5 Major Interior Design Careers: Scope, Job Roles, Salaries

5 Major Interior Design Careers: Scope, Job Roles, Salaries

The Importance of Careers in Interior Designing?

 

Interior design has a rich history behind it, from the early architecture of Roman cathedrals to the building of parliaments and places of worship today.

 

But does it have enough relevance today?

 

While anyone can pick out the kind of furniture they like and the paint of their walls, an interior designer is needed to estimate the practicality of your choices.

 

Today, India needs more than 1 Lakh Interior Designers.

 

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It’s an established fact that as long as urban lifestyle is a thing, people will need personalized rooms, functional home interiors and modern interiors that suit their personality.

 

 

Major Careers in Interior Design Industry

 

As a parent or aspiring designer, it’s natural to be curious about your employment opportunities and job responsibilities.


Now that we know the importance and relevance of a career in interior designing, before you make your decision, we want you to know about the job opportunities for you in this field.

 

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Top employment opportunities in the field come from construction firms and furniture companies. But freelance interior designers are just as valuable in the industry.

 

1. Set Designer/ Production Designer

Set Designer Production Designer

Image Credit: Pixabay

The perfect role for designers with a penchant for film and cinema production, a production designer works closely with the artistic aspects of film.

 

Remember how iconic the set in TV shows like F.R.I.E.N.D.S and Bigg Boss became? This is how influential a Set Designer can be.

 

Your job roles would include:

  • Overseeing technical, administrative and creative aspects of the project.
  • Studying the script and aligning it with the location, costume, set and lighting.
  • Estimating a budget according to the necessary design and styles.
  • Doing appropriate research so that the layout appears realistic, especially for period dramas.
  • Assisting filming during the day and preparing for the next day’s shoot.

 

Salary: One of the highest paying jobs in interior designing, a production designer in India can earn anywhere between Rs. 2 to 26.4 lakh per annum. Firms like Acropolis work exclusively in production design, set design, and art direction for Indian feature films and TV commercials.

 

2. Lighting Designer

Lighting Designer

Image Credit: Pixabay

A lighting designer is one of the most essential artistic responsibilities in any production or venue. You are an artist but also a technician for your team.

 

Your job responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Coordinating with the artistic director to create desired effects on stage.
  • Attend rehearsals to coordinate lighting choices with costume and location.
  • Monitor energy consumption according to the budget of the production.
  • Make lighting purchases that do not exceed production budget.
  • Visit the project site to identify project needs and communicate it with the client.
  • Writing lighting plots, which basically outline when and how lighting changes occur.

 

Lighting designer is a job that’s not so popularly known, but that does not reduce its value. They are needed in a variety of avenues like:

  • Stage productions
  • Television and Movie Productions
  • Photography
  • Event management
  • Lighting Companies

 

Salary: According to Glassdoor, an entry-level lighting designer can earn an average of Rs. 4 lakh per annum, while a senior lighting designer can earn up to Rs 12 lakh per annum.

 

3. Furniture Designer

Furniture Designer

Image Credit: Pixabay

Furniture design is a career field where designers look at functionality and fashion to create the best furnishing according to the client’s needs.

 

Your job roles would include:

  • Creating prototypes and models using CAD (Computer-Aided Designing)
  • Analysing the scope of a product in the market and conducting research.
  • Work closely with the client to meet the requirement of their imagination and description.
  • Restoring different types of furniture like classic or antique furniture by repairing or rebuilding to suit the modern need.

 

Salary: As a job that requires persistence and immense craft, a designer may earn anywhere between Rs. 3.6 lakh to Rs. 8.5 lakh per annum. Firms like IKEA, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Pepperfry, Featherlite etc. are attractive places to start your career in furniture designing.

 

4. Exhibition Designer

Exhibition Designer

Image Credit: Pixabay

This is quite the artistic and glitzy career in interior designing. An exhibition designer does just that – design exhibitions.

 

This could be anything ranging from exhibitions in museums, private firms, libraries, trade conferences, art galleries, film exhibitions and commercial, public events like film and literary fests.

 

As one of the most happening job sectors, your job roles would include:

  • Communicating and understanding your client’s needs
  • Creating striking and eye-catching displays
  • Calculating and ensuring that the display stays within the budget
  • Staying at the exhibition until its dismantling to make sure nothing goes wrong
  • Develop exemplary time-management, communication and analytical skills.

 

Salary: According to Glassdoor jobs, the average salary of an exhibition designer is around Rs. 10 lakh per annum.

 

5. Kitchen Designer

Kitchen Designer

Image Credit: Pixabay

Gone are the days when zero thought was given to the construction of kitchen spaces. The modern homemaker has modern kitchen requirements that are the perfect combination of utility and style.

 

Heard about modular kitchen designs? A kitchen designer specialises in incorporating such modern interior design in kitchen spaces irrespective of the space available.

 

Your job roles would include:

  • Creating blueprints according to the client’s usage and style preferences.
  • Inform the client about contractors, including plumbers and cabinet makers.
  • Preparing an estimate that falls within the client’s budget.
  • Adhering to building and safety regulations while drafting plans.
  • Staying up-to-date with the latest development in materials and products
  • Recording working hours and material costs for appropriate billing.

 

Salary: According to Indeed, the average kitchen designer in India can make up to Rs. 2.7 lakh per annum. Companies like Livspace, Nilkamal, Kitchen Studio etc. are excellent places to start your career in kitchen designing.

 

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FAQs

 

  • Do You Need a Formal Degree to Be an Interior Designer?

 

Absolutely not. This is one of the rare career fields where your experience, portfolio and work undertaken play a major role in defining your future in the field.

 

However, having some kind of formal education in the field can provide you with the necessary push since this is such a competitive field.

 

Proper knowledge of interior design combined with your skills and passion are prerequisites for a successful career in interior design.

 

  • Is This Career Only for Arts Students?


Not at all! This is one of the myths surrounding Interior Designing. You can pursue a career in this field from scratch at any point in your life.

 

Interior architects and fashion designers, too, can unlock immense potential by expanding their field of work after completing any short-term course in interior design.

 

At Aditya Centre of Excellence, you can access this much-needed step in formal education in interior design through our intensive 9-month Interior Design Home Space certification course.

 

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Interior Design Home Space

 

If you’re a student looking for a career in interior design after your 12th grade, this is the right course for you.

 

Eligibility: This all-inclusive course in the Interior design field is open to people from all walks of life, including architects, designer graduates, fresh graduates out of school, or even 11th grade.

 

Qualified by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), you can work as an Interior Designer for multiple companies or freelance.

 

The course comprises the following skill areas:

  • Arts & Graphics
  • Foundation Studies in Art & Design
  • Fundamentals of Residential Designing
  • Digital Applications
  • Material understanding & Surface Finishes
  • Interior Services
  • Project Budgeting & Costing

 

This course will prepare you to:

  • Understand and assess client needs
  • Conduct site survey of location/site
  • Design possible drawing alternatives
  • Support procurement and its management
  • Do onsite installation and execution as per drawings
  • Maintain Health & Safety at client site/ workplace

 

Thanks to this short-term course, you can even chase your career in interior design after architecture.

 

Working with the following established agencies and firms can definitely earn you the reputation you need in this field:

 

As with any other job, your clients build more trust in your services as you gain experience. This means you can earn more, with senior-level designers earning close to Rs. 10 to 30 Lakh per annum.

 

Chase your dream career in interior designing today with our course in Interior Design Home Space. This career is here to stay for a very long time and it needs you!

 

--> Click Here to apply now.