Quick Answer:
According to the British Industry of Interior Design, they estimated that there were 20,000 interior designers practising in the UK in 2021, however, it’s not possible to publish a definitive figure as there is no government regulator for the industry, unlike architecture. When it comes to the growth rate of the interior design industry, researcher IBISWorld expects it to increase 3.6% in 2023, with its market size estimated at £1.5bn.
Are Interior Designers in Demand?
Each year there will be numerous job openings as people retire or leave this occupation. As the ageing population increases and with the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increased demand for interior designers in the retirement home sector and healthcare industry because of the need for more facilities. There has also been an increased demand for designers in the hospitality industry as tourism begins to pick back up. In the commercial space, there has been an expected increase in demand for interior designers as companies try to adjust to the impact COVID-19 has had on the workplace, and adapt to demands for hybrid environments.
Industries That Have a High Demand for Interior Designers
Are interior designers in demand more so in some industries than in others? With an overall projected increase of 3.6% for the interior design industry in 2023 according to IBISWorld, there have been a few industries who have seen a spike in their need to employ interior designers:
Hospitality
- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic people were not allowed to travel as much so when restrictions were loosened people were more than excited to get back to their holiday time. According to the World Tourism Organisation, global international tourism increased by 130% in January 2022 when compared to 2021. This means hotels, resorts, and even restaurants have experienced an increased need for interior designers to update their facilities and make it appealing to the increased number of tourists.
Commercial
- After COVID-19 it is now becoming the norm for companies to give their employees a hybrid return to office plan. Companies are now allowing employees to continue to work from home but also require them to come into the office a few days a week. According to PWC the office isn’t dead. In fact, according to a survey they conducted of UK organisations, 77% were considering reconfiguring their existing office plan to better accommodate hybrid work environments.
Healthcare
- Due to the ageing population and COVID-19 there has also been an increased need for healthcare facilities. As people get older more senior care facilities need to be built.
Residential
- According to the UK Planning Portal, in June 2021 they received 63,497 applications for planning permissions in England and Wales, which was up 52% from the previous year, showing that many more Brits decided to tackle home improvement projects during the pandemic. People were spending most of their time at home so the desire to improve the space around them was inevitable.
Conditions That Can Impact Demand for Interior Designers
Like any industry there are always external factors that can impact interior designer employment outlook:
Rising Cost of Living
- The find-a-tradesperson platform, RatedPeople.com found that the rising cost of living is having a huge impact on UK homeowners undertaking home improvements, with only 35% saying they will definitely be carrying out work in their homes in 2023 (down from 52% in 2022), with 71% of tradespeople predicting work will drop out this year because of the rising cost of living. The reason for this rise is down to a number of factors, including the Ukraine war and Brexit, and the result is an inflated cost of materials and operational costs for tradespeople. This creates a sort of trickle down effect because as prices for materials and furniture rise, interior designers will have to raise their rate as well. This can affect the amount of business they get and how much their clients are willing to spend on interior design services.
Labour Force Changes
- Thousands of people retire each year from the interior design occupation. According toLegal & General, the number of people reaching retirement age in 2022 was around 700,000 people. This could be due to COVID-19 which also caused 46% of people who responded to the 2021 Microsoft Work Trend Index: Annual Report to say they either switched jobs during the pandemic or plan to look for a new job once the threat decreases.
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Designers
- In the Mintel UK DIY report in 2022, it was found that 58% of UK DIYers have painted or redecorated themselves in the last 12 months, while a survey by InsightDIY found that 74% of UK households carried out do-it-yourself projects during lockdowns. Obviously, the increased amount of free time at home during the pandemic had a huge impact on homeowners gaining confidence to tackle DIY jobs themselves, with people wanting to improve their living spaces, or create home offices, and not being able to call in the experts. Interestingly, consumer spending experts at money.co.uk found that although 77% of UK homeowners invested in their property in 2022, one in five spent the majority of their home improvement money on their garden and not their interiors.
What are Real Interior Designers Saying About Job Outlook in 2022?
We interviewed a few interior pros on Houzz and this is what they had to say about the job outlook for 2023:
“Post all the lockdowns ending, I had never been busier,” says Chloe Cubitt of Honey & Toast Interiors. “I received record numbers of new enquiries and I attribute that to a lot of pent-up demand, people being forced to save money as they weren't able to go out or go on holidays. Spending more time at home also meant people kept looking at things they found irritating and wanted to change. This year has been noticeably quieter in terms of the volume of new enquiries, but personally, I am still really busy as I have found there's enough work from people who are perhaps slightly better off financially. Over the next year or so, I think this trend will continue. I've had discussions with new enquiries regarding the cost of my in-person, bespoke services compared to online offerings, which are much cheaper. Yet clients still seem to want a personal touch and are happy to pay for that, they just want a bit of comfort in understanding the value in what they're paying for - which I think is quite reasonable to ask in the current economic climate.”
Julia May Yong of York House Designs also believes there is much potential to be had this year and for years to come. “People are viewing their homes differently, thanks to COVID. Dedicated laundry rooms have become a big thing as people are keen to hide away clutter and keep their homes, while home offices are also on the rise as people are tired of working at the dining table. So, there is a lot of potential for people in this industry.”
Whereas, Laila Johnson of Designed SmART says, "...With so many interior designers out there, interior designers will have to show a differential. It has to be something beyond 'I can put beautiful finishes together'. I think the market is getting more and more competitive."
James Woodham, director of Akiva Projects Ltd, believes a cultural shift towards a greater appreciation for well-designed and aesthetically pleasing interiors has created a bigger demand for bespoke design services. “This trend, coupled with the rise of social media platforms focused on interior design and home improvement, has increased public awareness and interest in professional interior design services. Homeowners and businesses understand the impact of a thoughtfully-planned space on their well-being, productivity, and overall quality of life. Companies, like Akiva, recognise this desire and aim to make interior design accessible to a wider audience by offering fixed price interior design packages.”
Conclusion
So, are interior designers in demand? With a steady increase in job openings and innovation happening in the interior design field there is an undeniable demand for interior designers. Of course there are ever changing factors that can change the demand for interior designers but there are also steps you can take during your career to help secure employment.
If you think this exciting and varied career is for you, take a deeper dive into the day-to-day aspects of this profession by reading our article on Interior Designer Job Responsibilities.
