Interior Design vs Product Design - Know the Difference

Are you asking yourself, “Should I study interior or product design?” Then you are not the only one. Many students get confused about these two fields, especially their scope and usability.

Both the fields have some overlapping elements. Both will demand design thinking from you and ask for a user-centric approach. While these terms seem gibberish, we are here to clarify your interior and product design queries.

While the final choice depends on you, it is always best to make an informed decision. So, if the question “Which is better, interior design or product design?” bothers you, here’s a blog explaining these courses' differences.

Read on to learn more about your career options.

Interior design or product design? Don’t get confused!

Before you decide whether to pursue an interior design or a product design career, you must get your basics right. Here’s a quick overview of the two fields:

What is interior design?

It is the professional practice of transforming a space that satisfies human needs. It is the art and science of creating an aesthetically pleasing environment. This field involves furniture selection, architectural detailing, light designing, color theory, and other interior design elements.

In your interior designer career, you will use various CAD software, mood boards, hand sketches, and 3D visualization tools. You will also work with larger spaces, like a building, room, or environment.

What is product design?

It is the professional practice of creating and designing a product that solves a user’s problem. In this art, you will design a product focusing on its usability and functionality. This field involves elements like coming up with product ideas, sketching, selecting materials, creating computer-aided designs (CAD), and other aspects of product design.

You will use several sketching tools, mockup materials, software like CAD, and rapid prototyping technology like 3D printing. In your product design career, you will also work with smaller spaces or daily-use objects.

Interior design or product design: Know the differences

Here’s the answer to your question: “Which is better, interior design or product design?”: