Interior designer
Create the look for rooms in homes, offices, hotels, restaurants and shops so they're attractive places to live and work.
About the job
A day in the life – Interior designer
What it's like
Plan and supervise the decoration of people’s homes, offices, hotels, shops and restaurants so they're attractive places to live and work.
Being an interior designer is all about the details. You'll come up with designs for the inside of buildings. You'll need to think about use of space, colour schemes, fabrics, fittings and furniture. Communication is key to understand what your clients are looking for. You'll create practical and beautiful spaces to meet their needs.
Interior designers might recommend or hire people to carry out the work on site. You'll also play the part of project manager, supervising the progress of the work and sorting out problems.
You can think big about what kinds of spaces you design in your career. There are a wide range of specialisms you could move into. Check out some suggestions from the British Institute of Interior Design.
If you have an artistic streak and an eye for detail, interior design could be your ideal career.
Your tasks might include:
discussing clients' needs and ideas
developing designs to suit thier needs, budget and the type of building
creating detailed drawings from the initial sketches, usually using computer-aided design (CAD)
advising on colour schemes, fabrics, fittings and furniture and finding suitable products
working out costs and prepare estimates
setting project deadlines and supervise work through to completion
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
British Institute of Interior Design – the interior design careers hub
Design Council – what is design?
Chartered Society of Interior Designers – a professional body that supports, set standards and advances designers at every stage of their career
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- problem solving
- creative
- designing
- researching
- verbal communication
- attention to detail
- developing a plan
- making decisions
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Art and Design
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Design and Manufacture
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Graphic Communication
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Creative and Digital Media
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You don't need formal qualifications for this job, although some employers will value them. A strong design portfolio that shows your skills and experience is more important.
University
A degree could be helpful for getting into this job. You could study subjects, such as:
Interior Design
3D Design
Art and Design
Graphic Design
Product Design
Spatial Design
Textile Design
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you find a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Interior Design
3D Design
Art and Design
Graphic Design
Textiles
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time.
You could consider an MA in areas such as:
Work
You could build experience in an assistant role or by doing other design work. If you're able to show significant creative flair and build up a portfolio, you could become an interior designer. Getting training and qualifications while you work would still be useful.
Use the My World of Work job search to look for job vacancies.
You'll need a portfolio of work when applying for jobs and courses.
Find the right course for you
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Interior designer'
