Careers in Interior Design

Population explosion has led to shrinkage in living space. But the need to live comfortably with right feel and style has not minimized. So here comes the need of interior designers. Their demand has increased tremendously in the last few years. Interior designing involves the designing and coordinating of decorative elements of the interiors of a house, apartment, office, or any other structural space, including color schemes, fittings, furnishings, and sometimes architectural features. It is concerned with designing a living space in a manner that is both aesthetically appealing and functionally useful. Interior designers carry out their work by carefully noting the necessities, requirements, and tastes of the clients in mind. In interior designing, one has to work extensively in a wide range of areas. One has to look into the construction and finishing of materials, lightening, paints and colors for the walls, tiles for the floors, panels for the roof, etc. Selecting and placing indoor objects of utility and decoration, like television, computer, beds, sofas, wall paintings, carpets, furnishings, etc. at the right place to create a positive atmosphere also has to be undertaken by interior designers.

Course Details
Interior design is offered as a specialization in four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) programs which can be pursued immediately after 10+2. Five-year professional programs in interior design are also offered in the School of Interior Design at the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT), Ahmedabad. Minimum requirement for entry into the program is 10+2 with science subjects. Besides, courses like B.Sc in Interior Design, B.Des in Interior Designing, Bachelor of Interior Design, Master of Interior Design, Master Diploma in Interior Design (MDID), Diploma in Interior Design, Postgraduate Diploma in Interior Design, Advance Diploma in Interior Design, and Advance Diploma in Architectural Visualization are some major courses conducted by most institutions, which require a minimum qualification of 10+2 pass, or even higher as per the needs of the respective course and institute. Along with the abovementioned primary courses, many private learning institutions, meanwhile, offer certificate courses, vocational programs, and computer aided programs in Interior Design, whose minimum requirement is Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC). In addition to professional qualification, knowledge about Vaastu and Feng Shui can be very helpful in making a bright career in this field.

Career Prospects
Employment opportunities for interior design professionals are plentiful in India. Graduates from interior design courses can find gainful employment with independent architects or in large architectural firms, building contractors, hotels, and resorts. Professionals may also find lucrative jobs in private design consultancy firms, theaters, and exhibition organizing companies. The public sector has a great demand for interior designers. Public institutions, such as town planning bureaus, metropolitan and regional development departments, and public works departments have a need for the expertise of interior designers. Interior designing, as a profession, offers excellent prospects for individuals who want to work part-time, aspire to be self-employed, or want to start their own business.

Top Colleges Offering UG/PG/Other Courses
Various interior design institutions have been established in India to provide the best of the education, skills, and technicalities required to flourish in the artistic field of interior designing. Some leading institutes include: Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology, Bangalore; Arch Academy of Design, Jaipur; Delhi Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi; Global Institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata; JJ School of Arts, Mumbai; International Institute of fashion Technology at New Delhi and Surat; International Polytechnic Development College, New Delhi; JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai; National Institute of Design at New Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Bangalore; Raffles Design International, Mumbai; Sai School of Interior Design, New Delhi; and Srishti School of Arts, Design and Technology, Bangalore.

Remuneration
Salary packages of interior design professionals differ greatly due to a number of factors. The most significant factor influencing an interior designers’ compensation package is their talent. Their specialization and the size of the firm where they are employed also play a major role in determining their pay scale. Depending on these factors, fresh graduates may receive a monthly salary of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 8,000. Starting from this base salary, they can work their way up to Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 75,000 per month when they get well established in their field.