Interior design is a lucrative career for many who are interested in creating beautiful, functional spaces that impress and awe. However, an eye for good design, aesthetics and a good knowledge of interior design practices and processes are only the most basic skills every aspiring designer is expected to have. An interior designer is a professional who plans and organizes elements in a space according to a client’s requirements and preferences. It is an extremely rigorous job, with most designers working on multiple sites at the same time. As with any profession that entails planning and organization, strong management skills go a long way in building up a successful interior design business.
As an interior designer one has to deal with and manage several people over the course of a project, apart from the clients themselves. Different contractors that handle different aspects of a space, such as electricians, lighting specialists, plumbing and civil engineers to mention a few, will often be working on the site together or within short succession of each other. Interior designers are expected to orchestrate all the proceedings, making sure everything goes smoothly. They must also keep in mind the processes and workflows involved to avoid mistakes.
Financial planning, allocation of budget and keeping track of payments to different contractors and material dealers all come under management skills which, if mastered, can help in maximizing profits and building a successful career in the field of interior design.
Time management is an essential skill to have as well, in order to ensure that sites are executed within the timeframe that has been agreed upon with the client. It becomes all the more crucial when you begin to take up multiple projects.
