Gino's Interior Accents

Interior Design London UK

2010-11-04T18:29:00.000-07:00

Whatever your interest in interior design, London is likely to have what you are looking for. Maybe you are seeking inspiration and imaginative tips on interior design for your own home or you are an interior designer and want to promote your own work, or perhaps you want to hire the services of a professional designer or even study interior design yourself, no matter what your need is, there is no better place to satisfy it than from the design capital of the UK itself, London.

Visiting Exhibitions in London

London hosts a number of exciting exhibitions every year, some of which focus on a specific area of interior design and others that are broader in their approach. Exhibitions serve many purposes, they can showcase new talent and fresh ideas from up and coming interior designers often alongside the work of already well established and highly sought after designers in the industry, they highlight the latest fashions and trends, spark new creative ways of thinking, provide opportunities to network and increase business sales and of course they offer the chance to view the work of some of the best interior designers in the world.

The following list represents just three Interior Design Exhibitions that regularly take place in London:

o 100 Percent Design - Exhibition usually takes place in September over 3 days and is open to the general public on one of those days. More information can be found at http://www.100percentdesign.co.uk

o Decorex - This exhibition also takes place each September but is only for trade and professionals in the interior design industry. Details of the next exhibition can be found at http://www.decorex.co.uk

o New Designers Exhibition - opens to the public and exhibits the work of thousands of new and up and coming designers every July. You can find out more information from http://www.newdesigners.co.uk

There are of course many other exhibitions taking place throughout the year and a list of them can be viewed on The British Interior Design Association website at http://www.bida.org

Hiring a professional Interior Designer

Many of us would like to transform our own home and although we may start out with great ideas and intentions, quite a few of us never actually get around to doing anything about it. Hiring a professional interior designer is one way of getting it done and if you don't have someone in mind already; one place to start looking is The British Interior Design Association. The BDA keep a list on their site of interior designers who are either registered members or associated members.

Registered members are the most qualified and have the most experience as in order to get registered they have to satisfy the Association's strict criteria. An Associate member has to have been working in the industry for at least a year and will have passed the association's interview process for membership. You can search for an interior designer at http://www.bida.org.

Another option is The Interior Design Handbook website at http://www.interiordesign.com, where you can search a list of potential designers by location as well as speciality. You will also be able to view their profiles online.

Studying Interior design in London

London offers hundreds of courses on various aspects of interior design starting from the most basic right through to graduate degrees and beyond and so finding the right one can seem like a daunting task but it needn't be if you know where to look.

A small sample of interior design schools in London include:

o The KLC school of Design

o The AIU School of Interior Design

o The Interior Design School

You could also try searching for other courses at http://www.floodlight.co.uk, which is the official guide to all the different adult education courses on offer throughout London. UCAS will also be able to provide you with comprehensive information on different undergraduate courses that are interior design related and what colleges and universities are offering these courses.

Why London for Interior Design?

London attracts a wealth of talent and creative thinking within the interior design Industry and is an important springboard for launching the very latest designs from some of the best interior designers in the world. London also provides endless opportunities for up and coming interior designers to showcase and promote their own work and can be a source of inspiration for anyone interested in interior design at any level.

David McEvoy is an expert in interior design. If you are looking for a leather sofa to give the finishing touches to a newly decorated room then please come and visit our site.

Becoming an Interior Designer

2010-11-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

Interior Designer or Interior Decorator?

People often romanticize the work of an interior designer with the misleading notion that the work consists solely of picking out colors and fabrics for a room. These duties are a bit closer to interior decorating. But an interior designer has an array of responsibilities that include both those of an interior decorator as well as more complex jobs. They include light management, space planning, color coordination, providing estimates that fit a budget, and subcontracting the fabrication and installation of flooring, light fixtures, draperies, paint and wall coverings, furniture, and so on.

An increasing number of designers even take part in the architectural aspect of building of a home, so designers need to be able to read blueprints and possess a knowledge of building codes. It is desirable for an interior designer to have experience with CAD software and home design software in order to prepare blueprints or presentations for clients.

Training and Entry Requirements

Up until recent years there existed no accredited education programs for budding interior designers in the United States. Now there are a number of institutions with interior design programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. These programs typically run from two to five years and most often lead to an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree. Coursework for these programs may include CAD, furniture design, color and fabrics, space planning, ergonomics, architectural courses, and even psychology.

Most interior designers opt to enter an apprenticeship after a formal education. During this time recent graduates work under the supervision of an experienced designer. This gives designers a chance to build a portfolio and learn the nooks and crannies of the business before going solo.

Interior designers can also choose to become certified by passing an exam administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). One must have both a formal education and work experience to even sit for the NCIDQ exam. The NCIDQ has defined six various routes that can be found on their site. Note that this certificate is a requirement for professional registration in 26 of the U.S. states and Canadian provinces that require licensing. You must also possess an NCIDQ certificate if you wish to become a member of the American Society of Interior Designers, International Interior Design Association, and other similar organizations.

Work Environment and Conditions

Interior designers most often work as a part of a larger design team or on a freelance basis, although some find work in architectural firms or home-furnishing stores. Clients range from individuals wanting to renovate their homes to corporations planning to open a new business location.

Building relationships with clients is an absolute must for any designer regardless of where he or she works since the main goal of an interior designer is to identify the wants and needs of a client and integrate them into both the aesthetics and function of the interior. This can lead to working on weekends or long hours in order to fit a client's schedule.

Interior designers tend to travel from place to place quite a bit since much of their time is spent on-site discussing plans with clients and overseeing contracted work. But interior designers actually spend the majority of their time in the office.

Note that designers often work under stress since they constantly juggle deadlines and budgets.

Earnings

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual wages for interior designers were $44,950 as of May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between The lowest 10 percent earned $27,230, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $82,750.

Give Interior Design a Try

Designing interiors is a fulfilling job that allows one to express his or her creativity, but it is by far not for everyone. Those wishing to become interior designers are encouraged to try themselves at interior design before making the decision to enroll at a design institute. You can do this by designing the interior of your own home or getting acquainted with home design software. If you find that interior design is for you, then embrace yourself for a worthwhile career and jump in head first!

View this article together with illustrations and links on BeLight Software's website.

There Is A Lot More To Interior Design Than First Meets The Eye

2010-11-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

Interior design is a complicated profession. It is sometimes referred to as interior architecture and often confused with interior decorating. It involves the design, organization and planning of an interior structure rather than just refinishing and furnishing existing interior spaces. It involves managing a business, hopefully meeting the desires of the client and delivering to them an interior environment that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. There is a lot more to interior design than first meets the eye.

The further you go back in history, it can be seen how interior design has blended with artistic societies such as during the Italian Renaissance. It has been shaped by numerous styles, movements, social developments and technological revolutions. It has crossed emotional boundaries, traveled across continents and has publicly revealed much of the lifestyles of societies and their artistic cultures in any marked period in time.

There are different types of interior design. Residential interior design involves dealing with home owners normally on an available budget. Some interior designers specialize in working on bathrooms, kitchens, living areas or even bedrooms. Others work in the larger and lucrative commercial interior design market. In this marketplace, interior designers are spoiled for choice and may select the retail industry, the hospitality business, the commercial building sector or specialize in related business as diverse as creating exhibits for art galleries and trade shows.

Interior Design is an exciting and rapidly growing field and it seems that interest in this particular career is increasing in popularity. Interior designers are licensed design professionals qualified by education, work experience and time. In the 1960s and 70s independent organizations were established to assess qualifications for interior designers and their programs. There are now many dedicated individuals in organizations such as CIDA and NCIDQ who presently work diligently to increase public awareness of interior design while developing the profession to where it is today.

There are ID courses in universities, colleges and even online and an accreditation process that certifies a program will teach the principles necessary to ensure that the students acquire the knowledge, skills and experience to be successful in their future careers. All of this is seen as beneficial to the consumer who can be virtually assured of being led through the design process by someone who is not only creative and educated but also competently trained.

Examine the basic family home. Basically it is a cluster of interconnected rooms each with a primary function such as eating, entertaining, sleeping, washing and possibly even working. The conscious aim of interior design is to balance the owner's needs with the spaces available. It is rarely straightforward. There are so many external forces that influence the decision making process. The key to interior design is knowing how to make sense out of the relationship between the owner, the home, the family and their lifestyle.

Interior design is a process. This practice often involves the manipulation of texture, proportion and the efficient usage of light in order to achieve symmetry, harmony and a proper equilibrium in overall human life. The fundamental principles of good design are natural and to a large extent innate. When examining the universal properties of light, space, colour and materials, the interior designer looks at the interaction of the natural laws that govern them. The particular design of a room works not only on the often ignored senses of smell and hearing but also on the emotions. Color schemes are selected to reflect the mood of a room. Understanding how each aspect of a design contributes to an overall look and feel of a room or space constantly takes precise skills and both architects and designers manipulate these to great effect.

