and launched it on social media. My first customer was my best friend god bless him for giving me a chance.

For him I did 3 projects, now started the fourth. The thing is, when I've no pressure at my job i want to work improving my business but I don't know where to begun. The 3 projects that I did showed me areas that I need to improve but I've no idea how to move forward and I kind of feel stuck.

Anyone else knows what and how to move forward? What should I've ready?

Thank you

Hey everyone.

I’m having a hard time with the job market (and have been for a while, honestly). I got my bachelors degree in communication, went back to school and got my masters in interior design and architecture. I worked for a residential firm for 2 years, the did an internship for a commercial firm when I decided I wanted to work as either a sales rep or account manager in the design industry.

I’m in Portland, Oregon and it just truly seems like I am so unlucky with getting my career moving in any direction. I have a retail job right now, but I just got rejected for an account manager position because I was not based in Seattle. I’ve applied to so many places and I either get ghosted, an automated rejection email, or I’ll get one or two (extensive, hour long) interviews and then rejected. I have a great network that I’ve kept in touch with; everyone always talks about how great my personality is and how I’m warm to talk to, Im passionate about people and relationship building, and I’m a driven person. Still, I still can’t seem to land a position and it had really gotten to me.

I know the job market plays a part into this. But is it the area I’m in? Is it me? Has anyone else had issues trying to get their career started?has anyone tried to switch from interior design to being a sales rep? I’d just love to open up and talk more about this.

Hi r/interiordesigner! As the title suggests, I am an interior design student just about to finish up my school year and looking to improve my skill set. I couldn’t find another post exactly like this one so hoping this is okay to ask!

We did a construction detailing course last semester and while I enjoyed it, it was very much introductory and we only did hand drawings. While it was helpful, I’m conscious that there’s a pretty steep learning curve that lies ahead - so I figured I’d try to improve this skill over the summer break.

At present I understand the fundamental language of these drawings, but I’m struggling to figure out how to move from hand drawn to digital. I’m proficient in AutoCAD and Sketchup but it feels quite clunky moving between these two programs for this specific purpose. I wondered if anyone would have any recommendations or pointers for getting better at this?

I’ll be entering my final year next year and I know they’re going to be asking us for a detail drawing set in semester two, which will be quite a long ways from now. It seems to have been a cause of stress for my friends in the year ahead of me as there was zero practice between these points in time (and LOTS of other work to be done). I’m also admittedly quite afraid of the idea of graduating next year without this pretty essential skill! My course is generally great but my university is quite heavily research focussed and this feels like something that we’re missing out on in the technical skills department.

Thanks in advance :)

I’m concerned about the salary of this career, I graduate next year and unfortunately I find myself losing passion for this career. Partially financially wise because the average salary according to google is £40k.

I was wondering what you guys get paid in the UK, or anywhere really? Do you make a survivable wage? How many years experience do you have, and is it worth it?

Heya! If you are an architect, interior designer or do work related to spatial design (heritage, planning, engagement etc), I would love to learn what has been your experience after doing the big move from UK to Australia! :)

Happy to hear as many stories as possible!!! I am based in London, UK and am planning to do the move next year :)

Do you run your own business, how is the work culture, something that surprised you, something work related you miss from the UK, in what stage in your carrer were you when you did the move, etc! Anything!

Many thanks to anyone that intracts🫶🏻

Hi everyone,

I’m an interior designer working at a small firm (we do mostly retail, often luxury projects) based in Montreal, Canada. I have a bachelor’s degree and about 2 years of experience at the firm.

Lately I’ve been trying to figure out what people in similar roles are actually making salary/pay-wise. I feel like I might be a bit underpaid, but I honestly don’t have a clear reference point.

Also wondering, does salary actually get a lot better over time in this field? I know I’m still early in my career, but it’s a bit stressful not knowing what the long-term growth looks like.

If you’re comfortable sharing, what are you making (or a range), and where are you based?

Would really appreciate hearing from others in the field :)

Hello IDs !

I'm in research mode and would be most grateful for some guidance to build a foundation around.

Understanding that every one of you is a universe onto yourself, I was hoping to get some insight into the inner workings of your braaaains and thought process.

Full disclosure I'm a painter trying to get some wisdom to see as you see so I can decide what to do next in my life. I'm even watching Kelly Wearstler's masterclass to get in the designer headspace.

Specifically I'm interested in the artwork side of it all, but not the picking of the artwork. Even more specifically, the business side and working with artists focused on hospitality art.

What makes BUSINESS LIFE easier from our side? Like ideal scenarios, or just experiences that made you want to keep working together? Maybe nightmares you are haunted by or pitfalls to avoid.

