How much money does an apartment designer get per month. How much do good designers in Russia earn

  • 31.07.2019

The profession of a designer is one of the most popular in recent times in Russia. Many designers have the ability to take orders remotely and work from home.

We will try to figure out in which areas design services are most in demand now and how much designers in Russia receive.

How much do interior designers earn?

An interior designer is considered a very popular profession not only in Russia, but throughout the world. Interior designers earn almost as much as architects. According to statistics, more than half of all interior designers in Russia are young people under 35 years old. The vast majority of them (80%) are women.

Despite the fact that this profession is considered creative, it also has a technical side. The designer's responsibilities include:

  • project design development;
  • creation of a 3D drawing;
  • choice of stylistic direction;
  • preparation and calculation of estimates;
  • procurement of materials on site with the customer;
  • development of author's interior items, including the creation of sketches;
  • control over finishing works;
  • decoration services.

Becoming a sought-after interior designer is not easy, it is not enough to undergo special training and gain experience. We need regular customers, participation in specialized exhibitions, recommendations, etc. How much an interior designer earns will largely depend on the number of orders he completes per year.

A good specialist needs to have many qualities: to be able to find mutual language with customers, show patience loyalty, and in some cases, even seek compromises. On the other hand, the profession involves control over the construction team. Therefore, the designer must also have managerial skills: be able to control the implementation finishing works at all stages, to ensure that each type of work is carried out efficiently and on time.

Answer the question how much an interior designer earns per month, you can only talk about the approximate level wages. A huge number of factors influence the average salary of a designer:

  • availability of special higher education;
  • skills in working with special programs AutoCAD and the like;
  • quality portfolio;
  • experience;
  • reputation;
  • region of residence;
  • well-known name or brand.

Average salary in major cities(Moscow and St. Petersburg) is much higher than in the periphery and amounts to more than 40,000 rubles per month. The average level of wages in the cities of Russia:

Town
Moscow 40-165
Saint Petersburg 55-135
Volgograd 40
Voronezh 40-125
Yekaterinburg 35-55
Kazan 40-85
Krasnodar 35-85
Krasnoyarsk 20-60
Krasnoyarsk 45
Nizhny Novgorod 45-105
Novosibirsk 40-100
Rostov-on-Don 20-65

How much does a fashion designer earn

Fashion designer is one of the most relevant professions in the last few years. To become a specialist in this field, it is not enough to receive professional training and gain experience. A sought-after fashion designer must have innate talent and taste.

The earnings of a clothing designer in large cities when working for hire is from 80,000 rubles. Specialists with higher education and more than 3 years of experience in their specialty in Moscow and St. Petersburg can count on this level of salary.

In the regions, of course, we are not talking about such salaries. In other cities of Russia, clothing designers receive much less. In most cases, we are talking about a salary slightly above the average for the region. However, exceptional specialists who are famous receive an order of magnitude more.

If the fashion designer has famous name, has won specialized competitions more than once, participates in fashion shows, then we are talking about a brand and its own brand of clothing. Cloth famous designers costs much more, many of them have own production and company stores.

If we talk about specialists who work in companies for hire, then the average level of salaries in Russia is:

Town Salary in thousands of rubles per month
Moscow 40-165
Saint Petersburg 40-90
Voronezh 45
Yekaterinburg 60-80
Kazan 35-50
Krasnodar 60-85
Krasnoyarsk 40-60
Krasnoyarsk 45
Nizhny Novgorod 40-50
Novosibirsk 55
Rostov-on-Don 40-85

How much does a graphic designer earn

Graphic designers very often work from home. This profession allows you to work remotely and many take orders on the so-called "freelance exchanges". In this case, we cannot talk about some kind of official salary or stable income. Monthly earnings graphic designer will depend only on his diligence and professionalism.

How much a graphic designer receives per month will depend on the number of orders he takes and completes. If we talk about a certain average level that graphic designers can count on, then average income from 15,000 to 40,000 rubles per month.