Interior Design is an expressive form of art. However there is a lot more to this profession than making a household look nice. Interior design is about providing a simple answer to a simple problem in three dimensions by maximizing the good points and concealing the imperfections. It is all about purposely creating a harmonious environment that has the amazing ability to make positive changes in people's lives. There is a lot more to interior design than first meets the eye.

Stephen has been writing articles for nearly 3 years. Come visit his latest website over at http://www.thebuildingsforsale.com/ which helps people find Steel Buildings For Sale and information when they are looking for Buildings For Sale.

Interior Design For The Home

2010-11-03T01:12:00.000-07:00

Any home can be pleasing with the proper application of basic interior design methods. Some people study interior design to be very good at it but there are people who are gifted with an eye for beauty and for interior designing.

A person who is creative can do some interior designing on his own even without formal training. Those who have an eye for what is aesthetic can just as easily decorate and design his own house depending on his tastes. Of course, it helps to read books and articles about designing to be updated on the basic and latest design methods.

Any interior designer can create a specific atmosphere just by putting together several pieces and unifying them in a single theme. There are interior designers who have a bias for certain motifs like eclectic, modern or even country style. Some go for simple designs without the clutter.

Interior design is not only aesthetic but also functional depending on the requirements of the client. An interior designer can make a small room spacious and an otherwise cluttered room into an orderly one. Interior design is used just about anywhere from homes, offices to commercial buildings.

The interiors of a room should always match the personality of the person who will occupy that room. This is the reason why designers always work closely with their clients so they can make sure that they get a feel of what their clients want in terms of design style.

People have this notion that interior design is expensive. However, designers are not only creative people but they are also very good in budgeting. Most designers will work on a design that will match or fit the budget of their clients. A person can allot a minimal amount for the interior design of his home or office and still come up with an aesthetic and functional room.

Professional interior designers who are formally trained usually have basic knowledge on architecture, engineering and even accounting. They need these courses to make their design aesthetic, structurally correct and cost effective.

The terms Interior design and interior decorating have often been used interchangeably. However, the two terms actually deal with different phases of making a room or a space aesthetic. Interior design is basically the process of studying the personality of the occupant of the room being designed in order to maximize and tailor-made the room's design for that person's behavior and personality.

Interior decorating on the other hand is the process of actually mixing and matching the different design techniques like window treatments, the right wallpaper, wall finish and even the furnishing of a room.

There are a lot of opportunities for those in the interior design and decorating industry. An interior designer can go into designing household, corporate or commercial establishments. Others specialize in the design of health facilities or even tourism establishments.

The latest trend now for those in the interior design industry is to be able to incorporate the right engineering and aesthetic design with sustainable development. Even designers are now more conscious about the state of the environment so they tend to use environmentally friendly materials for their designs.

There are designers who specialize and use Feng Shui in their designs. This requires further study because Feng Shui deals with the Chinese's ancient methods of designing a space to make the design work for the owner's health, business and other life factors.

The Chinese believes that a structure should be properly designed so as to allow positive energy to enter the structure. When the structure has already been built without the aid of a Feng Shui expert, the mistakes can be corrected through proper interior design using the Feng Shui methods.

By incorporating Feng Shui in interior design, it is believed that a person can bring out all the positive energies in a room to make him rich, happy and healthy. An interior design using Feng Shui can also get rid of bad spirits that bring in negative atmosphere in an abode.

Getting the services of an interior designer can make a room both aesthetic and functional. Any person who wants to make his home livable and functional should try getting the services of an interior designer to maximize his space.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://interiordesign.unique-articles.com where you can read more articles and get tips on decorating and interior design.

Does a Career in Medical Interior Design Interest You?

2010-11-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in a career in Interior Design? The professional interior designer can focus their skills and knowledge in many areas. Many designers focus only in commercial design such as medical interior design. Other designers choose to work only in residential homes. Some do a little of both even. While attending interior design school you may discover your design niche. If not, do not worry about it; just gain as much experience as possible in many areas of interior design.

If designing a medical office it is important to remember that the design layout is based on the available space in the office. Try to design a plan that can be added to as the business grows and develops.

Medical interior designers use their skill and creativity to organize and plan office spaces in buildings and homes. The designer will oversee the project from its beginning right through to the completion date. Interior designers are the key contributors to the color scheme, furnishings and the furniture of any design project.

Medical interior design involves the designer working with the customer and the architects to come up with a design or plan that keeps the client happy plus stays within budget and conforms to the local building codes. An interior designer is also responsible for the flooring, all the fittings, decorating and the plants.

There are many top notch schools that offer degree and or diploma programs in Interior Design. Students can also obtain an Interior Design Degree from an online interior design school. This type of education is very popular among people who cannot commute to a school or for people who still need to work full time while getting a degree.

Whether you want to focus primarily on medical interior design or any type of interior design specialty, it is important to have as many contacts as possible to jump start your career. Forge these contacts while attending school. These contacts will benefit you immensely once you have graduated.

Medical interior designers need to be creative and be able to visualize interior spaces. A designer must be able to communicate their ideas to their clients. Computer skills are essential as most designers use CAD (computer aided drawing) software now to enhance their ability to meet their client's needs. Your ability to work with and manage people should be very good since you will be dealing with many different types of clients and contractors in order to get a job finished on time. Medical interior designers need to be able to work with a budget and calculate costs associated with each job.

Try to work with experienced designers to gain more knowledge and skill when first starting your career. There is no definitive career path in interior design, you could start out working in residential homes then find yourself designing restaurants or working as a medical interior designer. The idea is to build your interior design portfolio as your career progresses. An interior designer also does not have regular working hours due to the nature of their work. You could spend your time between your office studio, meeting with clients and overseeing active jobs.

By Thomas D. Houser
Does a career in Medical Interior Design interest you? Information on all types of Interior Design Careers

Interior Design Online Course - What is the Institute Of Interior Design?

2010-11-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

Online learning makes an education possible for just about anyone, at any stage of their life, to achieve an objective or fulfill a life long dream. People with the desire to learn are no longer bound by disabilities, geographical locations, social status or their own private history. With an education online everything starts afresh and it is never too late.

There are some educational institutions that offer a course in interior design online. As the demand for interior designers continue to grow, Online Schools provide students with the option of learning interior design at home at their own convenience. Let us look at The Institute Of Interior Design. Please be aware that the writer is not recommending this course but providing information only.

The Institute of Interior Design has been in operation since 1998. With facilities in the USA, the UK, Australia, India and Pakistan, the Institute offers Certificate and Diploma home study courses in interior design. The Institute is accredited by the Open and Learning Quality Council (ODLQC). This body was set up in 1968 and is one of the prime accreditation bodies for distance learning courses.

The course claims to show how to become a professional interior designer. The online course provides a complete learning package full of information, tips and exercises providing a permanent reference library essential for consulting after completing the course.

The course has been constructed by experienced industry experts. Interested DIY (Do It Yourself) interior designers will find this online course ideal as it offers advice of how to approach each room. The course provides insight into the world of interior design. The course covers areas of interest such as selecting the right fabrics, presentation of designs, finding customers, how much to charge and the paper work required. The aim of the course is to provide precise and helpful information about professional interior design

Accreditation is an important aspect of any course. What is the point of paying for a course if it is not recognized as being of any value? This course is fully accredited by ASET providing an award equivalent to Level 4 of the National Learning Framework (post A level/HNC/HND standard). ASET is a national Awarding Body recognized by the Department of Education and Skills and by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in Britain. It has been accrediting vocational learning for more than 50 years and now works with more than 200 providers in the UK and internationally.

There is no need to have a talent for drawing as the course reveals how to produce competent drawings by hand. The course also supplies a copy of 'Visual Home' which is a powerful but easy-to-use computer program that quickly produces beautiful floor plans.

Many students take around 18 months to gain their Diploma. It is worth remembering that because it is home study, the student studies at their own pace. They can take as long as they want as the Institute sets no time limit.

The course material includes numerous self-assessment exercises plus assignments which are evaluated by an experienced tutor. The tutor is there to help and offer advice and suggestions on anything to do with interior design.

How will the Diploma of Interior Design benefit the budding interior designer?

The course will show the student how to set up an interior design practice. A Diploma is issued on successfully completing the course as recognition of the skills and the knowledge acquired. It will enable the successful student to use the initials Dip.ID (Inst.ID) after their name. Their name is added to the Institutes list of Approved Interior Designers with an 'Approved Designer' logo to add to their website. If requested, the Institute of Interior Design will also send out a press release to the local newspapers to inform the public of the new practice.

