5 THINGS (WE) INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENTS HEAR ALL THE TIME

Tell me if I am wrong but we interior design students don't get the credit we deserve and we are thrown under certain stereotypes about what we do and how we do it. Interior Design is a journey of designing a space through creativity and functionality. There is a difference between designing and decorating. Decorating is matching decor like rugs and pillows together. Designing is everything between from lighting, walls, electrical, and floor plans. With more communication and knowledge people will understand us ID Students better.

1. "OoOo you have a easy and creative career." 
Nope.! Think again, yes interior design is definitely a creative and fun career but it is not easy. I've gotten cut with blades and rulers(RULERS, who gets cut by rulers? Silly I know lol), all-nighters, pulling tons of fabric and to not use even one, and sitting at a computer for hours until it looks like your seeing double. Trying to perfect projects it's definitely time consuming.

2. "Do you watch HGTV? I love HGTV"
I love it too but HGTV give potential clients a false hope. No your space can not be decorated in a week. Most of the shows aren't about interior design, so sometimes people do not know the exact work that goes into designing a full space.

3. "Do you have to go to school for that?" 
Yes.! To work as an interior designer you need a degree from a accredited college/university. We don't just make things look colorful and pretty, We must know space planning, codes, science of lighting, textiles, just to name a few. We need to know all the ins and outs to design an entire new building.

4. "You have to come to my house.!" Or "Can you decorate my house/room for me?" 
This is the highest response I get when I tell people I major in ID. Hmmm I think to myself "Will you really hire me?" More than likely no. But I usually just go with the "of course, I got you."

5. "I don't need a designer, I can do DIY myself." 
Boy o boy.! I am all for a nice DIY project BUT some projects end up being a costly mistake that a designer could've done right the first time. Also, most people couldn't handle sitting at a drafting table sketching a floorplan or shopping for hours for a vision they can not even see. Yes, your house may be pretty, yes you may can go to Zgallerie and pick out nice decor but most people wouldn't want to put a design board together.

Interior design students often go unappreciated, but we work just as hard as any other majors and love to talk about our projects. So when the next time one of your friends, family member, or a stranger says one of these things, just simply reply with an education lesson...(a brief one of course lol)