Human Lifestyle

1. Planing is Imperative!

As I touched on here, successful design doesn't take place without a plan, and what a designer is  really paid for (in addition to the creative expertise) is the hours of  sourcing, scouting, space planning, and that go into a design.  In my introductory class, we did a lot of design boards        (thinking of sharing my final project tomorrow . . .), and while there aren't many designers (or firms) that do traditional boards, they're a great way to help conceptualize a project and assist a client in visualizing how a finish space will appear (many designers also make use of e-design, though it's not something we explored in depth). Measuring for drapery and reupholstered items seems simple, but it takes on another life when a client is paying you to do the work--incorrect measurements, poor installation, or large overages (fabric, tile, wallpaper, paint, etc.) can result in wasted money for your client and a bad reputation for you, which can kill your business before it gets started!  Checking backorders, sizes, schedules, references, deliveries and egos is the best way to ensure a successful business.  

2. You're only as good as your resources.

A hallmark of great design is a showstopping piece to define a space, and that means that a designer has to know where to go to find what's needed. One of the biggest perks of design school is the golden ticket to access sources that you may not have otherwise known about. I try to stay relatively well-versed with the design-related sources available around Atlanta (or so I thought), but the past few months in school have allowed me to connect with people and places that I may not have known about otherwise.  Skilled upholsterers, painters, workrooms, drapery installers, tilers, (and interior designers) don't come easy, and inspiring design can't happen without them!  The network I've gained in school has been invaluable, and it's great to have a wider community (in addition to my blog friends!) with whom to share resources and "insider" info.

3. It helps to talk the talk, if you want to walk the walk.

Like most foreign countries, interior design has a language all its own and it's helpful to know the language if you want to visit the "country"!  Sample fabrics are often called "memos", and curtains are known as "drapery" throughout the design world.  Colors are often referred to by their hues, and because we're in a visual business it's important to make the verbal distinction between hues like lavender and eggplant 'cause calling it plan ole' purple just won't do!  Sure, some of it can seem a little silly, but more more often than not it's been great learning the correct verbiage so that I can not only understand other designers, but also communicate more effectively with my own clients.

I over the past few months I've received some great emails from readers about my school experience, and whether I feel like I made the right choice.  The answer is a resounding, yes!  For those of you considering design school, tell me, what keeps you from making the jump?  For those of you who attended school, I'd love to hear whether you feel like it helped or hindered your career??  Either way, what advice do you have for me?

Lesson #1? It's harder than you think.

Really, it is.  And it's not because the work itself is hard, but because it requires a lot of what most of us have little of, and that's time.  Design school sounds fun and fluffy, like you'd be drawing and matching fabrics all day, but it's much more. I've met so many people who have gone to design school, and they all remember sleeping in their buildings to get work done.  Now I'm not quite to that point, but it has definitely been an adjustment, especially trying to balance the other obligations I have in my life.



 I have a BA in Sociology, and I've always considered myself to be a good writer, so I used to be able to spend a short amount of time writing a paper, embellish for a few pages, and be done--not so with design school.  The majority of the projects are time consuming, and what they really require for a job well done is time. Having a photographic memory won't be of too much help here.  Instead, you'll spend hours preparing presentations, cutting & re-cutting matting, sketching, toiling over computer programs, drawing blueprints by hand, building & creating, and there's no way to bluff your way through it--it has to be given the time it requires if you want to put forth your best effort.   If you decide to got to school because you have a passion for interior design, putting the time in won't be a burden (more of the opposite), but just remember that it's a true commitment. On the flip side, another piece of advice would be to remember to make sure you don't get so bogged down by the work that you forget about your love for the discipline.  There have been a few nights where I've had to take a step back and remember that no matter what happens or what grade I receive, I will still be okay. Over the last few months, I haven't been able to devote as much time as I'd like to refinishing furniture, blogging, and finishing spaces in my own home, but I know it will all pay off in the end. Not to mention the fact that I love what I'm learning!

This quarter I'm taking Intro to Drawing, and right now we're drawing the blueprints for a 2 story garage conversion by hand.  We were given a plan for a garage and allowed to change the floorplan to suit our desired design plan as long as it conforms to NKBA & generally accepted construction guidelines (i.e., height clearance requirements, countertop depths). While I love the class, we have to move at a NASCAR pace (to finish everything in 10 weeks), and I find that my meticulous attention to detail (and wanting everything to look perfect--totally unrealistic) finds me playing catch-up a lot.  On the flip side, it's invaluable skill that I would've never learned on my own--drafting by hand is no easy feat!  Still, I love it and wouldn't give it up for anything . . . . :)