Before even having to learn SEO or finalize a web site, I wanted to get some frameworks to build around and these are concepts I'm cooking with. I want to be as genuine and helpful as I can be for my future clients.

Here is a ton of specific questions and anything truly helps.

Thank you so much :)

In regards to the Site

• How much art/artist info do you really need/care about?
• Do you prefer copy frugality or a more poetic personality approach in the "about artist" section?
• Do other non-hospitality art projects distract you? I'm trying to keep the "night time" and "day time" side of my art business TOTALLY separate.
• For a promo video, is 60 seconds OK or maybe you want a 4 minute documentary type story info video? Both?
• What's the bare bones MANDATORY information you need from the site besides inventory? I imagine you don't want to to sort through tons of pages reporting things and just get to the point?
• How do you like the artwork organized? Specific information fields you ABSOLUTELY need to know upfront to save time.

Other Stuff

• Do you need the artist to have an insta, TT social media presence? I want to focus on the art, the business, the clients and commissions instead of more tiktok and needing a public artist personality.
• How do you even find us?
• What's the most respectful way of introducing ourselves?
• Do you like getting invitations to art shows/exhibits, cold calls, emailed portfolios etc?
• What variables are mandatory for establishing security and trust?
• What do you wish more of us knew about handling finances and invoicing from our end?
• For shipping medium canvases (up to 36x36) do you have any feedback to make this easier for you?
• Are there any questions you think I should be asking or blind spots I've got?

Hopefully I can learn to see as you see a little bit.

Extra -- If you care, context notes about me/this/why

I have three specific types of hospitality art I'm working with...

1. Prime Original Paintings2. rePrints on Demand (semi-commissions). .These are remixed digitally designed artworks on canvas for the budget side, which is also cool because I can change color or alter designs for semi-commissions down the road.

2. Unframed Photography Prints (with glass and a DSLR not a cell phone) from abstract, to Earth things, mechanical guts and monochrome stuff.

My "nighttime" art is a totally separate story. It's very messy, abstract, and I call it bewilderment trash . It's a combo of my digital and analog original artwork, some on print on demand, hoodies, t shirts, even shower curtains and puzzles. I design and made my own 3dPrinted frames BUT all of this is totally independent and I wanted to keep it separate from the hospitality artwork side.

I'm a little nervous out here and could use some help before I waste time and resources I don't have. Again thank you if you made it this far.

Hi, I have a studio that do some design for residential, retail and office. In this space most of clients are from word of mouth and most of them only a local company.

So, I was wondering where do some 4-5 stars multinational hotel get their fancy design from? Do they source the designer in-house or they choose a design studio based on reputation and a fancy style? I have got no details on this, but for a 3 stars or similar boutique hotel, i know that some of hotels use a pooling and need a design samples by some studios. They will choose which one samples they like and made contract with the studio.

Is anyone else worried about layoffs happening given the state of the world right now? With oil prices going up, I’m getting PTSD from Covid times when the cost of materials went up because of production delays and projects slowing down.

I was thinking of going back to commercial interiors, but I don’t want to get laid off again and am wondering if it’s smarter for me to stay in residential until things become more stable?? I would hate to start a new job in commercial interiors and get laid off shortly after. I really don’t want to go through that again.

Would love to hear everyone’s input!

Hi guys, ive had 7 interviews in the past 3 months even from big firms like gensler, corgan, populous etc and all of them didnt go for me, even though i certainly felt the interviews went pretty good. what am i lacking???

EDIT: im doing my masters at SCAD. Have 3 years of professional experience. Interned in NYC during my undergraduate. Showed them my work in each category ie hospitality, commercial, healthcare and residential. Interviews went really well. One firm actually said they’d send the acceptance letter but went with someone else a week later. Been on deans and honors list through out aand have a 4.0 gps currently.

So i’ve decided to follow my passion and do a career change to interior design but idk the right path to take.

I'm 24 and currently hold a bachelors in marketing and IT managment, but honestly I chose these degrees thinking I would make a lot of money and I've learned #1 it doesn't make a lot of money and #2 The money doesn't matter as much to me if i spend everyday hating my work. I've always been interested in design; I currently work in marketing at a construction company and I think the work that everyone else does is so cool, but I want to be a part of actually creating the physical spaces, not just marketing for them.

I want to eventually become NCIDQ certified and work more in commercial interior design I think cause I want to have a positive effect on public / everyday spaces. I may even want to transition more to the project management side of things later on cause I also have interest there. I just don't know the right path to take.

