What Does a Teenage Interior Designer do?

An interior designer helps to plan indoor spaces that are functional, safe and beautiful. This is done by using sketches and drawings to plan out how the inside of a building or room will look. They will also have to be aware of safety requirements and inspection guidelines.

The duties of an interior designer are mostly to determine the client’s goals of the design, plan out the design with computer software, and then implement the design by installing the furnishings to make the design come to life. The main focus of an interior designer should be that the room is beautiful and pleasing to the eye, so it’s good to have artistic abilities and to be creative so you can plan out the best interior possible.

How Much Does a Teenage Interior Designer Get Paid?

As an interior designer just getting started, you can expect to earn something around 35,000 each year. The biggest issue with becoming an interior designer is that it will be hard to find a job, or find clients. Most people will hire a really experienced interior designer, since they don’t want to cut corners when designing their building or room.

This being said, most people will hire a more experienced designer over you. However, there is still a way to succeed. The easiest way to earn experience as an interior designer is to work with a design company, instead of freelancing by yourself. It will still be hard to find a job with a design company, but if you follow all the steps, you will be able to find a job. Interior design is a very specialized skill, and those who are good at it are currently earning over $100,000 each year.

How Can I Get Started as a Teenage Interior Designer?

1. Before you begin, you’ll want to get the necessary education required to become an interior designer. While there aren’t courses specifically for interior design, there are courses that are extremely crucial. These being drawing and computer-aided design, also known as CAD. These courses are available in many major universities and colleges, as well as some high schools. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design has many certified courses at colleges. Alternatively, you can go on sites like Lynda.com for online courses. A good course for computer aided design to search is “AutoCAD 2d and 3d Elevations by Shaun Bryant”. Either way, you want a good foundation in education, especially when it comes to the next step.
2. Now that you’ve gotten education, you’ll need to pass an exam to become certified. The exam being The National Council for Interior Design Qualifications. In the United States, you must be certified to do work, or else it’s illegal. So, you will need to pass this exam, or you will not be allowed to do interior design work. Don’t be scared off by an exam, it’s not that hard if you prepare well. You can see this FAQ about the exam to have a general understanding of what you need to know to succeed on the exam. Once you’ve gotten certification, and it’s legal for you to start working as an interior designer, you can move on to the next step.
3. Now that you’ve completed the exam, it’s time to build a portfolio. Usually you can do this by showcasing things you’ve worked on before and also projects you created in school. No one will expect you to have a significant portfolio because you’re young, but having something is better than nothing.  We recommend building this as a website as opposed to creating a physical version so it’ll be easier to access for those who need it.  Also, it’s a good idea to make sure you know different decor trends so that you can make good recommendations.  We personally recommend this website for that as we really like their ideas.  
4. Once you’ve made a good portfolio, you can now find a job. The best way to do this is by applying to companies or applying for freelancing gigs at Upwork.com. You can also find interior design positions at a company on websites like Indeed. There are many positions available on Indeed and you can contact the companies from there. When applying, don’t forget to show your certification, portfolio, and act professional. If you have any skills related to interior design, this is the time to show off those skills. If you don’t land a job, don’t give up and keep applying for more. The more you apply for, the more likely you’ll find something. 
5. Congrats, you’re officially a teenage interior designer. It took you so much work, going through the exam and all of that other hard work, but it’s all smooth sailing now. Good interior designers are very successful and can have a great future if they stick to it.

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Helpful Resources

• Lynda.com: This platform will teach you the skills you need to become a teenage interior designer.Course: Search for the course “AutoCAD 2d and 3d Elevations by Shaun Bryant”
• National Association of Schools of Art and Design:  This is the organization that manages the certification process and education of interior designers.
• Upwork.com: This will help you find new work online when you’re trained as a interior designer.
• Interior Design Exam Info:  If you want to be an interior designer, you must pass the exam.  This website has the common questions people ask.
• Indeed.com:  A website you can use to find interior design jobs at normal companies instead of freelance work.