July 2024

The benefits of learning interior design.

Are you a person of great creativity and taste? Do people marvel over your home décor? Do you think of yourself as a skillful decorator? Then, this article is for you.

 

Do you find it challenging to put together an outfit or pull together furnishings for your living room? Then, this article is for you too.

 

Do you often struggle to explain to your home improvement contractor or designer what you really want? Then, this article is for you as well.

 

Above, I identified three categories of people who would benefit from learning some interior design basics. Let’s look at each group to find out why.

 

DIY decorator.

 

Many people think that interior design is mostly about talent. Believe it or not, there are rules and theoretical knowledge that form a necessary foundation for a professional design. Talent enhances that knowledge base, but talent alone is not enough.  

 

When I enter a space, I can always tell if it was designed professionally. Of course, you can ask why that would matter if the owner of the space is happy. It would only matter for those who would like their home to reach its full potential, both esthetically and functionally. Learning basic principles of design would help accomplish this.

 

Design challenged.

 

“I can’t draw a straight line.” You heard this saying. I could never draw well. Years ago, I took an art class led by a local artist. The first thing she told the class was that she would teach us how to draw a straight line. And she did! She also taught many other tricks that professional artists use. I did not begin drawing like a professional artist but my confidence in basic drawing skyrocketed. I always thought that I could not draw because I had no talent. At that class, I realized I could not draw because I never learned any techniques. I still have no talent in drawing.

 

So, if you think you could never pick three colors that go together or place accessories properly, you can learn how to do that, whether you have talent or not.

 

Design client.

 

You have a professional, designer or contractor, working on your project. Do you need to educate yourself in the basics of design? It’s up to you. After all, you are paying a professional to do this for you. But if you do, you will learn to speak the same language your professionals speak, you will be more effective collaborator on your project, you will have more realistic expectations, and you will be more satisfied with the result.

 

Where to learn.

 

By now, I hope I convinced you that you could benefit from learning fundamentals of interior design, since most of us belong to one of the groups above.

 

Where can you find learning resources? Yes, we have Google for that. And Facebook. And Instagram. And Tik Tok. And blogs. My biggest qualm about these sources is that information is presented in bits and pieces, rather than a systematic volume on a topic. It usually takes a lot of time to sift through poorly written, often amateur material before something useful is found. Add to that a myriad of distractions and lack of personal interactions.

 

So, my personal favorite is an old-fashioned college class, a good textbook or a course offered by a design professional.

 

Many years ago, I developed a six-class course covering the fundamentals of interior design. Many former participants noted that the knowledge they received was very valuable for their projects. I am offering this course again. Those who live in a greater Indianapolis area have the opportunity to take this class now.

 

By educating yourself, you can become a better DIY decorator or a better-informed client. Not only this knowledge will make your project go smoother, but you could save time and money by making smarter choices, avoiding mistakes, and reducing professional fees.

 

For more information about my design class go to my Facebook or Instagram pages:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559123535475

https://www.instagram.com/p/C80wbgaOatm/