Professionals with experience and constantly receiving large orders receive much more. On average, their income is from 100,000 rubles per month. At the same time, we are not talking about working with a normalized 8-hour working day, but about working on a specific order. You can stretch the work for 6 months, or you can work seven days a week, take large orders and earn 150,000 rubles a month or more.

Many firms are looking for graphic design specialists in their staff. Very often we are talking about regular work about regular remote work. Thus, a specialist can expect to receive a salary once a month and have permanent employment. However, even here there are some nuances, in this case you will have to do some kind of monotonous, uninteresting work: develop packaging design, layouts, etc.

How Much Do Web Designers Get?

Another highly demanded profession is web design. A web designer is a technical specialist. Typically, most web designers work from home on a remote job. All orders are accepted through special exchanges on the Internet. In this, the profession of a web designer is similar to the profession of a graphic designer discussed above. However, here we are talking about the development of sites and applications. Recently, these services have been in high demand.

Many users and companies want to get their own website. Therefore, web designers can receive consistently high incomes of 30,000 rubles per month and more. If you wish, you can get a permanent job in a web design studio. Many firms hire specialists to fulfill customer orders. At the same time, a web designer can also be on the staff, but receive orders remotely and work sitting at home according to their own schedule.

The advantages of this profession are obvious, but there are also disadvantages. Working remotely, it is not always possible to receive orders regularly. Therefore, we are not talking about stable either. On the other hand, a web designer is not tied to one place and can work in any part of the world, having a computer and the Internet at hand. This makes the profession of a web designer very popular and in demand among young people.

How much does a landscape designer earn?

You can work as a landscape designer with a secondary special education behind you. To do this, you need to get a diploma in architecture and design. Too many job applicants landscape design additionally complete specialized specialized courses. However, the chances of getting a good salary and getting a job Good work more among specialists with higher education.

Despite the fact that this segment is very competitive, many young people strive to master this specialty. Young professionals who have just graduated from colleges and institutes can receive from 15,000 to 30,000 rubles a month. The highest wages are in large cities: in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In other cities of Russia, landscape designers with little experience receive less: from 15,000 rubles per month.

It's not enough to get a good job professional education and have the skill to use special programs: Corel Draw, Photoshop, AutoCad, etc. It is also necessary to know building codes, urban planning standards, environmental standards, landscape design standards, as well as the basics of botany, soil science and ornamental gardening.

The average age of an applicant for this profession is 27 years. As you can see, this profession has recently gained popularity in Russia. You can get a job as a landscape designer in almost all cities of Russia. But we are talking about very small salaries. A young specialist can count on a salary of 10,000 to 20,000 rubles per month. Higher salary offers landscape designers with more than 3 years of experience in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Here you can count on a salary of 30-35 thousand rubles a month.


However, reaching such heights is not so easy. First you need to gain experience in the profession, and even earlier - get a job. And the competition is 7.5 resumes per 1 vacancy. Moreover, the designer's income may include a percentage of the transaction, which means that at first, until you are developing exclusive expensive projects, almost more will depend on sales skills than on design talent.

Still, the game is worth the candle. Even if you do not become Ian Cullum, you are guaranteed a job you love, a good salary and the pleasure of creativity.

Job Responsibilities of an Interior Designer

Creation of design projects for interiors of residential and public premises:

The choice of the general stylistic direction of the design of the premises;
- development, drawing and 3D visualization of design projects of premises;
- coordination of design projects with clients;
- calculation of the required volume of building and finishing materials;
- purchase / participation in the purchase of building and finishing materials, furniture, decor items;
- development of author's models of furniture for design projects, transfer of sketches to production;
- architectural supervision of construction and finishing works;
- decoration of premises;
- participation in professional exhibitions.

Salary offers and requirements of employers

The average salary offer for interior designers in Moscow is 52,000 rubles, in St. Petersburg - 40,000 rubles, in Volgograd - 23,000 rubles, in Voronezh - 25,000 rubles, in Yekaterinburg - 35,000 rubles, in Kazan - 25,000 rubles, in Krasnoyarsk - 30,000 rubles, in Nizhny Novgorod - 24,000 rubles, in Novosibirsk - 30,000 rubles, in Omsk - 26,000 rubles, in Perm - 30,000 rubles, in Rostov - on-Don - 26,000 rubles, in Samara - 26,000 rubles, in Ufa - 26,000 rubles, in Chelyabinsk - 30,000 rubles.

