Interior designers plan and create functional and aesthetically pleasing interior spaces for residential, commercial, and public buildings, including homes, offices, hospitals, airport terminals, and shopping malls. Specific types of interior design include residential design, commercial design, hospitality design, healthcare design, and exhibition design. Interior designers collaborate closely with architects, structural engineers, and builders to determine the feasibility of the elements of a design which, in addition to including fabrics, furniture, and flooring and wall coverings, may incorporate natural and man-made light and the acoustic properties of an interior space. Interior designers provide clients with a timeline for and an estimate of a project’s completion and costs and oversee the installation of each component to the interior’s design. They may specialize in a period styles, specific rooms, and types of buildings. Sustainable designers design interior spaces using environmentally friendly materials and green technology.
Interior designers typically hold a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in interior design. Interior design degrees are also available at the associate and master’s degree levels. Coursework will include computer-aided drafting and design (CAD), 3-D design, space planning, and the history of design and architecture. Licensure for interior designers varies by state. Additional voluntary certifications in several different specialized areas of interior design are available through professional and trade associations.