The Future of Interior Design

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          When thinking about the future of design I think about how I personally, can contribute to the industry. I think that the industry, being as new as it s, has a lot of foreword progression to make. I believe that it is up to the young, newly educated designers to focus on spreading the true word of interior design.

          Because of so many common misconceptions, interior design is considered decorating. In Florida, in particular, the threat of deregulation is continually being presented, and as an industry I fell it is important to fight for what we know is the truth, and to prevent the profession from ever becoming deregulated.

          Because of this, I also feel that many interior designers are going to practice under architects simply because of their license and insurance. Most interior designers today have gone through at least the minimum amount of schooling required to become licensed, but because of the amount involved in the testing process choose not to and practice under someone who has.  I feel that with this threat, most interior designers are going to study architecture rather than becoming licensed in interior design.

          I feel that it is very important to continue to practice interior design as a separate profession because there is so much more involved than just with architecture alone. The majority of the general public don’t think about who designs the interiors of commercial spaces and automatically assume that it was an architect. This is all the more reason to continue practicing interior design, and solely interior design.

          If the profession continues the way it currently is headed, then interior design will no longer be considered interior design, but rather interior architecture, which do not include all aspects of the design process. Although decorating does play a plat in the process, it is not entirely what the job entails, and in the eyes of the general public, it is.

          I feel that thorough education and the continuation of practicing evidence based design, will help to keep the industry alive and interior design its own profession.

Reality vs. Perception

­          With all of the hype on HGTV, there is a misconception that these designers live such a glamorous life and complete projects in little to know time. I think that this TV network is entertaining to an extent but far too misleading when it comes to the truth of interior design. Some of the shows are about the designers and the spaces themselves, rather than trying to renovate a space in some unrealistic amount of time. In addition to having faulty claims in what interior design really is, there are a handful of designers that call themselves interior designers when in fact they are really just decorators.

          I first started my design endeavors in the field of architecture, and quickly realized that I wanted to also pursue a degree in interior design. I felt that it took more knowledge then what just has an architect has to offer when designing an entire space. After starting school I came to realize that the majority of the people enrolling in the interior design program, were under the impression that this was a program for decoration.

          Unfortunately, because of HGTV, so many people that get into the industry are under the impression that their education is going to revolve around creating inviting spaces using color and décor, and that they will be able to perform in a short amount of time to complete an entire project. Because these shows are purely made for entertainment, they film over a period of time and then cup video clips to suit the half hour block. If gives a glamorous perception, not truly showing what really goes into a project, and who actually performs what work. Although the stars are in charge of picking out the decorations and furniture, it does not show what goes on behind the scenes. In most cases the designers are not licensed, so in turn they have to hire architects or licensed designers to sign and seal the contracts in any construction required. Simply because the architect or licensed designer is not the star of the show, the majority of the time they are omitted from and shot, and only included in the credit.

          The real profession of interior design is comprised of a multitude of understandings, in both the exterior and interior of a building or home. Although it is primarily up to the architect to design the exterior or shell of a space, it is up to the interior designer to be able to understand what is needed to be done in order to make the inside of a space functional and aesthetically pleasing. It takes a lot of planning to effectively organize a space and compile a collection of spaces within it. Once the space is able to be utilized effectively, sometimes a decorator will come in to finish off the space, but an interior designer is more than qualified to complete the space.

          Although some shows on HGTV do include some of the construction process, they always seem to finish a project in an incredible amount of time. This makes the process seem incredibly simple and fast when in fact it take a lot more time then implied.

          HGTV does offer a few shows that simply highlight the finished product and inform the viewers of the different aspects and features of the space. This makes the practice present within the industry look very unrealistic for most to ever obtain in their lifetime. These however, are some of the most realistic shows on HGTV. They don’t try to portray people performing work out of their field of expertise.

          I feel that HGTV has given the profession of interior design a false identity. The channel try’s to portray the field as glamorous and very fast paced, when in fact it takes a lot of time to properly plan and execute a project. Once the process has been completed, the outcome is something more then the designer had ever imagined.

Ethics and Universal Design

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Ethics in design is something that always needs to be considered. There are many ethic and moral issues pertaining to design that don’t get though about on a normal basis, or don’t get thought about at all until a situation arises. Designers are faced with question and problems involving their morals in which they subconsciously answer daily in their work. It is up to the designer to be able to work thorough these problems and face whether or not they can complete the project, depending on their moral values. I believe it is also up to the designer to practice universal design in order to maintain a fair practice. While trying to maintain an ethical design firm, practicing Universal Design will ensure that the space is fit for all users, and also show that you are making an effort to provide services to everyone. 

While maintaining an ethical behavior within the work environment, a designer may be confronted with many tasks that they don’t feel comfortable working on. Maybe one doesn’t agree with the type of project, what the project entails, or whom the work is for. It is up to the designer to be able to confront either their boss or the client, and explain what the circumstances are, holding them back from completing the project. Sometimes designers refuse to inform their boss how they truly feel about a project they are working on, and in turn don’t work as hard or put forth as dedicated of an effort simply because they don’t agree with what they are doing. Sometimes designers feel threatened by their bosses and won’t approach them regarding circumstances such as this. It is important to be able to communicate about problems as such because it is u not fair to the client to not be giving their project your complete attention while designing. 