Some students are a bit nervous about enrolling so it is best for the individual students to contact the Institute and inquire about their guarantees and refund policies.

There are other interior design courses available online and a few credible schools are offering four year online programs. Be aware that online programs and distance learning courses in the field of interior design may not be recognized as a sufficient or credible form of education. Prospective students should question whether the interior design online program will provide the student with the credentials required to be licensed in most states and provinces or to be hired by most interior design firms. It would not hurt for serious students to investigate the graduation rates and find out where the graduates of these interior design online courses are employed.

Stephen has been writing articles for nearly 3 years. Come visit his latest website over at Buildings For Sale where people will also find valuable information on Steel Buildings For Sale. Investors are in search for various metal buildings for sale because these buildings have many benefits as compared to the traditional timber structures.

Choosing Interior Design Software

2010-11-01T01:17:00.000-07:00

Interior design students will use interior design software that the professionals use in their everyday designing work. A popular program is SmartDraw. With the program you get thousands of ready-made graphics for fixtures for the kitchen, bathroom and for furniture. Other graphics include lighting fixtures, cabinets, landscape elements and office furniture.

The interior design software also includes textures for tiled floors, custom cabinetry and granite countertops. Smartdraw is easy to use software that will help you create fantastic design plans in minutes. It is quite fast and easy.

You will be able to design anything with SmartDraw interior design software such as house and garage plans, offices, kitchen and bathroom plans and even closet plans.

The software is a real time saver for the interior design student and professional. This software is downloadable and ready to use right away.

SmartDraw interior design software offers free tech support and examples from professional interior design plans.

Another interior design software is Microspot Interiors. This software is designed for the Mac and allows the user to visualize their plans in 3D. This software is simple to use for both professionals and do it yourself home designers.

Microspot Interiors is a interior design software that is very popular among Mac users because of it's simplicity and the price tag which is just a fraction of the cost of most professional design software. The power of this software allows the user to come up with unlimited design possibilities. The advanced drawing tools of the software do most of the work. You can design the shape of the room and add virtually anything you want. You can also design the rooms in any particular size you want. Lighting tools are used to add sunlight to a room as well.

Microspot Interiors includes hundreds of furniture items and accessories, many of which were requested by users in the Microspot users' forum.

Interior design software is used extensively in the interior design profession. It allows the designer to virtually look at what their design plan will look like before implementing it.

Many interior design schools will offer online learning as part of their curriculum. The online method is designed so that the student can set their own pace and style of learning according to what really works best for them.

Interior design software is very helpful and useful but it requires a computer with a monitor that has the capacity for a high resolution that works with complex graphics. You will also need a lot of space on your hard drive to save files and to run the program.

It would be a good idea to save your files to a re-writeable CD or DVD as well for backup.

There are many interior design software programs available on the market. If you can get a trial copy then that will give you a chance to test the product before buying.

Good luck with your search for interior design software.

Are you looking for Interior Design Software? Use our site as a valuable reference point for Interior Design Software and Interior Design Career Info
by T.D. Houser

Interior Design Course

2010-10-31T08:31:00.000-07:00

Skilled interior designers are highly sought after professionals and can therefore earn quite a lucrative income so if you are thinking about taking an interior design course with the intention of becoming a professional interior designer afterwards, then it is a good idea to know what it involves.

A professional interior designer can be more or less described as someone who has the necessary education, qualifications and experience, as well as the imagination, creative talent and artistic flair to enhance and transform interior rooms into spaces that are aesthetically pleasing and at the same time functional. They also have to bear in mind and consider health and safety laws, building standards, their clients' taste and of course their clients' budget. No two projects will be the same either and each one will bring its own individual issues and challenges.

In other words, a professional interior designer has to develop and use a variety of skills to produce a standard of work that is not only acceptable, but also fully embraced by their clients and to do this they have to be able to anticipate, understand and deliver their clients needs as well as their personal preferences. So the first step to gaining the education and the qualification would be to take some sort of interior design course.

There are also many people who want to take an interior design course simply to learn the skills that will enable them to practice interior design in their own homes. Fortunately, there are many different interior design courses available throughout the country and whatever your interest in interior design, there will be one that is suited to you and the following list will give you an idea of where to start looking.

UCAS

You can search for suitable interior design courses at [http://www.ucas.com] where there are details of over 50 universities and colleges across the UK offering interior design related courses. UCAS is the central organisation that processes all applications for full time undergraduate courses taking place in the UK so if you want to study at this level; UCAS is a good place to begin.

The Interior Design School

The school, which is situated in London, provides a number of different courses, which include day courses, professional diploma courses as well as summer and evening courses enabling you to learn the necessary skills you need to practice interior design professionally or within your own home. You can find out more at [http://www.theinteriordesign.school.co.uk]

The American Intercontinental University School of Interior Design

This university enables students from the US and from other countries including the UK, to embark on a career relevant degree programme and also offers some students the opportunity to work towards an American and a British Batchelor's Degree at the same time. Students can opt for an Associate of Arts in Interior Design or a Batchelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design. On completion, students are automatically entitled to become International Interior Design Association (IIDA) members. There are certain criteria that a student has to meet before being accepted at the University but full information is available at http://www.aiulondon.ac.uk

KLC School of Design

The KLC School of Design situated in London offers comprehensive training in Interior Design and also Garden Design with a Diploma or Certification on successful completion. The courses are run on a full time, part time, and open learning basis and are delivered by professionals in the industry. They claim to be the only school of design accredited by the British Accreditation Council and the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council. If you are interested in learning more about the KLC school of Design then you can visit their website at http://www.klc.co.uk.

British Interior Design Association

Membership of the British Interior Design Association is open to students who are studying Interior Design or Decorating to Degree or Diploma Level or who are studying towards a professional certificate or who are undertaking a professional level home study course. Membership is valid for a year and after they have completed their course they can apply for associate membership.

Conclusion

A good course will help you unlock your own potential as a designer, will teach you the basic philosophies, the industry standards, the key elements of interior design and naturally through the course you would be exposed to what works and what doesn't and would learn hints, tips and tricks to create a certain look or feel to a space. After that of course whether you use your imagination, cultivate your own artistic flair and develop your own unique style is completely up to you, no course can teach you that.

David McEvoy is an expert in interior design. If you are looking for a leather sofa to give the finishing touches to a newly decorated room then please come and visit our site.

What You'll Get in an Interior Design Program

2010-10-30T12:31:00.000-07:00

Interior design programs prepare the design student for the exciting and challenging world of interior design. A designer will run into during their career many different design situations. On occasion, as a designer you may run into the ideal client. A client that says to spare no expense on the decorating would be an ideal client. They just want you to make it fantastic!

Other clients are much less accommodating. Interior design programs will prepare the student for these types of clients as well. A less accommodating client will set a low budget and ask many questions. The knowledgeable designer will have the answers though.

The interior design student will learn how to get the client a good return on their decorating investment. The interior design programs offered by many colleges and universities teach the student how to turn a small investment in decorating into a good return on investment. For example, a minor bathroom remodeling can be one of the best ways to recoup an investment. In the bathroom, change the light fixtures, sinks, tile, countertops, shower, and bathtub area.

Another area of the home that garners a good return on investment is the kitchen area. Changes made in the kitchen include a new stove, new kitchen cabinets, a new countertop and some new flooring. Students can expect to learn this type of interior design in interior design programs.

Students will learn to work with a budget as well. Most clients will not have an unlimited budget to work with. Learning to work on a budget is a valuable skill and the interior designer must be good at it. Working on a budget does not mean the design changes will reflect the amount of money spent. Painting interior walls in neutral colors is a well-known budget conscious design tool. Changing light fixtures is another budget conscious decorating idea. You will be surprised how much these minor changes affect a room.

Interior design programs spend a lot of time on client relations. Many students enroll with plenty of creative ideas but many of these same students lack the people skills to work with clients. An interior design program will prepare the student for this important skill.

Interior designers can specialize in private homes or even office and restaurant design. Many students do not make that decision until enrolled in an interior design program where they find their niche in interior design.

Upon graduating from an interior design program, the student can enter into an apprenticeship with an experienced designer the student admires.

Interior design is a highly competitive profession and the more education the student has the better they are prepared to enter this exciting profession.

Thinking of a career in Interior Design? Use our site as a valuable reference point for Interior Design Programs
by T.D. Houser

Interior Design Education

2010-10-30T01:28:00.000-07:00

Have you ever looked at a room and really wanted to make it much more appealing or beautiful. Do you come up with creative ideas of your own that people really like? Then perhaps interior design education is likely for you. Interior design programs will help develop your style and creativity. You will learn how to use texture, fabric, colour, accessories, style, furnishings, paint and lighting that mirrors your tastes and your client's tastes.

