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Now you can get your interior design training online and take classes around your schedule.Turn your passion for home decorating into a career in interior design. A successful interior design career starts with training from a reputable interior design school. Search our school directory for interior design schools in California, New York, or even online. For more tips and advice on interior design schools and careers, check out our interior design articles.
Featured Articles - Interior Design & Decorating
Interior Decorating Tips from the Pros
by Joe Cooperjoe.cooper@interiordesignschoolreview.com
Interior Design School Review Columnist
Some recent profiles of interior decorators reveal some valuable career tips for interior decorating tips and new decorators. Keeping it simple and focusing on the client can produce a great design result, as well as increased client satisfaction that can help spread the word about your decorating services.
Being Simple and Creative with Interior Decorating
Interior decorator Jackie Davis, of Wilmington, DE, described the most popular decorating questions to a Wilmington online publication recently. "What color should I paint my room?" she says is the thing she hears the most. Her advice is simple: "… if you add color, the room comes alive."She also advises clients to avoid a common decorating mistake--lining a wall with furniture. "Some rooms even look bigger with furniture off the wall," she suggests.
Ms. Davis is a regular guest on the HGTV show, "Decorating Cents." Her previous career in technology shows a stark contrast to her more creative, colorful role now as a decorator. She represents decorators who approach the profession with simplicity and creativity.
Focus on the Client
New York interior designer and decorator Nina Freudenberger talked to the New York Post recently about an interesting decorating concept she uses often: designing outside your own tastes.Ms. Freudenberger attended interior design school in Rhode Island before relocating to her home state of New York. She described how many of her designs and decorations are much more masculine than she is. She also avoids using "tricks" that clients see on design shows, and instead focuses on the client's own materials, tastes, and spaces.
Embracing these simple tips could help grow your decorating business and keep your mind open to new decorating ideas in the future.
About the Author
Joe Cooper writes home services and design articles and manages corporate communications. He holds a bachelor's degree in American literature from UCLA.
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Design Career Tips from Successful Designers
by Joe Cooperjoe.cooper@interiordesignschoolreview.com
Interior Design School Review Columnist
You don't have to design the latest hotel to be a great designer. Here are some interior design career tips taken from observing the career of a couple of designers in the Midwest who are growing their design business in some key ways.
Interior designers Tricia Beaudet and Shannon Piwinski own their own interior design business in Michigan. True, Michigan may not be the center of the design world, but they're doing their part. In fact, they're growing their business.
Different Types of Design
Here are a few tips for future designers that Ms. Beaudet and Ms. Piwinski have used to be successful with their own firm:- Work with housing developers. Despite the slow-down in the real estate market, house builders are still building. Condo sales have performed much better than single family home sales, and these complexes typically need designers.
- Become a renovation consultant. Many homeowners are choosing to remodel their home in place of, or even before, selling it. This could be a great way to grow your design business, even if the project is small. From single rooms to entire homes, renovation consultations can be a good way to earn some basic income.
- Work with medical institutions. Although the challenges of budget and timeline can be strict with medical institution projects, they can offer a great way to add a large-scale project to your resume. And relationships with public housing and facility builders are typically some of the best relationships to have.
Don't be Afraid to Decorate
In your design career, and especially as a young designer, you should not be afraid of interior decorating. Some designers fear they may get pigeonholed, and are less interested in furnishings than floorplans. But interior decorating can be a great way to meet developers, agents, and grow your network.About the Author
Joe Cooper writes home services and design articles and manages corporate communications. He holds a bachelor's degree in American literature from UCLA.
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Color, Material, and Education: All Tools of the Interior Decorator
by Joe Cooperjoe.cooper@interiordesignschoolreview.com
Interior Design School Review Columnist
Interior decorators often complete the link between architects and interior designers and homeowners or tenants in pursuit of a completely finished look. New trends and opportunities make it a good time to start a career in interior decorating.
Interior Decorating Trends
Veteran interior designer Susan Slotkis, author of the well respected Foundations of Interior Design, recently described to Furniture Style the movement in interior decorating trends. She explains that the U.S. has been "behind" other countries in the use of "saturated" colors. However, she remarks, "we as Americans have moved towards more comfort level with more color." For example, we are beginning to see brown color groups being used more frequently in interiors.Ms. Slotkis also notes an increase in the use of handmade decorations and accessories. This trend can be observed in the marketing and sale of many interior decorating materials these days, with terms like "hand-carved," "hand-woven," and "hand-spun" appearing commonly in retail and furniture stores.
