Career Options in the Design Field

Anyone with a bit of creativity can have a successful career in the field of design. All it takes is some initiative and training. There are many ways where an education in design can come in handy, such as the following:

Home Staging

Sometimes people need help selling their homes. They may have a certain look in their house that makes their home not sellable (like doilies and religious iconography) and need someone to come in with a fresh look in order to clean up the clutter and make the home more inviting.

Home stagers work together with homeowners in order to find a look that they can live with while their house is on the market. While stagers don't get paid as much as an interior designer, they also require much less education and training. As a home stager you can choose paint colors, fabrics, and even furniture to beautify a client's home and help them make a sale.

Interior Decorating

Have complete artistic control over a home or office as an interior decorator or designer. You can be in charge of painters, carpenters, plumbers, and other staff as you make drastic changes to your client's chosen space. Whether they want a simple update or a whole new look you will be responsible for working with your client in order to determine the best route to take.

As an interior decorator you may work as part of a team for a large design company, or as part of a small one or two person business. You will likely have an eye for colors and patterns and how things work together in a space. Usually designers at this level have one to two years of design training and education.

Industrial Design

For those who have their sights set on the big picture, consider a career in industrial design. These designers can be responsible for designing and decorating an office, a floor of a building, or an entire building. Designers are responsible for meeting with contractors and staff in order to keep on top of each project, and you may be in charge of many projects at the same time. You may need some education in business and management in order to be considered for these types of jobs, along with an education in design with a focus on business decorating.

Fashion Design

Have fun coming up with new and interesting outfits and accessories in the field of fashion. You must be a dedicated fashionista and ready to hit the catwalk running if you hope to make it in this field, but if you do the world will be at your fingertips. Consider starting out at a local label in order to get your feet wet and learn the ropes, and then with some experience you can move up and eventually run your own design company. Whether you are into bags, purses, dresses, or shoes, if you can make it odds are that someone out there wants to buy it.

Lighting Design

While this may not sound as glamorous as interior decorating or fashion design, there is a demand out there for people who know their way around lighting. Learn how to properly illuminate a space so that its inhabitants can move around comfortably and have the ambiance they are looking for. Or design a scheme for a large space such as an office or art gallery, school, or warehouse. Find yourself working with many people in different types of spaces for a great salary. Best of all you don’t need a whole lot of education to learn how to light a space well.

Published: 2009-11-02