As we go through the required education to become a licensed
interior designer, we are made aware of the types of interior design there are.
Hospitality, Retail, Restaurant, Institutional and Office design to name a few.
Usually by the time you graduate you start to have an idea of the area interior
design you want to focus on. But can one get the education to actually specialize
in a specific type of design?
Researching on the internet I found that there is not a
specific degree that one can obtain that specializes in a type of interior
design. Most curriculums in interior design introduce the 5 most common types
of interiors noted above. This gives the student a brief glimpse into the many
types and a balanced portfolio for the job hunt. To specialize you really have
to research, gain knowledge and experience on your own. Hone your craft as they
say. This may even mean working at an office or restaurant in the different
positions to understand how the facility works as a whole.
For example, there is a classmate of mine that thought she
wanted to be part of the restaurant industry. After working in the business for
a couple of years, she realized that it wasn’t for her. Based on her love of
art and design that interior design was what she wanted to do. She could
combine the two if she wanted. The experience that she had in the restaurant
industry gives her a better understanding of designing a restaurant because she
knows how it functions. What works what doesn’t work. This can be attractive to
future employers that specialize in this type of interior design.
The other important part of specializing is researching
design firms. Not all firms are the same. Some may specialize while others may
not. Also the size of the firm makes a difference. Typically in a larger firm
you have to “earn your keep” as they say. Smaller firms allow you to get more
involved in the design process when you first start out. But word of caution you
don’t want a situation that is baptism by fire where you are thrown into the
lion’s den on you first project. Looking at their work and networking with employees
will help you understand what the firm is about. When looking to jump into the
real world it’s all about doing your homework.
These are two very good points. The first issue of specializing is something that I believe will become more important as the field continues to grow. Doctors are not required to know everything about the entire body. If you are sick, you go see your general practitioner, who then sends you to a specialist to receive more specific care. I feel that the design field will become more like this in time. We can not know everything, because, if we're being honest, there is A LOT of information out there. It is impossible to keep abreast of everything all of the time, but if we were to focus or concentrate in certain areas, it would allow for better work and better environments for the public. As for the job process, residential or commercial, big firm or small firm, those are questions that I'm hoping will be answered somewhat during my coursework and also my internship. I think that is point of the internship, it not only gives us a chance to learn in the field, but to also learn about the actual business side of design and gain some knowledge for what it is that we want with our careers. It's not easy to know what it is you want to do with your degree the moment you walk off the graduation stage, but hopefully, we will be prepared with knowledge from our past experiences before graduation to guide us.
ReplyDeleteI think having a range to choose from before beginning school would be beneficial on price. I would appreciate that.
ReplyDelete