Residential vs Commercial Interior Design: Which Career Should You Choose?

Introduction

Once you have decided you want to pursue a career in interior design, the next question is which specialization would be the best for you. At present, the two most popular career choices for interior designers are residential and commercial designing. Residential interior designing has emerged as a very happening career choice in metropolitan cities of India due to the thriving real estate sector. While the demand for commercial interior designers has seen a 30% jump in the last decade, all across India. This jump can be attributed to the rise in the number of commercial spaces such as hotels, restaurants, and workspaces. So which one should you choose? Let’s find out:

Who are residential interior designers and what do they do?

As the name suggests, residential interior designers design spaces for individuals or simply the common man. Their area of work is limited to designing personalized living spaces. From designing small homes to undertaking luxurious villa projects, residential interior designers now provide various types of services.

The real estate sector of India is expected to experience a 30% growth rate by 2030, making the residential sector a lucrative prospect for interior designers. Residential interior designers design spaces such as bedrooms, living rooms. Customizing lighting, furniture, material, color is also a vital part of the job description of residential interior designers.

Advantages of being a Residential Interior Designer?

Is in Demand: Residential interior designers are in highest demand in important cities of India such as Bangalore. By 2030, demand for residential interior designers is expected to increase by 30%

Diverse Projects: Residential interior designers come across diverse projects such as apartments, villas, bungalows. This ultimately enhances their skill set and career growth prospects.

Downsides of being a Residential Interior Designer

Highly Competitive: There are more than 50,000 residential interior designers in Bangalore alone, making it a very competitive field.

Client Demands:  Resident interior designers may encounter difficult clients who want a high level of customization. This is the most challenging part of the job for many designers.

Career Growth and Salary Prospects in Residential Interior Designing 

Major cities of India, such as Bangalore, Mumbai, and  Delhi NCR, provide enormous job and growth prospects for residential interior designers. With major real estate projects on the cards, the designers have great prospects in this sector.

Senior residential interior designers earn 8 to 12 LPA in major urban cities.

Who are commercial interior designers and what do they do?

In recent times, commercial interior design has emerged as a lucrative sector for interior designers. As the name suggests, commercial designers design commercial spaces such as office space, retail outlets, hospitality spaces, and health care facilities.

Commercial spaces such as offices and retail outlets frequently come up. Ergonomic office spaces can delight employees and attract clients. Similarly, designed retail outlets can attract customers and boost sales. Thus, commercial interior designers have great scope in India.  

Advantages of becoming a Commercial Interior Designer

High Earnings: Commercial interior designers in India earn much more than residential designers. This is because the corporate and hospitality sector have greater budgets for projects.

Growth Scope: Commercial sector in India is thriving and hence this sector promises a great prospect for aspiring designers. Demand for commercial designers is now growing even in tier 2 and tier 3 Indian cities.

Downsides of Commercial Interior Design Career

Stricter Time Deadlines: Commercial interior designers in India find stricter time deadlines than residential designers. Failure to meet client deadlines also affects the designer’s reputation.

Long Working Hours: Many commercial interior designers in India have reported that they have to work longer hours to complete project deadlines.

Career Growth and Salary Prospects in Commercial Interior Design 

Commercial interior designers in India have great career growth prospects in both urban and semi-urban areas of India. This is mainly because of the rapid growth of the private sector of India in the last decade, and so.

Average Salary for senior commercial interior designers in India ranges between 8 to 15 LPA.

Who should go for residential interior designing?

1. For designers who want to work on smaller projects, going for residential projects is the best. One residential projects typically consist of 4 to 5 separate units, which can be completed quite conveniently.

2. If you aspire to create customized spaces, the residential interior design is for you. Residential projects allow designers to interact with clients and understand their needs. This forms the basis of creating customized spaces.

Who should go for commercial interior designing?

1. If you wish to work on bigger interior design projects, then commercial interior design is the best career choice for you. One corporate project can consist of more than 10 separate interconnected units, allowing the designers to make the best use of their potential.

2. For those who aspire to earn more in quick time, commercial interior designing is the way to go for them. The bigger budgets of the corporate and hospitality sector have ensured commercial interior designers earn more than residential interior designers in India.

Frequently Asked Questions