Interior design is becoming an even more serious and rewarding career choice today. It is no longer limited to decorating a few rooms or choosing colours and furniture. Interior designers now work as problem solvers, planners, and project thinkers who understand space, function, budgets, and execution.
As per a report by P&S Intelligence, the interior design market in India was estimated at ~USD 32.1 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at around 14.3% CAGR to reach ~USD 81.2 billion by 2030.
With the growing demand for well designed homes, offices, retail spaces, and commercial environments, skilled interior designers are needed more than ever. But entering this field requires the right skills, clear direction, and proper training, not guesswork or superficial understanding.
In this guide, we are sharing a clear step by step path on how to become an interior designer. It covers what you need to learn, how to choose the right specialization, and how to prepare for real work in the industry.
At Asian School of Design & Applied Vastu, we help students, hobbyists, and career changers build practical interior design skills through expert-led interior design courses. Our programs are designed to prepare you for real projects, real clients, and long term growth in the interior design profession.
Interior Design Learning Roadmap (Step-by-Step)
Learn what interior designers actually do beyond décor—space planning, budgets, vendors, timelines, and site execution.
Build strong foundations in space planning, colour theory, materials, lighting, furniture, and basic design tools.
Decide whether you want to focus on residential, commercial, hospitality, retail, or mixed-use projects.
Gain insights from designers who work on real projects, sites, and clients—not just classroom theory.
Create concept projects, redesign spaces, document layouts, mood boards, and execution drawings early.
Learn how interiors are executed on-site, interact with vendors, and understand practical constraints.
Choose between a full-time job, freelancing, or starting your own interior design practice.
7 Steps to Become An Interior Designer
Based on our experience of helping hundreds of students start and grow their interior design careers, we have identified seven practical steps that truly make a difference.
Step 1: Understand What Interior Designers Actually Do Before You Commit
Most people enter this field because they love well designed spaces and may already have a good sense of colour, layout, or styling.
While that interest is important, working as an interior designer is very different from simply enjoying interiors. Once you start working on real projects, the role becomes far more structured, technical, and responsibility driven.
As an interior designer, your daily work changes based on your experience level, the type of projects you handle, and whether you work in residential or commercial design. In real practice, you may be involved in:
- Client requirement discussions
- Space planning and layout development
- Preparing drawings and measurements
- Material and finish selection
- Budget planning and cost control
- Vendor and contractor coordination
- Site visits and execution supervision
- Managing timelines and approvals
Liking good interiors or having a natural design sense is very different from working as an interior designer. In professional projects, you carry the responsibility to balance design with functionality, budgets, timelines, client expectations, technical constraints, and on site realities.
Step 2: Learn the Core Skills Every Interior Designer Must Master
When you decide to pursue interior design as a career, creativity alone is not enough. You will need a strong set of practical and technical skills to handle real projects and real clients. These skills form the foundation of your work as an interior designer and are required regardless of whether you choose residential or commercial design.
The core skills every interior designer must master include:
- Space planning and layout design
- Understanding of materials and finishes
- Lighting fundamentals
- Colour theory and design balance
- Technical drawings and measurements
- Basic construction knowledge
- Interior design software such as AutoCAD and SketchUp
- Client communication and presentation skills
- Budget awareness and cost planning
Building these skills early helps you work with confidence, reduce mistakes, and deliver designs that are both visually appealing and practically executable.
What’s best is that ASDAV’s interior design courses are designed to help you polish all these skills through practical assignments, real world project exposure, guided software training, and expert feedback so you are prepared to work confidently in real interior design projects.
Step 3: Choose Between Residential or Commercial Interior Design (This Shapes Your Career)
This choice plays a major role in shaping how your interior design career grows. Residential and commercial interior design both offer strong opportunities, but they differ in the type of work, project scale, client expectations, and long term career direction. Depending on your interests, working style, and professional goals, one path may suit you better than the other.
Residential interior design focuses on homes, apartments, and private spaces where design decisions are often personal and emotionally driven.
Commercial interior design deals with offices, retail spaces, hospitality, healthcare, and other large scale environments where functionality, regulations, and timelines play a bigger role.
At ASDAV, we offer separate and focused courses for residential interior design and commercial interior design. Each course is structured around the specific skills, tools, and project requirements of that specialization. You can explore both programs to see what we cover and understand which path aligns better with your interests, strengths, and career goals before making a decision.
Step 4: Learn from Practicing Experts, Not Just Theory Instructors
One of the most important decisions you will make while learning interior design is choosing who you learn from. It becomes the foundation for all your future growth. Learning from practicing experts who have worked on real world projects gives you insights that books and theory based classes cannot offer.
These professionals understand client expectations, site challenges, budget limitations, and how design projects are actually executed.
At ASDAV, all our trainers have years of hands-on experience working on real interior design projects across countries like the UAE, India, Mauritius, Canada, and the UK. They have handled residential, commercial, retail, and office projects for a wide range of clients. This exposure allows them to teach you what is actually required when you step into the real world.
