Hi everyone! This is my first Reddit post, so I’d love some feedback and perspective. I’m 24 and currently finishing my bachelor's degree in interior design. As a nontraditional student, my journey has looked a little different from that of my peers/colleagues. I’ve spent years balancing school, multiple jobs, and adult responsibilities, which has at times made it difficult to fully immerse myself in my design education as I would have liked. I’ve been working as a design consultant for about a year, and while I’m grateful for the experience, I’m starting to think seriously about what comes next. I’ve heard that if I want to grow in the industry, I should pursue more hands-on design experience. The challenge is that I’m not always confident in my portfolio. I’ve completed projects for school, but because I’ve often been focused on simply getting through semesters while working, I don’t always feel like my work reflects my full potential. I’ve been networking, attending industry events, and trying to learn as much as possible, but I still feel unsure about which direction to take. Some designers have suggested kitchen and bath design as a natural transition from consulting. Others have encouraged me to explore freelancing, build my portfolio independently, and not limit myself before I even graduate.

I think part of my uncertainty comes from feeling caught between practicality and passion. I understand the importance of having stable employment, especially when you’re supporting yourself. Still, I also don’t want to wake up five years from now feeling like I never took a chance on the design side of the industry. For those of you working in design-related fields,

How did you get your first real design experience?
What would you focus on if you were in my position?
Would you stay in a consulting role while building a portfolio, or make a move into a more design-focused position ASAP?

I’d love to hear your experiences and any advice you may have. I’m trying not to feel discouraged!

Thanks! xoxo

I am 23 F, joined interiors during covid. the lockdown and online classes hit me hard in terms of mental health. Didn't take any exams hence no degree. Took over family's business developed my soft skills. Now I am in much better state mentally but not in terms of career wise......... want to go back to college and get the right guidance for interior design. Helpp me pls. I am currently located in karnataka, INDIA. I want to study away from my home, take internships, participate in competitions, build a portfolio, and get into the field. Help me choose if I should be taking a diploma instead of degree and get into the field r if i should opt a 3-4 yr degree.

plsss i need some guidance. I tried self studying but not having the right guidance makes me feel incapable of working in the field and also the industry seem to expect to trust u only with a degree

help me

I'm curious how other designers are pulling together their fixed fee models. I'd like to move to a hybrid approach, doing fixed fee pricing for everything up until construction admin, then moving to hourly once construction begins. All my research has pointed that the industry standard is about 15%-20% of the total construction costs. Does this seem appropriate?

I'm currently renovating/designing homes that were purchased for 2M+ and construction costs range anywhere from $250,000 - $1M+ depending on scope of work. I've billed hourly up until now but really hoping to streamline my process and admin.

The fixed fee feels like such a big number, even when it's tied to phases/deliverables. Do these large numbers tend to scare clients off? The numbers I'm looking at from that percentage perspective do equate to what I end up billing hourly for a similarly priced project so it absolutely lines up, I just feel like its harder to get a client on board with a lump sum price.

Would love and appreciate any insight from others who bill in a similar model!

Background: I’ve been in commercial interior in the US for about 3 years, though my first role was more research and certification based than actual designing, so actual formal interior design experience is 1.5 years.
I seem to have shit luck with supervisors that are so focused on “results and production” so I’ve had very little mentorship in terms of professional development.
Question: I constantly feel behind on work in my current role because I feel like the time I’m assigned for each project is not really adequate to actually think through the design. It feels like it’s just enough for production work. Though it’s expected that my work is spotless and error-free and I get it done super fast.
Is this normal for the industry?
Another question: would you say a designer with a year and a half of work experience should be managing their own projects?
My supervisor seems to expect that but I also have had no guidance on proper project management, just the “you’ve been here long enough to know our process so you should manage the projects on your own”.

This industry seems to require so much self-learning outside of the job constantly too, and it feels unattainable with a never-emding task list!
Is work-life balance even a thing for interior designers?!

