What is Interior Design?

Interior Design is a creative profession that involves providing aesthetic, efficient & functional solutions for a given space, keeping in mind the needs of the user and lay equal emphasis on its functionality, safety and economics. The task involves a lot of people like carpenters, electricians, masons, plumbers, painters etc. Interior Designers work on new buildings and also provide professional services for alterations and renovations of existing buildings. Designed spaces are a necessity now – a – days as they help to protect natural & human resources.

Why study Interior Design?

• In the last few decades our country has seen massive construction activity. This boom experienced by the industry has open floodgates of oppurtunities for students interested in a career in interior design.
• Employment for Interior Designers is expected to grow faster than average.
• Awareness for advantages of designed spaces by business community will see an increase in demand of interior designers.
• Due to the retail boom in India more interior designers are needed.
• Demand for Interior designers is much more than the supply.
• More & more people in the Urban areas would take the services of a qualified Interior Designer

Qualification for Interior Designing Course 

An aspirant for the field of design should have the following qualities

• Good creative & imagination skills.
• Flair for designing.
• Innovative thinking
• Good drawing / sketching ability, though not really important but is beneficial.
• Sound aesthetics
• Eye for detail
• Genuine interest for INTERIOR DESIGN and good observation skills
• Good communication skills

Interior Design Courses after 12th

Interior Design course has gained huge popularity in recent years. A lot of colleges and institutes in India are offering these courses. Students have the option to pursue degree, diploma and certificate course after completing 12^th standard.

Diploma in Interior Designing after 12th: Diploma Courses in Interior Design are short term courses, usually for 1 - 2 years. Its a good option if you want to know and understand the subject from a broader point of view. Its a basic level course and good for people who don't have much time at hand.

Interior Design Degree Courses: You can also opt for Bachelors in Interior Design, offered by various institutes and colleges across India. The syllabus normally covers all aspects of Interior Design, from basics of Design Theory to advanced subjects like Estimation and Professional Practice. This is ideal for students who wish to take interior designing as a career after 12th. Though eligibility criteria may vary, but most colleges allow candidates who have completed 10+2 (Science/Commerce/Arts stream) from a recognized board to take part in their admission process.

After completing Bachelors in Interior Design, students can opt for a Masters degree which offers further specializations in the subjects. To pursue a Masters in Interiors Design, a Bachelors Degree in design is required. 

Entrance Exams for Interior Design

All popular colleges conduct entrance exams in order to offer admissions to aspiring candidates. Some of the top Entrance Exams for Design are conducted by NID, NIFT and CEPT.

Interior Design Course Curriculum 

Though the syllabus may vary between colleges, some of the common subjects include:

Material Study

Arts & Graphics

Studio

TRD

Construction

Furniture Design

History of Architecture

Anthropometrics & Ergonomics 

How this course is different from Interior Decorator Courses?

Many a times the terms Interior Design and Interior Decoration are used interchangeably but there is a wide range of difference between the two. Interior Designers can decorate but Interior Decorators can’t design.
Interior Designers follow a systematic process involving research, analysis and their knowledge to satisfy the functional and aesthetic needs of their clients. Interior Designers constantly strive to upgrade the lifestyle of their clients by providing design solutions while adhering to local building laws & codes.
Interior Decoration is just surface beautification or ornamentation of things.

Interior Design Career Information 

How to start a career in Interior Design: With a boom in the construction industry, the demand for Interior Designers has increased in all sectors. Scope & Prospects for designers can be in the following fields.

• Private sector : Openings in the private sector exist with Architecture Firms, Builders, Design Consultancy firm, Manufacturing units, Government Sector etc.
• Own Business Venture : Designers with some experience can set up their own firms & take up projects / work as freelance designers.
• Education Industry

Interior Design Career Opportunities: There has been a substantial increase in investments in the construction sector every year. As far as designers are concerned, annual requirement projections of designers are expected to rise further. Lots of opportunities exist in the field for students as the sectors needing highly skilled and innovative professionals are increasing by the day. Spending power & lifestyle of people are increasing with the nation’s progress, so is the demand for interior designers. Future in design holds great scope and infinite possibilities for talented individuals. This makes interior design a very competitive field with healthy career prospects.

Career Scope in Interior Designing: Interior designers can specialize in the following fields 

Residential – Bungalow, Studio Apartments, Flats etc.

Commercial – Commercial Design includes the following:

• Corporate - Office
• Retail – Malls, Showrooms, Shops, Departmental stores, Shopping Complex, Exhibitions etc.
• Hospitality – Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes, Clubs, etc.
• Healthcare – Hospitals, Laboratories, Clinics, Nursing Homes etc.
• Institutional – Banks, Schools, Colleges, Religious, Institutions, Govt/ Houses etc.
• Industrial – Factories, Manufacturing Units

Others

• Museum Design
• Event Design
• Theatre Design
• Production Design for films

Niche Design

• Lighting Design
• Kitchen & Bath Design
• Furniture Design
• Colour consultant
• Interior acoustics
• Security & surveillance
• Restoration of Historic Buildings
• Interior Journalism

Upcoming Fields

• Elderly Design
• Green Design
• Ergonomic design

Interior Design Career Options: Once the student completes his course/internships, he/she has the option of joining an Architect / Interior Design Firm, work from home or on part time basis or freelance, or even set up his/her own enterprise. Career prospects for future interior designers are quite bright. Growing population, better lifestyles and expanding cities ensure a lot of potential clients requiring the services of trained & skilled professionals.

About the Author: Anu Handa is an Interior Designer, DIY Artist, Co-Founder and Educator at Mosaic Institute of Design. She has been the lead blogpost writer at www.mosaicdesigns.in since 2009. Her educational background in Interior Design, Urban Planning and the English Language has given her a broad base to cover a range of topics in her articles. Anu has spent 15+ years training Design & B.Arch Aspirants for entrance exams.

Passionate about Design Education, she’s briefly worked with Annamalai University as a paper setter for Design Exams. Likes to write about Design, Architecture and related fields, on online platforms like Quora. Aims at challenging the conventional & age old teaching methodology.