What a tune. Well where do I see myself in five years? I would like to pursue lighing consulting. Lighting in a space is crucial to the design. Lighitng will affect the overall feel of the space and psycological appeal. Lighting shouldn't be a guessing game. There are certain calculations, kelvin temperatures, lumens, foot candles, type of lighing, sun exposure, time of year etc. that all need to be taken into consideration. Learning how to acuratley use light within the design process will only better my ability to design a successful interior.
I also enjoy involving myself with hands on projects. Being able to design a desk in furniture construction allowed me to work with tools while also excersing my design knowledge to solve problems that would occur along the way. In addition I have always had a passion for working with materials but I also have become interested in how elements are put together. It wasn't until I worked on a residential kitchen design in person that I was able to experience this. I would like to absorb any information on furniture construction and I wouldn't mind specializing in kitchen design.
While interning at Decker Ross, I was able to assist in a staging project. I got to observe the entire process from start to finish. After the initial visit with the client, the items had to be purchased, staged, and put into inventory. The small details of the process are important for both the client's and the company's liability. I would like to continue staging with hopes that it might satisfy my decorating passion.
I plan on taking the NCIDQ and become a licensed designer.I feel interior design engulfs your brain and makes you want to branch out to as many avenues as you can beacuse it is only going to make you a more educated and better designer
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
HGTV
Before I started interior design I was an HGTV addict. That was the only channel I would ever watch. I could sit for hours and watch all of the shows back to back. It only motivated me to work on my house more than I already was. After I started school around my third quarter I stopped watching it because it gave me heartburn thinkin about anything to do with design. I officially had enough of it at school. I know some might say "what design, I don't see any designing goin on on HGTV". Well I have to admit that I stand on both sides. I can't say that I know there line up of shows currently but I think there are some really talented designers featured on this channel and there are also stars that are just given a show. Candace Olsen did get a degree in interior design, worked for some of Canada's top firms, and started her own commercial and residential firm. Genevieve Gorder recieved her BFA in design aswell. There are a few exceptions and these people have talent and the education to back it. I do agree that this channel gives the viewers a misconception of what interior designers are and what there job description is. The decorating aspect has overtaken the actual responsibilites of an interior designer. I'm not saying that the individuals featured on these programs aren't talented in different areas but it shouldn't be catogorized as design if it only encompases decorating. At some point there has to be a division between the two and that is why it is the job of interior designers to continue to educate. The more we can educate, the further we will reach others and help understand our own identity aside from the decorators and even the architects.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Green vs Green
So what does sustainability mean? Where does it start? What benefits does it have? Who's responsible for this? This effects everyone in the world and as the world keeps evolving, the need for sustainability increases. I can recall a couple of years ago other students talking about how sustainability was important to them and they wanted to major in it. I was like what are they talking about. Well it has taken me some time, but I now understand the importance and the need for sustainability in numerous aspects of the world. So let's get educated.
William McDonough-
Over the past several years our description of environmental regulations as "a signal of design failure" has often been taken as an outright rejection of regulations of any kind. This interpretation couldn't be further from the truth. We need regulations to protect our air, water and soil precisely because design failures are so prevalent.
There is an alternative. When we see a heavily regulated industry, rather than condemning either the industry or the regulations, we see an opportunity for re-design, a chance to make energy and manufacturing systems so inherently healthful, productive and socially beneficial regulations become unnecessary. This shift from mere compliance to creative innovation is a key to competitive advantage in the global marketplace.
Regulations In A Time of ChangeThe transition, however, is just under way. We have only begun remaking the way we make things. While new designs are yielding products and processes that create habitat or purify water or safely generate renewable energy, strong signals of design failure persist and regulations still have a role. When women's breast milk is regularly contaminated with persistent organic pollutants the chemical companies that produce them need to be regulated until they have redesigned the products and processes that cause harm. This is especially urgent: Over the past 19 years, frequent testing in the countries of the EU has not revealed a single case in which a woman's breast milk would be allowed as drinking milk.