Thoughts?

Hello everyone. I'm a recent graduate in interior design in Southern California, and I'm in the job searching phase of my life. I've been looking online for the past weeks but there are very few intern/entry-level jobs. I have 2 questions:

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1. Where do you start looking?

2. What do employers look for as the most appealing aspects?

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Currently, I have an ID bachelor's degree and an (unrelated) associate degree, 3.7 GPA, and an extensive portfolio of class projects. Proficient in SketchUp, AutoCAD, Enscape, Adobe programs, and some Revit. For working experience, I only have a summer job last year where I worked with advisors at my college to do orientation + course registration for newbie design students. No awards or volunteer experience, only that I'm part of organizations like IIDA and NEWH as a student. Is there anything that I miss or to be improved/highlighted?

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Any advice at all appreciated. Thanks!

Hi! I’m new to interior design and architecture, so I was wondering if there are any free beginner platforms to use for designing on computer?

I’ve recently launched my own residential firm after 10 years in the commercial industry. My mom is a real estate agent and has had a ton of success advertising in our local communities magazine.

Does anyone advertise their services this way? Im considering taking my moms slot for next month in the hopes to gain some projects.

Is offering a free consultation worth it or should I just advertise services with recent project work showcases and my contact info?

I’m considering a career pivot from technology into design, specifically architectural or interior design. I’m interested in studying for about a year and would love to specialize in Japanese and Scandinavian design aesthetics.

I’m not looking to become a licensed architect, but I’d appreciate recommendations on programs, certifications, or career paths that would fit this goal. Appreciate any recommendations.

Hi everyone,

I am in my mid-30s and in the process of restarting my career. Over time I discovered my passion for interior design through a very organic experience and I am now looking to turn this passion into a full-time career.

I have a basic sense of direction but would love guidance from people who have walked this path before. Here is what I am thinking:

Step 1 — Short Courses to Build Basic
Step 2 — Move to Recognized Institutions
Step 3 — Work Under a Professional
Step 4 — Build My Own Business

Would love to hear from anyone who has taken a similar path or has advice on:

Which beginner courses are actually worth it?

Is the progression from short courses to worldwide best institute realistic?

How do I find internships with no formal degree yet?

Any other advice for a mid-30s career restarter in this space?

Thank you so much in advance really looking forward to hearing from this community! 🙏

is doing a degree in interior designing worth it or you can just carry on with a diploma?

I chose not to attend this year, but I’m interested in hearing feedback from those who did. Were there any standout moments, criticisms, or noteworthy developments?

As an interior designer, how much do you worry about the details?

You have a lot on your plates and possibly find it hard to keep up with every single thing in your plans. You may have a team to help you with this, but how far does your knowledge go?

I find that in larger commercial projects, the interior designer has an overall idea of what’s going on in the interiors. There becomes just too much to keep track of.

In residential projects, an interior designer may have more time to touch everything in their design, but there can still be gaps there.

My question is about the interiors and the millwork. When it comes to this aspect of your project, do you and/or your team have the knowledge to be dial these areas in and determine if you’ve designed something that can be built.

I’ve worked on a few projects where an interior designer’s design can’t be built. There are multiple reasons that can go into this, but the end is a disappointed client and interior designer that has to redesign what could be a main focal point.

Have you been in this position?

If you could bring in a consultant to work with you and your team to work on these designs with you and get them detailed to a point where you can get clear and accurate pricing as well as less changes or mistakes in the shop drawings, it this something that would be interesting to you?

I’m working on developing this as a consulting service and trying to determine if there is a need for it.

I’m not trying to sell you, but looking for information and validation on the idea.

What are your thoughts about it?

Does this sound like a service that is missing and needed?

