Somewhere in the mind’s eye of most of us is a vision of the house beautiful and the office spectacular. Yet relatively few of us have the background, the training, or the time to create a handsome environment all at once. An interior decorator can redo an entire house or a single room. A new baby may be on the way, or a spare bedroom may be due to make the transition to a home office. Companies need to have attractive spaces for conferences, meetings with customers, and showrooms for products. An interior decorator draws plans to decorate a client’s home or office with attention to style, quality, and budget. Interior decorator also meets with designers, contractors, and suppliers to draw up specifications; and also oversees purchases, renovations, and installation.
Actually, there is no license required to hang out a shingle as an interior decorator. Instead, you’ll have to demonstrate your abilities through examples of plans you have drawn or work you have accomplished. In addition to a good sense of design and color, you’ll need to be knowledgeable about construction, fabrics, and styles of furniture, lighting systems, and flooring. In most cases you will be called on to interpret your client’s needs and wants; you’ll rarely be given a blank sheet of paper and an unlimited budget. You’ll have to be able to work in a variety of styles, from antiques and reproductions to commercial and industrial to ultramodern.
Most interior decorators make their income in the form of commissions from wholesale or retail outlets. Depending on the complexity and size of the job, you might also charge the client an hourly or fixed fee for consultation and drawing up a plan.