Despite the fact that the profession of a designer is creative, vacancies contain extensive and clearly articulated requirements even for applicants for entry-level positions in this field. As an interior designer, employers want to see graduates and students of specialized faculties of universities. Young professionals should be proficient in specialized software: 3DS Max, AutoCAD, ArchiCAD, etc. At the interview, works made “by hand”, demonstrating the developed spatial thinking of the author, will come in handy. Novice designers should know the basics of the subject area, interior styles and principles for their implementation, and have skills in designing interior design. Developed communication skills will be useful in dealing with clients. The starting salary for novice designers in Moscow ranges from 30,000 to 38,000 rubles, in St. Petersburg - from 23,000 to 30,000 rubles, in Yekaterinburg - from 20,000 to 25,000 rubles, in Nizhny Novgorod - from 14,000 to 18 000 rub.


Town Income level, rub.
(no experience in this position)
Moscow 30 000 - 38 000
- Higher / incomplete higher education(architecture / design)
- Confident PC user (MS Office, 3DS Max, AutoCAD, ArchiCAD, etc.)
- Basic knowledge of interior design
- Knowledge of the main styles in the interior and their features, understanding the principles of their implementation in the interior
- Ability to draw by hand
- Developed spatial thinking
- Excellent communication skills
- Interior design skills

Portrait of the applicant in 1 range

Saint Petersburg 23 000 - 30 000
Volgograd 13 000 - 17 000
Voronezh 15 000 - 20 000
Yekaterinburg 20 000 - 25 000
Kazan 15 000 - 18 000
Krasnoyarsk 18 000 - 23 000
Nizhny Novgorod 14 000 - 18 000
Novosibirsk 17 000 - 20 000
Permian 15 000 - 20 000
Omsk 17 000 - 22 000
Rostov-on-Don 14 000 - 20 000
Samara 15 000 - 18 000
Ufa 15 000 - 20 000
Chelyabinsk 17 000 - 22 000

Designers with at least 1 year of work experience can ask for a salary increase or consider vacancies with higher salary offers. Such specialists should understand modern trends in interior design, have a portfolio of completed design projects. Negotiation skills should also be on top. Salary offers for candidates meeting the specified requirements in the capital increase to 45,000 rubles, in the city on the Neva - up to 35,000 rubles, in Yekaterinburg - up to 30,000 rubles, in Nizhny Novgorod - up to 20,000 rubles.

Town Income level, rub.
(with 1 year work experience)
Requirements and wishes for professional skills
Moscow 38 000 - 45 000
- Knowledge current trends interior design
- Portfolio of completed design projects
- Good negotiation skills

Portrait of the applicant in the 2nd range

Saint Petersburg 30 000 - 35 000
Volgograd 17 000 - 20 000
Voronezh 20 000 - 23 000
Yekaterinburg 25 000 - 30 000
Kazan 18 000 - 23 000
Krasnoyarsk 23 000 - 27 000
Nizhny Novgorod 18 000 - 20 000
Novosibirsk 20 000 - 25 000
Permian 20 000 - 24 000
Omsk 22 000 - 26 000
Rostov-on-Don 20 000 - 23 000
Samara 18 000 - 23 000 Ufa 20 000 - 24 000 Chelyabinsk 22 000 - 25 000

Entry to the next salary range is open to specialists with higher education in the field of architecture or design and work experience of more than 3 years. This level of income is offered by companies specializing in design projects for large premises and country houses. Therefore, employers would like to see specialists with work experience in similar organizations as applicants. The specifics of working with large customers also implies knowledge of the building and finishing materials market. Frequent visits of the designer to the site are required, which is why employers often indicate the presence of a personal car among the additional wishes. The upper limit of the third salary range in Moscow is 60,000 rubles, in St. Petersburg - 47,000 rubles, in Yekaterinburg - 40,000 rubles, in Nizhny Novgorod - 28,000 rubles.