Interior design education is learned through distance education or online education and attending school in person. Once you have completed your education you will be able to pursue an exciting and lucrative career in interior design. Options include taking an internship at an Interior Design firm or even starting your own designing business.

In the US, many colleges and universities offer four-year degree programs in interior design education. Traditional classroom and studio based training is available at these colleges and universities. Before enrolling in an interior design education program you must ensure that, the Council for Interior Design Accreditation accredits the school. This agency is the primary accreditation agency for interior design education in the US.

Interior design careers first came into being in the late 19th century in the US. Interior design careers were first introduced by Candace Wheeler, who published an article in 1890 titled "Interior Decoration as a Profession for Women. Until the 1950,'s most interior design work was for the wealthy and largely done by women. However, men are quite prevalent in the interior design profession now. Interior design education provides both men and women with an opportunity to display their creativity and design flair.

Interior design education allows the student to learn to be competent in design theory and aesthetics, history, analysis, space planning and programming, specifications and inspections. The student must also become proficient in aspects of environmental design. Students also learn technical knowledge that should include interior construction; building systems and codes; equipment and business practices. Oral and written communication skills are also necessary for the student.

Interior design education started to take off after WWII with the quick expansion of industry and the increasing development in commercial and domestic building. In addition, once industry started booming there was the increased desire for better living and working conditions, which greatly increased the demand for qualified interior designers.

Thomas D. Houser
Thinking of a career in Interior Design? Check out our site for valuable tips and information on Interior Design Education
by T.D. Houser

Want to Be an Interior Designer? Here's How

2010-10-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

You love to bring a theme to a room, to make things look just so. Perhaps friends who visit your home make remarks about wishing they could hire you to fix up their place or that they never know what goes with what. If you seem to be a natural at interior decoration, why not become an interior designer?

There are steps you can take that will ease you onto the road to becoming a professional interior designer, bringing your passion to life.

The terms interior designer and interior decorator are often used interchangeably. Both generally mean that you will create a pleasant space in the dimensions given that you won't make major structural changes in the house. This is important as actually altering the configuration of a house, or a room, may need a permit, license and there may be other red tape which involves building contractors and other professionals.

That said, if you want to do interior decoration for a living, the following considerations may be of help.

Education and training:

While you may be able to hang out a shingle and proclaim yourself an interior designer, you may also not have too many clients. In general, people looking to hire you will want to know where you received your education. There are a lot of schools out there, many of them reputable. However, be sure to do your research before you pay for a series of classes that will never do anything except take your money.

Training will likely be more important than the mere fact that you've been educated in interior decoration. While it may take longer, getting a job with an established interior designer may make things easier for you in the long run. Not only will you make a salary (though just starting out may mean the salary is rather small), you will learn on the job and receive real-world training.

Prepare a portfolio:

No matter what you do, a prospective employer or client will want to see what you can do, in a range of interior design options. Can you create a chic country look? How about a warm, modern feel? How can you prove it? Now you use your portfolio. When you work on an interior decoration project, you'll want to take lots of pictures, have them organized and easy to go through. Your portfolio will sell you, so make sure it's a tool that shows off the best you have to offer.

Practice:

Your home is your personal showcase. Try different looks within it, just to see what looks good. While you may have found the perfect interior decoration for your living room, try switching things up. While it may not be the look for you, someone else may like it. Plus, you'll have the chance to step back and figure out why something doesn't look right-or why it looks great.

Tap your friends for help. There's no reason you can't offer your interior design services to friends, as long as you get to take pictures of the finished product for your portfolio. Be sure to take before-and-after pictures to showcase your interior designer talent as you create a wonderful living space. If money is an issue, try rearranging what's available or coming up with low cost alternatives, such as using furniture from different areas of the home.

Network:

Attend home shows as an interior designer. Take your portfolio, dress up a corner of the booth, or raffle off a free interior design consultation. Your name needs to be out there in order to create a business.

Try and visit home shows even if you don't rent any space. Introduce yourself to the various participants and hand out business cards. Talk to established interior designers; ask them how they got started, if they have any tips for someone just starting out. Usually there is plenty of business in an area to go around. Talk to builders and contractors, offering interior decoration for their model homes.

Make sure you have good business cards. They are often your longest-lasting impression on potential clients, and a badly designed card doesn't fill people with confidence that you'll do great interior decoration. You don't want to be a nuisance, but giving your business card when you are introduced to someone is a good way to get your name out there.

Specialize:

What type of interior design do you want to do? If you want to work on office buildings, building a portfolio of cozy bedrooms will not help you much. If you want to create wonderful interior decoration on a shoestring budget, talking to a contractor who works on multimillion dollar homes will likely be a waste.

Continue to learn your craft:

Even if you take every step known to man to become an interior designer, if you forget to continue learning your craft, you will likely not get far. Interior design changes regularly. Trends alter, offices and homes change, and you should be prepared to adjust. Subscribe to interior design magazines, join a group of decorating professionals, make sure you watch trends-- basically take steps so that you and your work never become stagnant. Only in this way can you offer fresh ideas to your clients.

There are no shortcuts to becoming an interior designer, especially not a good one. However, the above steps will hopefully ease your way along that path. Above all, be sure to enjoy your chosen profession, for that's the best way in which you can always please yourself and your client.

One way to learn design tricks is from learning from those who are already doing it professionally. It may help to bounce ideas off other interior designers before making over your next room. Start Local is Australia's fastest growing local search engine and business directory. Makeover your room with the best interior designers at: http://www.startlocal.com.au/home/interiordesigners/.

Interior Design Degree

2010-10-28T21:42:00.000-07:00

Earning an Interior design degree is becoming one of the more popular degrees offered by accredited colleges and universities. At this time, Interior design is regulated in 24 states. Thus if you are interested in entering the world of interior design it is highly recommended that you earn a bachelors degree in Interior Design before applying for your interior designers license.

Not only is an interior design degree extremely important, knowledge of CAD software (computer-aided design) is equally important for the new interior designer. Employers prefer the graduate who can navigate the modern technologies because it is time saving and highly cost effective.

Earning an online interior design degree is very much in vogue, thus the emphasis on the CAD software. Due to the advent of the internet, more and more schools are reaching out to students from around the world.

Interior designers must be intelligent and creative in order to economize the limited amount of space available in some of the world's larger cities. An interior design degree will provide the student with the knowledge and practicality in order to meet the ever-changing demands placed on the busy interior designer.

Clearly, an interior design degree is the first step in building your career in interior design. To develop your natural talent and creativity you need the proper training and education. To become established in the interior design world you must have a formal college interior design degree.

The successful interior design degree graduate will use their creativity to design private homes, corporate offices, retail stores and restaurants. The designer will use their knowledge of color, architecture and creative design to create beautiful living and work spaces.

Interior design degree programs teach skills in graphic drawing, color theory, interior finishing, and space planning and construction technology. Students will learn all aspects of the technical, creative and even the human element factors in interior decorating and design. Building codes and safety factors are also covered in depth.

When researching an interior design degree program find out whether the school offers knowledgeable industry professionals as instructors. You want to learn from the best! Another important factor in choosing a school is whether or not the school offers online training as well as in class training. That way you may be able to study on your own time, which many of today's students require.

Interior design degree programs teach the student the historical perspectives of human environment, interior design practices and the techniques of working with interior design professionals along with the responsibilities and ethics that go along with the profession.

Thinking of a career in Interior Design? Use our site as a valuable reference point for Interior Design Careers
by T.D. Houser

Interior Design Distance Education

2010-10-28T01:54:00.000-07:00

So you're interested in interior design distance education. You're probably the kind of person who automatically notices the interior features of buildings as soon as you enter them. You think about how things could be arranged differently to make the space work better, and you imagine how you would design, arrange and decorate the space if it was yours to play with. You're not just thinking about how it looks; you're thinking about how it works.

You're a natural interior designer - all you need to build a solid foundation for a career doing something you love is credentials from one of the best interior design programs. Look forward to learning how to read blueprints and work cooperatively with electricians, plumbers, architects, and other construction specialists to perfect the design of buildings. Look forward to designing spaces that work well for people. You'll soon be automatically thinking about access for the physically challenged, features that attract clients or customers, and features that increase the comfort and productivity of employees. It's a package of skills that a good interior design distance education program can deliver.

As a new graduate of interior design school, you'll be competing with other talented individuals for jobs with firms of various sizes, or like many designers, hoping to set up your own small business and remain self-employed. The good news is that even new graduates of interior design programs earn well above minimum wage - you can reasonably expect to earn about $30,000US in your first full year of employment. As you gain experience, of course, your earnings will increase, and if you succeed in building a good reputation with your work, you may do extremely well. Those who combine great organizational skills with interior design talent progress to management positions and can earn 70,000US or more. Interior design distance education programs will get you started on a career path that may ultimately be not only satisfying but extremely lucrative.

