A creative bent of mind and an eye for detail and beauty are the inherent qualities that could help you become a professional interior decorator. Patience and good communication skills are other prerequisites. No formal training or education is required, and with people having more money, but less time to decorate their homes and offices, you are unlikely to be short of work.

First decide whether you want to work part-time or full-time and whether you want to work from home or rent an office. You could set up an attractive home-office, and advertise your services in local newspapers and magazines, as well as the Internet. Decorate your own home or office with extra care, as it would be a kind of advertisement in itself. In addition, when you start off as an interior decorator, offer to decorate some of your relatives' or friends' homes for free. Word-of-mouth publicity can do wonders in this profession, and you are likely to gain many assignments.

An interior decorator is hired to decorate or redecorate homes, offices, hotels, nursing homes, and wedding locales. Clients may vary from the super-rich to middle-class families. A client expects a decorator to know about space layout and planning, color coordination, lights, flooring, hardware, paints, object d' art, furniture, fabrics, plants, and accessories.

As an interior decorator you need to carry out the following tasks:

- Meet the client to understand his/her requirements

- Survey the area you have been told to decorate

- Provide a rough sketch to the client about how you intend to decorate or redecorate the space

- Provide an estimate of costs involved

- Choose furniture, lights, hardware, upholstery, and accessories based on design aesthetics and your client's preference

- Coordinate with carpenters, metal workers, boutique owners, and artists

An interior decorator's job is not easy. You may have to juggle ideas and costs. In addition, you may come across fussy clients who are hard to satisfy. The super-rich, for example, are known to be hard to please. On the other hand, some clients trust the interior decorator's knowledge and skills, and they are easily satisfied.

To conclude, before embarking on a career as interior decorator, get together an impressive portfolio. It should indicate your sense of style by including samples or pictures of the colors, fabrics, lights, glass, and accessories that you employ. It does

not have to be a portfolio of projects that you have been paid for. Include letters of recommendation and client comments, if any. While working, deal tactfully with your clients. Remember it's their space not yours that you are decorating.