I am sixteen years old and I am determined to become an Interior Designer. I was wondering if any of you guys had any advice to help me prepare for the future of the Interior Design business. I have some drawings of some rooms I dreamed up and I thought you all could look at them once I learned how to add them on here. Thanks, Shan
Hi sstshan, I'm not an interior designer but your designs look good to me and you obviously have talent. I suppose sketching is definitely a great way to build up a portfolio of work so you could possibly look into 3D sketching also. Google have a free 3D modelling tool called SketchUp which is easy to use. Keep sketching and researching! I used to dream of being a computer game designer when I was your age. I didn't quite get there but my passion eventually led me to set up GardenStew and I'm really grateful for it. So passion and determination goes a looong way Best of luck, // frank
You obviously have talent Shan which is an essential in interior design. Your drawings show that you have an eye for detail and perception. May I suggest that when you are doing your 'mock-ups' of rooms that you try to include colour swatches and samples of the types of materials you would incorporate. Mood boards showing everything from lighting to the last knick-knack are greatly appreciated by clients so should be included in your portfolio. You can borrow books from libraries that will tell you a great deal about interior design. There are many courses available for aspiring interior designers so your local college/university should be able to help you with advice on these and let you know starting dates, costs etc. Here is a website that you may find helpful: http://www.interiordesignersregister.com/become.php Good luck!!
Study and take any classes in design in high school that would prepare you for college. Then study hard in college. It seems you are well on your way with your talent. It just takes time and practice. You are just 16 remember.
Thank you to everyone, it helps to hear that people besides my family and friends like my drawings too. It gives me some convidence and I am looking forward too improving more and more as I get older. Frank:I'll be sure and check that out Thanks! Eileen: I've seen the displays with like fabrics and color swatches (etc.) and I did something to that affect in my Family and Consumer Science class just a few days ago and it was really cool. I was wondering where you find fabric swatches...I'm thinking about working at the local Hobby Lobby store..which is one of my favorite stores lol so I can get a feel for the different things that are out there. Thank you!
If you go to a fabric store they will generally let you take a sample/swatch of the fabric home to see how it will look in your lighting & with your other furniture, etc. That is one way to get swatches.
You can also look on the net for fabric swatches. You can pick them up either for free or very cheaply. :-D Go to any large DIY store and collect the paint colour charts and samples of wallpaper - they're free - and are really useful for putting on to those mood boards. Do let us know how you get on won't you?
Congratulations,,, you are one step closer. Remember it takes many small steps. If I had my life to live over, I would have become an interior decorator. I have friends that ask my advice and opinion about how to decorate and what colors work together. I have a lot of fun doing that and I think ID is so interesting.
Shan, it's great that you're getting such an early start on your way. You have so much more time than other people who won't figure out what they want to do until they're much older. I think for now you just need to work with what you've got. Keep working on improving your sketching, and take classes. Ask your parents and friends if you can design rooms in yours and their houses, then take pictures and build your portfolio. When you can build that and show it to people, online or otherwise, that's the first step to getting your name out there and building your reputation. Good luck!
Blossoming interior designer Hi Shan,love the drawings and the passion to do well,in England we have a monthly magazine called Interiors,I expect that you have a version of it in the States,each month it shows inside various homes through out the world which gives great ideas on lifestyles and colours.also the adverts are very informative for ideas on textiles etc. good luck Allan
I run a interior design company in Montreal, Canada. If I were to sum up the best advice that I have it would be to utilize every tool available to you. Design is about image and that image has to be built. First of all, marketing yourself online is really important these days. Start a website and find someone to optimize it for you (make you rank high in search engines). Depending on your budget, I place ads on networks such as Facebook Ads. These drive a lot of traffic. Also, film some of your designs or the planning of them and post the videos to Youtube with a link to your website and a description of your video in the description on Youtube. This may seem a little complicated but they are cost effective ways of getting clients. I would also suggest placing free ads in craigslist and Kijiji for your services. Don't worry about experience. Your drawings are great and I'm sure you can do a great job. Feel free to contact me if you want some advice.
