You wouldn't believe me if I told you that this occupation is one with many facets, with many possibilities, and the person working in this field needs to combine different techniques and solutions in order to build the desired environment.
An interior designer must have knowledge of many things, must have the willingness to stay updated with the latest trends, technologies and discoveries in order to deliver a good project.
Have you ever wondered who would hire an interior designer? You must already know there are many companies, both large and small, who would hire one in a full time position. Usually however, the interior designers for the small companies will have a contract for each project. The number of freelancing interior designers is a bit over a quarter of all the interior designers out there, so that is always a good solution to consider. As a freelancer, you can get contracts with more companies at the same time, of course if you can handle more projects at the same time. Many times the project needs approval from the authorities, but this varies according to the law and destination.
There is also the possibility to host a TV show on interior design and decoration (an activity of the interior designer). There are many shows in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom featuring the houses of regular people who receive a free room redecoration or redesign, in order to have a better looking home. Such shows carry names such as: "60 Minute Makeover", "Changing Rooms" - UK, "Trading Spaces" in the US and in Canada: "Divine Design with Candice Olsen and Design Inc."
Just like for any other industry and occupation, the earnings of such a professional varies according to the experience and reputation but also to the employer. The fee might be a per-hour one, per location of the project, or for the whole project. At times, they will also request a percentage of the total costs of the furniture, lightning, artwork and other elements. A recent study shows that for the whole year, the average income in this field, in the United States, was of $40,000 to $45,000. This sum included the salary, a bonus, a profit sharing (these two varying from $500 to $20,009) and a commission (varying between $2,000 and $19,500).
Even if many interior designers and decorators (should) have proper studies in the field, what matters in the end is vision, creativity (or talent) and experience. There are many famous decorators and designers in the 20th century who did not possess a formal training; some of them are:
One of the things for which I wish I were an interior designer or decorator is the possibility of traveling to different places even if these places are mostly in one's country. Click Interior Decorator Salary in America to know the salaries being offered to interior decorators in various states of US.