If you’ve ever asked yourself what interior designers do or what the profession entails, here’s the answer: Interior designers help shape the spaces where we live, work, and play by understanding how those spaces impact their inhabitants. 

They consider how a space makes us feel, think, and act and strive to create spaces that are safe, inclusive, and accessible. 

This is especially important in spaces where we spend a lot of time, such as our homes and offices.

Becoming an interior designer can take many different paths, and you don’t necessarily have to follow a traditional route to enter the field. 

Some interior designers start in other jobs before transitioning to this creative career. However, there are specific foundational steps that all expert designers should follow, such as understanding communities and their needs and obtaining necessary licensure and protections. If you’re a creative and empathetic person, a career in interior design might be right for you.

According to AD100 designer Leyden Lewis, owner and creative director at Leyden Lewis Design Studio, “An interior designer is a design professional who provides services to enhance and improve the quality, conditions, and programming of spatial and decorative environments, making them more enjoyable to be in. This can be applied to residential, commercial, hospitality, healthcare, and more.

What is an interior designer?

An interior designer is a professional who uses design elements such as functionality, materiality, safety, and building codes to create environments that support and enhance the human experience,” according to Toni Gocke Wyre, chair of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).

An interior designer’s specific responsibilities and duties may vary, but their main goal is to create functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces.

What does an interior designer do, and what are their responsibilities? 

An interior designer is responsible for creating functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces, and their duties can include researching and gathering design inspiration, creating floor plans and sketches, selecting materials and finishes, managing budgets and timelines, and communicating with clients and contractors. 

They may work on projects ranging from residential spaces to commercial buildings, and may specialize in areas such as healthcare design or hospitality design. 

An interior designer’s goal is to create spaces that meet the needs and desires of their clients while also considering factors such as safety, accessibility, and sustainability.”