How to become an interior designer
Official title: Interior designers
Also called: Designer, Décor designer, Kitchen designer, Interior stylist, Bathroom designer, Interior designer, Interior decorator, Furniture designer, Wallpaper designer, Shopfitting designer, Kitchen sales designer, Soft furnishing designer
Interior designers plan, direct and undertake the creation of designs for interior spaces, procure materials and oversee implementation of the plans.
Main tasks
- Liaises with client to determine the purpose, cost, and scope of the project, which may include the entire building or one room such as the kitchen or bathroom
- Prepares designs to meet the client's needs and draws up sketches for consideration by the client
- Advises on colours and the materials to be used,
- Establishes estimated costs, specifies materials and provides detailed drawing of the agreed design
- Sources fixtures, furniture and other necessary materials
- Hires staff and oversees project progress
- Ensures building and safety regulations are adhered to
How to become one
Employers often require a relevant degree, although entry may be possible with a foundation course or HNC/HND.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Fitted furniture design technician (level 3). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0654.
- University: Creative Arts & Design degrees, Offered by 26 universities in the UK
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £36,485 a year The middle half earn £31,328 to null.
- About 31,700 people work in this job now, and about 35,300 are projected by 2035. (+11.1%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become an interior designer?
Employers often require a relevant degree, although entry may be possible with a foundation course or HNC/HND.
How much does an interior designer earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £36,485 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is an interior designer a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 11% by 2035, from about 31,700 to about 35,300 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become an interior designer?
Usually. 62% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.