Is it time to take back our lives yet???? Individually we need to enforce the force. What I mean by this is simple, the force of sustainability. Enforcing sustainability within your own lifestyle is a great way to start.
Look out for green washing. Green washing is another form of mis-leading the consumer by advertising that the product is environmentally friendly. Although as a society, out conscious effort is there to contribute to this "green" trend but be aware of what is in your products whether it be food, cosmetics, cleaners, paint, flooring, etc. Just because the package is green doesn't mean it is any different than any other on the market.
William McDonough-
Over the past several years our description of environmental regulations as "a signal of design failure" has often been taken as an outright rejection of regulations of any kind. This interpretation couldn't be further from the truth. We need regulations to protect our air, water and soil precisely because design failures are so prevalent.
There is an alternative. When we see a heavily regulated industry, rather than condemning either the industry or the regulations, we see an opportunity for re-design, a chance to make energy and manufacturing systems so inherently healthful, productive and socially beneficial regulations become unnecessary. This shift from mere compliance to creative innovation is a key to competitive advantage in the global marketplace.
Regulations In A Time of ChangeThe transition, however, is just under way. We have only begun remaking the way we make things. While new designs are yielding products and processes that create habitat or purify water or safely generate renewable energy, strong signals of design failure persist and regulations still have a role. When women's breast milk is regularly contaminated with persistent organic pollutants the chemical companies that produce them need to be regulated until they have redesigned the products and processes that cause harm. This is especially urgent: Over the past 19 years, frequent testing in the countries of the EU has not revealed a single case in which a woman's breast milk would be allowed as drinking milk.
As Thomas Jefferson said, "life is for the living," and diminishing the life and the choices of our children and grandchildren is a kind of remote tyranny. Regulations that preserve choice and environmental health preserve democracy.
At some point our safety has to come first before sales and advertising and the fastest way to make money. Sustainability effects our health and safety and now corporations are getting smarter and smarter on how they design in order to persuade us to purchase what they want. For instance a grocery store will have "green" signage throughout the store or even adjust pricing to allow us to purchase foods that are unhealthy but easy to produce and manufacture. Here's a clip on how this is affecting us.
Is it time to take back our lives yet???? Individually we need to enforce the force. What I mean by this is simple, the force of sustainability. Enforcing sustainability within your own lifestyle is a great way to start.
Look out for green washing. Green washing is another form of mis-leading the consumer by advertising that the product is environmentally friendly. Although as a society, out conscious effort is there to contribute to this "green" trend but be aware of what is in your products whether it be food, cosmetics, cleaners, paint, flooring, etc. Just because the package is green doesn't mean it is any different than any other on the market.
Friday, January 28, 2011
From Decor to Design... What's Next....
I would like to share my story on how I came to this point in my life while attending The Art Institute of Tampa. As far back as I can remember I have had to support myself financially. My parents divorced when I was very young and my mother always had to work. Even with my stepfather in the picture there were four kids to support. Well my sister was the smart one so she had a direction from early on. From when I was in elementary school I had to help take care of my brothers while my parents both worked full time.
By the time I was in middle school I was babysitting other kids to make money for lunch and clothes. This carried on until high school when I joined DECA and realized what it was like in the business world. It was through DECA I would get leads for job opportunities. By senior year I would have two classes and would be off to work for the rest of the day. It took me a little bit to save for a car, but when I did I would then apply at numerous places for extra money. I was working at a doctors office after school, a pharmacy at night, and a miniature golf place on the weekends. I did that until I graduated. I stayed with the pharmacy while I attended a community college in order to pay for classes. Not knowing what to major in, I continued to take courses towards my associates degree.
