Interior designers have become one of the most sought-after professionals in the last couple of years due to their technical understanding of what is required by occupants of a building. Be it an interior design for bedroom, or an interior design for a living room, these people have perfected the craft of evoking emotions through their designs
Although they are often used interchangeably, interior design and interior decoration are not the same thing. While interior decoration refers to the furnishing or adorning of a space with decorative elements to achieve a certain aesthetic, interior design is the art and science of understanding people’s behavior to create functional spaces within a building.
If you’re looking to launch a successful business as an interior designer, then this article is exactly what you need to begin your journey. You’ll be learning about all the details and steps required to launch your business as soon as possible.
Requirements to launch an interior design business in Nigeria
Starting an interior design business in Nigeria requires some very crucial skills that you cannot compromise on. You must;
- Be artistic
- Be creative
- Pay attention to detail
- Have good communication skills
- Pay attention to trends
- Be great with people relations
Be artistic
This is the most important skill-set required to begin a business or career in interior design. You need to be able to evoke a sense of emotion through the visual combinations that you create. If you don’t have this skill, you can acquire it by taking courses or registering for programs that teach it.
Be creative
The ability to think creatively is essential to becoming an interior designer. It might be difficult to design a place when there are multiple factors to prioritize, but if you want to give your customers the best in terms of aesthetics and functionality, creativity is crucial.
Working on unique concepts for each assignment will challenge your creativity. So you need to be absolutely sure that this is what you want to dabble in.
Pay attention to detail
Being detail-oriented is an important aspect of becoming an interior designer. Little details such as changes in colour, measurements, angles, etc., can make or mar your design. Therefore, you must be very big on this.
Have good communication skills
It’s crucial to convey concepts clearly. You must be able to explain your plans to clients and help them understand their options. Using words, sketching, and computer-aided design software are all forms of communication.
Pay attention to trends
For every career in design, trends are essential, and interior design is also included. Therefore, you must keep an eye on trends and comprehend their social context. Ask yourself, “What is trendy?” What customs exist?
A good understanding of cultural developments and how to incorporate them into their work is essential for starting an interior design business.
Be great with people relations
You still need clients, even with all your skills. Your target market will be those in the high and upper middle classes; therefore, you’ll need to learn how to network with them, market to them, and persuade them to buy from you. Being able to interact with people properly is crucial, especially in Nigeria.
You will collaborate with many people in addition to clients and potential clients, including technicians, painters, and others.
4 steps to take before kick starting an interior design business
- Get a formal education
- Build experience by interning
- Take on projects
- Build a portfolio.
Get a formal education.
The first step to becoming an interior designer and launching this type of business is by attending an interior design school. Luckily, there are many interior design schools scattered all over Nigeria. If you happen to have a degree in architecture or interior design, then you’re already at an advantage.
Build experience by interning
After getting an education, the best way to get valuable hands-on experience in this field is by interning at a reputable interior design company. This will also help you learn some important tricks to navigate this career by
Take on projects
After you have had a formal education and gained some experience by interning, you should take on passion projects or gigs to solidify your knowledge of this new path. Just keep building experience in preparation for a paying job.
Build a portfolio.
For your portfolio, it’s crucial to include high-quality images of the projects you’ve worked on. Additionally, keep your portfolio’s designs and sketches close to reach. It will be something you can show potential customers. If you have no examples of prior work, it is impossible to sell yourself.
Here’s another area of the creative sector to think about (you may also check our article on career options in fashion or photography genres you can delve into). For those who are willing to put in the work, interior design may be extremely rewarding and lucrative.
We recently spoke with Uchenna Ibe, a seasoned veteran in the interior design field, and she shared some very valuable information with us that will assist you in starting an interior design business. You can read the whole interview here
Also, you can watch the video below to learn more about the interior design industry through the lens of Uchenna Ibe.
Conclusion
Starting an interior design business is very easy if you follow the step-by-step processes that we’ve listed in this article. But if you have enough start-up capital and don’t want to go through the stress of building this experience from scratch, then you can hire professionals with experience to help you run your business.
Does your interior design business need capital to scale? If that’s the case, then we are ready to help finance your dream. Click here to get a quick growth loan today.