Town Income level, rub.
(with experience from 3 years)
Requirements and wishes for professional skills
Moscow 45 000 - 60 000
- Higher education (architecture / design)
- Excellent orientation in the market of building and finishing materials, knowledge of the main manufacturers and their range
- Experience in implementing design projects for large premises / country houses

Possible request: own car

Portrait of the applicant in the 3rd range

Saint Petersburg 35 000 - 47 000
Volgograd 20 000 - 26 000
Voronezh 23 000 - 30 000
Yekaterinburg 30 000 - 40 000
Kazan 23 000 - 30 000
Krasnoyarsk 27 000 - 36 000
Nizhny Novgorod 20 000 - 28 000
Novosibirsk 25 000 - 34 000
Permian 24 000 - 30 000
Omsk 26 000 - 34 000
Rostov-on-Don 23 000 - 30 000
Samara 23 000 - 30 000
Ufa 24 000 - 30 000
Chelyabinsk 25 000 - 34 000

Applicants with 5 years of experience in the field of interior design can apply for the maximum income. These should be real aces who previously created high-budget design projects with complex technical equipment of the premises. An additional plus for experienced professionals will be fluency in English. The maximum recorded among salary offers capital, is 120,000 rubles. In St. Petersburg, interior design professionals earn up to 95,000 rubles, in Yekaterinburg - up to 80,000 rubles, in Nizhny Novgorod - up to 55,000 rubles.

Town Income level, rub.
(with 5+ years experience)
Requirements and wishes for professional skills
Moscow 60 000 - 120 000
- Experience in designing and implementing design projects with complex technical equipment of premises
- Experience in the implementation of high-budget design projects

Possible Wish: Knowledge in English at a conversational or fluent level

Portrait of the applicant in the 4th range

Saint Petersburg 47 000 - 95 000
Volgograd 26 000 - 55 000
Voronezh 30 000 - 60 000
Yekaterinburg 40 000 - 80 000
Kazan 30 000 - 60 000
Krasnoyarsk 36 000 - 70 000
Nizhny Novgorod 28 000 - 55 000
Novosibirsk 34 000 - 65 000
Permian 30 000 - 60 000
Omsk 34 000 - 70 000
Rostov-on-Don 30 000 - 60 000
Samara 30 000 - 60 000
Ufa 30 000 - 60 000
Chelyabinsk 34 000 - 70 000

Applicant portrait

Among applicants for the position of interior designer, the majority are young women with higher education. Representatives of the stronger sex in this segment of the labor market - 18%. 64% are young people under the age of 30. 81% of interior designers have higher education. 18% of applicants are fluent in English.

tweet

Blog embed code

Interior designer

An interior designer is a specialty that promises interesting, creative work, great opportunities for self-realization, and sometimes world fame. Such as that of Jaguar design director Ian Cullum, recognized best designer interiors of 2013 according to the Automotive Interiors Expo Awards.

If you want to earn even more, you will have to organize your own company. There is no upper limit for earning income. Everything will depend on how quickly you can get on your feet and earn yourself a good reputation in this market segment. The better you work, the more "fat" clients will come to you.

Web designer and graphic artist

One of the most popular areas in this area is the web or such people can easily help you develop business cards, websites, landing pages, posters, avatars, and even develop a corporate identity for any organization.

How much a designer of this kind earns depends on several factors:

  1. Diverse and high quality portfolio. A potential client must understand the level of your skills.
  2. The average price for services of this kind - you should not overestimate the price for services too much, this will scare away customers. But you shouldn't charge too low a price either. Of course, this will attract more customers to you, but very soon you will get tired of sitting around the clock for miserable pennies.
  3. Time taken to complete an order. How much a designer earns directly depends on how much he works. If you take one order a week, you will not see big incomes.

landscape designer

Another fairly popular profession is a landscape designer. The salary of such a specialist also depends on many factors. A good landscapist has been valued more and more lately. This is due to the fact that many families, tired of the bustle of the city, tend to move to nature, which means they are faced with the need to equip the local area.

