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Becoming an Interior Decorator is becoming popular in Nigeria. People are beginning to appreciate a beautiful space for living, working or commercial purposes.
The industry is growing and the need to get formal training is on the rise. The main requirement is passion.
In other to make a career choice, there are some things you should know about the design world.
1. Interior Decorators Vs Interior Designers
Simply put the difference between an Interior Decorator and Interior Designer is education.
Basically anyone can become an interior decorator. Someone who loves playing with colours, fabrics and textiles can become a decorator by simply going for a short course in Interior Decoration and promoting themselves to clients.
On the other hand, an interior designer must have an education that is, a bachelor’s degree. If you decide to pursue an education in Interior Design, or jump immediately into the decorating world attend a short course.
2. Passion
Have an innate flair for colour, spatial arrangements, architecture and textiles. Do you enjoy decorating your home and get lots of compliments on your decor? That’s certainly a good sign. This is the first step to a successful career, following your passion.
3. Interior Design is more detailed
Interior designers need to be educated in the history of design, the structural integrity of buildings, building codes, ergonomics, spatial concepts, ethics, psychology, space planning and much more. However, this broad range of skills is required because designers work with not only homeowners, but also builders, architects, government agencies and business owners. To become a successful interior designer or decorator, one needs to be educated and well-rounded.
4. Income
It is a very lucrative career either as an Interior Designer or Decorator, they are both profitable.
This depends on a lot of factors, such as education, location, work experience and size of the company.
Basically, you can dictate your rate of pay by gaining as much exposure and experience as possible.
5. People Oriented
People are finicky, especially when it comes to their homes. While some clients have clear goals in mind, others may think they know what they want only to discover that they hate the final product and are dissatisfied with your work.
A successful interior designer/ decorator is a people pleaser and a mind reader. Someone who can steer clients toward a favourable outcome while making them feel they are in full control of the design choices. Interior designers are constantly balancing their design decisions and their clients’ desires.
6. Create a Portfolio
A picture says it all, and this is definitely true when it comes to your portfolio. If you are just coming out of school and are new to the job market, it may be necessary to offer your services for free or at a reduced rate. This is probably the best way to get a portfolio started; it’s also a great way to get to know local merchandisers and suppliers, and develop a rapport for future projects.
Everybody starts at the bottom. With some effort, experience and proper marketing, you can become a successful force in the interior design field.
7. Competitive Market
Interior design is a competitive business. The key to success is getting yourself noticed. As mentioned above, an amazing designer portfolio will certainly help you land jobs.
Another important factor is acquiring an extensive education. It is also a good idea to stay abreast of design trends by reading design publications and websites communicating with fellow designers and following a mentor. When competition is high, you need to work hard in order to get noticed and rise to the top.
8. Create a Niche
When people hire an interior designer, will be a plus if you have created a niche. Consider looking toward future trends such as population growth, designing for the elderly, modern architecture and green design; education within these specific fields of design will give you the upper hand in the job market.
9. Knowledge of Building Codes
This is where would-be designers may opt to avoid the education and become decorators, thereby avoiding some of the technical aspects. Knowledge about plumbing, lighting is required
Staying abreast of such things gives you an advantage and marketability over artisans.
10. Client is First
While designers can offer their clients a wide range of design styles to choose from, it is important to remember that it is up to the clients to choose what style suits them.
Just because you are educated and have good taste does not make your choices superior to the clients. The interior designer’s job is to offer a variety of styles and direct the client toward the right design choice while allowing the client to feel in charge.
Finally, do you think it’s one you’d like to pursue?
If you’re considering interior design as a career, the field may be competitive, but with a little hard work and a stellar portfolio, you can become a successful.
Jennifer Chukwujekwe
Jennifer Chukwujekwe is the Founder of Jenniez School of African Interior Design, Lagos
