Why do you need an interior design course?
Let’s talk about the next big industry-Design!
According to a study by Oxford University, the future generation is set to witness a rise in demand for designers and the fascinating career of an interior designer is surely one of the most sought after choices. Why, you may ask?
Consider some of these facts -
- Space constraint in major towns and cities
- Increasing standard of living
- Rise in disposable income
Over a period of time, the market has seen a pull towards comfortable and aesthetically appealing interiors both at work and residential spaces with appreciation for professional design.
One might argue why ‘interior design’ or ‘interior architecture’ and not architecture? Allow me to explain this as I talk about the endless possibilities of the former over the latter. Think about a mall near you. How often does a new mall get built? What about the hospitals, airports or schools? Not very often (given the current scenario, yes, there is large scale development taking place in cities and towns but the gestation period of each of these projects ranges over several years). Now let’s pay some attention to the interiors of hundreds of stores in the same mall. For instance, in the food court, an ice cream outlet shuts and a pizza vendor occupies space thereafter. In this case, an interior designer will be hired to scrap the interior, re-plaster, re-paint and redesign the space according to the new client’s requirement. Similarly, renovation of residential apartments, change of owners or change of tenants, almost everything demands a designer to redo the interiors of the space.
The above was just an example of how the career of an interior designer is ever flourishing. Indian construction industry, especially in major towns and cities is facing challenges of space constraint, but the design industry is witnessing a boom. This only draws our attention to the prospects of interior designers and interior architects owing to rise in disposable income and modernization of Indian market.
Those aspiring to establish themselves as successful interior designers or interior architects need to have a certain level of formal education in design that is delivered by a degree course in interior design or interior architecture and design (an amalgam of both fields). A course in this domain will expose the students to various aspect of architecture, technology and design, which focuses on how a user interacts with an interior space. In addition, students pursuing a course in interior architecture also learn about styling aspects such a color scheme, soft furnishing, space management, product procurement, and furniture selection. Along with an enhanced aesthetic sense, designers also learn about service design such as plumbing, lighting, heating and ventilation technology to be completely equipped with the necessary skills to (re)design a space from scratch.
Upon successful completion of the course, students can choose a specialization such a Residential Space Design to work on interiors of a residence. It could be a newly built house or renovation of an old one. Professionals can also take up Commercial Space Design projects that include designing for restaurants, hotels, gyms, resorts, movie theatres or Institutional Space Design which covers libraries, galleries, museums, schools, colleges, hospitals and the like.
Not only that, nowadays there is a substantial demand for exhibition designers and set designers. Even though a course in interior design would not completely focus on either of the specializations, the curriculum is generally designed to cover almost all aspects of interior design that can later be used at any and every place. The interesting career of Exhibition Designer involves designing for trade shows, fashion shows, conferences, and that of a Set Designer involves theme based backgrounds and imitation set ups that assist storytelling, cohesively forming an integral part of films and theatre. Another area of work for interior architects in adaptive reuse projects that require them to repurpose an entire built space for a new use. Converting an old haveli or palace into a heritage hotel, a factory into a business school and a mall into a design school are all examples of adaptive reuse projects.
Professional interior designers/ interior architects bring together safety and functionality in their projects while satisfying the client’s aesthetic needs. A famous designer Mark W Perret rightly said, “Designers save lives by constructing a life worth of living.” Hence, they are not only designers but problem solvers as well. They perform décor functions related to furniture, flooring and artwork yet are also well-versed with architectural principles and safety measures making every space efficient, user friendly and safe.
While architects design the structure, interior designers are the one breathing life into spaces, hence, one cannot stress the importance of an interior designer enough. Back in 2008, The Hindu- Business Line projected a whopping 60% growth in interior design industry and since then this sphere of design has only progressed. So if you wish to enter this fascinating field, an interior design course will be your pathway to becoming a successful interior designer and interior architect.
