Christine M. Piotrowski - Professional Practice for Interior Designers

Many corporations and institutional organizations realize the economic benefit of having their own planning and design team. Facility planners are part of the facility management department, which is responsible for the physical plant (the building and its systems). The facility management department ensures that everything involved in the business—building, equipment, and people—is organized and arranged to best function together to meet the management's goals.

Designers might work as facility planners or be hired by the corporation to work with in‐house facility planners. Specialized degrees in facility planning are available, but many facility planners are interior designers or architects.

The job of facility manager, sometimes in the same department as a facility planner, is a more specialized career and requires additional training in psychology, physical plant management, and engineering.

Although all designers learn something about lighting concepts and lighting design as part of their curriculum, lighting interiors to create special environments involves skills and experience that the average interior designer does not have. Designers can specialize in lighting design, continually learning about new products but also about all the intricacies of lighting science and design application. There are firms that specialize in providing consulting to other designers, as well as to clients, in the lighting design of all types of spaces, both residential and commercial in context.

Sales representatives, also called sales reps, may work in retail furniture and furnishings stores and dealerships, in manufacturers' showrooms, and as outside sales reps for manufacturers. Sales reps in retail stores might be referred to as sales associates. A sales associate is not always an interior designer, but rather someone who is skilled in sales techniques. Many retail stores and office furnishings dealers hire interior designers to be sales associates. Additional information on sales representatives and dealers is provided in Chapter 11.

A career option for some designers experienced with barrier‐free design concepts is consulting to businesses to help them comply with standards—either before or after a lawsuit is filed. For example, the prime designer might not be knowledgeable about current barrier‐free requirements; in this instance, that firm may engage a consulting designer to review plans for new or remodeled facilities to be sure that the plans will meet the legal requirements prior to submittal for building permits.

Sustainable design has become far more common as a specialty in the last several years. Commercial interior designers are embracing sustainable design and becoming certified in this specialty area in order to better serve their clients. Many residential designers have also become knowledgeable and certified in sustainable concepts as the importance of a healthy home environment is important to clients.

Helping to provide standards in this area is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED ®) program from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This program has established both standards for sustainable designed buildings and a professional accreditation program. LEED ®‐accredited designers might work for any type or size of interior design or architectural firm.

It is easy for the reader to understand how important computers are in completing nearly all tasks related to the work of interior designers. Today, most designers are in a sense CAD specialists as they use the computer for drawings, creating various documents, order entry, product search, and many other tasks required for a project regardless of type and scope.

Computer specialists still exist, however, as some individuals enjoy working in narrow task areas either for a firm or as independent contractors. This might include preparation of computer drafting, preparation of other documents, computer modeling, information technology (IT), and Web design, to mention a few common ones. As it might be expected, the Internet allows CAD work to be done almost anywhere in the world.

Many in design feel that rendering is becoming a lost art. However, clients and other designers continue to utilize renderings to express design concepts to clients and for clients to use to market properties. The professional renderer is very skilled in perspective and various rendering media, including the use of 2D and 3D CAD programs. She may be employed by a large interior design or architectural firm, or may be self‐employed as a freelance renderer.

Similar to the professional renderers are model builders. These individuals may also be professional renderers, or they may only produce architectural and interior models. Multidisciplinary firms might have model builders on staff, although there are many model building companies and freelance model builders. Model building requires that the individual have an excellent sense of scale, knowledge of the kinds of material that can be used to produce a scale model, a concern for detail, and patience to do the work required in model building.

Interior designers who have gained a strong reputation in the field and experience in the custom design of products may supplement or modify their practice to focus on product design. Designers can start their own company to produce their designs or license their designs to a manufacturer. Product designers working directly for a manufacturer may need to have an industrial design background.

A position in interior design management requires extensive experience in the field or experience in general management. Most design directors are former designers. It is important for the design director to have knowledge of interior design and good general business knowledge or experience related to the management of personnel, marketing, and general business principles.

Large interior design firms frequently utilize a marketing specialist to prospect and market for new clients. This person may be an interior designer who has a special ability to market, or a business major with an emphasis in marketing. The marketing specialist is expected to locate new clients and to respond to inquiries from potential clients.

A very satisfying way to “give back” to the profession is to join the faculty of an interior design program. The minimal educational requirement for a full‐time faculty position is a master's degree, in addition to some professional experience. Most programs, regardless of size and type of institution, expect that faculty members will continue their education beyond a master's degree, engage in academic research and publishing, and/or remain active in the design profession. Interior design programs also hire practitioners as adjunct or visiting instructors to teach part‐time.

Interior designers with experience or additional training in museum, restoration, or curatorial areas can work for one of the many historic site museums that exist. This can be very rewarding work for those individuals who have a keen interest in history and restoration. Most of these job opportunities require advanced degree work in such areas as art history, history, and archaeology.