In 2007, there were over 52,000 interior designers in America. This may seem like a lot, yet the outlook for interior design jobs is very good. Experts anticipate there will be a 21 to 35% increase in this line of work by the end of 2010. Most interior designers will say the main perk is the ability to use both creativity and practicality on the job. The designer’s decisions will impact how people feel and act within that space, which can be empowering and rewarding. To start an interior design career, one must choose between the nation’s best interior design schools.
To become an interior designer, you will need a special set of skills unique to the interior design industry. You will need to understand color and how certain shades affect people’s moods or the size of the room. You will need to be an excellent communicator who is completely in-tune with your clients. You’ll need to be a problem solver who understands building codes and the challenges that come with arranging patterns, colors, architectural features and furniture in a meaningful way. You will need to know all the latest interior design trends and styles and understand interior design software for the computer. You must also be creative when it comes to envisioning a room but also practical when it comes to planning. While some of this is inherently innate, interior design schools can mold the sort of employees that an interior design company is looking for.
One of the best interior design schools is the Pratt Institute in New York City. This interior design school focuses on academic art theory, artistic design and placement coursework (during the senior year). According to their website, “It is widely acknowledged that interior design education, as it is taught across the United States, began at Pratt. That so many of our alumni are found in the Who’s Who of Interior Designers is no surprise. The Interior Design program is consistently ranked among the top in the country in an annual independent professional survey.” Courses range from designs color and lighting, to architectural drawing and building, to office management and portfolio development. Pratt focuses on preparing students for a competitive job market.
Other interior design schools to consider include Kansas State University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Michigan State University, Arizona State University, Art Center Design College, Illinois Institute of Art at Chicago, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Miami University, the University of Missouri, the University of Oregon, the University of Texas at Austin and Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. While each school emphasizes preparation for certification and a combination of practice and theory, the choices are many. Students need to decide which approach they prefer; a classroom design theory/history approach like at Pratt Institute, a hands-on experience offered at the University of Cincinnati or specialization courses at Cornell University. Interior design jobs are waiting for students who are as decisive as they are creative.