Ethics is something that needs to be considered in multiple different aspects when it comes to designing. As long as the designer has an ethical background and morals to go along with it, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. Designers have a lot to think about when leaving the work place or taking on another position. Most of the stuff designer’s work on is in correlation with other designers, making it so you don’t own the drawings. It is up to the designer to be able to ethically make decisions regarding the work they have completed. It is also the designer’s responsibility to report unethical behavior to their boss. Other designers within the firm may act in ways that you don’t agree with, leading to behavior that is not fit for the firm. Some designers have been know to steal drawings, claim they can provide services they aren’t entitled to, and some have even been known to call themselves interior designers when in fact they have had no professional or educational training at all. Although it may not seem like the right thing to do, it is better off you having them be confronted rather then they practice something and have the client be at fault. 

Practicing Universal Design is also something that is considered ethical, and at the same time it is the only thing that makes sense. Many people think that practicing the ADA codes is called designing for everyone, when it is not for everyone, it is for those considered disabled or incapable of maneuvering the space. Practicing Universal Design entails so much more then that. Universal design includes everybody, not just those with special needs. Although providing for those that are handicap, it also provides for women that are pregnant, those injured, children, elderly, and the average human being.  Designing for everyone is much more ethical then just making sure disabled people are able to use the space. If everyone is included, then there is room for expansion to include whatever walk of life occupies the space. I believe it is important to educate interior designers on universal design, so more than just the ADA codes can be pursued.

The Importance of Design Education and Professionalism

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I am a very strong believer in that one should be as educated in their field as they can be, and that nobody should ever stop you from absorbing more information. I believe in continuing your education and expanding your knowledge, so that you can tackle any problem given to you. I think that being educated in design will benefit you regardless to whether you are an actual designer or not. There is a lot more to the field than anybody whom is uneducated thinks there is. The first misconception is that Interior Design is entirely about decorating. People are mislead to believe that because interior design is influenced some what by color and furniture, it only take the education of an interior decorator to do it... which is no education. 

I am very passionate about design, as well as the education that comes along with it. I would not trade my education for anything because I have learned so much valuable information that is going to benefit me immensely throughout my career. I don't understand why people would want to become licensed without first being educated about the field they are going into.

Take myself, for example. I started at USF to get a degree in architecture and three years into it decided I wanted to get a degree in interior design first, so that I would be knowledge about every aspect of the building rather than just the structure. I feel that with my degree in interior design, going into architecture school will mean much more for my education. I want to be fully educated about everything regarding my profession, so I can relate it to my future. It is incredibly valuable to me concerning my future, and I will utilize it my entire life. 

I believe that professionalism is a must within the work environment. It is very important to come off as someone respectable with knowledge in their field. All too often design professionals make a casual approach, and I believe that in order to be successful, one needs to come off confident and professional until you get to know your client and understand what kind of demeanor to take with them. 

I also believe that professionalism will help you gain more respectable clients and allow you to broaden your clientele, because you know how to present and conduct yourself. I feel that in a professional environment you have more respect for yourself as well as for the client. With a professional attitude, the work you present to your client will be taken with much more consideration as well as have much more value because of the way you present yourself.

                Outside of the work environment it is also very important to take a professional approach. Not only are you representing yourself, you are standing for what you have worked towards your entire life, your career. In order to maintain a good reputation, I believe it is important to act respectable and maintain moral and ethical perspective on whatever project you are working on, or client you are working with.

The Value of Interior Design

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When thinking about what Interior Design means to me, so many subjects, issues, and emotions rush through my head. I initially think about the definition from ASID, that Interior Design is about providing for the health, safety and wellbeing of the user of the space. With that set aside, Interior Design is so much more to me. When designing a space, so much is simultaneously being thought about, including functionality of the space, aesthetics of the space, but most importantly, the ability for the space to be safely occupied by an individual, no matter what their special needs may be. To me, Interior Design involves the entire interior of a space or building, and everything that makes up that space, including that from the environment to the psychology. By taking advantage of your available resources and utilizing all accumulated knowledge, designing an interior should solve any problems involving function, user ability, accessibility, and aesthetics.

An entirely too common misconception about Interior Design is that it is driven around decorating the space. There is an industry for that; it is called Interior Decorating, not Interior Design. Because what we do is so closely related to that of architecture, the idea that Interior Design is an entirely different profession is almost inconceivable, leading to one that is unknowledgeable to the profession, to assume Interior Design is decorating.

It is rather annoying to constantly hear something that you have worked so hard towards called or considered something it is not. Having to continually explain the difference between a designer and a decorator to those whom could one day hire me, leads me to believe the majority of my clients wont understand the value or quality of my work. Although I have always wanted to further my education in architecture, since I have learned more about the industry, and fought for Interior Design to remain a regulated profession, I almost want the degree just so Ill be taken more seriously by others I will be working with.

Many wonder why I didn’t just go for a degree in architecture. What many don’t understand is the value of a degree in Interior Design and how it will benefit me as both a student and a professional in the field of architecture. Interior Design focuses on the entire interior of the space, as explained before, where architecture involves the structure as well as the exterior of the space. Being educated in as many aspects within the field will help to produce a more stable and reliable project, that you know will be suitable as well as enjoyable for the user.