If your profession is "landscape designer", the salary will depend on which region you work in. In some regions, the price for such services ranges from 20 to 30 thousand rubles per project. In the nearest suburbs, you can already ask for 50-60 thousand rubles for one farmstead. And if you can not only create a beautiful picture of flowers, trees and fountains, but understand construction, geodesy, water supply and other areas of activity, then your earnings can rise to 100-120 thousand. And if you can work not only efficiently, but also quickly, you should try to manage two or three projects at the same time. Earnings in this case will increase proportionally.

Interior Design

Such specialists most often work not on their own, but in collaboration with a design studio. Therefore, their salary is usually fixed and depends on experience, length of service and the number of successfully completed projects.

Beginners can count on a salary of no more than 20-25 thousand rubles in the periphery and about 38 thousand in the capital. More experienced specialists with higher education in this area and who independently completed more than a dozen projects can count on a salary of 80-100 thousand Russian rubles per month.

Fashion designer

The salary of a fashion designer depends on the level of the company in which he works. Small firms will offer 25-30 rubles per month. Salaries in large metropolitan firms can reach up to one hundred thousand.

Only a small number of specialists in this field of activity can afford to create and promote author's fashion collections and create under their own name. Most still work "for their uncle."

How much does a designer earn abroad?

Everything we have talked about before refers to the Russian service market. And how much does a designer "for them" earn?

Here, to all the above skills, you will have to add excellent knowledge of the language. Just colloquial will not work here. After all, you will have to discuss in detail with the customer all the nuances of the future project.

Now about the salary. By our standards, it is, one might say, transcendental. For example, an American graphic designer or web specialist can earn between 38,000 and 105,000 greenbacks per month. An interior designer in Australia can claim an average monthly salary of 75-80 thousand "American presidents".

Advertising agencies in major cities in many countries charge by the hour. It ranges from 320 to 585 dollars for one hour of work. Not bad, right? Looking at such proposals, it is safe to say that the designer is not only a very interesting, but also quite a profitable profession.

Interior design is a creative, interesting job. Many people work in this area, turning original ideas into reality. This profession is in demand in various areas of life. How much do designers earn? Their income depends on various factors that must be considered by all specialists before employment.

A little about the profession

Designers are needed in different areas - in the interior, clothing, landscape. Specialists develop ideas, make changes to them, creating something new. If you involve an interior designer during construction, you can get excellent housing, taking into account your requirements.

The specialty is received in various educational institutions of our country. They usually hire qualified employees. Professions can be further trained, mastering new areas of design.

Duties

How much designers earn depends on the responsibilities. Although they have creative work, they still have a list of mandatory tasks:

  • creation of drawings and design projects;
  • choice of style for the room;
  • calculation of the volume and price of materials;
  • purchase of materials, furniture and decor together with the customer;
  • creation of sketches of furniture;
  • control over construction works;
  • room decor;
  • participation in specialized exhibitions.

All stages are agreed with the customer. Here the communicative qualities of a specialist are important. How much an interior designer earns will depend on professional skills and experience.

What affects income?

Design is considered a creative profession. But how to become a sought-after specialist? In this case, you need not only creative thinking and artistic talent. To be successful in this area, additional skills are needed. A specialist must have the skills of an architect, artist, engineer, designer, constructor. Income in many areas depends on diligence, punctuality, contact.

Salaries for creative people are rarely stable, which also applies to designers. Their income depends on several factors:

  • the level of education;
  • possession of special programs;
  • work experience, portfolio;
  • time of work on the order;
  • reputation;
  • locality;
  • goodwill;
  • skill.

The salary in many other countries for these specialists is higher compared to Russia. Their income abroad can be in the range of 35-105 thousand dollars.

Income in Russia

How much an interior designer earns in Russia depends on the region. The highest incomes are in the Moscow region, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar and Novosibirsk. The initial wage is 10 thousand rubles. How much do designers earn in Moscow? The maximum per month is 125 thousand rubles, and the average is 60 thousand rubles.