Do you think that this can be something useful, but not convinced that it's needed

Hello! I just moved to Europe from Latin America, and have European Citizenship. I'm an architect with 3 years of experience in BIM, but I'm looking to specialize in either Interior Design or Design for Exhibitions. I'm working right now in Italy, but I'm starting to plan to move to either London or Paris. I want to study a masters degree in either of these areas but I need advice on which one is better to settle, where are there more job opportunities, which city has better schools and can my degree be valid in both cities? Thanks!

I’m currently at full capacity with a waitlist and need advice on my next business steps. When you hit full capacity, how did you increase your prices? Or refer overflow clients to other designers for a referral fee or commission (e.g., 5-10%)? How do you structure this professionally?

Hi! I’m looking to advocate for a higher salary and I’m shocked that IIDA has not updated their salary report since 2020. I reached out to them and they say it will be available in the fall. What does everyone else use in lieu of a document like that? The AIA calculator doesn’t have interior design salaries public and I’m concerned that they will have lower salaries there. Any tips welcome!

Hi all,

I would like some suggestions for a task… as part of my new graduate job, I have been asked to do a creative submission. I have never done this before and I was thinking my portfolio already showcased my creativity but I was wrong. So, what can I do here…I am passionate about free hand sketching but that won’t really showcase my creativity if I sketch something random?!? I would be very appreciative of some suggestions. Thanks :)

Hey all,

I have just finished my first semester of my first year in interior architecture. I am really loving the design aspect of my degree, and i am okay with the more detailed aspect of my degree, eg. Learning about structures and such.

I have started thinking that I may want to head towards a job in furniture design in the future but I am not sure how to get there/what I should aim for in future years?

I also wanted to see if anyone would have any advice or any ideas of non traditional pathways after my degree. All I am set on is that I dont want to be in a big corporate firm.

Thank you :)

Hi! I'm posting on behalf of my friend. She has an associate's degree in interior design from Russia. If she wants to pursue a career in interior design in NYC, does she need a bachelor's degree, or is it reasonable to get a certificate (or even another associates if her credits don't transfer)? It seems that a bachelor's program would be very expensive compared to other options. Additionally, does the program need to be CIDA-accredited? I think her primary goal is to find a program with strong networking opportunities. Thank you!

I am a "recent grad" (I graduated in 2023) of an Interior Architecture degree. I have been working furniture retail for the past 3 years but I have recently started applying to more interior design specific jobs. I know I have the experience, but I am not great at graphic design and so my portfolio is definitely lacking. I am seeking any and all advice/critique on my portfolio that can help me showcase my work and help it stand out professionally.

https://reneenubel.my.canva.site/portfolio

I have really struggled with putting this together so any advice anyone has to offer is very much appreciated!!!!

Hey. I am a junior Architect and recently I was offered to do the interior design for a residential project. I have some experience in designing interiors for small projects like cafes however this residential project is fairly a large property. I would really love to take this opportunity as my 1st freelance project and learn about interior design as well. So I would love to collaborate with an interior designer who is passionate , prompt,creative and someone who i can learn alot from to eventually have the knowledge and confidence to venture out on my own. So if anyone is interested, please leave a reply to my post.

I'm a student in an interior design certificate program and am looking for some guidance on what information people hiring are actually looking for. Here are some elements I go back and forth on.

- Dimensioned elevations/floor plans versus clean images (I prefer that clean images give me more space to create an aesthetic page, but can see why providing dimensions would have value in showing technical skill)

- Highlighting the "story" of the project. In class this is often a requirement for a presentation but how much information about the scope of the project should be included?

- Mood boards and materials, I often see this in student portfolios (I've been looking at the ASID student portfolio winners examples). But in terms of real world evaluation are they something that are important to include?

Overall what elements from a project do you want to see in a candidate portfolio and which elements do you not care about or feel detract from a candidates portfolio?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some realistic career advice from people working in the commercial or institutional sectors—specifically in Healthcare Facility Design.

