Interior designers create and enhance interior spaces to improve quality of life, increase productivity and protect public health, safety and welfare.

Interior designers plan new interiors and renovate existing ones in commercial buildings (for example, offices, institutions, stores, hotels and restaurants) and single and multi-family dwellings. Their responsibilities vary from one position or project to another but, in general, interior designers:

• identify and analyze client needs and goals, safety requirements, budget limitations and project schedules
• prepare preliminary plans and design concepts for client approval
• estimate costs and prepare budgets
• develop presentations which may include drawings, sketches, renderings, perspectives, colour and material boards, photographs or models
• prepare working drawings and specifications for nonload-bearing construction including materials, finishes, millwork and furnishings
• prepare tender documents, co-ordinate the bid process and assist clients in awarding contracts
• confirm that required building and other code permits are obtained
• collaborate with professional and technical consultants (for example, mechanical, electrical and structural engineers, architects, audio-visual consultants)
• conduct field reviews of construction and installation of furnishings, fixtures and equipment
• review and evaluate projects on behalf of clients, during implementation and upon completion.

Interior designers co-ordinate their work with other professionals and work closely with general contractors to ensure that their drawings are interpreted correctly. They may co-ordinate the activities of trades (for example, painters, carpenters) when there is no general contractor.

Interior designers are concerned with general and detailed planning, spatial arrangements, health and safety issues, detailing, constructability and technical considerations (for example, lighting and acoustics) as well as the aesthetics of a space. They are more involved with technical considerations than interior decorators are. Decorators focus on the ornamental and moveable aspects of interiors (colour, furniture, rugs, drapery) and fixed details (for example, moldings) that can easily be added to an existing space (for more information, see the Interior Decorator occupational profile).

Working conditions vary considerably in this occupation. Interior designers frequently meet with clients, other consultants and contractors in clients' workplaces and homes, in interior design offices, in consultants' offices and at work sites. Work hours are sometimes long or irregular, and may include weekends and evenings.

There are no standard education requirements for interior designers in Alberta. However, to be licensed by the Alberta Association of Architects, interior designers must have a degree in interior design plus related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

In Alberta, Mount Royal College in Calgary offers a four year Bachelor of Applied Interior Design degree program. Entrance requirements include English Language Arts 30-1, Pure Math 30 and a portfolio. 

The following post-secondary institutions offer two year interior design diploma programs which are not and cannot be accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation at this time. Graduates of these programs are not eligible for professional registration without further education and a longer period of work experience (see Other Requirements below).

• Lakeland College in Vermilion offers a two year Interior Design diploma program. The entrance requirement is a high school diploma with Pure or Applied Math 30 and at least 65 per cent in English Language Arts 30-1 (or 75 per cent in ELA 30-2), or equivalent. Applicants must complete an assignment. This program is accredited by the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
• Lethbridge College offers a two year Interior Design diploma program. Entrance requirements include a high school diploma with at least 60 per cent in a Applied or Pure Math 30 and English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2, and a portfolio. Alternate admission requires successful completion of a computerized placement test.
• The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in Edmonton offers a two year Interior Design Technology diploma program. Required courses include English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2, Pure Math 30, and one of the following: Physics 30, Chemistry 30 or Science 30. A high school diploma is recommended. An aptitude for applied sciences and three-dimensional thinking skills are definite assets.

For current information about programs, admission requirements and mature student admission policies, please check post-secondary calendars or websites.

Under Alberta's Architects Act and Interior Design Regulation, the Alberta Association of Architects (AAA) oversees interior designer certification which entitles designers to practice a portion of the scope of practice defined in the Architects Act and Regulations. You do not have to be registered if you do not practice as or use the title Licensed Interior Designer.

Interior designers are employed by:

• interior design firms
• architectural firms
• institutions such as schools, universities and hospitals
• building development companies
• corporate planning offices
• hotels and restaurants
• manufacturers
• government planning offices
• property management companies.

Graduates of recognized four year degree programs usually begin work in interior design and architectural offices, or the planning departments of corporations or institutions. Graduates of two year diploma programs are employed by home builders, kitchen and bath manufacturers, and flooring companies, or as assistants in interior design and architectural offices. Some are employed in retail sales positions (for more information, see the Interior Decorator profile) or technical sales positions with commercial suppliers (see Technical Sales Representative profile). Experience gained in sales positions may not be eligible for credit toward professional recognition.

In Alberta, 86 per cent of people employed as interior designers work in the following industries:

• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
• Construction
• Retail Trade.

The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
• location in Alberta
• employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
• occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before)
• size of the occupation.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next ten years.

According to the 2007 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the Interior Designers occupational group working part-time or full-time earned from $22,400 to $68,100 a year. The average salary was $51,700 a year.

Post-secondary institution calendars and websites (see Educational Requirements above)

EDinfo website: www.alis.alberta.ca/edinfo

Alberta Association of Architects (AAA) website: www.aaa.ab.ca

Careers in Interior Design website: careersininteriordesign.com

Construction Sector Council website: www.csc-ca.org

Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) website: www.accredit-id.org

Interior Designers of Alberta (IDA) website: www.interiordesignalberta.com

Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) website: www.interiordesigncanada.org

National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) website: www.ncidq.org

National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) website: www.nkba.org