Interior design is all about how we experience spaces. It’s a powerful, essential part of our daily lives and affects how we live, work, play, and even heal. Comfortable homes, functional workplaces, beautiful public spaces—that’s interior design at work.

The Best Interior Designers Make it Look Easy

Designers craft spaces that anticipate our needs and appeal to our emotions while pulling from a broad set of skills and technical knowledge. Interior design has changed dramatically since the early 20th century when it was just beginning to emerge as a profession.

Interior designers are expected to have working knowledge of:

• Textiles, materials, color, space planning, sustainability, and more
• Software applications for 2D & 3D computer-aided design (CAD) and building information modeling (BIM)
• Structural requirements, health and safety issues, and building codes

Today, interior designers work with contractors, architects, engineers, craftsmen, furniture dealers, and business and home owners. To become a successful interior designer, you need a well-rounded education and the skills to work within many disciplines (architecture; graphic design; decorative arts; and textile, furniture, and lighting design).