Interior Designers

A Day in the Life

Your day begins in front of your computer. Whether you're checking your busy schedule, reading about the latest design news or generating computer-aided design (CAD) imagery for client presentations, you rely on technology. You may share your office with other designers or work on your own; about 30 percent of designers are self-employed.

As an interior designer, you work closely with architects, builders and clients to create an attractive and functional space. That means spending plenty of time meeting with all of them. If you're an industrial designer who specializes in health care facilities, your first meeting might involve a redesign of a hospital's outdated emergency waiting room. You will develop a presentation describing how the new design improves workflow and puts patients at ease. At your next meeting, you hope to win the contract with your designs.

If your specialty is commercial design, you might meet with a department store owner to define the scope of the location's planned expansion. Your input is vital to the client's feasibility studies and budget. Your expertise with space planning, work flow design and decor will help make the owner's visions a reality. After assessing the space and hearing what the client needs, you're sure you can integrate the expansion with the store's brand identity while keeping the location open during construction.

As a residential designer, your initial meeting could be with a client whose outmoded galley kitchen needs to grow. You'll walk through the current space and work with the client to define a more efficient work triangle, implement safety features and create a beautiful new space within the existing framework of the home. You may need to give special consideration to preserving a historic home's integrity or making the space more environmentally friendly.

After your initial meeting, you're headed to your office to work on the project's next phase: your presentation. Meanwhile, another project you've recently been awarded also needs your attention. To get the work started, you'll contact vendors to source the materials needed for counters and floors. Electricians, plumbers and drywall installation specialists are also on your list of contacts.

Now that you've gotten your current job moving, you're able to make good progress on your design for the new space. You're planning an animated walk-through for your client and have assembled textile and work surface samples to present. Once you land the new client, you'll be in charge of sourcing the materials and outlining a budget, so you'll keep these factors in mind when developing your design.