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How much will I earn as an Interior designer?

Does this question come in your way every time you think about Interior Design? Well, it is an important question for sure! After all, we also want money to keep our interests on track! And if you can’t wait to make a career out of your creativity, this question is definitely a decisive one. So, let us see where Interior Designer salaries stand in the current design Industry.

Interior Designer Salaries: Deciding factors

Interior Designer Salaries

Like with any other industry, salaries in Interior design depend a lot on what exactly you do as a designer, where you work, nature of your work and so on. Let’s understand how it works.

1. Job Designation

Your job title, once you enter the design field, has a big role in your salary. You may begin as a draftsman in a firm and gradually may take the plunge to 3D visualizing. Or, you may join as a site supervisor for an ongoing project in a design firm. So, each designation has its own salary bracket.

Your earnings,if you happen to be a freelancer, fall in another category altogether. Well, lets talk about that later.

2. Location

Almost in sync with your designation, the location of your firm decides your income. So if you are a draftsman working in a city like Calicut or Pune, expect your starting salary to be Rs.10,000/- to Rs.12,000/- per month. However, if you happen to work in metropolitan cities like Delhi or Mumbai, you can start with a monthly package of Rs.15,000/- to Rs.20,000/-. This is equally true for 3D Visualizing and other job titles as well.

3. Experience

Of course, it goes without saying that the more experienced you are, the better you earn. But another aspect to consider is the nature of your experience. So expect a good package if both the Employer design firm requirement and your portfolio works are about residential designing, as an example. However, you may have to compromise a bit if you specialize in commercial designs and apply to a residential design firm.

4. Qualification

Your professional qualification is another point that influences your salary package. Of course, a Design degree fetches you more than a Design diploma. And one of the main reasons for this is the big difference in portfolios. Also,a degree program is almost always followed by internship or training, which gives you an edge in professional conduct.

5. Firm policies

Interior design

A good firm is like good luck-tricky to find but worth it! So if you happen to land a job that gives performance based appraisals, then your quality of work can make it or break it! Also, there are firms that follow periodic appraisal policies, like an yearly increment. And of course, then there are firms that do not believe in appraisals at all… let us not keep our hopes high in those cases!

Earnings as a freelancer vs interior Designer salaries

The ultimate dream of any and every interior designer is to own a design firm eventually and become an entrepreneur. But both have their own pros and cons, like two sides of a coin.

As a freelancer, you enjoy the absolute freedom-to choose a work, to decide how to go about it, how to design and so on. Obviously,you tend to work on your own terms and you enjoy all the profits. And as you gradually establish your own design firm, you see to it that the works you undertake are as per your signature design statement. You many stand to make as much as six-figure package monthly depending on the number of fruitful projects you do.

Interior design

But, when you run a business, you have to foresee a lot of things. And most importantly you have to keep the works flowing in. You are responsible for anything and everything that happens in the firm. Also, as is with any business, there is no fixed income guarantee.

 

Now, when you are a salaried professional, you enjoy certain privileges such as leaves,salaries and increments. Also, there is a sense of Job security. However, the growth is comparatively slower as compared to being an independent interior designer.

Interior designer salaries (monthly) for design professionals begin from 10,000 INR to 25,000 INR and these only keep increasing with experience and time. So now that you know you stand to earn, don’t waste any more time- go and kick start your design career!

Becoming an Interior Designer

Who doesn’t like refreshing interiors? The beauty of an aesthetic interior is in the hands of its designer. One fine day, you may wake up to find designing as your dream career. So, once you decide that interior design is your call, don’t hold back! Begin your journey to learn and master this field. Also, realize the things you should know about becoming an interior designer.

Becoming more creative day by day 

A creative mind is one of the most important tools, to begin with. And every day you should exercise your creativity. The world of design is fast evolving. You have to be on your toes to keep pace with it. So the best way is to expose your creativity to new challenges.