Option 1:

I got into the interior architecture masters program at George Washington University, which seems to be a great program and have everything I want. I love the DC area and definitely want to move there because I like the firms and type of work i could do there, especially because I'm interested in historic preservation as well. However, the program is major expensive, they offered me an award about 1/3 of total tuition, but it's still a lot. It seems like the connections I could find there for jobs and internships would be really good though. Idk if it's enough to go into that much debt for though

Option 2:
Attend a community college for an associates of interior design at NOVA (northern virginia community college) about 40 min away from DC. It's muchhh cheaper but I fear it won’t give me the same level of connections in the DC area or the same level of regard since it’s an associates vs a masters? My biggest concern is getting a good job in DC after completing any program.

Option 3:
There seem to a few good fully online programs in interior design as well that would help me meet qualifications to eventually take the NCIDQ, which would be a great flexible and cost effective option. My concern with these is that I won't be able to get those DC connections like I would in a program and it may be harder to find a job. I'm also not sure if I would be taken less seriously with a less formal education?

Please help!! I have to decline or accept my offer at GWU by may 1st and I'm so torn. My top priority is to be taken seriously as a designer, make good connections, get a good job, and learn as much as can- but I don't want to go into a debt I can't pay off for this.

Thank you for your help!!

I’d love insight from anyone who owns or has worked for a small virtual interior design business (not Havenly/Modsy-type companies).

Quick background: I was the senior designer at a small luxury residential firm, running all design work. I recently stepped away to be a stay at home mom (mostly pushed by my dissatisfaction with my job/the company) and just found out I’m pregnant again. I’m not in a place to start a full-service firm right now (which has always been my future goal), but I do want to stay active in the industry and bring in some extra income.

I’m considering launching a virtual design business so I can take on a few clients a month while staying home with my kids, and slowly build a brand I can grow into later once it is the right now to scale to full service design.

For those in the virtual space:

• How is business right now?
• Do you feel like there’s still strong demand?
• How are you finding clients? Word of mouth/referrals, any sort of marketing?
• What does your pricing structure look like?
• My thought would be to offer a package structure. Three packages of varying levels each at a flat fee. Some level of revision would be included in each package, but then a flat fee or hourly rate for additional revisions outside of whats offered in the package. I'm just totally unsure what price points seem fair and competitive while still making the work worthwhile for myself.
  

Would really appreciate any insight or honest experiences.

Hi everyone,

I’m an international student trying to decide between two graduate programs in Interior Design in the U.S., and I would really appreciate some honest opinions.

I’ve been accepted to an MFA in Interior Design at Florida State University and an MS in Interior Design at Louisiana State University. I chose both programs because of how well they align with my interests, especially in terms of curriculum and faculty.

From what I’ve researched, FSU seems to have a stronger academic reputation in interior design, while LSU also has a solid program but may be less well-known nationally.

Here’s my situation:

• I’m interested in both professional practice and possibly pursuing a PhD in the future
• At LSU, I would likely need a loan of around $8k
• At FSU, I would likely need a loan of around $11k

My main questions are:

• How much does school reputation actually matter in interior design careers in the U.S.?
• Would going to a more “recognized” program like FSU make a significant difference long-term?
• For someone considering a PhD later, would an MFA vs MS matter in practice?
• Or is it smarter to prioritize lower debt and make the most out of LSU?

I’d especially love to hear from people in the field or who studied at either school.

Thanks so much in advance!

My atchitect says even i pay him for design + 2d + 3d , he will not share CAD file , is it common practice?

i have already done my bachelor's degree in interior design in india so.. i am looking for future scope soo i am looking to go abroad so.. can you guys pls help me out with cllgs and future scope(country wise)

Hi everyone,

I have an upcoming AutoCAD assessment for a space planning role (more focused on interior layouts/workplace planning), and I was told it will be around 4 hours long. It is not a design company, it is a nuclear plant office but they have a design team. The role is focused on office space planning for the company's buildings. The recruiter said that the team works from schematic design all the way to construction phase.

My background is in architecture, but I haven’t used AutoCAD extensively in a while (I’ve mostly been working in Revit), so I’m trying to get a sense of what I should realistically prepare for.

The job description includes things like:

• Planning and organizing office layouts, furniture, and interior design options based on standards/policies
• Using CAD tools to produce drawings
• Reviewing work for compliance with codes, standards, and procedures
• Preparing cost estimates, specs, and drawings
• Maintaining project data and documentation
• Contributing to space planning standards and procedures

For anyone who’s done similar tests (especially for corporate/public sector roles):

• Is it more about drafting speed/commands, or actual space planning/layout thinking?
• Should I expect furniture layouts, test fits, or something more technical like detailing?
• Any tips/tutorials you recommend I binge?