After completing most of my degree, I totalled my car. Now the money I would receive from working could no longer go towards school but a new car payment. I grew tired of taking courses and still not knowing what I even wanted to do for a career. I decided to focus on my current job and make that my career. I already had a decent amount of time in and all the benefits I needed. I got promoted three times from pharmacy to district office to management then executive management. I could of had my own store by now making a nice chunk of change but I was still not happy.
My father came back into my life after 13 years of not hearing from him. He knew I wasn't in school and tried to talk me into going back. He said he would help me pay for it and sent me a brand new laptop. He didn't get it. He didn't know how hard I had to work to support myself and I couldn't just give that up to go back to school. That laptop sat around in the box for another two years.
I had purchased my very first house on my own just so I could decorate it. Even though I hated my job, I had something to be happy about when I came home. There was always a project I was working on in my house and I loved it. Well that whole school thing kept working its way around. At the time I had a lot of health problems which consumed my life. My daily routine and diet would have to change drastically if I wanted to keep from getting an even more serious illness. I then thought I would go to school for nutrition. I was basically researching it all day everyday anyways. I told my two best friends about it and this would be the conversation that would change my life. They told me to follow what they had seen my passion to be, interior "decorating". They told me to be more confident with myself and go for it.
That very next week I was at the Art Institute after not hearing back from anyone at the Academy..(thank goodness). I explained how I loved to decorate and I would be so interested in learning how to sew, and paint, and take a shop class or something. The advisor laughed and said,"well you won't be doing any of that here." After he explained a bit of who knows what, I was pumped up and ready to start. My first three quarters here was one of the best times of my life. I soon realized that this was very different from what I was expecting but still great. It wouldn't take long before I was correcting everyone from saying decorator to designer. It took me a very long time to come to terms with what my original passion was and how that is still my passion. I realized that I wasn't going to be ashamed of saying I like to decorate because I am going to an architectural based interior design school. I feel that decorating is still part of interior design whether people want to fight me on that or not. It is just called finishings and material selections. Heck someones got to do it. You can't design a space that has no materials and call it a finished project. What kind of psychological effect would that have on the space and the people who occupy it? Yes, I know you can opt to have someone else do it for you. Well I guess that's where I come in.
Well after stepping down in my position at my job to pursue my career and taking a huge pay cut, losing my house and everything I owned in it, realizing that my Dad would go back on his word about paying for school, and eventually quitting the only stable thing I had in my life after 12 years of working for them, I believe everything happens for a reason.... and for me that reason would be my education and whatever else God has planned for me. I am so appreciative of what I have learned here at AI and thank everyone that has helped me get my education. We have some awesome instructors that are super inspiring and I wouldn't have made it this far without them! I will be proud to say I have a BFA when I am finished here. I would like to continue getting my masters but I'm not sure if that would be beneficial for me at this time. I look forward to taking the NCIDQ and would love to be a licensed interior designer one day. Will I still love to decorate... yes! What's next.... I have no idea but I would enjoy working on residential projects and am very interested in learning all that I can to specialize in lighting.
Thanks for listening to my story
By the time I was in middle school I was babysitting other kids to make money for lunch and clothes. This carried on until high school when I joined DECA and realized what it was like in the business world. It was through DECA I would get leads for job opportunities. By senior year I would have two classes and would be off to work for the rest of the day. It took me a little bit to save for a car, but when I did I would then apply at numerous places for extra money. I was working at a doctors office after school, a pharmacy at night, and a miniature golf place on the weekends. I did that until I graduated. I stayed with the pharmacy while I attended a community college in order to pay for classes. Not knowing what to major in, I continued to take courses towards my associates degree.
After completing most of my degree, I totalled my car. Now the money I would receive from working could no longer go towards school but a new car payment. I grew tired of taking courses and still not knowing what I even wanted to do for a career. I decided to focus on my current job and make that my career. I already had a decent amount of time in and all the benefits I needed. I got promoted three times from pharmacy to district office to management then executive management. I could of had my own store by now making a nice chunk of change but I was still not happy.
