Interior Decoration Course - Careers, Salary, Jobs, Scope

Introduction

Design influences the spaces where we live and work. It makes a huge impact on our productivity, mood, etc. Interior design or decoration is the art and science of enhancing the interiors of a space or building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the customer.

An MBA in Interior Decoration is a full-time postgraduate course that lasts for 2 years divided into 4 semesters. A Master’s Degree Program in Interior Design enables students to get a better understanding of various aspects of design, such as space and structures and the way we interact with them.

Students get an in-depth study of the manipulation of colours, textures, light and form to produce favourable results. Students harness the technical knowledge and skills gained in this course to transform visualized intent into creative spaces.

Students are also taught basic Business fundamentals such as Accounting, Marketing, etc. which gives them a better understanding of different roles in a corporation.

Career

With this specialization, candidates could find employment in architectural firms, hotels, public work department, etc. Listed below are a few career opportunities in this specialization:

• Interior Designer.
• Exhibition Organizer.
• Space Planner.
• Event Designer.
• Retail Designer.
• Consultant Stylist.
• Window Display Designer.
• Kitchen Designer.
• Project Coordinator.
• Bathroom Planner.
• Hospitality Consultant.

Below are a few job titles described in depth:

Interior Designer

The role of an Interior Designer is to plan interior spaces, electrical circuits, drainage, water supply, ventilation, air conditioning, etc. They have to make layouts and plans of the building and even prepare sample models.

They are also responsible to advice colors and textures, fabrics, lighting, furniture, and other decorative materials to make a functional and pleasant interior. They are required to keep themselves informed with new interior products available in the market.

The average salary offered to an Interior Designer in India is around Rs.2,93,287 per year.

Exhibition Organizer

The goal of an Exhibition Organizer is to make sure that the exhibition or venue he or she organized becomes a success. They have to plan and design individual stands, display panels, etc. He or She also has to find suitable locations for new exhibitions. The working hours are 9am to 5pm, but they are required to work at the exhibition if conducted on weekends and even Sundays. There is also a lot of travelling involved in this job.

The average salary of an Exhibition Organizer in India is around Rs3,94,433 per year.

Space Planner

Space planners measure the dimensions of rooms to determine where to place cubicles, desks, equipment, and other furniture and fixtures in office buildings. They factor in the number of employees to calculate the space allotment for each workstation.

Before arranging rooms, space planners create drawings of their plans by hand or computer to see if there are any alternative solutions or modifications for workspace allotment and décor. Space planners must familiarize themselves with building codes to ensure they are in compliance with all relevant regulations. They work normal office hours from 9am to 5pm.

The average salary of a Space Planner in India is Rs. 5,51,058 per year.

Retail Designer

A Retail Designer’s goal is to provide a positive experience to customers in retail spaces. This is achieved by designing all aspects of a retail shop, including shop front, interior, display design, etc. They have to present their clients with 2D drawings and layouts and 3D models. They also have to design structures, storages, colors textures and everything else in the budget.

The salary of a Retail Designer is dependent on the number of clients, and the volume of work they get. However, if they work in an agency, they could earn up to Rs. 10,16,079 per year.

Kitchen Designer

Kitchen Designers designs Kitchen for clients. They have to make sure it is aesthetic as well as functional. Kitchen designers must make sure the kitchens are functional, convenient, comfortable, and up to building code. They should possess a keen eye for detail and be up to date on current kitchen design trends.

The salary of a Kitchen Designer is dependent on the number of clients, and the volume of work they get. The average salary of a Kitchen Designer in India is Rs. 2,44,168 per year.

Salary

The salary of Interior Decorator is dependent on their clients, experience, and talent. The average salary ranges from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 40,000 per month which includes bonuses and commissions. An experienced senior Interior Decorator could earn anywhere from Rs. 8,00,000 to Rs. 30,00,000 per year.

Recruiters

Listed below are a few of top recruiters of this specialization:

• Design Thoughts Architect
• Designex Architects & Interior Designs
• ZZ Architects
• KEC International Ltd
• IL&FS Engineering and Construction Company

Exams

There are entrance tests for admissions in MBA such as CAT (Creative Aptitude Test), GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) entrance exams. For Design courses there are other exams such as DAT (Design Aptitude Test), CEPT University’s entrance exam. All the above exams are objective and eligibility for all exams are the same:

• Candidate should have an Undergraduate Degree from any Institute / University recognized by law in India.
• Candidate should at least be 18 years old with no upper age limit.
• A minimum aggregate score of 45% (40% for SC/ST candidates) at the level of graduation.

