Interior and spatial designer: Job description

An interior and spatial designer is involved in the design or renovation of internal spaces, including structural alterations, furnishings, fixtures and fittings, lighting and colour schemes. Designs and feasibility studies are produced for commercial, leisure and domestic properties, and the designer oversees the project from beginning to end.

Interior and spatial designers work in a range of different commercial or domestic settings. The job combines the efficient and functional use of space with an understanding of aesthetics. Some designers, particularly in the domestic market, are concerned solely with the appearance, rather than the structure, of the interior.

Typical work activities

Interior and spatial designers plan and organise the design of commercial and domestic interiors. Projects may take place in a range of settings, including:

• office spaces and industrial premises;
• retail locations, e.g. shops, cafés, forecourts;
• leisure spaces, e.g. hotels, cinema foyers, holiday complexes;
• residential developments;
• domestic properties;
• ships and aircraft;
• public buildings, e.g. museums and civic buildings.

Tasks may include:

• developing initial ideas and acquiring key information about potential projects, discussing requirements in detail with clients (the brief) and setting project schedules;
• understanding clients' needs and the needs of the people using the building, developing design concepts in consultation with the client and establishing final briefs;
• considering materials and costs according to set budgets and negotiating project fees; 
• conducting feasibility studies for projects;
• researching and gathering information and photographs relating to the project;
• producing 'sample' or 'mood' boards for presentation to clients;
• sourcing products, e.g. fittings, furniture, lighting, finishes, decoration and dressing, and providing samples for clients;
• preparing detailed working drawings, designs, plans, models and schemes, often using computer-aided design (CAD) software;
• surveying buildings;
• working in a team with other designers;
• supervising work at the design stage and on site;
• working closely with quantity surveyors to establish costs and work schedules on larger projects, with architects and other design professionals to determine the best use of space, and with manufacturers and contractors;
• identifying new business and selling services to potential clients;
• keeping up to date with new developments in the design industry.

In addition, an interior designer may also sometimes act as a project manager for the client throughout the construction stage. This can involve coordinating the design on site and even managing the construction team.