How much does a designer earn on average? Income in each city is different:

  • St. Petersburg - 35-45 thousand rubles;
  • Yekaterinburg - 32-42;
  • Krasnoyarsk - 27-36;
  • Novosibirsk - 27-35;
  • Omsk - 27-35;
  • Chelyabinsk - 25-36;
  • Ufa - 24-30.

Such earnings will be for specialists with work experience of 3 years or more. How much does a designer earn per month in a small town? His income will be about 20 thousand rubles.

landscape designer

These specialists work with a number of related disciplines. They need to know engineering to create communications, lighting layouts, water removal systems. Specialists work with the placement of fountains, premises. Their responsibilities include designing the appearance of the garden, which requires knowledge in the field of botany and ecology, since this requires not only to determine the location of the plant, but also to be able to create suitable conditions for it.

Landscape designers should not take on several projects at once, as the work of creating the appearance of the territory is considered painstaking. It takes a lot of time for her. How much do designers in Russia earn on this profile? The average income is 25-30 thousand rubles, and in Moscow - 45-50 thousand rubles.

Beginners in this field are paid less. For example, in Kazan, specialists without experience are paid about 11-14 thousand rubles, and in Moscow - 20-27 thousand rubles. Employees are required in specialized firms. It is difficult for aspiring designers to build a career, but still possible.

clothing designers

Fashion design is considered to be a demanded job. Specialists create sketches of new products, taking into account the wishes of the customer. The result is a unique thing that fully meets the requirements of a particular person. The income of a specialist depends on experience, skill, creativity. As in other areas, there is competition here, so beginners are paid a little.

How much do fashion designers earn? In the regions, income is 20-30 thousand rubles, and in Moscow - from 50 thousand rubles. The average figure for Russia is 40 thousand rubles.

Web page designers

These specialists are engaged in projects of applications and websites. In addition to working in companies and studios, such specialists can perform their duties remotely.

The average salary of specialists is 20-70 thousand rubles. It depends on the region, experience, portfolio availability. When working remotely, you should choose the right pricing policy.

Portfolio

In many companies, when applying for a job, you are required to show a portfolio. It is presented in the form of a folder with types of work performed. According to him, the employer evaluates the style, skills, abilities. Portfolio can be in paper form and in electronic form. It should contain information about yourself and work.

The portfolio should include the best work that has been done. You can illustrate the development of certain projects. This should be done from start to finish. This will allow you to demonstrate your skills and abilities. All material in the portfolio should be in a logical sequence. You can add a description to each project.

The portfolio may contain a resume describing work experience, education, awards. It is advisable to place a business card with personal information in it. In this form, the portfolio will help you find the desired vacancy.

Increasing earnings

Income depends on the requirements that employers impose on employees. They are as follows:

  • knowledge of the basics of work;
  • spatial thinking;
  • design;
  • freehand drawing;
  • work with programs.

The level of salary is affected by the availability of education. Companies require documents on graduation from a higher educational institution. Graduates of prestigious universities of the country and other states are in great demand. Knowledge of the specialized literature is essential. They are hired after college and after graduation, but then the salary will be lower compared to high-level specialists.

Work experience plays an important role. The higher the experience and the more large-scale projects in the resume, the greater the chances of successful employment with a high income. The level of financial condition of employees depends on how much the company earns. In many firms the salary plus percent from orders is paid.

The Village continues to find out how much people of different professions earn and what they spend money on. In the new issue - interior designer. The income of representatives of this profession depends on the number of ordered projects and agreements on a commission with furniture and building materials sellers. The fall in the income of Russians has had a strong impact on this market: our heroine now earns half as much as a year earlier. We learned from her how she works and what she spends money on.

