Job prospects in the field increase as professionals are widely sought

Ask Jo Remillard what skills come in most handy for an interior designer, and her answer might surprise you. A working knowledge of marriage counseling can fill the bill.

“You definitely need to have very strong people skills, communicative skills” when working with couples who have different tastes, she said. “That’s where the ‘psych’ or marriage counseling comes in.”

A strong sense of color and scale and an extensive knowledge of all types of furniture don’t hurt either, Remillard said.

“It is not a hobby,” she said, even though home makeover shows can make it look like one.

Interior designers plan the appearance, furnishings and lighting of residences and commercial spaces, helping to make them functional and visually appealing.

Some interior designers work in architecture and design firms, teaming up on renovation or building projects, while others work independently, often developing networks of other freelancers they can call on for projects.

Remillard, 41, is an interior design consultant specializing in “downsizing.” Her practice in Canton serves people who are moving to smaller homes by helping them winnow down their possessions and consolidate space.

“People are attached to everything they own,” she said, which can make getting rid of things a challenge. But helping clients realize a vision for a new space is always challenging – in a good way, she said.

Karen Dinger left her sports marketing position at Reebok to try her hand at interior design, starting her Norwell-based firm Personal Spaces two years ago.

“I’m so passionate about it,” she said.

Like Remillard, Dinger, 41, starts by talking with the homeowners, finding out how they use their home and what kinds of furniture they like and dislike.

Then, depending on the client’s preferences, she will either draw a floor plan or just start shopping.

It is important, Dinger said, to be conscious of your client’s sensibility, not your own. Many, however, are open to new ideas.

“A lot of people don’t like trends and just go for a certain year or era,” she said, “but I think most people are pretty eclectic at this point.”

Employment prospects for designers have steadily increased as more and more people look for professional help to redo parts or every bit of their homes. The field of interior design for offices, public spaces and other commercial facilities is also growing.

And in a business built on relationships, Dinger said, good interior designers develop ongoing projects.

“People start with a room or drapery, and it snowballs,” she said. “A lot of clients, you just work with them forever.”

STYLE GUIDE
ONLINE: American Society of Interior Designers, New England chapter: asidne.org; National Council for Interior Design Qualification: ncidq.org

SALARY: Interior designers working in Greater Boston earned an average salary of $52,110 in 2004, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

MORE INFO.: Interior designers must have a good sense of color and spatial layout, and a knowledge of furniture types. There are no certification requirements for interior designers in Massachusetts, but the National Council for Interior Design Qualification offers a professional licensing exam for experienced designers.