Become an Interior Decorator or
Interior Designer

An interior decorator is someone who is hired to decorate the interiors of homes, businesses, and a variety of other spaces, including offices, trade show displays, model homes, and the like.  With the proliferation of home design shows on television and the frenetic lifestyles of professionals today, demand for interior decorators and designers is at an all time high.

As an interior decorator, you may be hired to design one room, like an office or a bedroom, or an entire building, like a house or business.  Since interior designers are typically hired by the affluent, you may find yourself designing beautiful spaces like:

• Luxury homes
• Vacation homes
• Penthouse apartments
• Waterfront properties
• Yachts
• Tour buses
• Private planes
• Bed and Breakfasts
• Boutiques
• Hotels
• Museums
• Restaurants
• Clubs
• Spas

Successful interior decorators can easily earn six figures a year and enjoy the contacts and social life that accompany such high profile clientele.

So what’s the difference between an interior decorator and an interior designer?  While interior decorators do not require formal training or licensing, interior designers do.  Designers can command a higher fee because of this difference, and often enjoy more business associations with builders and architects than do interior decorators.

To be successful in either career, you need a good sense of color, proportion, and design.  You should also be detailed oriented, since large projects require such attention, and have good people skills.

Interior decorators can work for a variety of different businesses, from interior design firms and home improvement warehouses to furniture and carpet retailers.  Many work for themselves.  Typical duties of the interior decorator include:

• Meet with clients to assess and determine needs
• Take measurements of the space to be decorated
• Prepare proposed room layout
• Make cost estimates
• Show samples of materials to be used
• Arrange and oversee painting, wallpapering, drapery construction, etc.
• Select and purchase furnishing and accessories

So should you become an interior decorator or interior designer?  With an eye for fashion, color, and details, this could be the fashion job or your dreams!

Recommended Resources:

	Become an Interior Decorator   Learn what it takes to get started in this exciting career, from assessing your skills to building your portfolio.  This ebook also includes samples of handy tools like furniture cut-outs, sample design boards, budget forms, and more.  Become an interior decorator today.
	Home Decorating Made Easy   Step-by-step guidebooks show how to create beautiful, inspiring rooms for the home.  Ebook includes more than 1000 color photos for reference and inspiration.
	The Ultimate Decorating Organizer   Keep every decorating project organized and on track with this “Swiss Army Knife” decorating tool.  From room measurements to vendors, floor plans to purchases, this handy organizer will help you get the job done on time and on budget.