Future of Interior Design

Even though there is still the misconception that Interior Design is the same as Decoration, Interior Design has a positive future ahead. The design industry is evolving every day and with the strategy of collaboration between different professionals, which gives an opportunity for Interior Designers to educate these professionals of their responsibilities and in that way they can also educate others. Also, with the advance in technology, design becomes more efficient and flexible giving Interior Designers the chance to show people who are unaware of the profession what they do. 

I think that it depends on Interior Designers that the profession never dies. It is our responsibility to make this profession unique, to educate others about it, to make them aware that this profession is based on education, experience and licensure.

Media portrayal of interior design. Positives and negatives of HGTV.

Unfortunately, everything that is shown on TV is portrayed as being true. The media persuades society on how everything should be and how everybody should act as. Personally, I find that the way that the media manipulates different subjects in order to have ratting and fame is making people uneducated about certain things. In the case of the subject of Interior Design, the majority of the people think of this profession as being about decoration which is not. Because of what is shown on TV, people see that an “Interior Designer” decorates and makes everything look pretty, and actually people get the misconception that Interior Design and Decoration is the same thing. The show HGTV for instance, portrays decorators as interior designers by showing how they can renovate a house in days, which in real life it could take up months to do. The shows do not go deeper into what really happens when a client approaches an interior designer to design a space and the phases that need to be completed before starting the construction. It does not explain that a professional interior designer has to go through a four year education program and get experience in order to design; and for commercial spaces, they need a license.

Even though, we cannot stop the media from doing what they have been doing for years, we as Interior Designers have the responsibility of educating people on what interior design is. It is not decorating, it is not a seven day design process, it is not about applying whatever color and selecting fabrics, it is about designing for the health, safety and well-being of the public and making spaces functional for them.

Universal Design Leads to a Better Design Solution

Many people as well as design students in their first years of school ask themselves: what is universal design and how is it different from the American for Disabilities Act?

Well, the two concepts are different in many things but at the same time they have things in common that sometimes can cause the terms to be thought of being the same thing. Universal Design is defined by the ASID as “the concept that ideally all design (products, technologies and the built environment) should serve the broadest range of people, regardless of levels of ability or mobility, age, gender or physical stature without the need for adaptation or specialized design”. In other words, it is an orientation to focus the design on the user.  On the other hand, the American for Disabilities Act or ADA “gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications”, as stated by the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The ADA is the right to people with disabilities to be treated equally and not be discriminated against. Considering the latter, Universal Design and the ADA are connected to create that equality. Universal Design is the solution to create objects or spaces where everybody can use them without any limitations. Universal Design also includes children, which are also people, because mainly heights are a problem to them. For instance, a bathroom sink or toilet cannot be used by a child because they are too high for them.  Again, Universal Design helps designers to think and create solutions for this problem so that every person is accommodated and is able to use anything.

I think that as Interior Designers we should always think about creating design solutions that incorporate Universal Design because the spaces will be more functional and there will be no barriers to the user. In addition, in order to remain competitive in the field, Universal Design has to be included in the design solution to the client in order for him to live better. 

Design Education & Professionalism

With the intention of becoming a professional, one must receive education. The design profession is not only concerned with creativity and aesthetics but also with psychology, environmental science, economics, sociopolitical characteristics, and functionality. Considering this, years of education is what aids the process of the incorporation of the aspects in the latter. Additionally, instructors in universities have the responsibility to teach students how to integrate the mentioned aspects by introducing research, critical thinking, analysis, proposal and presentations of solutions within the design curriculum. After going through the design education, the designer must gain experience in order to become a professional. But what does it mean to be a professional? It means that the person went through years of education in a specific field.

In Interior Design, the misconception that this is not a profession is present in many people. The majority of the time people think that it is the same as decoration and that anybody can be an Interior Designer without going through higher education. However, Interior Design is a profession. An Interior Designer has to go through four years of college education, two years of experience afterwards, and take a qualification exam in order to receive a licensure. This license give the Interior Designer the right to sign and seal construction documents.

Furthermore, professionalism comes from those years of education combined with experience in the field. Professionalism in a person is defined by their mode of searching for solutions to a problem keeping in mind ethical aspects, their integrity, and their behavior in the work environment.

It is imperative that we as Interior Designers take ownership of our profession and work hard for our design education in order to obtain the professionalism that one day will make the Interior Design profession have the desired recognition.

My definition of Interior Design

In my opinion there are various components of a human public or private dwelling. These are: the structure, the interior, and the decoration. The architect is responsible for designing a structure that meets the needs of the client and also fits into the natural environment. The interior designers are in charge of designing the interior spaces of the structure created by the architect. The decorator is who brings different decorative objects, like picture frames, sculptures, or indoor plants in order to finish the embellishment of that interior. As an interior design student, I have learned and I am still learning about interior design and the way in which to improve the designing of interiors for the public.

To me Interior design is a solution to a need; it is an improvement to human lifestyle. Interior design is an artificial environment that brings the natural environment through its openings. It is also the creation of a protective environment for humans. Interior design is creating environments in which people can interact with, and in order to perform their tasks they need all components such as lighting, furniture, and privacy levels. Interior design is the connection between humans and the structure. It is a responsibility with people because interiors need to be harmonious in the sense of safety and well-being of the public. Interior design is also a psychological practice since the factors of humans are another aspect to incorporate when designing an interior environment.

Finally, I think that interior design is a great profession because interior designer’s not only creates a functional and aesthetically pleasing but also impacts society by designing safe spaces and creating environmental stewardship awareness.