Interior Decorating College
While many homeowners and consumers could describe similar interior decorating trends, and even give their own spaces a good amount of design, it takes a professional to offer and sell interior decorating advice and services. Many states even make it illegal to provide these services without an interior decorating license or degree.An interior decorating degree may be less common than an interior design degree, but interior decorating colleges offer certifications, licenses, and degrees to students who complete programs that are often 18-24 months in length. In these programs, students typically learn basic design concepts, and study the use of a variety of materials, furnishings, and lighting to complete interiors once the structure is in place.
New Opportunity in Interior Decorating
Some new opportunities are available in interior decorating, as real estate developers look to attract buyers and renters by completely furnishing models units. These developments feature the contemporary design and decorating of licensed professionals, and can be found in most areas around the country.Sources: About the Author
Joe Cooper writes home services and design articles and manages corporate communications. He holds a bachelor’s in American Literature from UCLA.
Visit the Interior Design School Review News archives »
Child Safety First: Kid-Proof Your Interior Design Schemes
by Kate McIntyrekate.mcIntyre@interiordesignschoolreview.com
According to an article on HGTV.com, more than 2 million people a year are injured or killed in accidents that happen in their own homes. If your interior design clients have children, one of your most important jobs as an interior designer is to make their homes as safe as possible for the smallest members of the family.
Play it Safe: Kid-Friendly Interior Design
The Home Safety Council reports that falls are the top source of injury in homes in the U.S., followed by poisonings and burns. Children are particularly susceptible because of their boundless energy and curiosity. Here are some tips for child-friendly interior decorating:- Either choose furniture designed without sharp, pointed corners or install corner protectors on problem items like coffee tables and end tables
- Look out for sharp corners on fireplace hearths, and cover them if necessary
- Make sure that all rugs have anti-slip mats underneath them to prevent them from sliding as a child runs across them
- Include an out-of-the-way lockable cabinet in your interior decorating scheme for poisonous substances such as cleaning supplies, and make sure that the home is adequately supplied with both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Rather than incorporating open flames from candles, consider using battery-powered candles instead
Maximize Your Interior Design Skills
Attending an interior design school degree program will help you to learn about ways to maximize your expertise to expand your client base. Knowing how to design for families with children is a great place to start. Interior design clients with children will greatly appreciate working with someone who can produce great designs for their home while also looking out for the safety of their family.Sources: About the Author
Kate McIntyre is a writer in Portland, Oregon. She holds a B.A. from Harvard University and an M.F.A. in fiction writing from Oregon State University.
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Know Your Natural Fabrics: The Basics for Interior Designers
by Kate McIntyrekate.mcIntyre@interiordesignschoolreview.com
Picking attractive fabrics that harmonize with the rest of the interior decorating in a room is only half of the battle. Interior designers must also worry about the characteristics of the fabrics they choose, lest they make the mistake of using unlined silk for curtains or white cotton upholstery in a house with a small child who loves grape juice. This guide will help you to pick the right fabric for the job.
Silk for Elegant Interior Decorating
With its rich shine and luster, silk is one of the most beautiful fabrics available to interior designers, but it does require some special handling. Silk cannot be placed in direct sunlight or the fibers might weaken and develop “sun rot.” Be sure to line silk curtains, and you should be safe. Because silk is so pricy, it is a popular choice for throw pillows.Warm and Fuzzy Interior Decorating with Wool
Not all wool is created equally. Many people think of wool as scratchy and uncomfortable, but this quality can vary greatly based on the type of sheep and the way its fleece is processed. Merino wool, for instance, is often buttery soft--a great choice for blankets and throws. Wool also makes rich and naturally flame retardant carpeting and rugs.Cool and Crisp Interior Decorating with Cotton
Cotton is the go-to comfy and casual choice for upholstery because of its breathability. It also makes great casual curtains for less formal design schemes. New organic cotton fabrics are appealing to those interested in green interior decorating. Keep in mind, though, that it can stain easily.If you find that you enjoy choosing fabrics for rooms, you might have the talents you need to be a great interior designer. Skills such as choosing the right prints and pairing patterns, colors, and textures are valuable design skills. Taking some courses at an interior design school can help you decide if the career path is right for you.
Sources: About the Author
Kate McIntyre is a writer in Portland, Oregon. She holds a B.A. from Harvard University and an M.F.A. in fiction writing from Oregon State University.
Visit the Interior Design School Review News archives »
