Interior Design – What To Expect When You Get to School
Breaking into the competitive environment of interior design school can be intimidating. You have the passion, and you have the drive. But what can you expect once you get there?
Interior Design, Not Interior Decorating
“Interior design is not to be confused with interior decorating. Interior designers develop the blueprints of a room, choosing, for example, where to put the walls, the shape and height of the ceiling, and where the stairs go.”
In his article, Tim Martin makes an important distinction about interior design. While interior decorating is concerned with decorating a space (i.e. choosing a color or a texture for the walls) interior design is concerned with forming that space. In this way, interior design is more closely related to architecture than to interior decorating.
A Challenge
The work you do as an interior design student will test and strengthen the abilities you already possess. You will be working alongside students who share your passion and will encourage and challenge you to produce the best work possible. The reward comes when you meet those challenges and grow as an artist. A good interior design program will offer hands-on practice and assignments combined with a careful study of design theory.
The Chance To Be Creative
One of the most exciting aspects of interior design is the chance to create something from nothing. You’ll get the chance to see your own ideas implemented and brought to life, then improved as your designs are critiqued and developed. You will study the work of important designers and gain a new perspective into what it takes to arrange space elegantly and purposefully.
The People
Your time at an interior design school will impart more than just an education. Connections will be made, and relationships formed that will influence your success in the professional world. Networking is a major part of the higher-education experience, so be sure to keep in mind the implications of the contacts that you make. The faculty and staff at your interior design school will feel like family by the time you leave. Expect to spend a lot of time with your professors and take advantage of their knowledge, as they are the design school’s most valuable resource. Lastly, the friends you make in college are often the ones you keep your entire life. You’ll be spending countless hours in the design studio, but always be sure to take time out to enjoy your time as a student.
Read On!
College pamphlets and interior design school websites can give you a good idea of what to expect from student life and are an important resource when choosing an interior design school. But to get a true sense of the experience there is no better source than the students themselves. Check out this blog—updated by students of the New York School of Interior Design—and find out what interior design students are talking about.