The salary of an interior designer depends on the level of his education, work experience, independence, business skills, decency of the customer, and most importantly, on the whims of the muse!
What designers can't live without: education and portfolio
The prestige of a designer's education determines what salary he can apply for. You can become an interior designer after 5-6 years of study at a university, or you can become 3 years in college. Moreover, so-called design courses are now widespread, where after a few months you will be given a crust with the designation of you as a designer. With such a diploma, it will be possible to deal only with interior decor, which is not highly paid.
An additional advantage will be that the designer has certificates of internships, competitions and participation in workshops.
The level of education and various regalia are just a conditional guarantee of the income of an interior designer. The real formula for success is creativity, plus connections, plus the ability to do business.
A good portfolio - “clothes” of a designer, also allows one to offer oneself favorably on the market. It should contain information about how many and what projects the designer completed, as well as show skills in computer programs and various manual techniques.
How to work for hire and independently
An interior designer's salary depends on whether he is self-employed or self-employed. Salaried workers usually have a fixed monthly salary based on their work experience.
For independent designers, salaries can vary tens and even hundreds of times. The first is the number of orders. Finding orders for interior design is not so easy. In order for them to act regularly, you need to advertise yourself in print magazines and the Internet for a fee, or have connections and profitable acquaintances. Therefore, the density of the designer's workload is often very different. You can get nothing for several months, and then earn more in a week than in a year.
A commercial streak and assertiveness are the most important components of a designer's material well-being. Sometimes even more significant than talent and the ability to quickly generate ideas.
Secondly, orders from designers are of different levels. It is one thing to redevelop a two-room apartment, and another to develop working documentation for the interiors of a four-story mansion of a famous person.
The customer's design time also matters. The same mansion project can take years. It may happen that it is more profitable to fulfill several smaller orders during the same period.
The conscientiousness of the interior customer is another significant factor. Despite the fact that the design order is sealed by a formal contract, customers tend to violate it. They can suspend design, do not pay advances on time, change their decisions, choose options for a long time. It is costly and troublesome to settle these violations in court. Often, the designer solves the problems that have arisen on his own, suffering financially.
A designer's fame is directly reflected in his earnings. Eminent designers charge an order of magnitude more for their ideas.
What determines the cost of the project
The earnings of peer interior designers are also differentiated. When concluding a design contract, the price for the project will consist of several components.
So, the larger the area of the designed interiors, the lower the price per square meter will be. The complexity of the interior style also affects the price. For example, baroque, antique, classic interiors require more elaboration of details and components.
The more expensive the materials and furniture used, the more expensive the designer's services. Sometimes the designer takes a fixed percentage of the cost of the interior (5-10%).
If the customer agrees with the designer on the designer's supervision, this is another source of the latter's income. Aspiring designers usually insist on designer supervision, since it is important for them to have worthy projects in their portfolios.
Finally, a significant source of income for an interior designer is the interest paid to the designer by construction stores and interior showrooms from the purchases of the customer. Depending on how many clients the designer has recommended products, his income can be up to 30-40% of their value. Some designers allegedly offer their customers a discount on certain designer goods. In fact, they just share their percentage with them.
… and, of course, her majesty the muse
Design is a creative process. And inspiration doesn't come by order. An idea can appear in 15 minutes, or you can nurture it for six months. Therefore, the frequency and effectiveness of muse visits to a designer is another component of his income.