Seek opportunities that push you to excel. Participate in design events, competitions, and forums. Also, spend time in creative exercises. And it helps when you make a habit of improving your creativity and design skills.

Becoming expressive with design and words

You may be really good at designing, but to make it work you need some extra skills. Yes, the way you select to present your designs is one of them. Here the trick is to know your client well enough to make the right choice of presentations. There are many ways to go about it. 

And more than that, a lot depends on HOW you express. So, pay close attention to your words, body language and above all, your language skills. Why you say? Well, in interior design, clear communication means saving a lot of precious time and money. Well, you have to express your ideas to your client and to your workers in the exact same manner.

Becoming a tech-savvy interior designer

No, you don’t need to but that latest gadget on offering! Know about the latest technological advancements in related areas. Materials, software, design trends, construction methods… a lot of these evolve with time. And if you are an interior designer, you have to keep learning and un-learning all through your professional life.

Working on Becoming an interior designer

Hard work will take you places, that’s a real deal in this field. So, this means a you will spend a lot of time practising , learning and exploring design stuffs. Yes, your academic training will give you many such instances but the point is to extend these habits to your practice also.

Stay true and honest to your work. It helps when you take responsibilty of the things you do.

Many interior designers opt to work part-time in academics as well. And that is mainly because it helps them to regularly revise their basics and learn advancements. Also, a lot of brainstorming is a part of education. That definitely is a big creative boost.

Never miss any learning/working chance that comes your way. A designer rarely uses the words ‘I can’t.’

Becoming a successful interior designer

When all is said and done, becoming an interior designer comes down to working SMART along with working hard. How can your masterpiece fetch you future works if you don’t market it wisely? And of what value is your work if it crosses the budget and time constraints? You should create or attend such platforms where you can increase your scopes of future projects.

Develop contacts. A word of reference may land you a valuable project. Your work quality and your client relation should be testimonies in themselves!

Becoming an entrepreneur

After working for some time as a freelancer or an employee, you will definitely want to open your own design firm one day. Again, though you want to be your own creative boss, however, don’t forget that ultimately you need income to survive!

You should develop business management skills if you want to be successful as an entrepreneur. Prioritize and divide time and resources with respect to the works that you get. Understand the market trends and your local business ethics. After all, you need to make both the client and your firm happy!

Beginning with the best to be the best

A great beginning to becoming an interior designer is when you enroll into a premium interior design college. Before you join a design school, do some background research and make sure it helps you in making your dream come true.

When you think of a career, you see yourself in a stable work environment. Apart from providing the monthly salary, it should also make you feel good about yourself and your work. One moment you feel that interior design is the perfect profession for you. The next morning you wake up with the question,’Is Interior Design a good career choice?’There are a lot of job opportunities these days. And more so, for creative and inquisitive minds.  This holds true for Interior designing as well.

Interior Design is one of the best professional platform that an artistic and innovative person can select. But, there are certain things that one should know when it comes to a career in this field.This blog will help you in making an informed decision when it comes to interior design as a career choice.

1. Creativity is a must:

Interior Design field is highly dependent on design value. To have an appreciable value, and the design should be original and highly appealing. And for that to happen, creativity is a must.

2. Color your imagination:

Interior Design is connected to colors. You should be able to think ahead before deciding on the final output on paper. Each color has its own effect in an interior. We are not talking about red, blue and yellow. We are hinting towards lilac, turquoise, teal, peach, tangerine and so on. Not the names, but the colors.

3. Patience with Pen(or Pencil),paper and people:

A master piece needs continuous efforts. Sometimes it takes a lot of time to work out a design. You should be patient all the while. When working on a project with a deadline, it is crucial that you maintain your composure while designing.

Designing an interior is not a one-man show. It requires efficient teamwork. As a designer, you will meet many types of people as clients, managers or co-workers. Therefore, you should develop a knack of making things happen working as a team member.