In the United States, most graduates of interior design programs are employed by architectural and engineering firms, specialized firms providing design services, and furniture stores. Of these, architectural and engineering employers tend to offer the best salaries. Other employers who look for people with credentials from an interior design school are construction material suppliers and residential contractors. Almost one third of interior designers are self-employed, a life style with enviable freedom and considerable earning potential for the hard working and talented graduate of interior design distance education.

People are paying more attention to building design than ever before and employment opportunities for interior designers are expected to increase between now and 2014; credentials from an interior design distance education course will not be wasted. And with credentials from a good interior design school, you'll have a distinct advantage over others who are trying to establish a career without formal training.

Statistics were taken from "U.S. Dept. of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics" and "Careers in Interior Design." Contact your preferred interior design programs for up to date information on salary and employment outlook.

R. Drysdale is a contributing editor to Interior Design Distance Education, your one stop resource for the very best online college degree programs.

Is an Online Interior Design School the Way to Earn an Interior Design Degree?

2010-10-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

Many students choose to attend an online interior design school rather than attend classes in person due to commitments such as a job or family situations. This type of education allows the students from all geographical areas to earn a degree on their own time. It is becoming a popular choice among mature students; people who joined the work force right out of high school.

In 2004 in the US, there were approximately 65,000 interior designers according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The interior design industry will continue to see growth at a rate of approximately nine to seventeen percent over the next ten years. Interior design is an extremely competitive profession. This, it is important to obtain the proper education, whether it is from attending school in person or an online interior design school. Either way, you may not have to travel far to find an excellent art school offering an Interior Design Degree.

If you are creative and have a flair for decorating then it is possible that you would enjoy and excel as an interior designer. Another statistic indicates that approximately thirty percent of interior designers are self-employed. If you cannot find the specific design firm that meets your requirements then try taking on some clients of your own.

At an online interior design school students will learn the same concepts as their studio attending brethren. There are many areas of interior design that students can become specialized. Here are a few but certainly not all areas:

o Corporate/Office Design

o Bathroom Design

o Health Care Design

o Feng Shui Design

o Exhibit Design

o Green Interior Design

o Modern Interior Design

o Hotel Interior Design

o Residential Interior Design

o Set Design

o Zen Interior Design

Once you have obtained your online interior design degree you must decide whether to work for your self or work for a design firm. With a large design firm you will likely have the resources for quite a comfortable work environment and plus state of the art equipment. If you are just starting out on your own, you most likely will not have the resources that a design firm can offer. Working for your self may mean many long hours, while working for a large design firm may mean hours that are more set. Being self-employed means you will have to find your clients, whereas with a large firm most of the clients are passed on to you.

Many Interior Designers have used online interior design school to obtain an interior design degree to get their design career started. Once your career starts to progress you may find a particular area of design that interests you the must. Alternatively, you may find an area of design that is more profitable or you may just be a better designer in a particular design field. If your specialty is colors and fabrics maybe, you would rather focus on interior decorating instead and leave the technical aspects of interior design to someone else.

Thinking of a career in Interior Design? Use our site as a valuable reference point for Interior Design Education
by T.D. Houser

Why You Should Be An Interior Designer

2010-10-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

The world has been through 50-years of DIY culture, with the majority of people re-modelling, upgrading, and decorating their own homes in their spare time. However, that cycle is ending for a number of key reasons and this demise has given birth to some amazing and exciting opportunities for those people interested in Interior Design.

In the DIY period, people were happy to spend their spare time on home-improvements and they enjoyed showing off their efforts to all their visitors. Today, there are too many distractions and alternatives that have much more appeal to the modern generation of homeowners--who are happier spending their time in more entertaining activities with their friends.

Furthermore, in most families, adults are bringing home larger disposable incomes than ever before and today they prefer to employ an Interior Designer, rather than spend hours in trying to do it alone. The plethora of glossy magazines that are now available each month have thousands of pages with colourful photographs of beautiful homes, all with rooms designed by an expert in Interior Design. These magazines create the desire in people to have such a room in their own home.

That burgeoning desire for a beautiful home can only be fulfilled by an Interior Designer.

For years, tradesmen like painters, decorators, and carpenters would have nothing to do with people who worked in the Interior Design industry, and with a sneer, they would tell their customers not to waste their money on them. Today, it is a completely different story, because the tradesman now accepts that a home designed by an Interior Designer is far superior to anything they can provide. Furthermore, the tradesman often earns a far bigger profit when completing work for an Interior Designer compared to when they work directly for the customer.

This is because the Interior Designer will quote for the complete job: from basic design to provision of all the materials and completing the actual conversion. It can even include the supply of carpets, curtains, rugs, furniture, pictures, and ornaments. The fee for the decorator who does the painting and papering is perhaps only a small part of the overall price, and will often include a 15% to 20% profit margin to the Interior Designer.

Tradesmen in the home-improvement industry now spend considerable time and effort in developing a good relationship with Interior Designers, because today they can provide an increasing part of their annual income. This is a two-way connection, because the Interior Designer often receives valuable enquiries for design work from their pool of tradesmen. In addition, when the tradesman completes their work to a high standard, the Interior Designer is likely to benefit in the future from referrals and additional work from their clients.

However, working on designs for homes is only touching the surface of the income stream of a good Interior Designer. There is a vast and highly profitable design market in the retail, commercial, and industrial sectors where directors and managers are not slow in spending huge amounts of money in improving their environment. It is always easier to spend 'other people's money' and the wise Interior Designer will make sure they enjoy a large slice of this business income stream. It is far larger and much more lucrative than the domestic sector where people are spending their own money.

The retail industry is always looking for ways to attract customers, and the Interior Design of their store is becoming a vital factor in establishing their brand. Commercial offices need to have ambient Interior Design if they are to attract and keep the best people as employees, and they are willing to spend vast amounts of money to achieve that objective.

There is also a certain amount of fame and publicity awarded the successful Interior Designer.

The avaricious glossy magazine market is continually on the lookout for interesting stories to photograph and publish. The clever Interior Designer will nurture relationships with editors and journalists and feed them stories of work they have done that may be of interest to magazine readers. This not only includes the obvious VIP sector where most important people in business, politics, religion, sport, and entertainment are only too pleased to have their home featured in a magazine, but there are other sectors that must not be ignored.

You may be designing a new home for a lottery winner, an invalid or an accident victim, or a person with an unusual hobby or occupation that requires a specific feature of interest. The building may be a converted 15th Century barn, a spacious farmhouse, a prison, or even a railway station. A large number of your contracts will have the potential for becoming a glossy magazine feature article, and this can provide you with the PR, publicity, and promotion that can boost your income tenfold!

There are opportunities for Interior Design everywhere you look.

People worldwide spend more than 90% of their life indoors and they need the right high quality environment, which is created by an Interior Design professional. As an Interior Designer, you can contribute to the health, safety, and welfare of people living in homes as well as those working in offices, hotels, restaurants, schools, stores, and other business places. You can be self-employed, you can work for an Interior Design company, or architectural offices, retail groups, or other commercial establishments can employ you.

Some newspapers and magazines are willing to pay an Interior Designer a handsome fee for a complete redesign of a home, which they then offer as a prize in a competition that will increase their readership. You can contact the promotions & marketing section of the media and suggest this idea to them, arrange a meeting to discuss the project, and negotiate a suitable fee. This will be much easier if some of your work has been photographed and published previously, and your name is becoming known.

The show-homes on display at new housing developments require excellent Interior Design in order to encourage visitors to become purchasers. Shopping malls and department stores can provide space for you to display photographs of your work, distribute colour brochures and flyers, and collect names of prospective clients for your Interior Design services.

You can learn all the secrets of Interior Design by taking a Course.

This is a profession that is open to almost everybody with a keen interest in design, and there are no restrictions on age, sex, race, or creed--if you really want to be an Interior Designer, a Course will show you exactly how!

You can complete a course from the comfort of your own home by distance learning, which means you can live in anywhere with Internet access and download the modules onto your computer.

Finally, as an Interior Designer in the 21st Century, you are not limited to simply advising and selecting furniture and accessories. You will create attractive and functional surroundings with the right ambience for either productive work or relaxation. You interact with many different people, enjoy a profitable and creative career, and best of all you can set your own schedule.

Brian Hunt http://www.PowerBusinessPublishing.com/

The author of this article is Brian Hunt, who has been writing, publishing, and marketing books and articles on business and leisure related subjects for the past seven years. He is a highly successful person with a broad depth of sales and marketing experience in various fields gained over many years in business. In addition to his publishing business, Brian works as a consultant for selected clients wishing to expand their marketing presence online.

