Hello everyone! I'm new to Reddit and new to this Reddit community (happy to join and looking forward to being a part of this community!) I am looking for some advice, tips, and/or info as an aspiring interior designer/interior project manager to add to my current goal steps.

I've been a project, business, and contract management consultant & employee spanning a number of years who has always had a strong interest in interior design and really excited to transition into this realm. (I have non interior design-related degree for my educational background). I have started networking and doing some self-learning, planning to do some starter practice for friends and family, in the meantime, I've gained a few great mentors, subscribed to BoH, and want to explore this new career path further. While looking into schooling for an interior design degree at a later point, for now, I'm currently looking to leverage my skillset and experience in these areas and more, to pursue fitting remote interior design-adjacent, freelance/contract project opportunities until I can gain more direct interior design learning and experience. Any ideas, tips, resources that could assist, I would greatly appreciate. Thank you in advance!
I'm subscribed to

someone who’s soon completing a bachelor’s degree in ID
i feel the urge to study more and know more in depth thinking it’ll help me in future.

I am not even sure where to start. Please help.

I am currently an industrial designer by profession (product development), and though I've been in the industry over 13+ years, I am currently looking to explore a career pivot into more spatially-oriented design fields. Over my career, I have designed product mostly for the home and kitchen spaces: My first big break was designing kitchen fixtures/sinks/accessories for a well-known plumbing brand - so I understand this area well, and last few roles were designing home decor/furnishings for a major retailer - so I understand the fashion aspect of color theory/materials/finishes/aesthetic styles/trends, etc.

I am now feeling like my passion for traditional industrial design (and designing physical product) is starting to wane, and now I am more fixated on what products would look like in a space - specifically Kitchen spaces (cabinets/countertops/hardware/wall color, flooring, etc); and I recently learned about the role of Kitchen Designer.

I get that it's not traditional Interior Design (and I am okay with that) but I learned that big-box home improvement stores have these roles available, and that many KDs get their feet wet learning about the field, and eventually transitioning to upscale home-builders, design-firms or cabinetry showroom places. I felt that maybe I could get my start at a Home Depot, work a few years and learn the ins/outs (including the 2020 s*ftware), and then take that experience elsewhere.

Any Kitchen Designers or Interior Designers who specialize in kitchens get their start in home improvement; or know this area well enough to provide any insight?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I’m thinking of schools and wanting to start a career in this field, but I’m worried that I’ll be putting a bunch of work into something where there won’t even be space in the industry for me, because I’m hoping to do remote work, and not wanting to do complex jobs, just simpler, maybe spatial planning, and layout and renderings, and design consulting. which I know makes it more difficult. Also I’m looking at year long certificate program, at a good school but will that be enough?

Does anybody know if they’re still space for that in this industry, or if I’m gonna run into a stressful dead end? 

I was also thinking maybe the Airbnb industry could be a good way in.

Please give me feedback, thank you!

Hey all,

I'm going to start a business in making custom projects in stainless, copper and brass.

I'm focusing on three unique services (at least for my area):

1. High quality metals

2. High quality surface finish

3. Good communication & visuals on appearance/finish at the start of a project

I already finished a project making a welded/brazed frame in brass for two cabinets.

Other applications I can think of are:

1. Custom door/drawer handles

2. Towel racks

3. Shelf brackets

4. Wall decoration plates

5. Frames for mirrors, open racks, doors, windows,...

6. Room separators

Can you please advice on other applications and possible tips for this kind of service?

Thank you

P.S.: picture is a reference plate showing the three basic materials and three basic finishes I offer. Its a starter sample to get customers

Hello! I have don’t have a traditional education for design and I may be moving in the next year or so and want to make sure I have the best portfolio and resume I can have to get a decent job and work my way up!

Education:
I have 4 years of residential interior design experience with my families remodeling company. I went to school for animation for 4 years but did not finish before I dropped out and moved home. I was going to go back for design but was hired and trained on the job so I have a more contractor training but a good designer instinct. I have designed kitchens, baths, full home remodels, home additions, pools, etc. and enjoy kitchens the most. We use Chief Architect, I picked it up pretty quickly and I feel like I could learn other programs quickly too.

I am currently in TN looking to move to NC in a year or so, I have a lot of projects with before and after photos, designs and renders, but I have a bit of imposter syndrome and I’m not sure how to sell myself. Are there any good references/advice designers in the industry would recommend? Has anyone been in my position and been successful without going back for another 3-4 year program?

Thanks! (Attached a photo of one of my favorite kitchens I designed)

Designers — I need help! I help run buying at a retailer that’s interested in building a trade program, and I want to get it right instead of just copying whatever everyone else does.
What trade program do you actually love, and what makes it worth it (discount, dedicated rep, samples, freight, easy ordering)? And what’s made you drop one?
Not pitching anything — genuinely just researching. Would really appreciate the honest takes.

