Prepare for Interior Design School in 3 Steps

By Sarah Clark
Career Colleges Columnist

How can I best prepare for my interior design education? That question is on the minds of many considering interior design school. It's a very important, formative time in your career development. These three steps will help you better prepare for design school.

Visualize Your Future

Before you complete your interior design education, make sure you know where you want your career to be after school. Can your design education help you get there? Are you sure you are attending a particular program that will help you attain your career goals? For example, don't attend an interior design school if your real passion is landscape architecture. Similarly, if you're more interested in design than interior decorating, you may benefit from an interior design education that focuses more on architecture and less on the decorative arts.

Start Acting Like an Interior Design Student Now

Don't wait for school to start learning about interior design. Start now! Read industry trade journals and consumer design and interior decorating magazines like Architectural Digest. Visit design museums like the Cooper-Hewitt in New York City and the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Paris, France also has many great museums dedicated to the decorative arts. They will provide a comprehensive, visually compelling introduction to various influences that continue to shape the most exciting, tasteful interior decorating choices today. If you can't afford a trip to Paris or New York, visit your local library and check out books on interior design and decorative art.

Apply Your Interior Design Skills

Whenever you have a chance to do so, apply your design skills. Do you have a friend with hopelessly bad taste? Help them redecorate their apartment! Experiment with your own living quarters and don't be afraid to be crafty--it's a great way to express your creativity without spending a lot of money. Get together with others who enjoy interior decorating and swap design stories and ideas. Critique the latest Pottery Barn magazine and find inspiration in innovative designers who catch your eye.

In short, don't wait for formal design school to start your interior design education. While formal training is important, and often necessary for breaking into the design industry, fueling your creativity and passion for design is equally valuable. It will drive your enthusiasm for great design throughout your career.

Sources
The Bureau of Labor Statistics

About the Author
Sarah Clark is a freelance writer specializing in career development and postsecondary education.

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