Interior Design By Mail Order - Does It Really Work

2010-10-26T01:34:00.000-07:00

Anyone who is used to the traditional approach to interior design may immediately question such a proposition but the idea has real attractions and merits. Just how can a traditional interior designer become a product sold at a distance by mail order or over the internet?

Traditional Interior Design

Interior design is one of the visual and tactile arts. Its practitioners work with fabric, wood, glass, metal and colour and the finished product always needs to be seen and experienced to be fully appreciated. Photographs rarely do justice to real room settings, which is why many photographs of rooms are in fact staged settings in a photo studio.

Despite this, interior designers usually work in a logical and progressive way, starting with two key points:

The room as it currently is. In particular those aspects which cannot change, such as the direction of sunlight or position of a chimney.

The aspirations and goals of the client, including personal taste, budget and the desire to retain certain items or themes from the existing environment.

Traditionally, it may seem that an interior designer somehow effortlessly absorbs the key points. However in reality they are merely building up a clear mental picture, supported by notes, photos, sketches and measurements.

Interior Design at a Distance

Just how can a designer build up a picture of a room without actually visiting it? Well, it is entirely practical for much of the first stage of the interior design process to be treated as a structured process. This applies to capturing all the factual information about the existing room which can be recorded on a survey form or questionnaire.

In fact a survey form or questionnaire is a great tool for capturing the client's personal tastes, preferences and lifestyle aspirations. Often partners living together have differing requirements, goals and tastes, but one may be more assertive. If both use identical survey questionnaires and then compare their thoughts it will help enormously in reaching a suitable compromise less a lot of argument or suppressed anger.

Even if two partners use this approach to interior design and do agree a compromise, both sets of information would be analysed by the interior designer so that the resultant design proposal will be attractive to both parties, rather than a neutral watered-down design.

How does it work

The more information the client provides about their room and tastes the better the final design will be. It helps considerably if the client can provide swatches or samples of fabric (e.g. from a three piece suite or carpet) that are already in use or planned.

Similarly the interior designer will appreciate it if the client collects magazine clippings that illustrate styles that they particularly like and dislike. These can be submitted with the survey or questionnaire.

Once the questionnaire is complete the client usually packs this up with material samples, magazine clippings, room photographs and sketch floor plans. The whole pack is sent to the interior designer.

Based on the information received the designer starts work putting together a personal plan for the client. Often the designer will phone the client to make sure they understand the requirements or clarify some detail. Also once the designer starts to formulate a design they will run it past the client to test whether the solution is a good match to the requirement.

Finally the designer will formulate a detailed plan which will be sent to the client by post. This may include some or all of the following:

Mood board with samples of proposed fabric, carpet, paint, wood-work etc.

Computer aided design of the room

Inventory of materials required; description, quantity, source and price.

Once the client receives their room design by post hopefully it will meet all their requirements, but there is always room for refinement with the designer. The client then has several options:

They can implement the design themselves. Perhaps they are confident at decorating and "Do-It-Yourself" (DIY) but lack confidence in the design process? The client would then source the materials and any help from contractors locally.

Alternatively they may be able to order some or all of the recommended materials from the interior designer. Everything from a tin of paint, through finished curtains, right up to items of furniture could be delivered to the client's door!

A third possibility would be to revert back to a more traditional interior design model. If the client really liked the design that arrived by post they could still call in the designer to manage the implementation on site, assuming the travelling distance was still practical!

Why do interior design at a distance?

Mail-order design is ideal for clients who are leading busy lives. Perhaps the client wants to re-style their home but they spend most of their time away on international business. In the normal course of business it can be very difficult for the client and the designer to synchronise appointments on site. Working by post, e-mail and phone can actually speed up the process considerably.

Other clients are somewhat shy or embarrassed at having an interior designer in their home. Perhaps they feel the designer will criticise their existing home or their taste. Interior design at a distance can be a good solution and it certainly can break down barriers.

It may come as a surprise, but mail order interior design can be a very cost effective way of getting a unique personal interior design for your home.

Bronia Suszczenia is co-founder and Creative Director of Yorkshire interior design company Art from the Start Ltd based in York, England. Find out more about mail order interior design.

What You Should Known About Interior Design Schools

2010-10-25T05:42:00.000-07:00

Getting degrees in interior design is becoming one of the more popular degree options available today and constantly being offered by different colleges and universities. Interior design is regulated in almost 24 states of the United States and anybody who is intent on studying for a degree in interior design course should pick up a Bachelors degree in Interior Design first before they opt for an interior designers license.

Interior design degrees are extremely important and so is the knowledge of CAD software which is all about Computer Aided Design. Both are equally necessary for the new interior designers. People hiring interior designers prefer to opt for people who have graduated and people who can handle modern technological requirements such as CAD because not only are they cost effective but they save people a lot of time too.

At this time the online interior design degree is the most popular learning option for people who want to get the degree, it is especially more popular with the use of CAD software. Because of the benefits that the internet affords you can get across to a wider student population across the entire world.

Interior designers must be smart and imaginative at the same time in order to use the small amount of interior space that is available in most large cities of the world. What an interior design degree provides is that it gives the student the knowledge and the practical experience to cope with the different demands and requirements that a busy interior designer constantly has to cope with.

An interior design degree is the primary step in establishing a career in the field of interior design. The development of your natural talent and creativity means getting the right training as well as the necessary education. In order to become a force in the field of global interior design it is always essential that you have the requisite formal degrees from a college that offers interior design degrees and qualifications.

Successful graduates in the field of interior design will employ their creativity and imagination in order to design homes for people as well as corporate establishments and order institutes of commerce. Designers will make use of the knowledge of different types of color as well as basic studies in the fields of architecture and creative design in order that they create beautiful interiors and work areas at the same time.

Interior design degree programs focus on sharing and teaching skills in various areas of graphic drawing, construction technology, color theory and space planning. Students will focus on learning the different aspects of design from the technical and the creative as well. Certain other important aspects including the elements that concern human beings and aspects of interior decorating, other aspects of building safety and information about the different necessary requirements for design. You can visit http://www.interior-design-school.com to find out more information on interior design education.

Whenever you're looking for an interior design degree program to study, try to find out if the institution has lecturers and academic staff who are quite knowledgeable in the industry. Anyone studying in the field of interior design should try to get the best world class training available.

Kelly Hunter operates http://www.interior-design-school.com and writes about Interior Design School education.

Interior Design Vs Interior Decorating Vs Home Staging Vs Interior Redesign - What's the Difference?

2010-10-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

The other day a real estate agent whose listings I stage for sale introduced me to someone as a "designer". I didn't want to take the time to correct him, but I thought to myself, "This isn't the first time I've heard people use 'designer' erroneously. It's often used to label someone who's an interior decorator. So, why does everyone lump us all in one category, when we all clearly do something different?"

To put the differences succinctly:

Interior Design involves, among many other things, the preparation of documents often by a licensed professional for the construction of an interior space such as plans and elevations, and details and specifications, including lighting, power and communication locations, materials and finishes, and furniture layouts.
Interior Decorating involves the adornment of surfaces in the interior space, such as fabrics, wall coverings, furniture, decorative accessories, flooring, light fixtures etc., and takes into account the lifestyle, taste, needs and preferences of the user of the space. While interior designers may decorate, interior decorators don't design.
Home Staging is preparing the home for sale through updates and "decorating" so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers for the market that the home is in.
Interior Redesign is often done by home stagers for homeowners not currently selling because it employs many of the same principles that home stagers use, such as primarily using what furniture and decorative accessories the homeowner already has, with an eye towards the future sale of the home.

Now, let's explore each one more in-depth.

Interior Design

According to the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ):

Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment.
These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive.
Designs are created in response to and coordinated with thebuilding shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project.
Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements, and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability.
The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and resources of the client are satisfied to produce an interior space that fulfills the project goals.

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is the leading organization for interior design professionals. Certain levels of its members must meet certain education, work experience and examination requirements administered by the NCIDQ. Further, some states have licensing requirements for interior designers which include the passage of this exam. ASID also has continuing education requirements for its members.

Interior Decorating

No wonder people often confuse Interior Decorating with Interior Design. Even I had trouble finding a definition for Interior Decorating. Often it said "see interior design".

Perhaps its best to understand interior decorating as it exists in contrast to interior design:

An interior decorator would select floor coverings based upon the tastes and lifestyle of the client, whereas the interior designer would take it a step further and look at usage, sound transference, flammability, etc.
An interior decorator would select lighting fixtures, whereas the interior designer would plan for the location of lighting and ensure that it is in compliance with building and safety codes.
An interior decorator does not need to have any formal education and/or work experience, testing or licensing, whereas an interior designer does.