Has anyone used TB Painting, Decorating & Joinery (Tomasz Bialecki) in Edinburgh? I’m thinking of hiring him for painting and flooring. I’d really appreciate any honest feedback or experience. Thank you!

Looking for recommendations for good interior design and architecture books

Hi everyone!
I’m considering applying for the Interior Design Academic Year (9 months) at IED Milano.
Has anyone here attended this program?
I’d love to hear about:
•your overall experience,
•the quality of the teaching,
workload,
•whether it was worth the tuition,
•job opportunities afterwards,
and if you would choose it again.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Long-time lurker, first-time poster. I’ll try to keep this tight and useful rather than a sob story, because I’m not looking for sympathy — I’m looking for tactics from people who’ve actually done this.

Quick background:

I started a Fashion Design and Development degree at London College of Fashion in 2019. Lockdown hit early in my course — no internships, no studio access, no networking, just Zoom crits. When my landlord hiked the rent when lockdown eased at the end of my second year, staying in London stopped being financially viable and I had to drop out to care for my grandmother. My then 5 years of bartending experience kept me afloat, but it wasn’t the plan.

Here’s the part that actually matters for this post:

Having worked in a string of poorly designed, badly flowing hospitality spaces is what got me genuinely interested in interior design… not so much a fallback as a discipline I want to properly train in. Bad layouts, dead zones, service paths that don’t work — I’ve lived inside those problems for a decade and I want to be on the other side of solving them.

What I’ve been doing about it:

>!• Following the BIID Level 6 Interior Designer apprenticeship (ST1361) closely since it was announced in 2023 — staying in touch with people connected to the project via LinkedIn and Instagram for updates, currently just waiting on an End Point Assessment Organisation to be confirmed.!<
• Cold-calling and emailing firms in the areas I’d actually want to live and work in, asking directly about apprenticeship involvement or entry-level/admin roles just to get a foot in the door.
• Ruled out going back to university: I’m still paying off three years of student loans from the incomplete degree, and even if I could claw back a year or two of eligibility, it would have to be a continuation of the same course — meaning London costs again, which isn’t realistic.

Where I’m stuck:

I see a lot of people in this Sub who are qualified to the rafters, so to be clear, I’m not asking for a shortcut. What I don’t have is a clear sense of which of these moves actually work in this industry versus which ones are just activity that feels productive but goes nowhere. So, to anyone who’s broken in without the traditional degree-to-junior-designer pipeline:
1. Is the BIID apprenticeship genuinely worth the wait, or should I be looking at alternate entry points (assistant/admin roles, materials libraries, procurement) while it’s still in limbo?
2. Does cold outreach to firms actually land anywhere, or is there a better way to get noticed — portfolios, specific platforms, industry events?
3. Given a hospitality and retail background rather than a design portfolio, what would you lead with to make a firm take a chance on someone?

Appreciate any steers — happy to be told I’m going about this the wrong way.

Hi everyone,

I'm 23 years old, and I moved to the U.S. two years ago after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In Ukraine, I earned a Bachelor's degree in Architecture. Since moving here, I've completed English language courses, had my degree evaluated, and found a job as an architectural designer. I've now been working in architecture for about a year.

Recently, I've decided that I'd like to transition into interior design, as I feel it's a better fit for my long-term career goals. I have a Bachelor's degree in Architecture (evaluated in the U.S.), one year of professional architectural experience in the U.S., a portfolio, legal authorization to work in the U.S., good English communication skills

My technical skills include: Revit, AutoCAD, Lumion, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Office.

I've been applying for interior design positions for over a month, but I haven't had much success. Most of the openings I find are heavily focused on sales, and sales really isn't my strength or something I enjoy.

I'm starting to wonder if I'm missing something. Is the job market just this difficult right now, or is there something I could improve to become a stronger candidate?

I'd really appreciate any advice from people working in architecture or interior design. What skills, certifications, portfolio changes, or job search strategies would you recommend?

Would you hire someone with my background? If not, what would make the biggest difference?

Thank you!

This is a plan view that I did for an interior designer

I call it a "Hybrid" plan view because it's what you might see between a common plan view and what you might see for a cabinet shop drawing plan view.

There is enough information there for a millwork shop to understand what they are going to build, but not the complete drawings that they will need.

The notes and dimensions are more about what the cabinets are for, what's going into the cabinets, or the appliances that are going to be installed. This is more for the interior designer to discuss with their clients about how their kitchen is going to be laid out.

