Interior Designer

Interior design is a creative profession that involves planning the design and layout of a particular space to suit the needs of its inhabitants. Interior designers serve as project managers, coordinating with industry professionals like architects and engineers during the planning and construction of a new building or functional space.

The interior designer’s job is to ensure that the space being developed is designed to meet the needs of the people who will be using it, both in terms of being functional and promoting personal well-being. Other interior designer responsibilities include directing and overseeing different stages of the development process for a new space and managing project timelines.

Can you do interior design as a side hustle?

For most people, interior design is not a feasible side hustle. Most states have a licensing and registration process for certified interior designers, and the requirements are pretty strict. In some states, it’s even illegal to operate as a commercial interior designer without a license.

With that said, in most other cases, you can technically get started in interior design without getting certified or licensed. The issue is that it will be incredibly difficult (or impossible) to get an interior design job at a firm or get clients on your own.

Although it’s tough to get into interior design with no experience or formal training, it’s easier for professionals in similar industries. For example, an architect may find it easier to do interior design as a side hustle because they have similar qualifications to those required for interior design.

Why interior decorating is a better side hustle

Interior design is often confused with interior decorating, but there are some crucial differences between these two home design careers. Interior design requires extensive architectural knowledge, whereas interior decorating only requires knowledge and skills related to decorating or arranging furniture within a space.

If you want a side hustle that involves helping people or businesses arrange or decorate an existing space, then an interior decorating side hustle may be better suited to you.

Technically, anybody can start working in interior design and call themselves an interior designer—you don’t legally need to have any particular qualifications. However, in many states, you need to get licensed and registered if you want to call yourself a certified interior designer.

Certified interior designer requirements vary by state. Usually, you need to be at least 18 or 21 years old and have a college degree (either a 2-year a 4-year degree), proper certification, and at least 2 years of work experience.

The traditional path to becoming a professional interior designer involves three steps:

1. Complete an interior design college course accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
2. Gain at least 2 years of work experience under the supervision of a licensed interior designer.
3. Pass an NCIDQ exam and receive a certification from the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ).

Why you usually need a degree to be an interior designer

The reason why education is so important for interior designers is that their role directly affects the safety and well-being of the people using the designed space. Without proper training, you could unintentionally create safety hazards or limit accessibility within the space you’re designing.

It definitely is possible to get into interior design without a degree. You won’t be able to get certified and licensed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t build a thriving interior design business based on the merit of your work rather than your interior design credentials. Here are a few tips to boost your chances of success.

Work indirectly with interior designers

Many interior designers gained their first interest and knowledge in the field through a tangential job. Here are a few examples of jobs that give you exposure to interior design:

• Furniture sales representative
• Construction worker or contractor
• Woodworker
• Electrician
• Real estate agent
• Real estate photographer
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) specialist

Some of these jobs require little to know experience. Best of all, they may give you the chance to interact with professional interior designers. By building connections and asking the right questions, you can gain some firsthand knowledge about what the job involves and the different routes to an interior design career.

Complete an interior design training program

Just because you don’t have a degree in interior design or a related field doesn’t mean you can’t have an education. There are plenty of quick courses in interior design you can complete to establish a foundational knowledge in the field.

While many of these shorter and cheaper courses won’t be CIDA-accredited or allow you to become a fully licensed interior designer, some will give you a firm grasp of interior design principles and even opportunities to build a portfolio.

You can do an intensive in-person interior design course or do an online interior design course. Just make sure to do your research to ensure your course is legit and that it will give you the learning outcomes you’re hoping for.

Get an interior design internship or apprenticeship

Some interior design firms will hire interns or apprentices and train them on the job. This is a good way to start working in interior design right away without a degree or previous experience.

The main drawback to this type of work is that the pay is usually very low (or nonexistent). Competition is also often high, so you may lose out on opportunities to interior design graduates and other beginners who have more related qualifications. But if you do get one of these gigs, there’s a chance it could eventually turn into a full-time interior design job.

Prioritize building a good portfolio

Even if you have no interior design credentials, you can still win jobs and clients if you have an amazing portfolio. It can be tricky to build a portfolio from scratch, but good ways to gain useful portfolio materials include assisting professional interior designers or doing freelance projects on your own.

Interior designers usually have a specialty, and it’s important that you build a portfolio that accurately represents your chosen niche and the specialty skills you’ve developed. If you’re working with other designers, be sure to get their approval before you include any of your mutual projects in your professional interior design portfolio.

If interior design sounds like too big of a commitment for you, don’t worry. There are several similar occupations that may be much better suited to side hustle work.

Interior decorator

As mentioned, interior decorating is a similar field to interior design, except it doesn’t require as much technical knowledge. With an interior design side hustle, you can run your own business where you offer tailored advice and guidance to people who want to redecorate their homes.

Interior decorating is a great side hustle for people with an eye for style. Interior decorators most commonly work with individuals in residential spaces rather than businesses. For example, you may help a new homeowner choose the color scheme and furniture for their house.

Graphic designer

There’s plenty of overlap between interior design and graphic design. If the digital elements are what appeal to you most about interior design, then you may find a graphic design side hustle much more fulfilling.

As a graphic designer, there are plenty of ways you can get in on the action when it comes to decorating or designing a space. For example, you can work alongside interior designers to develop 2D or 3D renderings of spatial arrangements, create branding and logos for commercial spaces, or even use graphic design software to create and plan mural designs.

Landscaper

Landscaping professionals deal with the design of outdoor spaces rather than indoor spaces. But apart from this key distinction, there’s a lot of overlap between landscaping and interior design.

In addition to initial planning, landscapers also often take part in the physical process of transforming a space. However, to become a landscaper, you may need a landscaping license and proper training.

House painter

Painting houses is a relatively easy side hustle to get into, but it doesn’t come with the fun and creative design elements you’d find in an interior design job. Instead, the job involves working for clients and simply painting the inside or outside of a house or building according to the client’s instructions.