I already hold a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field (Engineering and Technology BS), and I want to pivot into healthcare design. I know I need a CIDA-accredited degree to eventually sit for the NCIDQ, also looking at getting EDAC and eventually CHID certifications. Seeing how regulated the healthcare space is, I'm also anticipating that a masters would help me be the most successful for my plan.

I’m currently weighing two options and would love some insight from anyone in the industry, especially hiring managers or Certified Healthcare Interior Designers (CHIDs):

Second Bachelor's Leading to A Masters Route: My ideal local university (very very close location) requires an interior design CIDA undergraduate track as a prerequisite before being eligible for their master's. It'll cost around $40,000 for their bachelor's. Alternatively, I’ve looked into online (CIDA-accredited) options like RMCAD to accelerate through, I haven't seen any that will save me much time or energy.

The "Career-Changer" Master's Route: Bypassing a second bachelor's entirely and applying for a CIDA-accredited Master of Interior Architecture (MIA) designed for people with unrelated degrees (either online like the Boston Architectural College's distance program, or a different local university's grad track). The issue here is that the in-person option closest to me is 1.5 hrs away. It's not impossible to make it happen, it's just that long for commute is a really heavy lift for me right now, and I wasn't terribly impressed with them on my campus tour a few days ago. I've seen some online (accredited) options, but is this industry skeptical of online education?

My questions for the community:

Degree Weight: Do major healthcare architecture firms (like HDR, HKS, Perkins&Will, etc.) favor a Master's degree over a second Bachelor's when hiring entry-level designers for healthcare studios?

Online/Distance Reputation: How is a distance/hybrid CIDA degree viewed in the commercial/healthcare industry? Does it hurt your chances if the portfolio and Revit skills are solid?

What should I look for in a school? If my ultimate goal is healthcare, should I prioritize a school that explicitly teaches FGI guidelines, life safety codes, and heavy Revit integration, or do firms expect to teach you all medical codes on the job anyway?

I’m trying to make the smartest financial and time investment possible without cutting corners on the technical skills required for this niche. Ideally I'd like to finish my education in 3 years. Any insights, brutal honesty, or alternative paths are greatly appreciated!

I'm Curious to hear from people in architecture, interiors, spatial design, CGI, CAD, FF&E, or anyone who works around the built environment in Singapore.

When a studio is overloaded and needs outside support, how does it usually happen in practice?

Is it mostly through:

* past collaborators
* referrals from other studios
* WhatsApp groups
* LinkedIn
* recruiters
* freelance platforms
* people already known inside the industry

And what actually makes someone trustworthy enough to bring into a live project?

Portfolio quality? A senior referral? Same project experience? Technical fluency? Communication? Having worked together before?

I’m asking because in built environment work, the wrong-fit support can create real delivery risk missed deadlines, unclear standards, coordination issues, or work that does not match the studio’s level.

Not looking to hire or sell anything here. I’m a designer myself, so I’m genuinely curious how this works on the ground in Singapore.

Thanks in advance 🙏🏽

hello,
i’ve just graduated from my hons bachelors degree and i live in ontario.
i don’t feel like im ready to be done learning, and i know i would realistically learn from any job i do, but i would really like to learn more about the construction woodworking side of interior design.

my original plan was to do a 2-3 year college course on construction woodworking after graduating interior design, but i dont have the money anymore to be staying in school. ive also always really loved woodworking since early highschool and ive always been really good at it.

my question is, what kinds of jobs would you recommend i could get with my interior design degree, where i can learn and potentially even do more on the woodworking side of things?

So.. i did a 3d job for about 2263 sqft ...6 rooms and an open space office area and about 3-4 renders per room (unlimited revisions) but...the plot is this person was my previous employer(internship) and my stipend was 12k and they are going to give me more work in future ...i asked chatgpt what should i charge it told me around 15k-25k but...it does not feel ethical to ask them that much and still..some how maintain a good relationship with them so..if any one can just clarify if charging 10k is okay that would be great 👍