YOU CHOOSE: DESIGN ORGANIZATIONS STUDENTS SHOULD JOIN

I am a great testimony as to why joining a design association is a must as a student. We receive many opportunities that will help our careers before we graduate. I am apart of ASID (Student REP-GA) and NEWH. I make it a point to get my name out there and attend all beneficial events. I've had job opportunities already just by networking with professionals in organizations.  Do you need help deciding who to join and why? I'm here to give you a little help. You can join more then one organization and go to all there events or meetings. 

1. ASID

American Society of Interior Designers

One of the top design associations in America. ASID offers many benefits to students who are members. This associations offers professional credibility, networking with other students. design leaders, and your future employers. Not to mention awesome events! ASID's events serves specialty hors d'ouvres and wine LOL. ASID national has a great deal for student membership. Join for $85, stay a member your entire college career! If you are in GA, I am your student rep this year. YAY! 

2. IIDA

International Interior Design Association

Another great association that offers great benefits for students. IIDA offers many resources we need as students for educational and professional development that may not be available on campus. IIDA has great events that are fresh, young, and helpful to the environment (Zero landfill event- I love it). They have a student mentoring program, where you are paired with a industry professional for shadowing for a day. Who wouldn't want that? 

3. NKBA

National Kitchen and Bath Association

Are you interested in specializing in kitchen and bath? NKBA is the association for you. I hear about NKBA every other week. They have events, students days, and they are hands on for students. Students members receive free or discounted kitchen and bath design software like 20-20 and Chief Architect. What?? NKBA offers FREE membership to students studying in design and building fields! You can check out NKBA website for internships and jobs.

4. GAIDP

Georgia Alliance of Interior Design Professionals

If you are a student in Georgia, the GAIDP is a must to be apart of. The GAIDP is a not for profit legislative coalition of Interior Designers in the state of Georgia. Being a member, you will provide funding for a lobbyist at the state capitol to serve as a voice and to look out for the interior design community. Be a voice for the design industry that you love! GAIDP offers free admission or discounted events and CEU's.

With the many options students have to join an organization it doesn't make it easy but students have great options. Do your research and make the best decision for you and the design path you want to take.   

5 TIPS TO PREP FOR A NEW SCHOOL SEMESTER

It's that time of the year again, school time! A new semester! A new semester means new possibilities, new opportunities, new projects, and a new you! Every year requires a different you, an elevated you. With the month of August here, it is time to get our ducks in a row and start prepping for school. Yes, some schools are by semesters but others are quarterly. So many have started school already. That is fine! I still want to give you guys and gals tips on how to prep for a new school term! These are my 5 top tips on how to show up to school prepared and aim well for a great year!

1. Mentally Prepare
Come out of vacay mode and back into grind mode! Don't have your body in class but your mind in Miami. Yes, that trip was fun and much needed but you got to come back to life and get on your mode. Start doing quick refreshers! Refresh on Autocad, Revit, Roomstyler, SketchUp, or even Microsoft Office programs. Start getting back in the hang of those systems.

2. Purchase All Required Supplies 
Be a show off LOL! Show up to class with all your textbooks and supplies on the first day. Email your professors, ask them to send you the required books and a list of supplies you will need for the class. TIP: To save money you can always rent your textbooks from your universities bookstore, Amazon, or Chegg. Personally I love buying my interior design books because it will always be a good reference point in the future but my other electives I just rent. 

•Refill on already used supplies. Go purchase your vellum paper, new furniture templates, folders, low used colored pencils, boards, etc. Use these links to purchase a few of your supplies at a great deal! ClearPrint Vellum Paper Furniture Template Alvin T-Square Prismacolor Markers Prismacolor Colored Pencils

3. Join a New Organization, Club, or Sport
•Start thinking of more ways to get involved! Join a interior design organization like ASID, IIDA, NKBA, BIDN, NARI, or RESA! You can volunteer, network, and receive internships/jobs just by being connected to one of these groups. If your university's design program has a design group, join that as well!

•Always be involved with your school and peers! Look online, see what clubs and sports are looking for new members. It's always fun and beneficial to your career to be involved in school activities.

4. Start building your niche and brand

•Find your design style! Whether it's residential or commercial, you can learn what your passion is and what designs you are really good at. It could be modern, traditional, electic, contemporary, sustainability, or rustic mixed with mid-century modern. You decide!

•Buy branded resumes and business cards. You want both items to look cohesive and nice. Your resume and business cards will "tell" who you are and your personality(just a little).

•Get well-established on social media. Clean up your page or make two separate accounts-personal(private) and business. You want to show potential employees and clients you are professional and ALL about design!

•No matter where you are in your school career, it's always a good idea to start building your portfolio website. Make sure your projects, your contact information, and any information you want employees to see are updated. (Check mines out here)

5. Network, Network, Network
As my program director always said "Get a card, give a card"
•Networking will help you get that dream internship. You never know who knows who. Always have your business cards and tell everyone you talk to that you are looking for an internship.

