Public Image vs. Reality

First let me start by sharing this paragraph with everyone because it couldn’t be any truer. 

“The public's perception is their reality. The public believes that interior designers select colors and materials. Certainly, interior designers do select color and materials as part of their job, but it is only a small part. Yet the public only sees and understands the final form, not realizing what it takes to get there.”

“The public believes that architects create buildings and that interior designers select colors and materials….. In actuality, the roles of architects and interior designers are much more complex and can be better understood in comparison to a conductor playing a symphony. They are both striving for the successful outcome of their vision, and rarely do they perform as a solo act. They use their own experience and expertise to lead a team of specialists to turn an initial vision into a final form.” Mitchell E. Sways, FIIDA 

Now the question at hand is why and how did the public get so misinformed?

The first thing that comes to mind is television programs, magazines and of course the internet. The truth is that the media has cast a dark cloud over the truth of what an interior designer is and all the hard work that goes into a real design. 

The fact is that everyone watches television, and there are so many shows that make interior designer look like decorators.  There is: Trading Spaces, while you were out, top design, Design Star and many more. And unfortunately, even popular television shows like Desperate Housewives, interior designers are being misrepresented.  However, for most people, if it is shown on TV as just making things look pretty, in a ridicules time frame with an even more ridicules budget then why would it not be true?

With that said, I wonder how many interior designers have had to go through having to explain to a future client that a full room make over like the ones seen on TV cannot be done in 24 to 48 hours with a one to two thousand dollar budget.

Sadly enough it doesn’t stop there. Magazines and the internet don’t help the matter.

When walking past the magazine racks under the interior design section you will find titles like: Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living, Florida Design, Country Living etc. but none of these actually show the true design process and steps that go into a real design. 

And with the internet if you type in the words “interior design” this like: Colleges, Furniture places and decorating ideas pop up.

With all these outlets of tainted information it all makes me wonder
How did this happen?

Why is this still continuing today?
And with all the misleading going on do you have any fears or worries when entering the design world?

Designers World Wide

I titled this entry “designers world wide” because that is the future. As technology, education and firms progresses the ability for an interior designer to take on projects in different locations around the world aren’t that unheard of. Many firms have locations all around the world and communicate via e-mail, fax and phone calls. Between firms, distributors and manufactures a good designer will eventually have to opportunity to branch out to other locations. 

A great example of how the process would work would be a little like academic projects. Most academic project  work similar to how it would be if working on a project a good deal way. The client would contact the firm, a purposal would be put together, and once all terms have been agreed on the designer would go to work on designing a space for a purpose. With many of the projects students work on, the designer puts together a full set of construction documents  without ever seeing the site/ space.

In addition, with programs like Autodesk Autocad and Revit that are being used world wide I feel as long as we have a good understanding of the space, client needs, and the function the space should service we as interior designers should be able to design from anywhere.

Good luck, the sky is the limit!

How I got myself into this

I will start with the truth. I never thought I would ever end up in school to become an interior designer, but it makes sense now that I am. For as long as I can remember I have been building structure, taking things apart to understand how they work, and reorganizing everything I see.

           

             As a child I started building structures of all shapes, sizes and materials. I started with large scale lego buildings, many have called me the real lego maniac, and as soon as I was allowed to use power tools I was on my way to building club houses, tree houses and other structures. Besides building items I was known for taking random items apart to understand how they are put together ( bikes, toasters, lawn mower, etc…. sorry dad) I enjoyed seeing how things worked so much that I developed a passion for cars and at one point in my life even enrolled in south Carolina tech to major in automotive engineering. I completed a year, working on engines came naturally, however the desired to do this line of work forever wasn’t there. So instead of wasting more time and money I un-enrolled myself from college and moved home to Saint Petersburg, Florida.

            After moving back to Florida I started working at Home Shopping network as a customer service representative and on breaks I found myself watching how the sets where being designed and put together. I thought to myself that looks like fun but never pursued it.

And then it happened. I got sucked into the world or trading spaces. I was addicted to that show and the more I watched it the more I was convinced that I could do what they were doing. So one day while sitting on the couch watching traded spaces I decided to type in “interior design”. The first thing that popped up was “Ai, The Art Institute of Tampa”. I viewed the website and clicked on the button that said request more information. I never got more information sent to me, instead I got a phone called the next day (June 14, 2006) and a guy named Joe talked me into coming down to take a tour of the campus. I thought to myself I have nothing to do and have the day off so why not. I told Joe I would be there and the next day I took my tour. I loved it and thought I can do school again and the next day I came back to started the paperwork. On June 16, 2006 I was enrolled into the interior design program, let the fun begin.

           

           Let me start by says, wow. I had no clued what I had got myself into. I have no idea how serious interior design was and how much comes with making a space look nice to others. After watching shows like while you were out and trading spaces I can understand why the public along with me is ever misinformed.

And now that I have made it through almost four years of Interior design schooling I have never been more passionate and excited about a something before. I am very proud to tell people that I am going to school for interior design and have no problem explaining people what the deference is between interior design and an interior decorator.

Now I hope to get my masters in interior design and will be moving on to do the same in architecture.

The Profession of Interior Design

What is Interior Design? 

                Interior design is the art and science of creating interior and exterior environments that are   physically and aesthetically pleasing. It combines essential knowledge and training in space planning to enhance the function, safety and aesthetic quality of an existing or nonexistent space. 

 

What is an interior designer?

                

               An interior designer is a service professional educated in producing functional and appealing environments while complying with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Interior designers are creative, imaginative and artistic individuals that are disciplined in organization and problem solving. Designers work with their clients and other professionals to design solutions that meet the occupant’s needs. 

`             Traditionally, interior designers focused on decorating, choosing a style and color palette and     then selecting appropriate furniture, floor and window treatments and lighting. However, over the years interior design has progressed to separate itself from interior decorating, by transforming the educational side to help designers understand more of the architectural, electrical and structural side of a project.

               Interior designers now are taught not only to understand; how different colors, lighting, furniture, texture and scale work together to meet the needs of a building's occupants, but also to be able to understand and produce numerous plans and construction drawing. Designers are qualified to plan spaces for residential and commercial projects, including offices, airports, theaters, shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, yachts, RVs, cruise ships, theme parks, and night clubs, etc.       

               The new generation of interior designers have a clear understanding that design is no longer just about function only. A good design can make people feel better in a space while a great design can go as far as to boost office productivity, increase sales, increase a structure market value, relax a patient during a hospital stay.

 "Good design can make and break ones mood"