Home Staging

Home staging is the art and science of preparing a home for sale so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers in order to sell quickly and for top dollar. The objective is to make the potential buyer fall in love with the home, envision themselves living there and aspire to the lifestyle the home portrays.

According to the Real Estate Staging Association's Consumer's Guide to Home Staging, it is a "systematic and coordinated methodology in which knowledge of real estate, home renovations and creative design principles are applied to attract a buyer."

Home staging involves any or all of the following:

Evaluating what furniture and decorative accessories (throw pillows, artwork, decorative objects, lamps, knickknacks, etc.) the owner has, and:

- eliminating some of the furniture and/or decorative accessories, otherwise known as decluttering as well as depersonalizing (removal of family photos, trophies, collections etc. so the buyer can envision living there)

- arranging the furniture and accessories for optimal placement to enhance flow (the ability to walk freely through the room), focal point enhancement (e.g., emphasizing a fireplace or a beautiful view), balance (are there too many or too large pieces in the bookcase or on only one side of the room?) and the positive aspects of the home while downplaying the negatives

Carefully selecting for purchase or rent, if necessary, the appropriate furniture and accessories for the style of the home and it's market.
Recommending, implementing and/or arranging for enhancements, updates and repairs such as painting, flooring, sink fixtures, lighting fixtures, window treatments, landscaping, etc.

Interior Redesign

As stated above, interior redesign is like home staging, however it enhances the home for the homeowners rather than for potential buyers. And it does so with an eye towards its future sale. It is like home staging in that it primarily uses the client's existing furniture and decorative accessories to transform the space, and may also involve the purchase of additional furniture and accessories as well as updates to the wall colors, window treatments, lighting fixtures etc.

Summary

To summarize the differences:

Interior Design involves the planning of all aspects of interior space often by a licensed professional.
Interior Decorating involves the adornment of surfaces in the interior space. Interior designers may decorate, but interior decorators don't design.
Home Staging is preparing the home for sale through updates and showcasing so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers for the market that the home is in.
Interior Redesign employs many of the same principles that home stagers use, such as primarily using what furniture and decorative accessories the homeowner already has, with an eye towards the future sale of the home.

Donna Dazzo is a home stager and interior redesigner serving New York City and the Hamptons. She founded Designed to Appeal ( http://designedtoappeal.com ) in 2007 after a successful career in the financial services industry. Her experience in project management and marketing, combined with her lifelong passion for interior decorating and design, makes her a unique professional to help both realtors and home sellers sell homes faster and for top dollar.

Interior Design Jobs Require Proper Education

2010-10-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

Is your dream to have one of the best interior design jobs in town? How do you go about securing that exciting new position at an exclusive design firm? It takes a good education, plenty of hands on experience in the interior design field and it takes the right contacts in the industry.

Are you a creative and artistic person that loves to re-do living spaces for friends and family. Imagine being paid for it! That is exactly what interior design jobs are all about; being paid for re-designing homes and businesses. Interior designers love their work. It is demanding and stressful but thoroughly rewarding when the job is complete and your client is thrilled.

Interior designers meet people from all occupations, as many different types and nationalities of people will require an interior designer at some point in their life. However, not everyone can afford to hire an interior designer, so your clientèle will mostly be the wealthy.

Your dream of having of having an exciting interior design job could take you to a large Interior Design firm, an up and coming design firm or even starting your own interior design company.

With the influx of design programs on television, more and more people are re-designing their homes than ever before. Thus, the demand for interior design jobs is at its highest. Not just homeowners are hiring interior designers. Many businesses are hiring professional interior designers to make their offices more people friendly. Here is a sample list of businesses that hire interior designers:

o Hotels

o Law Firms

o Restaurants

o Art Galleries

o Ad Agencies

o Boutiques

o Hair Salons

o Spas

o Medical Offices

o Corporate Head Offices

o Model Homes

Becoming an Interior Designer requires two to five years of post secondary education. You can earn an Interior Design Degree from an accredited online school or from a campus that teaches in lecture and studio format.

Interior Designers need more skills than just creativity; they need to know building regulations, fire codes, handicap access, sound and lighting design. So be prepared to learn these skills in college in order to secure one of those exciting interior design jobs.

An Interior Design School graduate is eligible for entry-level design positions in such areas as residential and commercial design, CAD (computer aided drafting), showroom planning and management and space planning among many others.

Interior Designers are no longer self-taught. In some states, it is mandatory for Interior Designers to be licensed. Your education in Interior Design will prepare you for any number of interior design jobs. Interior design degree programs teach students about computer aided drafting programs and about liberal arts and humanities. Buildings are also about the people that use them not just about the function of the building itself.

Lastly, try to learn as much about business in case you want to be a self-employed interior designer. Take some courses in marketing, merchandising and business psychology. These courses would also help land one of many interior design jobs that are out there.

Thinking of a career in Interior Design? Use our site as a valuable reference point for Interior Design Jobs T.D. Houser

Interior Design and Interior Decorating - Some Definitions

2010-10-23T01:15:00.000-07:00

Interior Decoration and Interior Design, although related disciplines, are different in terms of their application. Interior Decoration is the process of decorating a house with regards to finishes (for example wallpaper and paint, choice of furniture and fittings as well as adding finishing touches and decorations such as paintings and objets d'art. All of this provide a certain "feel" to a house but essentially the underlying structure of the house is not changed.

Interior decoration is normally professionally done by Interior Decorators although recently the trend has been for people to learn about Interior Decorating through various courses or books and then apply the techniques themselves-usually on a shoestring budget. The whole objective of Interior Decorating is to make a house aesthetically pleasing and at the same time, unique, since it should reflect the owner's specific personality and tastes.

Interior design on the other hand is more integrated with the architecture of a building and a professional Interior Designer will work closely with architects and builders to make choices regarding the integral design of the whole house or building. This includes looking at choices with regards to room layout, choice of cabinets and tiles and lots of other design factors. While the Interior Design budget for new developments used to be minimal, it is recognized these days that incorporating Interior Design into the project means the difference between a run-of-the-mill development and one that contributes to the branding and life-style image of the project. The money spent on Interior Design is therefore seen as a worthwhile investment in the whole property development process.

Homeowners are spending more and more to improve their homes. Since it is relatively easy to change the appearance of a house by changing the finishings and fittings a large portion of this money goes into Interior Decorating. The growing popularity in do-it-yourself Interior Decorating has meant that a whole industry around Interior Decorating courses, books and TV Shows have also sprung up, and it has become a popular hobby for married couples. Innovative Interior Decoration ideas, which cost less but at the same time giving the impression of style and class, are in vogue.

Young entrepreneurs have also seen the gap and there is a growing demand for information and courses on how to break into the Interior Design and Interior Decoration Industry. This has also given the home {interior decoration industry a boost.

Although the trend recently is for people to tackle the exciting task of transforming a house themselves, it has to be recognized that this falls more in the area of Interior Decorating. Interior Design still requires study of the context of Interior Design, the theory of good design, knowledge of the technical advances in the engineering industry for both residential as well as commercial buildings and knowledge of the latest trends and advances in the Interior Design industry.

In short, an Interior Design project in which all the elements of design are pulled together is still the ambit of the professional designer who should be able to deliver on projects that extend beyond the boundaries of a hobby pastime.

Interior decorating ideas and tips for your house. Hanlie Claasen offers a full turnkey interior design service which includes detailed scale design recommendations within the client's brief and budget as well as colour advice and consultation.

New York Interior Design Programs

2010-10-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

There are many New York interior design programs available for the aspiring design student. If the individual wishes to be on campus then one school that offers an Associates Degree in Interior Design is Berkeley College, which is located in midtown Manhattan.

Berkeley College is a top New York interior design school that provides a real world education that interior design professionals demand. The class sizes are small and students get hands on training. Students receive free lifetime career assistance as well. Internships are offered and there is a large network of employer connections through the school.

The New York interior design school campuses of Berkeley College are located in White Plains. Berkeley is a recognized leader in preparing students for their professional careers in interior design, 96% of graduates secure jobs in their areas.

Other schools in the New York interior design program offer online training. One of those schools is Westwood College where you can obtain a Bachelors Degree in Interior Design. An online program is designed for the student who feels that they just do not have the time to attend classes for whatever reason but still have the desire to obtain a well-respected degree in interior design.

Another New York interior design school that offers an online degree is The Art Institute Online where the student can achieve a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. This school is a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

Whether you attend a New York interior design school in person or online you will be prepared to enter the exciting and creative world of Interior Design with the knowledge to succeed. Before an Interior Designer receives his or her license, they must meet some very strict guidelines. The Designer must have a combination of six years of school and work experience before taking the licensing exam. Once the Interior Designer has completed the six-year requirement, they must pass a test administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification.