4. Know the latest Interior trends:

Yes, window shopping is a very important part of Interior design! If you want to stay ahead in the business, it helps a great deal. A typical interior consists of furniture, lights, curtains, cushions, wall finishes and many other materials. If you find happiness in browsing these markets, then Interior Design is for you.

5. You hate the 9-to-5 job life:

Interior design as a profession requires a lot of site visits, meetings, working on the design software, creating blueprints and so much more. Due to these, you end up enjoying the scopes of work this field brings to you. Each day presents you with a new design challenge. So, if you are up to it, then Interior Design is the right career choice for you.

6. Interior Decoration excites you.

Do you find yourself observing interiors and coming up with alternative suggestions or trying to improvise the design value of your surroundings? If your friends seek your advice for their home interiors, consider taking up this profession.

Once you are sure that Interior design is a good career choice for you, take the next step towards becoming one. Select a good interior design college that equips you with a strong knowledge base. The right training will give wings to your dream of becoming a successful interior designer.

 

It is that month of the year- admissions are open across various colleges that have a variety of courses to offer. Once you have decided to study interior design, it is very important to secure a seat in a premium college that offers world class education. This applies to Interior Design as well. Read on the following tips to understand how you can select the best college to study interior design.

  1. EXPERIENCE MATTERS! Once you have shortlisted some colleges, the first thing you should look for is their field experience. Years add quality to the services and an established college is a sure way to a successful career.
  2. APPROACH TO THE COURSE. Interior design is a course which relies heavily on practical or hands-on sessions as well as theory classes. An Interior Design college should provide adequate workshops and site visits in the corresponding specialties so that students develop skills along with knowledge.
  3. TEACHERS SHOW THE WAY. An efficient college has faculty members that have experienced the profession first hand. A typical faculty member has some field experience that enriches him/her with further practical knowledge and familiarizes him/her with market trends. Only after acquiring the relevant knowledge, does an interior designer enter the field of teaching.
  4. INTERIOR DESIGN COURSE OPTIONS. Whether you are searching for a three year graduation program or for a one year diploma course, the college should have productive answers to all your queries. The best colleges have solutions to offer to truly inquisitive minds.
  5. JOBS AND PLACEMENTS: The demand for interior designers never tends to cease. A standard college extends its support to its students even after they complete the course by providing a launch pad for career take-offs. This is carried out by Placement cell of the college, which is on its toes right from the moment a student gets admission. At the end of the course tenure, a suitable placement option is made available so that students can decide upon the same.
  6. ALUMNI PERFORMERS AND REVIEWS: The magnitude of success in interior design field for a college is perfectly explained by this parameter. One can often find eminent and well settled Interior Designers specifying a particular college as their alma mater. In fact, the students of such colleges are always in demand and are preferred whenever vacancies arise in architecture/design firm.
  7. PRESENCE OF DESIGN EXPERTS: A frequent feature of prominent interior design colleges is the regular announcements of seminar and workshops presented by industry stalwarts. It enhances the course value by adding professional detail to the course elements. To understand it better, click here 
  8. PROVIDING PLATFORMS. In order to enhance multitasking and improve design skills, such colleges provide numerous occasions for their students to exhibit their talents, generally by ways of organizing contests, exhibitions, presentations etc. Apart from such events, these colleges also encourage their students profusely to participate in many design competitions conducted by design firms/associated organizations.
  9. CREDIBILITY. Whether it is the course content, university, faculty or career scope, check the credibility. Confirm whether the course that you have chosen will serve the end purpose. For example, if you are interested in
  10. Furniture designing, seek information regarding this specialty especially its presence in the course curriculum. Check for university affiliations and norms regarding the course. For more information, click here

CV AND INTERIOR DESIGN PORTFOLIO: When a student nears course completion, such colleges make sure that students have received all the skills and crafts needed to frame their portfolio. A portfolio generally contains pictorial representations and works done by the student and it is an essential tool to attend an interview. Apart from this, such institutions also help the students in developing an apt CV to land the job they aspire for.