Profession

Interior designer

Income

40 000 rubles

10 000 rubles

rental of property

2 000 rubles

10 000 rubles

1 000 rubles

3 500 rubles

the hairdresser

2 000 rubles

8 000 rubles

dentist

1 000 rubles

medicines

2 500 rubles

petty household expenses

How to become an interior designer

Since childhood, I liked to engage in creativity in different manifestations. She was fond of not just drawing, but voluminous paper layouts, origami. At the age of nine, I got into a children's architectural and art studio, where I successfully studied for six years. I have the warmest memories of my studies. As I understand now, it is very rare when teachers empathize and support students so much. The studio was able to give not only a sense of taste and knowledge of art history, but also patience and perseverance, which later came in handy at the university.

In high school, I dreamed of finishing school as soon as possible and enrolling in the architecture department of a university in my city. It felt like I was wasting my time at school. For the entire 11th grade, I was preparing for applicant courses - twice a week for three hours there was a drawing, on Sundays - mathematics. In the summer, drawing classes continued every other day for three to six hours. There is always a big competition for the Faculty of Architecture. For admission, you must pass two exams in drawing for six hours each and a test in mathematics. I barely passed the points for the budget form of education.

The training itself was not easy. I was surprised by acquaintances from other universities who still worked full-time from the second or third year. Architectural higher education is considered one of the most difficult. Duration - six years of full-time education.

Usually, classical education does not include teaching computer programs. If a person wants to become a designer, they will have to take a 3D visualization course at least. Otherwise, as one of my supervisors said, working in your specialty is much more useful than additional training in a fashionable school. After moving to Moscow, I just wanted to enter the same school with an international diploma, but changed my mind.

In general, design education is very subjective, and because of the high demand, the quality of education is declining. There are no professional standards and licenses, so you can complete some second-rate courses and be called a designer. Often there are one-day webinars, seminars, meetings with famous designers. Sharing experiences and networking with peers can be really rewarding.

But for a designer, the main thing is a portfolio. Orders depend on the quality and quantity of work done. With student papers, few will consider a candidate. Of course, in addition to this, the ability to communicate is also important.

Features of work

Now I have been working as a designer for two years with an architect friend. When you work together, ideas are even more carefully selected, everything superfluous is cut off. In the process of joint activities, the division of responsibilities occurred by itself. I am mainly engaged in the selection of furniture, materials, decor, negotiations with customers, communication with sales managers to purchase equipment for the facility, filling content and portfolios in social networks and thematic sites. The partner is engaged in the design of a planning solution, technical drawings, 3D visualization.

Stages of work on the project are standard. Preliminary there is a meeting-acquaintance with the customer, a discussion of the project and wishes, a technical task is drawn up, an agreement is signed. But more often all this is already combined with a visit to the object for detailed measurements of the apartment.

Then the first and fundamental stage of the design project is the creation of a planning solution, because without a competent and convenient layout, there will be little point in a beautiful interior. This is one of the most interesting stages of work. We usually offer several radically different options. After that, usually one of them is finalized according to the wishes of the customer. The second stage of work is 3D visualization. On it you can see a picture of the interior as a whole. Real furniture, materials and fixtures are selected. Before starting work, we discuss with the customer the favorite analogues of interiors and colors. The last, third stage is working drawings. It includes detailed layouts of electrical and plumbing fixtures, doorways, a bill of materials. So that the builders and you do not have any difficulties in the repair process.

The next step is the design process. The success of this stage depends on many factors. If the planned budget for repairs is clearly discussed, there is no constant throwing from side to side, the project has been fully agreed and approved by all family members, and a more or less qualified and experienced construction team has been hired for repairs, then problems should not arise.

My working day usually starts with answering e-mails and messages on social networks. It takes some time. Most of the time it takes to search for analogues of selected items of furniture or materials at the request of the customer or in case of problems with the timing / cost. Then I usually contact the sales managers to remind them of the promised proforma invoices or to discuss any questions that have arisen. Sometimes only in the late afternoon it turns out to do current projects. It happens that I spend the whole day with the customer on the road to select materials and furniture. The congestion is seasonal: summer is the hottest time. During this time, I sometimes hire assistants to do visualizations.

In Moscow the competition is very strong. There are probably several thousand interior designers. For example, there are two more designers with the same last name and first name as mine in the capital. But many occupy their niche, a certain target audience. For example, our customers are mostly young couples aged 30-35, the budget for repairs is small, but they are open to everything new and modern.

