By 
The Perceptions
There are certain perceptions that do not fit the norm about life as an interior designer. I’ve learned this much over the past 38 years. Especially now, where the lines blur between job descriptions. I believe there is that daydream image of a jet set lifestyle floating about in the heads of some new interior design students. It seems to cloud the reality of long days, ruffled clothes, and those(consistent) moments of you slipping into a quiet space for some mental readjustments and controlled breathing. Truth is, that there is little of the posh living and a lot of daily stress.
It is important you (the student) come to grips with the facts before you commit to such a career. You have to be willing to accept the chaos and workloads, ups and downs as well as many other aspects of living most of your life is such an industry. Why waste your valuable life on something that you do not have complete passion for? Life will only become a prison.
Now, if you are one of those individuals who love the chaos and hurdles involved, and you have enough passion and desire to march on – then, you’re in the right place! Continue on!
Design is seldom free of obstacles
As I already alluded to, there is no such thing as perfection in this world! And, life in the Interior designer industry isn’t any different. It is passion that keeps us going on any career path. There is an inner joy and rewards to be had from our daily quests! We long to find things that stimulate our minds and heighten our senses. Without that passion and stimuli, your life would be incredibly boring and frustrating, to say the least. There will always be such obstacles lurking around each corner. Ones that throw havoc to the wind, scattering themselves among your well-prepared plans.
Is that a bad thing to have so many obstacles? No, it’s not. Some of us have quirky personalities that thrive for such challenges. I am one of them and perhaps you are as well. Whatever the case may be, you should know whether this fits you as a person, especially before committing to an education, and then a career path in such an industry.
The Interior Design Industry is always Evolving
In today’s industry, interior designers and interior architects are becoming harder to separate into different columns. There is a fusion taking place between job descriptions as each year progresses. I see it all for the better. It is evolving and changing with the times. And, we’re at a major junction of change in this world. Everything is morphing as the world shakes and cracks to accommodate a new way forward. Question is; are you ready?
We should be a bit psychologist, salesperson, artist, project manager, 3d modeler, photographer, lighting engineer, rendering guru, and AutoCad and then some. A person of many masks and faces. And, because we’re always adapting to industry changes, we have to be willing to add more skills all the time!
Alway keep in your mind that most months have periods that are emotionally taxing and frustrating. It takes the right person to handle these pressures when they swell. Always remember that “How well or badly you handle things, is often the difference between winning and losing”.
Know your Clients very well
An important trait is understanding the fundamentals of psychology. Understanding all of your client’s needs, even when they do not, is a hard earned skill for most designers. Patience is a must, as it can get complicated quickly with most projects. You can go through a whole bag of emotions is a single day if you’re not careful. So! Should you be a designer? Sure! If you have the passion, drive, and the ability to thrive on those roller coaster-ride days. If you are truly made for this industry you’ll end up on the side of “grateful”, especially when you know you’ve made it through the chaos together, along with your team -resulting in a happy customer.
Before we move on, I should point out, that not all client / customer marriages work out! There can be many reason for that to take place. Some will be far beyond your control. Having pointed this out, be prepared for such situations. You can’t be in such an industry, and expect difficult clients not to happen. The more projects you have, the more you will likely encounter them. Likewise you can’t stop personality conflicts from taking place between designers and customers, but at least you can adjust to it if the client is willing to.
Video by Karin Bohn
Designers enjoy moving around
The majority of young Interior Designers are hard to keep in one place for a substantial amount of time. It is the nature of the world we currently live in or have been living in for the past decade. Young adults like to travel and work, learn and grow. It’s all good! Only a small handful of designers will be looking for long term employment near a specific location.
An employer should understand that the world is vastly different, as should the student. We have to adapt to this global change and hire or seek employment with this in mind.
I suggest that you really examine your desired journey and find the right employer. One who supports the path you’re on or at least accepts it. Keep in mind that the more time you take to plan your path, the better off you will be in the long run.
So, the takeaway?
Be careful about your initial perceptions of living life and working as a dedicated designer. There are many unseen hurdles in every job. They’re often a sudden series of swift kicks from the school of hard knocks! But, if you really love what you do, it all is worth the white knuckle days.
Thank you for Reading!
Thank you for spending some time reading and sharing. I hope this made some of you want to live life as an interior designer. BTW, If you have questions please send by contact or leave a comment below. Also, please check back often or sign up for updates for new posts.
Kind Regards
Jack Anthony LaBarck
Director: Interior Passion
Bangkok, Thailand
+66 (0)867118520
LINE ID: cdcservicesolution
Thrishna
August 14, 2020Being a student in 12th grade, how should I focus on this path ..like entrance exams, extra skills.
boopee
August 18, 2020Congratulations on getting ready to move onto a path that is enjoyed by you and starting to plan out your future. Your question, while good – cannot be answered in such a small space. This is a great topic I can dedicate a whole article to in the future. For now, I can provide some very basic insight. Hopefully that will help you with your first few steps.
Study body language and a bit a basic psychology. You will find that understanding your clients well is key to saving time and getting the best results in customer relations. There are many books on customer psychology and body language, as well as many websites that cover such topics. A Google search should get you started.
Always study the basics of contract law, especially in your geo-location of work. A bad/poor contract can ruin your year quickly. Customers are not always nice and pleasant, but you must always stay calm, professional while covering all your bases.
Make a list of Universities or schools that are within you price range. Take your time and narrow the list down based on different factors related to finding suitable employment/ placement, support, quality of reviews from real students and so on.
Some areas to study to give you an extra edge are: lighting, photography, product engineering (including study of materials “old and new”), get certified in LEED and get good at sketching with both hands. Take a book with you everywhere you go and draw rooms, architecture and practice lines, curves, shapes etc. Switch hands half way through each session regardless how frustrating it may be at first. The ability to quickly sketch ideas at a moments notice will put you ahead of the pack.
In closing and reviewing all I said. These are the areas that are often over looked to far into the future if at all for many. These areas will separate you from the pack.
Best wishes for success,