•Tell everyone you are looking for a job. Reach out to those who gave you their business card.

•Never underestimate your peers. Networking with other students can help you not only in the classroom but in the business world too. Reach out to classmates to see if their internship or job is hiring, they could put in a good word for you. If you are lacking in one skill, reach out to your classmate who may be exceptional at that skill. We can all learn from one another.

I hope these 5 tips helped you get a good start on your awesome semester! If you have any questions or tips please contact me!

BLACK INTERIOR DESIGNERS NETWORK CONFERENCE

Black Interior Designers Network! This weekend was fun and much needed! I was a volunteer and a spectator, which was such a great decision. Not only did I learn from the awesome panel but I meet some phenomenal men and women in the interior design industry. The Black Interior Designer Network Conference is a conference to acknowledge and award black interior designers of their hard work. Mixed with awards and education, this conference had so much to offer and it was very empowering!

Day 1: Kicking off at ADAC (Atlanta Design Art Center) the conference started off with inspirational speakers on a panel. I loved the advice that was given to me about how to find a designer mentor and how to reach out to them. Beth Diana Smith kept it real on how to stay true to yourself and your design. Awards were given out in the trendy Martin Nash Showroom to BIDN's "10 Emerging Designers to Watch". Designers like Beth Diana Smith, Keia McSwain, Nicole White, and Dominique Calhoun, just to name a few were awarded for there commitment and styling stamp on the interior design industry. It was a great night for cocktails and inspiration!

Martin Nash Showroom

Martin Nash Showroom

Martin Nash Showroom

Beth Diana Smith and I

Day 2: Round 2! The Conference was now at Americasmart in Downtown Atlanta. Starting with breakfast, designers and business professionals were able to eat good and chit chat. The conference started in the Designers Marketplace, were networking was underway! Throughout the day, different showrooms had contest to get people more involved; from a Mitchell Black Wallpaper contest to JDouglas's instagram competition. I love networking! I love talking to people and hearing their awesome stories. It was such a great day to hang out with other volunteers and cool designers. There was a segment by Monique Duarte on how to run a successful design business!(You know I talked to her LOL). Monique's portion was informative and detailed. There was so much knowledge in one place, it was great!

At Americasmart

At Americasmart

Designers Marketplace-Americasmart

JDouglas-Americasmart

JDouglas-Americasmart

Dining Chair-JDouglas

Gorgeous Stool-JDouglas

After party: Party, party, party! Hosted at the September Gray Art Gallery by Michel Boyd, the conference shifted gears and was way more turn up (LOL). The art gallery was such a great place for this event. This party was filled with beautiful artwork from black artists, cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, DJ, and a good vibes from everyone. It is always good to catch up with people. I loved seeing other students from different schools and designers from past events I attended. My friends and I laughed, took pictures, and meet some cool people. I finally meet Gary with the Tea from Rickey Smiley Morning Show,totally hilarious guy. The after party was an awesome ending to a great conference.

Thank you Keia and Kimberly for letting me be apart of such a great event. Smooches!

September Gray Art Gallery

Michel Boyd and I

Me

Me

Kayla and I

SHIPPING CONTAINER HOME DESIGNS

I AM BACK.! I took a slight hiatus from blogging due to my school schedule and finishing up my last huge projects my senior year. All projects are completed and I had a great success at my portfolio show.

I meet a few professionals that gave wonderful advice and congratulated me on my next steps...since this milestone is completed now I can hit the blogging world again and share my favorite trends, colors, and designs by awesome designers.

San Jose, Costa Rica

The latest trend that I am fascinated by is shipping container homes. Once I saw one design and did my research I realized this new idea is not going anywhere no time soon.

Shipping container homes are modified or re-purposed used shipping containers used to stick them together to build a house. Why are these 20-40 ft. containers so popular? With proper planning, you can design and build a fabulous home for half the price of a "everyday" house.
I can give four reasons why this new home design is a sure head turner.

1. Easy to Construct
It is easy to design and construct a home design. All you need is a shipping container(DUH HUH.!), buying or renting it from a company, and the container being dropped in your backyard or empty lot. Containers can easily be incorporated into another container. You will definitely want to add those windows, doors, and maybe some stairs.

2. Go Wild.!
Let your imagination and creativity go free. With container homes, you can design any flair to your new home. Ceiling to floor windows, have a garden on the roof, or paint it an awesome Sherwin-Williams color(Rave Red perhaps? Ha.!). Have fun with it.

Curacavi, Chile

3. Environmentally Friendly
Most companies sell used or new containers. If you choose to reuse a ship container, you are saving the environment by reusing steel. Use solar panels. Build a home that supplies its own energy. Build a patio out front or up top next to the garden. Eating outside can help save energy and makes friends and family coming together worth wild.

Jim Poteet

4. Bringing Personal Style
Living in a shipping container will sure get attention anyways, so why not design a home with its own personal style. Let this architectural design speak on its own. Go modern or contemporary, select colors that are not the norm. This is an awesome design that will let anyone be creative.

Coromandel, New Zealand