Interior Design as a Career Essay -- Jobs Careers

Imagine designing a dream home with all the color and space conceivable. This illustrates the work of an interior designer. A "schemer, intriguer, or plotter," could prosper in a career of design (dictionary.com, 'designer'). A career in interior design allows innate abilities of creativity and organization to be practiced in satisfying a client's desire for style and flare in their home or workplace. The work of an interior designer requires a natural skill to work with people and to decipher what a client desires. "The designer's job is to evaluate, plan, and design the interior areas of residential, commercial, and industrial places." (Careers in Focus: Design.) A few simple jobs consist of helping clients to select fixtures and furniture, supervising the coordination of colors and materials, obtaining estimates and costs within the client?s budget, and overseeing the execution and installation of the project. Some very important details designers must be aware of are the architectural requirements, space planning, and the function or purpose of the environment. In the past, there have been many famous artists, but few of them contributed their artistic skills to the design of the home. Michelangelo was a famous interior designer who created the most magnificent places for the richest of people. He made quantum use of his beautiful sculptures and paintings to create a rich ambiance. This is how interior design first began as a career. Years later, furniture, draperies, and wall coverings were included. Elsie de Wolfe was the first to practice interior design in the 1950s. Adam and Louis Comfort Tiffany, two American brothers, began a company to create beautiful furnishings and art, especially stained glass. The ... ...s estimated to be at $39,180 annually. The highest paid ten percent of interior designers, experts, in 2002 had wages of $69,640, while the lowest paid ten percent, beginners, were paid $21,240 (U.S. Department of Labor). Those who are genuinely committed to a fulltime career in designing know that urban areas and big cities pay better and provide more career options. In small town areas there is less demand for the input of an interior designer. Self-employed designers work for clients at a set, hourly fee, but majority of designers work in a firm for either a straight salary or an hourly fee to clients. In interior design, because there is so much flex given to each designer in a firm, there really are no requirements of benefits, insurance, or retirement plans. The established benefits are completely up to the individual employer. (Careers in Focus: Design)