For small design studios or private designers, word of mouth is relevant. Since the design and renovation of an apartment is a responsible and rather personal matter, people often turn to recommendations from relatives or acquaintances. In addition to this and paid advertising, there are different ways to attract customers. There are many thematic sites where you can post a portfolio and participate in discussions, consultations, and write articles.

The cost range for a design project is 1,200–1,600 rubles per square meter, depending on the scope of work and area. The complete project includes 3D visualization, working drawings and selection of the entire configuration. After completing the design project, it is advisable to plan joint trips with the customer to furniture and materials showrooms. Usually one or two is enough to see live how everything fits together, and in which case to pick up analogues. The cost of the trip is 3,500 rubles, and usually takes six to eight hours.

A design project is a constant dialogue between a customer and a designer. The participation of the client is very important, as the interior is always individual. Each family has its own wishes and view of the future home. Many customers develop friendly relations.

Of course, there are unusual wishes of customers. In one bedroom for a girl, a prerequisite was the use of ceilings with the effect of a starry sky, a round canopy bed and an electric fireplace. And other clients asked to build a safe for storing documents in a closet in the laundry room. On the ground floor of an apartment building in the historical part of the city, there was a desire to make a basement with a rest room and a bathroom (the Moscow Housing Inspection did not agree on such changes). Once, customers were asked to rely on the scheme and recommendations of Vastu (the Indian analogue of Feng Shui).

Salary

Earnings are very different, as the payment is piecework. Maybe 20 thousand, and 200 thousand rubles a month. On average, over the past year, about 80 thousand rubles a month came out, if we consider a two-month vacation as paid. I know this for sure, because for the convenience of calculating income and expenses I use a special application. The total amount consists not only of the payment for the design project. There are also such income items as architectural supervision, interest from the sale of author's 3D models, writing articles, affiliate programs of suppliers. Sometimes designers offer, for example, furniture by agreement with the supplier. As a rule, normal designers make sure that these prices are beneficial for the customer, and do not cheat from above. In this case, the designer receives 2–5% from the supplier - for example, he gets 20–50 thousand from the entire assembly of an object worth a million rubles. Funny money. But for a designer, it is more profitable and more interesting to lead the entire project from scratch to its full implementation.

This year, the work has become less, and customers have become more selective and demanding. In recent months, income has halved: now it is about 40 thousand rubles. But I like that I have free time. I hope that in the summer - during the season of repairs - everything will be restored.

10 thousand rubles a month are spent on housing - we rent a "kopeck piece" for three. I drive a young man's car, it takes 2,000 rubles for gasoline. I spend most of my time at home, I eat mostly at home too. Spending on food - about 10 thousand rubles. Of the last major expenses - a driving school for 60 thousand rubles and braces for 140 thousand rubles. I plan to buy a SLR camera for 55 thousand rubles to try my hand at interior photography of my projects. To print projects on A3 in color, I have already purchased an inkjet printer for 10 thousand rubles. Sometimes samples of materials, tinting fans of paints from different manufacturers are needed for work.

In my spare time I ride a bike, rollerblading, snowboarding. I like to just walk around Moscow, now some innovations are constantly appearing: parks, pedestrian zones, bike paths are being ennobled. This makes me incredibly happy as a designer! Just dreams become reality - beautiful pictures of the urban environment and landscape design come to life.

I like to go on vacation for a long time - for two, four, six weeks, because it's hard to see something in a week. Just have time to take a break from the flight, and fly again. In addition, the cost of a flight is usually a significant expense item in a trip. Over the past two years, she has traveled to the UAE, Israel, Jordan, Abkhazia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and India. In 90% of cases I prefer independent travel to organized tours. It is often possible to find promotions with cheap tickets. The cheapest tickets are to Israel on the Red Sea coast for 1,500 rubles round-trip. It turns out to have a rest basically only on a trip, since during normal hours work is almost seven days a week. So I try to go somewhere more often. I hope to travel around Russia with a tent this year.

Illustration: Nastya Grigorieva