5 Tops Tips | If you are thinking about retraining to become an Interior Designer

You love interiors and feel you have a good eye…..

However, you aren’t finding your current career path is fulfilling your creative side. So why not take the leap and have a second career as an Interior Designer? Being an Interior Designer can be very rewarding. This is especially true if you enjoy being creative, have strong organisational skills and possess the ability to listen to and get on with people like a house on fire (clients!)

If you are contemplating making the change, Metier Rendezvous is here to give you the lowdown on some of the approach options out there. Before signing up to any course or applying for an internship, we suggest that you do your homework, get to know the industry and always feel free to ask lots of questions.

Our 5 Top Tips are:

1. Attend open evenings at design schools, talk with tutors, and find out more about the different courses so that you can choose the right one for you

2. Head to the KLC or Inchbald Graduate exhibitions and see the final works of the graduates on display, gain an understanding of the process and what would be expected of you by the end of your training.

3. Approach and network with established Interior Designers. Most Interior Designers we know are more than happy to have a quick chat over the phone to tell you more about what it is like to be an Interior Designer, what the job requires etc.

4. Google local Interior designers in your area, also House & Garden’s ‘The List’ has an extensive list of designers, for more information head to: http://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/the-list
Approach your local Interior Designer and ask about work experience, its not just for school students!

5. Dip your toe in the water with a one day or one week Interior Design taster course at The Interior Design School.

Once you have decided that a career in Interior Design is for you, then formal training is incredibly beneficial. This is not only for yourself, but for your clients as well. Studying for a formal qualification will give you a strong foundation in, and understanding of the profession.

Leading London interior design schools KLC School of Design and Inchbald are both highly regarded. Indeed, these are thought of as the ‘Crème de la Crème’ of interior design training.

KLC School of Design

KLC School of Design is an interior-focused design school in London. They offer a full-time and online-structured Foundation course in Interior Design, validated by the University of Brighton. This is equivalent to the first two years of a Bachelor’s Degree. You can then choose to continue the program in order to obtain a fully-accredited BA (Hons) degree. This will enable you to start your own business with the highest qualification as a fully-qualified Interior Designer.

KLC also offers a Diploma in Interior Design, which is a rigorous one year course favoured by interior designers. It teaches students a whole variety of creative and professional skills needed for pursuing a career in Interior Design. Elements include conceptual design, residential design, and the course ends with a largely self-directed project.

They also offer a blended learning / distant learning courses for those who are keen on part-time options.

 

The Inchbald School of Design

The Inchbald School of Design offers a selection of London and online based Interior Design and Garden design courses. They also offer a BA (Hons) course in Architectural Interior Design , validated by Wrexham Glyndŵr University. This course prepares graduates with the development of practical and aesthetic design skills.

The Inchbald School of Design online courses in interior design are varied. There is a three-month short course: Design your Living Space, as well as one-year to three-year Interior Design Diploma courses. If you require further knowledge and in-depth studies, you can also apply for the Postgraduate or Masters courses in Architectural Interior Design.

University Interior Design Courses

If studying in London is tricky, embarking on higher education and studying for 3-4 years at university is also an option. Don’t be put off by thinking that university is just for school-leavers. Over 40% of mature students are over 30 and have work, mortgage or family responsibilities.

Universities up and down the UK also offer Interior Design and Interior Architecture courses, both part-time and full-time. Course content varies, but generally, degree-courses incorporate both commercial and residential design, textile research, and working drawings. For more information have a look at the UCAS website: https://www.ucas.com/

Work Experience

Before, during or after your studies, another suggestion would be to gain valuable on-the-job experience by working alongside an experienced Interior Designer as an Intern. You will get invaluable hands-on experience. Typical tasks would be helping to put together a design scheme and liaising with suppliers. You could be helping with space-planning live sites and other relevant day-to-day tasks.

Interior Design Associations

Post studying and work experience, you can look to join one of the industry associations such as the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) and The Society of Britsh Design (SIBD).

The Metier Rendezvous members are a friendly bunch of Interior Designers. So do feel free to get in touch should you have any questions that you would like to ask about breaking into the industry. We have all been there and got the T-shirt, so would be delighted to share our words of wisdom.


Watch this space for more insights into the Interior Design industry.

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