Syllabus & Subjects

MBA in Interior Decoration is a two-year course, consisting of four semesters. here are both internal and external assessments, where 25% is weightage for internal assessment and remaining 75% is for external assessment. The syllabus of this course slightly varies according to different universities. A semester-wise standardized syllabus of the course is given below:

Course Fees

The fee structure is dependent on the college you opt for. It can vary from Rs. 2 lakhs to Rs. 4 lakhs. Following are the fee structure for a few colleges in India:

• Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru –Rs. 2,81,866
• International Institute of Fashion and Arts, Agra– Rs. 2,14,000
• Chandigarh University, Chandigarh – Rs. 1,59,000
• JK Business School, Gurgaon – Rs. 2,82,000
• International Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi – Rs. 1,50,000

Popular Colleges

The eligibility for all colleges are the same as stated above. Admission process can be done directly from the college’s website, but the cut-off mark that decides whether you could apply for a college varies each year. Let’s look at some renowned colleges that provide this course:

Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology

This college offers a two-year MBA course in Interior Designing. They have 20 seats per course. Fees structure of the MBA program is Rs. 2,81,866 for a year They provide Industry exposure to learn and gain some extra knowledge.

International Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi

IIFT was established in the year 1990. They offer an MBA in Interior Design. The course duration is two years and the fee structure is Rs. 1,50,000 per year.

JK Business School, Gurgaon

JK Business School is a private business school that was established in the year 2006. It is affliated by MDU (Maharishi Dayanand University) and there are 120 seats in total for Post Graduate courses. They offer a Post Graduate diploma that lasts for a year. The fee structure is around 2,81,500 per year.

Kalinga University, Raipur

Kalinga University is a private university established in the year 2011. They offer both Post Graduate Diploma as well as MBA in Interior Designing. The course fee is around Rs. 1,13,000 per year.

Virtual Voyage College of Design, Media, Art, and Management, Indore

This University offers an MBA in Interior Design. The course duration is two years. The fee structure is around Rs. 22,350 per year.

Requirements

To be a good interior designer you need several skills, some are acquired and some are in-built. Some inherent skills you should possess are:

• • Excellent design sense.
  • Good time management skills.
  • Good coordination skills.
  • Good team building skills.
  • Eye for detail.
  • Keen observation.
  • Patience.
  • Creativity.

Degree Courses in Interior Decoration

Let’s take a look at a few Interior Decoration courses offered by various universities.

Post Graduate Diploma in Interior Design

This program offers in-depth study of Interior Designing and Decoration as a whole. However, the course focuses more on theory and doesn’t give you the industry exposure. Course duration can last one to two years.

Master of Science in Interior Design (MSc)

Candidates aspiring to work in the Design industry are best suited for this course. Most universities offering this course provides its students with the industry exposure that helps them grow. The course duration is two years.

Master of Business Administration in Interior Design (MBA)

An MBA in this specialization offers the students not only with in-depth knowledge about Interior Design and Decoration, but also basic business management and tactics. This course duration is two years.

Master’s Degree in Decoration and House Design

This course is a professional progression in Decoration and Interior Design. Candidates who are already working but like to specialize on Decoration and House Design are best suited for this course.

Scope of the program

The exploding growth in the real estate market will only lead to more houses and buildings, which would further increase the demand for interior designers. In India, the growth of this industry increased by 20% till 2018. Apart from that, the pay scale of interior designers is quite high.

There are many areas that the interior designer may want to specialize in such as

• Residential (houses, flats, canal boats)
• Workplaces (factories and offices)
• Temporary exhibition designing (museums, galleries, exhibitions, venues)
• Commercial (retail shops and shopping malls, warehouses, conference centres)
• Leisure (cinemas, theatres, and gyms)
• Hospitality (hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafes, and nightclubs)
• Education (schools and universities)
• Healthcare (local health centres, hospitals, nursing and care homes, and private clinics).

With such a wide range of job opportunities, the scope of Interior Decoration is great, and one should consider taking an MBA that will give you a better edge over others.