Simply by following these tips, you can be assured of selecting nothing less than the best among Interior Design colleges. The correct choice will definitely pave your path to becoming a successful interior designer. All the best!

How To Choose A Perfect Interior Design College?

Choosing a perfect interior designing college needs careful thought and proper planning. Once you have realized that your aptitude is in interior designing and wish to pursue a career in it, the one question you may probably ask yourself is ‘what interior designing college should I go? What college is right for me?’

Looking for a best interior designing college in the country, I would say, is a quite difficult task. There are hundreds of such colleges which offer different courses in interior designing from diploma to post graduation. It is not easy to choose a best among them.

To find a right interior designing college that will truly make you happy, you have to make a clear picture on what components will make up the most fulfilling interior designing college experience based on your background, interests, and career.

10 features to consider when choosing an interior designing college

This article covers 10 features you should consider when choosing an interior designing college. These include cost, faculties, facilities and services, affiliation, hands-on live projects, environment, research and internship, grants and assistance, clubs and activities, and career services.

Cost

This is the first thing to consider when you go for an interior designing college. It doesn’t matter how great a college is if you can’t pay for it. Many colleges can be prohibitively expensive. Compare the total cost with what the college is really offering. Some colleges can be expensive with the rich services they provide for the students.

Faculties

This is another important aspect you must give thought to when looking for a right interior designing college. A college never become great without committed, efficient and effective faculties. You can look at the faculties’ academic profiles, works they have done and their expertise in the field of interior designing. To know how effective they are in instruction and cooperative in studies, you may talk to the students studying in the college you are opting for.

Facilities and services

Looking at the facilities and services provided you can choose a right interior designing college. The strength of the services offered and efficiency of the facilities provided speaks the power of the vision and mission set by the college. It means that they are serious in their work. A best interior designing college will have best facilities and services.

Facilities in an interior designing college include classroom technologies, high-end labs, advanced studios, research and reference library, seminar halls, galleries, etc. The services are aimed at helping student community by providing all possible assistance they need.

Global affiliations

An institute’s academic affiliation with well-known national and international interior design institutes and bodies indicates its standard and quality. So, when you choose an interior designing college, it is better to check how much reputed and recognized it is in national and international level.

Hands-on live projects

The quality of a best interior designing college lies in making students create, invent, and produce new knowledge in the field of interior designing. Since this field is a world of possibilities and the trends are changing continuously, a best college must equip students with advanced knowledge and technology, and make them handle biggest projects. Check with the college you prefer if it is making students do hands-on live projects and practical assignments.

Environment

Academic and non-academic environment is a critical factor when choosing an interior designing college. There are a lot of colleges functioning without even basic facilities and infrastructure that an interior designing college must possess. Their only motive is making money rather than providing students with proper guidance and instruction.

An interior designing college must have an ambience and atmosphere built with right design where students are constantly inspired to learn and produce.

Research and internship

You may think that what the role of research is in an interior designing college. Then, for your information, research and development is getting a big space in interior design like any other discipline.

Ask these questions when you consider an interior designing college; does it support students to assist faculties with their research, does it have funds to support independent undergraduate research, and has the college fostered relationships with companies and organizations to help students get meaningful summer internships? If the answer you get is YES, then you may go for it.

Grants and assistance

Many colleges provide good grants and assistance as financial aid for students while many other don’t. If you are coming from a poor financial background, you must consider this factor. It will be better to choose an interior designing college which offer good financial aids on merit basis.

Clubs and activities

This is also an important aspect to consider while choosing an interior designing college. Clubs and activities in an interior designing college are important because active participation in them enables students embody with some must have skills and potentials.

Most colleges will have listings of their student clubs and organizations online, so if you think you’re interested in a college, you should check out the offerings.

