Interior Design
As a profession, Interior Design plays a key role in planning and designing solutions for interior spaces. Not unlike an architect, interior designers must create and plan interior architectural elements that are not only creative, aesthetically-pleasing, and functional, but also safe.
Interior designers are involved with many important aspects of designing interiors including preparing construction documents, floor and furniture layouts, millwork details, and lighting plans.
To ensure the health, safety, and well-being of those who occupy interior spaces, interior designers must have the appropriate amount of education, practical experience, and complete extensive examinations (NCIDQ certification). Those within this profession must understand building structures and complicated building codes, as well as many other technical aspects of the built environment.
Interior Design is a multi-faceted profession that includes many different types of spaces such as retail stores, restaurants, hotels, corporate offices, multi-unit residences, spas, and much more.
For more information on this profession, please go to the Interior Designers of Canada website.
In this section
Student Profile
Interior Design students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and vary in age and experience. What they have in common is a passion for sculpting interior space. Often our students have explored other art forms including photography, drawing, illustration, painting, pottery, jewelry making, model making or other kinds of design-focused work.
Applicants may come directly from high school, from other post-secondary institutions, or they may be former graduates of design, fine arts, or other related programs. They may also be mature adults who want to make a career change or may have experience in the interior design industry and want to upgrade to a degree.
We strongly recommend that interested applicants have solid communication skills, computer and word processing experience, ability to measure and draft, and an awareness of the interior design profession.
Career Opportunities
The career potential for this field is strong. When the economy is strong, building construction increases, and this in turn results in jobs for interior designers. Of course the career potential clearly depends on the individual, their portfolio, and work experience upon graduation. Graduates of the interior design program may work on hospitality and retail design projects, exhibition, theatre/television, and set design, the design of office/corporate or residential projects. Over time, some of our graduates become senior partners in design/architectural firms, and may also go on to start their own firms.
You may find more information on the field of Interior Design and salary outlooks on the National Occupational Classification located on the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada website at 'NOC-Interior Design' OR on the WorkBC website under 'Occupations'.