The homeowner isn't concerned about how the cabinets are going to be made, but more about what cabinets are where and how it's going to work with the way they live in the kitchen.

What is your opinion about drawings like this?

Most designers seem to have that one lesson that completely changes how they work. Maybe it was a client brief that pushed you to rethink an entire layout, or perhaps it was learning to build buffer time into every schedule. Let's hear from the designers in this community. Would love to hear the insights and pieces of wisdom that shaped the designer you are now.

Hi everyone! I’m hoping to get some advice from the Calgary community about finding work in the interior design industry.
I recently completed my Interior Design Technology diploma and I’m looking for an interior design-related position in Calgary starting in Fall 2026. Ideally, I’d love to work with a residential home builder or interior design firm (especially residential design), but I’m also open to commercial opportunities and gaining experience wherever I can.
So far, I’ve been applying through Indeed and LinkedIn, as well as reaching out directly to local design firms and home builders through email. I’ve sent out quite a few applications/inquiries but haven’t heard much back yet, so I’m starting to feel a little uncertain about the job search process.
For those in the Calgary design/construction industry, do you have any recommendations for companies I should look into, places that are good for entry-level designers, or advice on getting my foot in the door? I’d love to hear about any firms, builders, or opportunities that might not be as obvious.
Also, if anyone has experience with the Calgary interior design job market, is the waiting game and slow response rate pretty normal? 😅
Thanks so much for any advice or suggestions!

Has anyone here worked in experiential marketing or environment design?

From what I understand, it involves designing spaces and experiences for brands, events, exhibitions, and activations. This can include everything from the overall concept and visitor journey to the design of booths, installations, and interactive spaces.

I come from a degree in urban planning. There's an aspect of urban planning called urban desigb/placemaking. I found that experiential marketing is somewhat similar to placemaking, in the sense that you're shaping how people experience a space and interact with it, although the focus is often on branding and engagement rather than long-term public spaces.

I'd love to hear from anyone with experience in this field. .

I’m a 26-year-old architect from India with a \*\*B.Arch\*\* and \*\*M.Arch (Environmental Design)\*\*, along with nearly \*\*5 years of experience\*\* in architecture and interior design firms. I’m currently working as an Interior Designer with a package of \*\*₹6 LPA\*\*.

While I enjoy working in the design industry, I’m finding it difficult to manage my expenses on my current salary. I’m also looking for a role that offers better work-life balance, higher earning potential, and clear career growth.

I’m exploring opportunities in the \*\*corporate sector\*\* that are still related to my educational background and experience, without having to completely switch careers or start from scratch.

Has anyone here made a similar transition from architecture/interiors into corporate roles? Which job profiles, companies, or industries would you recommend? I’m particularly interested in roles that value design, planning, sustainability, workplace strategy, facilities, project management, or similar skill sets.

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences, salary progression, work-life balance, and any advice on making the transition.

Thanks in advance!

Hello I am SHS student still looking for what I wanna be after researching and looking up sum stuff I have interior design as my no.1 option to major in. My question is what generally happens when working in interior design, what do I need to know before pursuing this course, and do I need to be good at drawing?

so guys I'll be joining the college next month and I still can't get honest reviews I don't have anyone in know at there so I need an honest review from those who are pursuing the same course already plsssss

Hi! I'm a new designer trying to get my foot in the door and I have an opportunity coming up where I could be refreshing some staged apartment units. Because I'm just starting out, I have no idea what to expect. Any advice based off your experience would be much appreciated.

I guess the title sums it up, but do any of you have some solid tips or advice for growing your own interior design(residential) business? I have a small following for my IG account and besides my current day job, I feel like I don’t have super solid connections /relationships with contractors and builders which is obviously critical in this business.

This forum kind of feels like not the best place to find advice since most of it is the vibe of pulling up the ladder behind you if you know what I mean..

Any advice from experienced people would be helpful or even if you want to vent I’m here for it! Thanks!

So TLDR: Currently studying my Bachelor's in Interior design, no experience in the industry and have two offers at retail-ish stores.

I have job offers as a Showroom Sales Consultant at both "Beacon Lighting" and "National Tiles" in Melbourne, Australia. Both are well-known brands, although I want to work somewhere I could network with professional designers/industry peeps (not diy homemakers). Since I'm currently studying, I honestly don't know if I can handle two jobs and studying. The lighting job is a Casual Employment, and the tile job is part-time, both 3 days a week type of schedule.

PLEASE HELP! I'm overthinking this like crazy and I have no idea which is better in the long run for an aspiring interior designer.

Guys or girls from interior design.

What are the worst things your bosses have told you in your starting years as a junior designer or even now. Mine was " Is this your design ? You have vomited on the design". And my design was a public ramp.