Strong career services

Career training and service is one of the most important things to check with while looking for an interior designing college. Most students go to college with the hope of either getting into a good graduate program or landing an appealing job upon graduation. Look for what help and guidance does the college provide as you apply for jobs, internships and graduate study.

Choosing an interior designing course can be a life changing decision you make because, interior design is a fascinating career choice today. It is a creative and challenging profession that you will never get bored with. Since a global increase is seen in the population and scarcity of space, designing a space with limited resources is what people are reflecting upon. Studying an interior designing course will enable you to help these people.
In this post we discuss about top reasons for why you should go for an interior designing course. But, before that, you should know whether you have an aptitude in interior designing or not. For that purpose you may consult with an expert career counselor.

Top 7 Reasons For Choosing An Interior Designing Course

Promising opportunities

Choosing an interior designing course will open the door of tremendous career opportunities in front of you. According to latest statistics, there is a grave scarcity of interior designers in India. Latest surveys reports find that career opportunities for interior designers in India are expected to grow up to 19% – 20% by 2018.
There is a huge and growing demand for interior designers in every industry. The increasing construction projects in urban and rural areas are good signs for them. Hence, if you are planning to pursue an interior designing course, I would say you are in the right time to shine.

Creativity, imagination, and innovation

If you believe that you have a creative, futuristic, imaginative, and artistic approach to the things around you, then you can definitely think of interior designing as a career path. Taking an interior designing course will help you professionalize your creative skills.
Choosing an interior designing course and working in the same field will provide you with immense possibilities to express yourself creatively, use maximum of your imagination, and propose innovative ideas in design on a regular basis. More creative, imaginative, and innovative you become, more project will come on your way.

Engaging and challenging projects

Each project you are taking as an interior designer will be engaging and challenging. It will test your creativity, technical skills, patience, commitment and the relationship with your clients. Since interior designing is an active profession you will never get bored with it. By taking an interior designing course you become equipped to face all these challenges you may face in the field.
One of the main challenges for interior designers is to achieve client goals on time, under budget and up to the expectation. Dealing with this challenge will give you great opportunities to develop a bond with the society. Therefore, opting for an interior designing course is more than a just profession.

Making a difference and positive change

Choosing an interior designing course can be also perceived as a choosing to make a difference and a positive change in the world we live in. Interior designers can make impact on the lives of people in a given environment. Think of a project merely designed to house downtrodden or impoverished segment of the society. There, you act as a cause to make a change in the way they live by designing an affordable lodging project.
Studying interior designing course for not just a job but for being a catalyst of positive change will offer you a profession full of satisfaction.

Potential for entrepreneurship

As we mentioned, the construction industry is growing rapidly in rural and urban sectors alike. This unending possibility of growth gives interior designers huge potential for entrepreneurship. So, by taking interior designing course you can dream of bright future as an independent entrepreneur.
If you are opting to go out on your own, working as an independent interior designer and setting up your own firm, then you could enjoy the freedom of being your own boss. Hence, choosing an interior designing course becomes a smart career move.

Huge enriching exposure

This is another great reason for choosing an interior designing course. As an interior designer you work together with a lot of people with expertise in different industries. This will provide you with huge exposure to different areas of skills and knowledge and different kinds of people from architects, engineers, business owners, labors, clients, etc. Thus, pursuing an interior designing course opens many doors of discovery and exploration.

Diverse sectors and industries

This is a fascinating reason for why you should opt for an interior designing course. As an interior designer you get chances to work in diverse sectors and varieties of industries. This variety may include homes, offices, restaurants, education sector, health industry, public spaces, library, religious spaces like masjid, temple, and churches, resorts, galleries and museums, etc.
All these industries are functioning with different goals, requirements, tastes, and budgets. Imagine how much diverse it will be. You will not get this incredible benefit of pursuing an interior designing course with any other course.
To sum up, opting for an interior designing course is a right move for many convincing reasons. If you are planning to do it, do it now but with a clear vision.