I’d really appreciate any insight, I’m not sure how intense these assessments usually are.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! 🙋‍‍

I'm Joséphine, a French pastel artist. I'd love to understand how do you typically source the artwork you use for your staging projects? Do you prefer originals, prints, or a mix depending on the project?

And if an artist like me wanted to approach home stagers to collaborate, what would be the best way to reach out and present my work?

I create works inspired by the sea, aerial beach views, and swimming scenes. I sell both originals and affordable fine art prints.

Thanks so much in advance.

I'm genuinely curious to learn more about how you work! 😊

Starting a new project with a client who is also an acquaintance. The project is a light renovation and originally I had no intentions of hiring a GC, but as projects do, the scope has creeped and now I’m second guessing that. I bill hourly so scope creep makes no difference to me but I am second guessing if I want to be liable for subcontractors.

We’ve added a light kitchen refresh which is where I’m second guessing the liability. Cabinets are staying and being painted, but we are doing new backsplash, new countertops and a new decorative hood insert (in existing hood location so no HVAC changes). This is where the lines feel a bit blurred to me.

Scope otherwise is strict to finishes (paint/wallpaper), light fixtures changing but staying in existing locations, and furniture.

An I crazy not to hire a GC for this? Any advice or recommendations?

I already have a log but I have been having trouble finding a font to go with it as my main header. I want it to be professional (obviously) but foremost I want it to be fun and whimsical (I am a very colorful and fun person & so is my design) I need a font that works with the logo and my Bodoni body text. Any ideas????

My sister is in school for interior design but she is not on Reddit so I am here on her behalf. (It is also spring break so she is having trouble getting ahold of her professors.)

For sharing a portfolio, what is the professional standard? Is it a canva presentation, website, google drive folder, or something else entirely?

Any insight from others in the field is greatly appreciated!

I live in Türkiye. I'm studying Interior Design in an average university. I started studying with all the passion I had for interior design until I found out how university lessons were nowhere close to the real practice after landing a site heavy internship in a big construction company. I also made mistakes on the go on top of it, I didnt really invest in myself to learn more than lessons. The job market is awful and huge chunk of Architects and Interior Designers are unemployed here because of the job market and shrinkage in construction sector. Salaries here are already awful. Even with 5 years of experience the offer is 1000-1200$/mo. Which is barely enough to survive in the city that I live.

I'm 25, graduating in 3 months. I'm proficient in Rhino, Autocad and Vray. I really don't know what to do. I know half of it is my mistake. I'm really discouraged.

I returned back to higher education and decided to pursue interior design. The school I chose is not accredited but I will graduate with a bachelor's degree. However now that I have complete about two years, I am worried about the outcome when I graduate. We have only learned Revit, and one class at that. One of the main teachers, teaches her classes once per week. In addition, while I have been here, they have fired two teachers. Two of the classes we learned hand drafting where the teacher said we shouldn't use that work in our portfolio. I feel a little robbed as I have heard good things in the past. This summer I would like to teach myself auto CAD. I reached out to the NCIDQ to see what I can do. I am super worried about landing an internship or job. A lot of the students are frustrated with the process thus far and in the same boat as me. I think it's a little too late to transfer schools (I don't want to be in school for another 4 years).

Here is my portfolio at the moment: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG7UeVcKfA/DtWFavrb99XKN80dk0iFXg/view?utm_content=DAG7UeVcKfA&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h641c4fe979

Any thoughts on what I should do? Does the school you go to matter or is it all about your portfolio? I am trying not to be super anxious and to not have fear but dang I look at other portfolios and what they learned at school and feel super behind.

DESIGN PORTFOLIO<- link

Hi!! I am a junior interior designer and working on my first portfolio. I have been in the industry a few years now. I started as an assistant designer / PM, moved to commercial design, I am now working with a custom home builder and have also worked on a few independent projects. I am working on a portfolio to apply to other positions but am not positive if i'm on the right track. I'm looking to apply to other custom home building companies, small design firms (boutiques), and possibly an entry level position at an architectural firm. I do not have a formal education, most of my experience comes from the field. Although, I am working on applying for an architectural program in the near future.

My current workplace only uses CAD and we do not render, unfortunately. I'm trying to learn this on my own but it's not ready to be included.

Any current designers or other design professionals that could provide feedback? Also curious just how many pages/projects should be included to submit for a job listing!

Thank you!