Interior decorators enhance the inside of buildings or specific rooms in a building to meet the needs of the inhabitants. They choose colors, paints, furniture, floor and window coverings, and lighting. Interior decorators' work improves the interior space of homes, offices, and a wide variety of businesses and organizations.
Duties and Responsibilities
Interior decorators spruce up the interiors of homes and businesses such as office buildings, theaters, restaurants, and malls. They may work on an entire building or focus specifically on a single room, such as a bathroom, kitchen, or bedroom. No matter what kind of interior they are enhancing, interior decorators have certain typical job duties.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutThisOccupation">Important Facts About This Occupation</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td>Entry-Level Education</td><td>High school diploma; bachelor's degree may sometimes be preferred/required</td></tr>
<tr><td>Certification</td><td>Certification is preferred (available through organizations such as Certified Interior Decorators International)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Key Skills</td><td>Must be able to work with people and accommodate each client's preference; Must be artistic, creative and able to visualize a cohesive final result</td></tr>
<tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td>Interior Designer, Architect, Landscape Architect, Art Director, Graphic Designer</td></tr>
<tr><td>Median Salary (2023)</td><td>$46,800*</td></tr>
<tr><td>Job Growth (2021-2031)</td><td>1%**</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Sources:*PayScale.com; **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
</i></p><h3 id="section---MeetingWithClients">Meeting With Clients</h3><p>Interior decorators' first job task is meeting with clients to discover their needs and budget. For example, before working on a family's kitchen, an interior decorator might meet with all family members to find out how they use the kitchen and learn their preferences for color, lighting, and furniture. Interior decorators also talk to clients to find out how much money they want to spend on a particular project.
</p><h3 id="section---CreatingAndExecutingAPlan">Creating and Executing a Plan</h3><p>After learning a client's needs and preferences, an interior decorator creates a detailed plan for how the interior space of the building or room should be decorated. The interior decorator presents the plan to the client and changes it as necessary. When the client approves the plan, the interior decorator executes it by selecting decorations and other room contents - like furniture, artwork, and wallpaper - or helping the client select them.
</p><h3 id="section---JobScope">Job Scope</h3><p>According to the professional association Certified Interior Decorators International (C.I.D.), interior designers design and plan both decorations and interior architectural space. Interior decorators, by contrast, focus solely on decorations, for example:
</p><ul><li>Paint or wallpaper
</li><li>Fabric
</li><li>Color schemes
</li><li>Furniture
</li><li>Lighting
</li><li>Window and floor coverings
</li><li>Plants
</li><li>Artwork</li></ul>
