How to Get a Job as a Home Decorator
Train your eye., Seek out formal education or training., Become an apprentice or intern., Practice at home., Volunteer to decorate the homes of family members and friends., Create a professional portfolio.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Train your eye.
Visit art galleries, old homes, open houses, museums and other spaces that have been professionally decorated to get an idea of what elements go well together.
Subscribe to interior decorating magazines like Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, Veranda, Traditional Home and Better Homes & Gardens to get an idea of the latest trends in the business. -
Step 2: Seek out formal education or training.
In order to learn about decorating styles, working with distributors, window treatments and other important elements of decorating, you can enroll in community college or university courses, seek out an online certification or take classes at conferences.
People with associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees have an advantage on the job market over less trained competitors.
There is a marked difference between becoming a home decorator and becoming a certified interior designer.
Namely, the former does not require any formal education, while the latter requires a post-secondary degree. , Instead of seeking formal education in a class setting, you can get a job as an apprentice or assistant to an interior decorator in your area.
On the job training will teach you the guidelines of working with clients, businesses, retailers and products. , Choose 1 or a number of rooms to be a canvas that you can decorate.
Take photographs of your spaces as you decorate in each style to serve as portfolio designs. , Even though you are offering your services for free, you will be dealing with a client's budget and getting valuable practice of decorating and delivering a product by a deadline.
Use every room for a page in your portfolio.
Consider hiring a professional photographer to photograph your decorated spaces.
Your portfolio should be a professional document, filled with photographs that convey your designs.
Although this may seem like an excessive expense before you begin working for a fee, this investment will pay off when you are interviewing with clients. , This portfolio can be a bound book and/or a website.
The following are important elements for your portfolio:
Include professionally photographed before and after pictures of 15 to 20 spaces that you have decorated.
These samples should show a breadth of your work, by showing a wide variety of decorating styles.
Create design boards.
Include samples of flooring, textiles, tiles and other samples that your recommend to your clients to cater to their style.
Spend time creating boards that you can clip into your portfolio or include in a separate book.
Affix the samples to the boards in a professional, clean way.
Include references.
Ask pleased customers to give their opinions on your work.
Referrals will be one of your main sources of work, so developing positive relationships with your previous clients will be important. -
Step 3: Become an apprentice or intern.
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Step 4: Practice at home.
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Step 5: Volunteer to decorate the homes of family members and friends.
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Step 6: Create a professional portfolio.
Detailed Guide
Visit art galleries, old homes, open houses, museums and other spaces that have been professionally decorated to get an idea of what elements go well together.
Subscribe to interior decorating magazines like Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, Veranda, Traditional Home and Better Homes & Gardens to get an idea of the latest trends in the business.
In order to learn about decorating styles, working with distributors, window treatments and other important elements of decorating, you can enroll in community college or university courses, seek out an online certification or take classes at conferences.
People with associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees have an advantage on the job market over less trained competitors.
There is a marked difference between becoming a home decorator and becoming a certified interior designer.
Namely, the former does not require any formal education, while the latter requires a post-secondary degree. , Instead of seeking formal education in a class setting, you can get a job as an apprentice or assistant to an interior decorator in your area.
On the job training will teach you the guidelines of working with clients, businesses, retailers and products. , Choose 1 or a number of rooms to be a canvas that you can decorate.
Take photographs of your spaces as you decorate in each style to serve as portfolio designs. , Even though you are offering your services for free, you will be dealing with a client's budget and getting valuable practice of decorating and delivering a product by a deadline.
Use every room for a page in your portfolio.
Consider hiring a professional photographer to photograph your decorated spaces.
Your portfolio should be a professional document, filled with photographs that convey your designs.
Although this may seem like an excessive expense before you begin working for a fee, this investment will pay off when you are interviewing with clients. , This portfolio can be a bound book and/or a website.
The following are important elements for your portfolio:
Include professionally photographed before and after pictures of 15 to 20 spaces that you have decorated.
These samples should show a breadth of your work, by showing a wide variety of decorating styles.
Create design boards.
Include samples of flooring, textiles, tiles and other samples that your recommend to your clients to cater to their style.
Spend time creating boards that you can clip into your portfolio or include in a separate book.
Affix the samples to the boards in a professional, clean way.
Include references.
Ask pleased customers to give their opinions on your work.
Referrals will be one of your main sources of work, so developing positive relationships with your previous clients will be important.
About the Author
Samuel Flores
Committed to making lifestyle accessible and understandable for everyone.
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