When I decided to start ASDAV, it came from my own journey of working on sites, with clients, consultants, and contractors across different countries. Over the years, I realised that many design schools teach students how to draw and use software (at a highly surface level but that’s a conversation for a different blog), but very few teach them how projects actually work in real life. No one prepares them for client negotiations, material failures, site delays, budget pressures, or the small decisions that make or break a project. At ASDAV, I wanted the learning to feel closer to professional practice than a classroom. Our students work on real case studies, understand materials by touch, learn how drawings turn into buildings, and experience how design changes during execution. We focus not just on creativity, but also on responsibility, clarity, and decision-making. The curriculum is built from what I, and other faculty members have learnt on real projects, not just from books. My aim is to ensure that when our students step into the industry, they do not feel lost or underprepared, but confident, practical, and ready to contribute from day one.
– Founder, Asian School of Design & Applied Vastu
Step 5: Build a Strong Portfolio While You Learn (Not After)
Your portfolio = career currency.
It matters more than certificates, grades, or course duration. Many beginners think they need to finish learning first and build a portfolio later. In reality, the best portfolios are created while you are learning and actively practicing your skills.
As you learn interior design, your portfolio can include:
- Space planning and layout projects
- Concept boards and material selections
- Residential or commercial design projects
- Technical drawings and basic 3D views
- Site based or execution focused assignments
A strong portfolio allows clients and employers to clearly see how you think, design, and solve problems. It shows your practical ability, not just your interest in design.
Step 6: Get Industry Exposure Through Internships, Sites, and Real Projects
Once you have a basic understanding of design principles and core skills, the next step is to gain real industry exposure. This is where learning starts to feel real. When you work on actual project types and understand site conditions, materials, and execution challenges, your confidence and decision making improve significantly.
At ASDAV, our interior design courses help you move beyond classroom learning by exposing you to real project scenarios that reflect industry requirements.
In the Interior Design Residential course, students work on projects such as:
- Studio apartments
- 2 and 3 BHK apartments
- Villas
- Row housing
- Duplex homes
In the Interior Design Commercial course, students gain exposure to:
Offices
- Corporate offices
- Startup offices
- Professional offices
- Creative studio offices
Retail
- Showrooms
Hospitality
- Kiosks
Along with project exposure, we also support your career growth through our industry network. We help students connect with design firms, studios, and professionals for internships, job opportunities, and practical work exposure so you can confidently step into the interior design industry.
Step 7: Plan Your Career Path: Job, Freelance, or Your Own Design Practice
After completing your learning and gaining practical exposure, you will reach a stage where you need to decide how you want to build your career. Interior design offers multiple career paths, and there is no single right choice for everyone.
Many beginners feel the pressure to start their own design practice immediately. While this is a valid long term goal, working with an interior design firm first can be extremely valuable. It helps you gain real site experience, understand workflows, manage clients, and learn execution standards. Freelancing is another option for those who want flexibility and gradual independence. The right choice depends on your confidence level, financial situation, learning needs, and long term goals.
If you are unsure which path suits you best, you can always connect with our experts at ASDAV for free career counselling. Our team can help you understand your options, evaluate your strengths, and guide you toward the career path that aligns best with your goals in interior design.
Do You Need a Degree to Become an Interior Designer?
No, a formal degree is not mandatory to become an interior designer.
What matters more in this field is your practical skills, design understanding, software knowledge, and portfolio. Many successful interior designers build strong careers through professional interior design courses, hands on training, and real project exposure.
How Long Does It Take to Become an Interior Designer?
It usually takes between six months to two years to become an interior designer, depending on how intensively you learn and practice. The timeline can vary for each individual based on their background, learning pace, and career goals.
Some people take longer by choosing slow or theory heavy learning paths. However, with focused training and consistent practice, most of our students are able to build strong foundational skills, create a practical portfolio, and start working on real projects within a shorter time frame.
What Software Should You Learn to Become an Interior Designer?
As an interior designer, you would be working on a number of software tools,
Here are some of the most important ones, depending on your role:
- AutoCAD – for technical drawings and layout planning
- SketchUp – for quick 3D modeling and spatial visualization
- 3ds Max – for detailed 3D rendering and realistic visuals
- V-Ray – for lighting and high quality renders
- Photoshop – for presentation boards and design visuals
- Excel – for budgeting, BOQs, and cost tracking
Mastering these tools helps you present your ideas clearly and work efficiently on real interior design projects.
Get Started With Your Interior Design Journey
This guide walked you through the practical steps needed to become an interior designer, from understanding the role and learning core skills to choosing a specialization and planning your career path. By now, you should have a clear idea of what it takes to enter the interior design industry with confidence.
If you are ready to take the next step, you can enroll in ASDAV’s residential or commercial interior design courses and start building real skills through structured learning and hands-on practice. If you have any questions or need clarity before enrolling, you can always get in touch with our team. We are here to guide you, clear your doubts, and help you take the right first step toward a successful interior design career.