My father came back into my life after 13 years of not hearing from him. He knew I wasn't in school and tried to talk me into going back. He said he would help me pay for it and sent me a brand new laptop. He didn't get it. He didn't know how hard I had to work to support myself and I couldn't just give that up to go back to school. That laptop sat around in the box for another two years.
I had purchased my very first house on my own just so I could decorate it. Even though I hated my job, I had something to be happy about when I came home. There was always a project I was working on in my house and I loved it. Well that whole school thing kept working its way around. At the time I had a lot of health problems which consumed my life. My daily routine and diet would have to change drastically if I wanted to keep from getting an even more serious illness. I then thought I would go to school for nutrition. I was basically researching it all day everyday anyways. I told my two best friends about it and this would be the conversation that would change my life. They told me to follow what they had seen my passion to be, interior "decorating". They told me to be more confident with myself and go for it.
That very next week I was at the Art Institute after not hearing back from anyone at the Academy..(thank goodness). I explained how I loved to decorate and I would be so interested in learning how to sew, and paint, and take a shop class or something. The advisor laughed and said,"well you won't be doing any of that here." After he explained a bit of who knows what, I was pumped up and ready to start. My first three quarters here was one of the best times of my life. I soon realized that this was very different from what I was expecting but still great. It wouldn't take long before I was correcting everyone from saying decorator to designer. It took me a very long time to come to terms with what my original passion was and how that is still my passion. I realized that I wasn't going to be ashamed of saying I like to decorate because I am going to an architectural based interior design school. I feel that decorating is still part of interior design whether people want to fight me on that or not. It is just called finishings and material selections. Heck someones got to do it. You can't design a space that has no materials and call it a finished project. What kind of psychological effect would that have on the space and the people who occupy it? Yes, I know you can opt to have someone else do it for you. Well I guess that's where I come in.
Well after stepping down in my position at my job to pursue my career and taking a huge pay cut, losing my house and everything I owned in it, realizing that my Dad would go back on his word about paying for school, and eventually quitting the only stable thing I had in my life after 12 years of working for them, I believe everything happens for a reason.... and for me that reason would be my education and whatever else God has planned for me. I am so appreciative of what I have learned here at AI and thank everyone that has helped me get my education. We have some awesome instructors that are super inspiring and I wouldn't have made it this far without them! I will be proud to say I have a BFA when I am finished here. I would like to continue getting my masters but I'm not sure if that would be beneficial for me at this time. I look forward to taking the NCIDQ and would love to be a licensed interior designer one day. Will I still love to decorate... yes! What's next.... I have no idea but I would enjoy working on residential projects and am very interested in learning all that I can to specialize in lighting.
Thanks for listening to my story
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Interior Design vs Institute for Justice
It was very upsetting to hear the views of the Institute for Justice and their clients that they have backing them. It is scary to think that individuals that do not have the knowledge to understand the full spectrum of the Interior Design profession can form a group against people that have taken the time to educate themselves through schooling, certifications, and licensing. Hearing specific words such as beautiful being used to simply describe the work of an interior designer is unfortunate. If she was fighting against the state of Florida so she could use the word beautiful then may I suggest some words that would better fit our design field; sustainability, safety, anthropometrics, ergonomics, form, function, theory, evidence.............. If these words are not turned into actions when designing then you need to ask yourself who are you designing for. Clearly these women wouldn't be "designing" for the client because they would not be considering the safety and well being and the specific needs of any and all involved. I just don't quite understand how statistics have been compiled to show evidence against accusations from the Institute for Justice and yet the information is still dismissed by the courts rulings. IJ claims individuals are being discriminated against by age and for mid career change but ASID has composed information that shows industry surveys prove fifty-five percent of interior designers are between the ages of thirty-five and fifty-four. This is a selfish act to put yourself ahead of thousands that have worked hard to maintain the credibility of the profession.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)