We all want a beautiful house to live in, or a pleasant office to work in. But what is it that can add that special element- make your home or workplace a little out of the ordinary? Ever wanted the ‘whoosh’ of a wand to transform your living area into something that makes it whacky or classy… or something that matches your personality to the T? Well then, acquaint yourself with the magic of Interior designing!
Over the years, our need to maintain the sense of style has gone up, and this has brought about a need for interior designers. India has seen a considerable increase in this field over the recent years. The basic concept of interior designing, is formulating a design for the interior of a house or an office, or a complex, and coordinating these ideas with efforts to execute it. Main things that will be dealt with here are the light fittings, the colour schemes and patterns, furniture, lighting, etc. This has to be designed according to the preference of the client.
The main objective of these designers is to make sure that the living space looks aesthetically appealing, and is also functionally efficient by design. The job includes involvement in areas like procuring paints for the walls, specific types of light fitting, suitable tiles, and roof panels. The design should look good with the existing objects around, say the TV, Sofas, portraits, carpets, centre table, and so on.
Students who are interested in studying interior design, can take up a Bachelors in Fine Arts, and specialise in this subject, in many institutions. Some of the recommended ones are I.M.S – Design and Innovation Academy, Noida, School of Interior Design in the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology, Ahmedabad, St. Francis Institute of Art and Design, Mumbai. J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai, Auxilium School of Interior Design, Chennai, Arch Academy of Design, Jaipur, National Institute of Fashion Design, Chandigarh; School of Interior Design, Bangalore; Karavali College, Mangalore, Anima Institute of Fashion, Calcutta.and many more.
The basic entry requirement to apply to these courses is usually a 10+2 pass.
Now, one might be wondering where these designers will be employed after their graduation. Over the years, the options have broadened. A designer may work with any of the following, be it Architectural firms, Individual architects, resorts, builders, and hotels. They may be employed by theatres, consultancy firms, or even be approached by event management companies. Even public offices are in need of designers nowadays. Departments concerned with the planning and development of cities use interior designers for their expertise in coming up with an efficient, yet attractive design, which will indirectly improve tourist experience. Apart from this, interior designers have the option of starting their own business and be self-employed.
Now, let’s talk about their remuneration. Every designer’s salary differs. The main determinants of the earnings, in this field, are, skill, their employer, and their specialized area. Freshers start from salaries of around Rs.8,000-11,000 per month. The money in this field grows considerably by experience. Based on the establishment of their name in their field, interior designers may be paid quite a good sum. The ones with great reputation may even earn upto Rs.50,000-75,000 a month. Again, if a designer has been working with a big-size firm for a long period, his pay would definitely have had a healthy rise over the years.
Interior design is a creative, technical field, which includes analysis, research, and application of systematic methodology. Those who think they suit the job description should go ahead and enhance their skills, as interior design promises a very lucrative career.