5 Important Things You Need To Know Before Studying Interior Design

If you’re considering studying interior design, take a moment to read this through! Interior design is an amazing career, but many people misunderstand what it actually involves.

Today, I’m going to share five important things you need to know before you dive into studying interior design. Let’s get started!

1. Interior Design And Interior Decoration Are Not The Same Thing: These two terms often get mixed up, but they are completely different fields. If you choose to study interior design, your work will go far beyond decorating a space.

Interior designers are trained to alter the structure of a home, remove walls, change the layout of kitchens, and work with building materials. They must also understand city codes, furniture dimensions, and even how to build custom pieces like built-ins.

On the other hand, an interior decorator focuses solely on styling and furnishing a space without making structural changes.

While an interior designer can also handle decoration, many professionals hire decorators to take care of the final styling phase of a project. So, if you’re more interested in selecting colors, furniture, and accessories without major renovations, interior decoration might be a better fit for you!

As an interior decorator, your role focuses on enhancing a space with furniture, artwork, and decorative elements, without making any structural changes. 

You work with what already exists, whether it’s a living room, bedroom, or another area. Typically, decorators handle furnishing and styling, while renovations that involve built-ins or layout changes require an interior designer.

If you’re interested in interior decoration, there are plenty of career opportunities! You could become a stylist, work in home staging, or collaborate with realtors to prepare homes for sale. 

On the other hand, interior designers focus more on renovations, new builds, and commercial projects. They also have the option to handle the decorative aspects of a project if that’s something they enjoy.

2. You Will Be Working With Technology a lot: A significant part of your time will be spent on a computer using design programs to create 2D and 3D models, design furniture, and plan kitchen layouts.

While freehand sketches are often the first step in the design process, everything eventually transitions into digital design tools.

When it comes to construction plans, lighting layouts, floor plans, basically everything, you’ll be using computer programs to create them.

I’m mentioning this because I personally wasn’t very tech-savvy at first, and it took me a while to get comfortable with 2D and 3D modeling software. 

The learning curve can feel slow, but if you’re passionate about interior design, don’t let the challenge of mastering these tools discourage you from pursuing your career.

3. Understand The Difference Between Interior Design And Architecture: If you’re considering studying interior design, you may hear people say you should go into architecture instead because it offers higher earnings and more opportunities. But don’t let others push you in a direction that isn’t right for you.

Interior design and architecture are related fields, but they serve different purposes.

Architects focus on how a building functions, they design the structure itself, considering materials, insulation, heating, ventilation, and drainage systems. 

Their work is about ensuring the home is built to operate efficiently. On the other hand, interior design is all about the details.

4. Understanding Your Client is Crucial: This is because your goal is to create a home that fits their lifestyle perfectly.

You need to consider how they spend their days, what activities they enjoy, and whether they frequently host guests, requiring a spacious entertainment area. Every detail of the home should reflect their personal needs and preferences.

Now, one of the most common questions people ask before studying interior design is, “Do I need to know how to draw?” The answer is both no and yes. Drawing is a skill that can be learned with practice, so if you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll improve over time.

However, if drawing isn’t your strong suit, you can still become a successful interior designer. That said, having at least some basic drawing skills is highly beneficial, so I’d recommend learning it if possible.

5. Develop Strong Communication Skills: As a designer, you’ll collaborate with many people, including clients, contractors, electricians, plumbers, painters, and cabinet makers.

You’ll also work with manufacturers and suppliers, so being able to clearly convey your ideas and coordinate with different teams is a must.

In today’s world, strong communication skills are important in almost every career, but some fields rely on them more than others. Interior design is one of those careers where effective communication is essential. 

You’ll be working with many different people, so improving your ability to communicate clearly will always be valuable. It’s a skill that will benefit you in the long run.

I hope you found these tips helpful and enjoyable.