Interior Designers wishing to do commercial design work must have a bachelor's degree in interior design from an accredited school. All Interior Design students including New York interior design students will learn how to use computer aided design (CAD) software. Securing an internship free is a good way to get practical knowledge and experience. Internships can often lead to full time positions.

New York interior design students must learn other skills besides design to be successful professionals. Artistically inclined is a good skill to have along with strong people skills. It is recommended that New York interior designers take some business courses as well since many Designers are self-employed. Interior Design is an ever-changing profession and today's designer must stay up to date with all the trends.

Thinking of a career in Interior Design? Use our site as a valuable reference point for Interior Design Education and Careers
by T.D. Houser

Earning a Bachelors Degree at an Interior Design College

2010-10-21T23:50:00.000-07:00

Students can earn a bachelors degree from an Interior Design College. A good school will provide the student with the ability to apply their creative ideas and techniques to professional interior design. These areas of interior design are planning, designing, equipping and furnishing commercial and residential interior spaces.

The student at an interior design college will learn the principles of computer application drafting (CAD) and graphic techniques. In addition, the student learns the effects of interior lighting, acoustics, color coordination, integrating systems, furniture and furnishings. However, that is not all, interior design also covers such things as textiles, textile finishing's, the history of interior design and the various different period styles. Lastly, the student should expect to learn about basic structural design and building codes and inspection regulations. In addition, how the regulations apply to residential and commercial interior design.

Several well qualified Interior Design Colleges and schools offer the student a well-rounded curriculum that enhances the student's creativity along with the human factor of interior design. Students need not only learn about the creative aspects of interior design. The business side of interior design and how to deal with clients, is also an important topic to be studied. Without people, the interior designer has no work.

The typical interior design student is creative, energetic and curious. Interior design is a creative and quite varied career. No two designs are the same, the designer needs to use a variety of techniques and methods to create a desirable living space that pleases their client.

Interior Design College will arm the student with insight and knowledge to prepare them for an exciting and profitable career in Interior Design. The interior designer's ultimate and main goal is to transform plain generic areas into beautiful and creative spaces that meet the personalities of the interior designer's clients.

An Interior Design College in the United States offer four-year baccalaureate degrees in Interior Design. Universities offer the same type of program. Some colleges offer Interior Design as a stand-alone program only. Students may pursue a Masters degree in Interior Design but this is much less common. You will find students that pursue their more advanced degree in a related design subject such as fine art or industrial design.

Interior design college institutions have expanded beyond the traditional classroom or studio based instruction. Online degree programs now are being offered in interior design. The online programs are just as comprehensive as the studio-based programs.

It would be beneficial for the student to attend an Interior Design College that is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, the primary accreditation agency for interior design education programs in the United States.

Thinking of a career in Interior Design? Use our site as a valuable reference point for Interior Design Education and Career Info.
by T.D. Houser

Interior Design Career

2010-10-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

Interior Design is a unique fusion of art, architecture and engineering. However, interior design involves more than just choosing furniture, fixtures and fabrics. As an interior designer you'll also need to know how to read architects blueprint, understand electrical codes and negotiate with contractors.

The designer is responsible for preparing specific interior construction designs to suit the clients taste and budget. They use computers to plan the layout and architectural details such as built in shelves, mounding, and cabinets. They also coordinate the design by choosing color palates, furniture, and window and floor treatments. Interior designers work in both residential and commercial settings, but many experienced designers specialize in particular settings, such as nightclubs and restaurants or historic renovation. Designers often join forces with architects, electricians, and contractors to make sure that their designs are not dangerous and meet construction codes and requirements.

A college-level education in interior design is essential to be a successful interior designer. Few clients would be willing to trust a designer who does not have formal training. A bachelor's degree is suggested for entry-level positions in interior design. Upon graduation, aspiring designers typically enter an apprenticeship to gain experience before taking a national licensing exam or joining a professional association.

24 States require interior designers to take a licensing exam. Designers in States that do not require the exam may choose to take it as confirmation of their credentials. The National Council for Interior Design Qualification (http://www.ncidq.org/) administers the licensing exam. Applicants must have at least 6 years of education and experience in interior design to be qualified to take the exam. When candidates pass the test, they are given the title of Certified, Registered, or Licensed Interior Designer, which varies by state. Continuing education is necessary in to maintain one's licensure. Many qualified designers also belong to trade organizations such as American Society of Interior Designers (http://www.asid.org/).

As the economy grows, more private businesses and consumers will request the services of interior designers. Interior designers held about 65,000 jobs in 2004 according to the bureau of labor statistics, and about 30% of those were self-employed. Earnings for interior designers vary widely depending on the type of design they do. It also varied by experience, demand reputation, and whether they were self-employed. Early-to mid-career designers may earn about $30,000 to $45,000. Designers with increasingly more experience can earn upwards of $75,000 annually. Current trends in home improvement television programs have increased a trend in do it yourself design, but many people will continue to consult professional interior designers for their major home projects.

Melissa Steele recommends you visit EducationGuys.com for more information on college degrees & online schools .

How To Choose An Interior Designer Or Redecorator

2010-10-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

What types of professional interior designers are available?

Have you heard of Interior redecorators? These professional interior decorators transform your home using things you have accumulated over the years. The end result is a balanced, harmonious space that reflects the personality of the people who use it. Many interior designers have added this service to their repertoire. Alternate terms for professional interior designers specializing in interior redecorating are interior redesigners, interior arrangers, interior stylists, one day decorators, visual coordinators or interior refiners.

What is a Certified Interior Designer? (from B&P Code Section 5800,5538)

A Certified interior designer is a competent design professional who is qualified to design, prepare, and submit any type of nonstructural, non-seismic interior construction plans and specifications to local building departments. Certified interior designers have demonstrated through education, experience, and examination their knowledge of the Uniform Building Code as it relates to space planning, life safety, flammability, and disabled access code issues. Most interior designers have a minimum four-year education. Many have Master of Interior Design degrees or other additional education in architecture or interior design. Interior designers who have many years experience may not have a Bachelors in Interior Design, but usually are well educated and have many years of qualified experience. All qualified interior designers will indicate that they have passed the NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Certification) examination and/or are registered/ certified/ licensed in their state.

How do Interior Decorators charge for their services?

Flat Design Fee: The client pays a flat fee for the professional interior designer's services based on the design plan, time required, and scope of services.

Hourly Rate: The interior decorator bills a negotiated rate per hour.

Cost Plus Method: Professional interior designers charge a set percentage on all merchandise purchased and tradesmen's services rendered.

Mixed Method: The client pays both a set percentage on purchases and a base design fee for hourly rate.

Per square foot: This method is used especially in new construction.

What to ask at the first meeting:

o Ask to see the interior designer's portfolio, but remember that the designs reflect other people's tastes,¬ not necessarily the interior decorator's, and possibly not your own.

o Ask what size projects the interior designer has worked on, where, and what was the budget range.

o Ask how the established budget will be handled, and the kind of payment schedules the interior decorator requires.

o Ask about the types of services the designer can provide.

o Ask for a list of references.

What you may be asked at the first meeting:

It is a good idea to prepare for your first meeting with a professional interior designer by creating your own folder of clippings from magazines, catalogs, and books of design ideas that appeal to you.

You may also be asked some or all of the following questions:

o For whom is the space being designed?

o What activities will take place in the space?

o How long do you plan to occupy the space?

o What is your time frame for completing the project?

o What is your budget?

o Are you relocating or remodeling?

o What image do you want to project?

o What colors, style, and effects do you like?

o What are your objective and lifestyle needs?

o What is the approximate square footage to be designed?

If a professional interior designer, or anyone, for that matter, tells you the process is easy, stress-free, and will be complete in two weeks, they're either lying or stupid. Don't hire that person.

Kimberly M. Stone, is the owner of Adore Your D?cor?, an interior decorating firm specializing in interior redesigns and home staging. She also serves as the Feature Editor of http://www.MySpaceDesigners.com a resource directory for professional interior designers and for consumers looking to locate professional, innovative designers for small space, residential and/or commercial design projects. For more valuable tips on how to choose an interior designer, visit http://www.MySpaceDesigners.com

25 Folded 5x7 Premium Quality "Thank You" Greeting Cards with BLANK INTERIOR - Pack of 25 Colorful Designer Quality Cards in 5 Different Designs (WHOLESALE)

2010-10-20T02:08:00.000-07:00

This "Thank You" card pack contains 25 regular sized (5x7) exceptional designer quality cards. There are 5 different designs (5 cards of each design in the package). Each card comes with an individual envelope. This collection of premium cards is for situations that demand a personal touch. These cards are ideal for business use as employee or customer appreciation card. Blank interior allows for personal notes and photo insertions.

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon